Newbie cider maker

[PermieCider]

Hi everyone,

I have recently been getting into cider making at home and i'm having some real fun with it. Until now i have been using various combinations of purchased juice and getting some fairly good results.

I have decided this year though that I am going to try my hand at real cider making and the weekend passed picked 200kg of various cider apples from a friends orchard. I have found myself a wine press and have converted the old mulcher into a apple pulping machine and I'm getting ready to crush and press the apples this coming Sunday.

I am about as prepared as i think I can be but if there is anyone out there with some cidermaking (or winemaking) experience that may be useful to a newbie I am all ears.

:beer:

 

[Ferg]

Congrats and get ready for the slippery slope!
I too have some home made equipment for making cider from apples - I've been doing it now for about 6 years now so by no means an expert. Everyones equipment is different so I think you will find that you will just get into the swing of it as you go - just make sure that everything is clean and sanitary first.
If you haven't come across it already look up the cider making google group, it is full of posts from the best cidermakers in the UK including Andrew Lea who is the guru.
Have you considered how you are going to ferment the cider yet? Given that you are using actual cider apples (we need to talk about this, ill send you a pm) you really want to do them justice. I would recommend fermenting cool & wild if you have good sanitation control.

 

[laxation]

Welcome!

How much juice do you reckon you will get from 200kg apples?