Apple Cider & Ginger Beer

[manticle]

I'm mainly interested in whether you've tried any kind of process of natural fermentation and what the results were?

 

[Greg.L]

I'm mainly interested in whether you've tried any kind of process of natural fermentation and what the results were?

No I use a cultured yeast and MLF culture. I like to get the fermentation done fairly quick.

 

[punkin]

Those who are saying that juicers are inefficient are talking without a knowledge base.
Saying that you put 3 apples through a juicer therefore it's a bad method?

If the OP had done any research at all on here he would have surely read the 5 page thread a couple threads down the page from this one.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...61282&st=40

I get almost 70% efficiency from a store bought mid range ($200) juicer.

I have 70l of cider that i'll have to deal with shortly as it's almost finnished fermenting. Aside from the cost of the yeast and the acid blend it was for the cost of fuel and a counter lunch for a nice day with the missus picking roadside apples.

There's plenty of other people doing the same thing. Here's how a kiwi mate dealt with a tonne of free apples this year..

http://medicinalpurposes.wordpress.com/201...-a-cider-press/

What you are suggesting is doable, but you need to add a second step after getting the apples into pieces. A juicer removes the second step. I would not be wasting the cores or the skins.
I don't think you really concieve the quantities required either, it's a couple hours work just trimming the grubs out of a few bins of apples and juicing them, coring and peeling would turn it into a day.

 

[troopa]

Those who are saying that juicers are inefficient are talking without a knowledge base.
Saying that you put 3 apples through a juicer therefore it's a bad method?

If the OP had done any research at all on here he would have surely read the 5 page thread a couple threads down the page from this one.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...61282&st=40

I get almost 70% efficiency from a store bought mid range ($200) juicer.

I have 70l of cider that i'll have to deal with shortly as it's almost finnished fermenting. Aside from the cost of the yeast and the acid blend it was for the cost of fuel and a counter lunch for a nice day with the missus picking roadside apples.

There's plenty of other people doing the same thing. Here's how a kiwi mate dealt with a tonne of free apples this year..

http://medicinalpurposes.wordpress.com/201...-a-cider-press/

What you are suggesting is doable, but you need to add a second step after getting the apples into pieces. A juicer removes the second step. I would not be wasting the cores or the skins.
I don't think you really concieve the quantities required either, it's a couple hours work just trimming the grubs out of a few bins of apples and juicing them, coring and peeling would turn it into a day.

Your supposed to trim the grubs out??
I though they added the speacial flavour and nitrogen

 

[punkin]

The bulk of em anyway

 

[manticle]

Those who are saying that juicers are inefficient are talking without a knowledge base.
Saying that you put 3 apples through a juicer therefore it's a bad method?

If the OP had done any research at all on here he would have surely read the 5 page thread a couple threads down the page from this one.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...61282&st=40

I get almost 70% efficiency from a store bought mid range ($200) juicer.

I have 70l of cider that i'll have to deal with shortly as it's almost finnished fermenting. Aside from the cost of the yeast and the acid blend it was for the cost of fuel and a counter lunch for a nice day with the missus picking roadside apples.

There's plenty of other people doing the same thing. Here's how a kiwi mate dealt with a tonne of free apples this year..

http://medicinalpurposes.wordpress.com/201...-a-cider-press/

What you are suggesting is doable, but you need to add a second step after getting the apples into pieces. A juicer removes the second step. I would not be wasting the cores or the skins.
I don't think you really concieve the quantities required either, it's a couple hours work just trimming the grubs out of a few bins of apples and juicing them, coring and peeling would turn it into a day.

I was talking about a food processor not a juicer.

I've juiced around 30-40 kg of apples in a small bench top juicer before and while it was a messy pain in the arse, it results in juice. Food processor results in pulp.

 

[punkin]

Apologies if i somehow made you think my comments were directed at you Manticle. Obviously you were talking about using a food processor, i'm not dense enough to miss that.

My comments were directed entirely at this stuff.

I'm strictly regurgitating advice here as I've never made (a large amount of) apple juice on my own, but I've asked similar questions here not too long ago, so I'll pass it on:
Using a juicer is inefficient for extracting juice. A lot gets wasted through discarded pulp. This I've seen on a small scale (juiced 2-3 apples at a friend's place, you end up with hardly anything... not to mention the cleanup).
Blending (I asked about using a food processor) I imagine would be a massive pain to do and leads you back to inefficiency as you're left with pulp.
Extracting juice from pulp without some sort of press is a massive pain.

You really need a scratter and press or you're wasting a lot of time, effort, and apples.

Then sourcing apples is another hurdle... very regional. Then you have to treat it to remove wild yeasts and infections, or all your effort may go to waste. This involves either pasteurisation, or chemicals (camden tablets etc).

Before you take the leap with the above, preservative free apple juice from "evil corporations" is worth a try - you may just be happy with 20L of aldi apple juice with some yeast sprinkled on.
Don't forget you can use this juice as a base and experiment with varying extra ingredients.

About ginger beer, there are a few good recipes on here, both kit based and from scratch. The main concern with 'from scratch' ginger beer is the cost of ginger.
I recently made ginger beer with cooper's ginger beer kit, about a kilo of boiled grated ginger, dark brown sugar, cinnamon stick, and some other things.
Mainly made if for the missus as I'm not big on the ol' ginger but anyone who had a crack said it was quite nice.

 

[Greg.L]

Whatever method you use you want to ferment juice, not pulp. So long as your juice is mostly free of solids, it isn't the most critical thing for quality. Even if you leave in grubs and some leaves, the cider will taste as good. It will take hours and leave you filthy with a ringing in your ears, but is well worth it. Vintage time is the best time of year, whether you use apples or grapes.

 

[manticle]

Apologies if i somehow made you think my comments were directed at you Manticle. Obviously you were talking about using a food processor, i'm not dense enough to miss that.

My comments were directed entirely at this stuff.

Ah OK.

Carry on.

 

[BrewsStraw]

so i found a nice and LONG 700mm mixer that doesnt cost the earth
stainless steel
$55 from
http://www.phillro.com.au/products.php?mai...mp;productID=78

was funny the guys form south sydney tools wanted to charge me $380 for something thicker and bigger but basically the same thing

 

[nathan_madness]

so i found a nice and LONG 700mm mixer that doesnt cost the earth
stainless steel
$55 from
http://www.phillro.com.au/products.php?mai...mp;productID=78

was funny the guys form south sydney tools wanted to charge me $380 for something thicker and bigger but basically the same thing

What are you going to do with that? If you are planing to use it as a scratter I don't think that the apples will pass by the outer rings.

 

[BrewsStraw]

What are you going to do with that? If you are planing to use it as a scratter I don't think that the apples will pass by the outer rings.

no, i was just saying for mixing liquids rather than using a long spoon and hurting your wrist hehehe

 

[nathan_madness]

no, i was just saying for mixing liquids rather than using a long spoon and hurting your wrist hehehe

Oh, wow that is a bit full on to mix with. I like it!

 

[Luek]

Since my post I've bought and used a breville juice fountain, and I feel bad about my previous post.
One I used prior was a $60 job and was messy and left visibly wet waste.

 

[BrewsStraw]

Since my post I've bought and used a breville juice fountain, and I feel bad about my previous post.
One I used prior was a $60 job and was messy and left visibly wet waste.

huh?
are you talking about juicers and using them to make the cider from scratch?

i noticed there is also a juicer on the market that is a silent juicer.....

 

[Luek]

Yeah, I've been buying small amounts (2-3kg) of apples and pears and using the juicer. REsults will have to wait several months... unfortunately it never occurred to me to filter until the other day so I'll have to filter my pink lady post ferment. It is full of crud. The others will be okay I think ..

 

[BrewsStraw]

Yeah, I've been buying small amounts (2-3kg) of apples and pears and using the juicer. REsults will have to wait several months... unfortunately it never occurred to me to filter until the other day so I'll have to filter my pink lady post ferment. It is full of crud. The others will be okay I think ..

if its already fermented and try tasting it with the crud in it and just shake or mix it up, remember, anything in the container during fermentation will retain a certain amount of the fermented mateiral, if you take out stuff you could reduce the flavour or alcohol content, thats why you are mean to filter it pre fermentation