right, made TC a couple of times now, one bad batch and one lovely one (hooray tesco value apple juice!) and now have a big bag of apples from mum's neighbour.
so ready to make cider directly from apples and thinking about washing the apples cos there seems little point in sterilising everything if i don't wash the ingredients too... but, well, i just wondered what people do to wash their apples. a quick rinse under the tap? a dunk in scalding water? or does anyone go so far as to dip in sterilising liquid (yuk) and rinse thoroughly?
i feel this to be a very naive question and i know that the first person i ever met who made homemade cider, well, i suspect that the very idea of washing his apples never crossed his mind... but really, what does everyone else do?
cheers
naive apple cider question
Quick rinse under the tap to get the mud off. Cut out any bad bits as they will make your cider taste like Str*****w (your budget longlife apple juice is made of much nicer apples than the big cidermakers use).
You'll need to pulp the apples if possible - about four hours running in batches through the food processor, or maybe you're lucky enough to own a crusher
. I wonder if you could use a juicing machine?
I have a home-made miniature wine press, which I use for the grapes from the garden, but I still mash-up the grapes first (in the washing-up bowl with a potato masher).
Get a healthy cider yeast starter going the day before, so that when you pitch , it will probably out-compete anything natural.
Some people put metabisulphite in the must to slow-down any natural nasties - packet yeast should be resistant to it.
You'll need to pulp the apples if possible - about four hours running in batches through the food processor, or maybe you're lucky enough to own a crusher
. I wonder if you could use a juicing machine?I have a home-made miniature wine press, which I use for the grapes from the garden, but I still mash-up the grapes first (in the washing-up bowl with a potato masher).
Get a healthy cider yeast starter going the day before, so that when you pitch , it will probably out-compete anything natural.
Some people put metabisulphite in the must to slow-down any natural nasties - packet yeast should be resistant to it.
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rhodian
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likesbeer
I'd be interested to hear how the juicer goes as its never mentioned anywhere with regards to cider from apples
http://www.cider.org.uk/
Is a good site for how too with cider plus somewhere on this site is some instruction for cider all very helpful.
I washed all my apples in a bucket and changed water regularly chopped into 1/4 or 1/8 and beat to death with a bit of 4" by 2" then pressed to get the juice its quite determined not to come out of the pulp and I think you want minimum solids in the fermenting. Also removed bad bits, big bruises and any wiggly inhabitants.
Also put campden tablet then yeast and nutrient a day or so later, however next time not going to mess so much and will get a specific cider yeast pitch it once its well started and hope it over powers any bad ones.
http://www.cider.org.uk/
Is a good site for how too with cider plus somewhere on this site is some instruction for cider all very helpful.
I washed all my apples in a bucket and changed water regularly chopped into 1/4 or 1/8 and beat to death with a bit of 4" by 2" then pressed to get the juice its quite determined not to come out of the pulp and I think you want minimum solids in the fermenting. Also removed bad bits, big bruises and any wiggly inhabitants.
Also put campden tablet then yeast and nutrient a day or so later, however next time not going to mess so much and will get a specific cider yeast pitch it once its well started and hope it over powers any bad ones.