Posted: 8/19/2010 10:47:20 AM EDT
| We are getting our press ready to start making up this years batch of cider. Last year was a bust only made about 10 gallons, but the trees are loaded this year! Looking at picking around 15-20 bushels along with a couple bushes to dry. Any body else make ciders? |
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We are getting our press ready to start making up this years batch of cider. Last year was a bust only made about 10 gallons, but the trees are loaded this year! Looking at picking around 15-20 bushels along with a couple bushes to dry. Any body else make ciders? Sure thing. Last year we didn't have any apples from a bad frost. The year before I did something in the neighborhood of 30 gallons. I turned 10 gallon into hard cider and bottled it. Still have a few more weeks before the apples are ready up here. |
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I generally do cider around November 1st. Lots of our apples don't ripen till late October... Then there is the general Deer season in Mid October... We do about 15 gallons... 
A combination of acid apples (about 15% granny smith) and the rest sweet apples (assorted varieties). |
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we do cider every year. I have about 50 trees. red delicious, yellow delicious, empires and a couple of cortlands. I have a small hand press that we use occasionally, but there is a couple nearby that press and bottle it for a buck a gallon. I think last fall we froze about 40 gallons. tastes good all year long that way.
I have tried to make hard cider a few times, but the taste is not to my liking(has a funky after taste). It will knock you on your ass though! |
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we do cider every year. I have about 50 trees. red delicious, yellow delicious, empires and a couple of cortlands. I have a small hand press that we use occasionally, but there is a couple nearby that press and bottle it for a buck a gallon. I think last fall we froze about 40 gallons. tastes good all year long that way. I have tried to make hard cider a few times, but the taste is not to my liking(has a funky after taste). It will knock you on your ass though! I think I will try it this year. My father, and now my younger brother, seem to have it down pat. I drink very little alcohol, but consider it a real treat to have a glass of their hard cider. It is very, very good. |
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this is the one I have. works good, but it is a lot of manual labor.
cider press ETA Quoted:
Quoted:...I have tried to make hard cider a few times, but the taste is not to my liking(has a funky after taste). It will knock you on your ass though!
Time and the right yeast will help that funk go away. I have used champagne yeast and the taste has improved over time, but the taste is still not great. not bad, but it could be improved. do you have a specific recipe you would be willing to share? 
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Quoted:I have used champagne yeast and the taste has improved over time, but the taste is still not great. not bad, but it could be improved. do you have a specific recipe you would be willing to share?
montrachet works fine. I'm also adding 2 lbs of either honey or brown sugar for a 5 gallon batch. For me the greatest improver is time. Several of my ciders are 2 years old now and just starting to drink exceptionally well. Prior to that, they had a hint of sulphurish young taste. Is this the funk you speak of? |
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Quoted:I have used champagne yeast and the taste has improved over time, but the taste is still not great. not bad, but it could be improved. do you have a specific recipe you would be willing to share?
montrachet works fine. I'm also adding 2 lbs of either honey or brown sugar for a 5 gallon batch. For me the greatest improver is time. Several of my ciders are 2 years old now and just starting to drink exceptionally well. Prior to that, they had a hint of sulphurish young taste. Is this the funk you speak of? Yea, I would say that sounds right. It is several years old now and it tastes better every year. It is almost time for a new batch and I will try some honey this year. Thanks |
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So how would one go about making cider on a budget? Last year my apple trees had almost no apples. we went down to the neighbors orchard and picked up drops for $1/bu. a local couple has a press and charges $1.25 a gal to press and bottle cider. put about 40 gallons in freezer. alot cheaper than $4-5/gal |