It's Apple Season

[punkin]

Yes, pretty sure it operates on 3 phase. As i said, it's at one of the members wineries he has just offered me use of it when i want it.

I do know he has three phase as we are looking at running three phase to his (licensed, commercial) Stilldragon still.

 

[Greg.L]

I harvested my first early apple seedling trees today, one tree was 1.065 sg and the other 1.073, pH around 3.5, so I was pretty pleased with that. I also added some cookers and pears which bought the sg down to 1.060 in the blend, will be a pretty potent cider.

 

[punkin]

I'll have to go for a spin and have a look. May be early here too. We've had a weird season, dry then wet.

 

[Greg.L]

This is my pressing setup this year.

 

[citizensnips]

that is cool

 

[punkin]

Couple of weeks away here i think.

 

[Airgead]

This is my pressing setup this year.

Dude... that is one gnarly looking press.

How long does one fill/press cycle take with that and what weight of apple are you doing each time?

Cheers

 

[Greg.L]

Dude... that is one gnarly looking press.

How long does one fill/press cycle take with that and what weight of apple are you doing each time?

Cheers

I made the press with a chainsaw and some local yellow box tree trunks. I can press 25kg apples, giving 15L of juice and takes about 30 min if all goes well.

 

[Airgead]

I made the press with a chainsaw and some local yellow box tree trunks. I can press 25kg apples, giving 15L of juice and takes about 30 min if all goes well.

Using a bottle jack to provide power? What size jack do you use? How did you construct the pressing boards? Solid slabs or glued up panels?

I'm looking at building something similar... but less... ahh ...rustic. For next year. Given that all I will be doing is cider, the board/cloth type will be easier to make than a basket press and I suspect get better extraction.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Greg.L]

Using a bottle jack to provide power? What size jack do you use? How did you construct the pressing boards? Solid slabs or glued up panels?

I'm looking at building something similar... but less... ahh ...rustic. For next year. Given that all I will be doing is cider, the board/cloth type will be easier to make than a basket press and I suspect get better extraction.

Cheers
Dave

Yes, I use a 5 tonne jack, people use up to 20 tonnes but you would need a better press than mine. Mine is a bit wonky but it does the job. Some people use 2 steel rods on each side for the uprights, and RSJs for the cross pieces. I just use plywood for the boards, painted with polyurethane paint, and mossie net for the cloths. It also works fine for grapes.

Greg

 

[Greg.L]

I pressed some more apples today. My Egremont Russet Turned out to be 24 brix, sg 1.102. That is right up there in wine territory. The sweet alford were 16.5 brix, 1.068 sg.

 

[Greg.L]

This is the egremont russet juice I pressed today, that is a wine hydrometer in baume, 14 be is equal to 25 brix or 1.108 sg. I didn't know apples could have so much sugar, they must have got a bit dehydrated.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

That's made me think. What effect does (assuming they don't rot) picking and leaving apples for 2-4 weeks do? Better/worse efficiency??

 

[Greg.L]

It depends on the apples. You can do a simple starch test with iodine, if there is still starch in the apples it may convert some to sugar, if the apples dehydrate it will increase the sg. The apples may get softer and easier to press, though if you are using a juicer that may mean more pulp. The acidity will go down.
In Europe it is standard to leave the apples a couple of weeks, they have more trouble with ripening and high acidity. Your apples need to be in good condition.

 

[Sam England]

That's made me think. What effect does (assuming they don't rot) picking and leaving apples for 2-4 weeks do? Better/worse efficiency??

That's actually what was recommended to me as the sugar concentrates and from memory I think you get better extraction when pressing because the cell membranes break down more easily. I've made cider for a few years now using a blend of our Golden Delicious and our pear to get some residual sweetness. The GD is too dry by a mile if you use it on its own, but was about right with 40% pear. I left a wheelbarrow of apples last year for 3 weeks after picking to ripen up. I got a lot higher SG, but as I was using a juicer it kept clogging up and I had a heap more pulp make it through to primary. It still dropped very clear, but I racked after about a week as the sediment was higher than the tap outlet!!
Won't be doing it this year though as some F'in kangaroos have taken a liking to the apple and pear tree leaves, punched holes through the bird netting and I've now lost all of the pears and the majority of the apples. :angry:
I also use pectic enzyme to stop hazing and potassium metabisulphite to kill off the wild yeasts before pitching.
Cheers,
BB

 

[Ferg]

Hi All,

First post here, cant believe how long it has taken me to find a good aussie forum like this about cider!
Have been 'scrumping' for a few years now but as you can all imagine am keen to keep expanding the empire..

Have one batch on the go at the minute, s.g. 1055 ph 3.5. Was a mix of prima, gala, golden delicious, pink lady and then some pears. Had about 40lts in total and two 25lt buckets, didn't fancy leaving that much head space in one bucket so I froze a batch and will use it again in a few weeks when I press the rest of the apples I have access to. Anyone any experience with freezing juice?

I plan on racking & cooling to try and stop fermentation at a fairly high level with this batch (s.g 1005-1010). I will then bottle and pasterise using this method: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-pics-193295/

Anyway, good to have a place with lots of local info. thought I would share my set-up:
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/gallery/member/28040-ferg/

 

[komodo]

Very interesting setup (just looked at your pics)
Where abouts (roughly) in melbourne are you and where are you sourcing apples from?

 

[Greg.L]

Hi All,

First post here, cant believe how long it has taken me to find a good aussie forum like this about cider!
Have been 'scrumping' for a few years now but as you can all imagine am keen to keep expanding the empire..

Have one batch on the go at the minute, s.g. 1055 ph 3.5. Was a mix of prima, gala, golden delicious, pink lady and then some pears. Had about 40lts in total and two 25lt buckets, didn't fancy leaving that much head space in one bucket so I froze a batch and will use it again in a few weeks when I press the rest of the apples I have access to. Anyone any experience with freezing juice?

I plan on racking & cooling to try and stop fermentation at a fairly high level with this batch (s.g 1005-1010). I will then bottle and pasterise using this method: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-pics-193295/

Anyway, good to have a place with lots of local info. thought I would share my set-up:
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/gallery/member/28040-ferg/

That's a good setup, you're a lot neater than me. I like the scratter, but your fingers are a bit near. A drum scratter seems to be the way to go if you are good at making things.

 

[Ferg]

Hi Komodo,

I live in Richmond but do all the cider in Sth Gippsland where my wifes family are from. Both of her grandparents have about 10 apples trees in their gardens, I usually just get whatever they done eat plus I know a few roadside trees around the area too.

If you are looking for apples I have also got some from these guys: http://hazeldeanforestfarm.wordpress.com/apple-varieties/
A young couple are currently working there who mentioned to me last time round that they come down to melbourne all the time and would be happy to bring me down some more apples if I needed them. They are a little bit expensive at $2/kg but they are also organic if that floats your boat. i have their contact details at home that I could send you if you like.

 

[Ferg]

That's a good setup, you're a lot neater than me. I like the scratter, but your fingers are a bit near. A drum scratter seems to be the way to go if you are good at making things.

Cheers Greg,

That photo was taken when the motor was switched off, I have a spare bit of mdf that I use as a lid when the motor is running. I found out the hard way I needed one when I was doing my first trial run - I ended up with a face full of apple bits and more about 5m up on the shed roof behind me!
That scratter made such a difference for me from the first year when I was bashing up apples in a bucket with a sledge hammer. It was relatively straight forward to build too. I can get through about 100kg in 30mins easy enough. The biggest pain is washing everything down afterwards.