Cider anyone?

Well Sean. Hangover? I try to limit meself to two pints a night.

In the land of the sober again. Must say, as an experiment, no hangover. I put it down to organic apples, no additives or chemicals. Rather frightening though, the speed it took effect. Half-pints in future, with grub.

Sounds a bit light weight to me . I have never been effected much by Cider. I always bump my brews up to around 9%. Guinness gets me well enough though. I am on the wagon at the moment until my hooch is ready, about two weeks. Not a happy bunny really.

Guinness? That's only a drink for children.

Well, the season is underway at last. I have enough crates of apples picked to make an early brew. A mixture of Katys, Majors and Marrowbones, with a few Sunsets, Elstars and St Edmunds Pippins thrown in for flavour. Enough for about 40 gallons, so should just about fill a whisky barrel. It should make a light, fruity cider.

I have made about 12 gallons thus far which is mainly from"Skanked" fruit from friends plus about 20 lbs of spoilt "Beauty of Bath". I am expecting the harvest to be down from last year as some trees are only bearing small fruit, but plenty of them. One tree that has performed well is "Katie". We have never got much off this young tree but it is covered this year. I have two "Egmont Russet`s". One is a scratty specimen but lots of fruit. The other fine specimen is huge with just a few apples on it! These trees are next to each other so why one did well and not the other I have no idea. The "Bramley`s" have done ok. The "James Grieve" has fewer fruit but they are big. Too big for a desert me thinks.

Another pressing yesterday with another 12 gallons in the  bin . The smaller apples go through my modified garden shredder easier than the large ones which makes the job a doddle. Still plenty on the trees so things are looking promising

I haven't got around to pressing the earlies yet - but they're holding sound in their crates. At this rate, I'll be mixing earlies and maincrops - ( not that that would be a bad thing) especially if this much-vaunted storm brings down any share. Last night's wind only brought down a barrowfull - I was expecting worse.

Ready for pressing the early brew. Katjas, Marrowbones, Majors, Stoke Reds, Kingston Blacks, Lane's Prince Alberts, Foxwhelps and Yarlington Mills.  Should be enough for a couple of barrels.

Thats a fine looking crop Sean. I will be pressing this weekend weather permitting. What type of barrels do you have? The uncle had two sherry casks and a tapered bung that used to sing as the gas escaped. A fond memory of the old man.

I have mostly whiskey barrels from the Midleton distillery. And one Jack Daniels bourbon barrel.

Well, I have all those pressed and fermenting. I tested the juice with the hydrometer and it measured 1065 which according to my calculations should give a cider of 8.5%. I knew it was going to be strong because, usually I can drink the fresh juice straight from the press but, this time I couldn't drink it - it was just too sweet. Some of it was almost like syrup! I suppose the hot, dry summer concentrated the juices in the apples. Anyway, it's going to be potent stuff. I hope the late crop - Black Dabinetts, Fair Maids of Devon, Harry Masters' Jerseys, Woodbines, Filbarrels, Pineapple Pippins and assorted eaters - will be as good!

That sounds like a good brew Sean. I have never been able to get mine that strong unless I add sugar. The old lad`s in Gloucester would always scoff at using eating apples in their cider. I use whatever I can get. 1065 gets to nearer 9 than 8 to my figuring. I have not been able to do another pressing yet as I dont have a big enough barrel to use as a  fermentation vessel. So I have to do my brewing in batches of 12 gallons at a time, and the cooler weather has slowed down the last brew. I used to have a heat plate which was great but it broke and now I am using nightlights. I hope to get the next pressing done the coming weekend. I have been using Coke bottles for some of me brew and gassing it a bit which keeps the cider well. As now I have the potential to make larger quantities I must try and seek out some wooden casks.





















































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Wayland, I wouldn't bother trying to keep the brew warm. Cider ferments fine in the cold. Mine ferments away in a completely open shed - no walls (except one side closed with pallets) and the breeze and wind blow through all the time. Even in the height of Summer the cider in there is cold. So long as the rain stays off of it there's no problem.

Yes Sean it would ferment away by itself but I would have to wait for it, and I need the fermenting tub. I suppose I could buy a plastic dustbin but I dont fancy that for a number of reasons. I will be better organised next year.

Well thats another pressing done. Sean you mentioned that some of your apples gave a juice more like syrup. I found this also. It was either Jon of Gold or Katyr. As the fruit was bright red I think it was the latter. I have never got much from this young tree in the past, which I thought was one that didn't like Ireland's climate but it loved this summer. one more pressing to go. That expensive looking pulper of yours. Do you have to cut any apples beforehand?

No Wayland - I can actually throw in a whole crate of apples in one go and they are immediately converted to pulp! Two second job for a whole crate. Before I got it I used a garden shredder and it was a case of one apple at a time and cut up the big ones. The amount of apples I have now, it would take forever!

Last picking for the season (thanks be to God). These are Black Dabinetts - a high quality vintage bittersweet. I have twelve crates of these so will try a single varietal brew, I hope to get this pressing and the final mixed pressing done next week. Any left on the trees - a few baskets full always get missed - plus what's on the ground will go to feed the Fieldfares and Redwings which will be arriving soon.

You have had a good crop this year Sean. No wonder you've been busy. Good luck with the last bit

I have still got a few more to do but this coming week should see the back of them. It has been my best season ever. I am not yet in Seans league but I have the best part of 40 gallons brewing. Sloe gin for xmas is the next project. Deryn how is your brewing?

We only had a few apples this year. Still not sure what virus we have here but all the fruit trees and bushes are struggling. We have one tray we are about to juice but will only make apple juice from it.

Deryn, if all your fruit trees and bushes are affected that way, it must be something in the soil. Did you get it tested? Different fruit varieties are not, as far as I know, troubled by the same virus. The only thing that would affect them all is either a chronic shortage of something like potash or magnesium, or some kind of poison in the soil. There wasn't Roundup or some similar evil substance used around there?