Apple cider?

[Supermag]

I have an apple tree that produces medium sized, late ripening, tart apples.

I'm not that into baking to make too many pies or anything and have always wondered about making some sort of apple based booze out of them.


Any suggestions?

[rottie]

They make a real good apple sauce. Or booze wise they can make a good after dinner liquer

[AlbertaCutthroat]

They make great cider and wine. My favorite for wine is crabapples, make great stuff. Any tart apple makes a nice beverage though.

[From The Hip]

Go onto youtube and search apple cider.You will have to buy the equipment to make that cider as well as ferment it and then bottle or keg it.

Much like making beer it is a time consuming process that you do because you both enjoy the labour of your efforts as well as the end product.

FTH

[Au revoir, Gopher]

I got a tree like that. Horrible thing, generates a great deal of compost.

Booze wise, the cider was almost passable and the wine was horrid. After 5 years, if you mixed the wine with some sugar and sparkling water it would make a half decent spritzer (assuming you were out of beer).

ARG

[Supermag]

LOL.

The apples arent bad. They are good for eating and pies. I just get tired of eating apples quick and after a couple pies, I'm done.

My Dad has a bunch of stuff for making beer and I think it would make for some good day trips out of his extended care home to work on this stuff with me.

I will look it up and see what I can find

[AlbertaCutthroat]

You won't regret it! Follow a recipe and proper procedures and you're set.

[flyguyd]

Another thing you could do is get a pickled egg jar or equivilent . Cut your apples into pieces ,depending on the size.Medium size or large crabs, quartering is fine. Fill the jar almost to the the top, add a cup of sugar and completely cover with your favorite Vodka.Try and make sure the jar seals well as you will have to either shake it or turn it over every day or so for a couple of months. They will have mushed up and settled by then . then take contents out and strain them through cheesecloth( i use a new pair of nylons) until you are happy with the clarity. You can thank me later....lol

Saskatoons also work well and Huckleberry is to die for

[philintheblank]

I made a large quantity last fall, used a garburator to mince the apples and at bottle jack to squeeze out the juice. At about 6 months it is quite drinkable, a few batches I kicked up the sugar and made some nice apple wine, also tried making apple brandy by letting the cider freeze in about -30 and scooping out the ice until only the slushy booze on the bottom was left

[omega50]

Bottled the 2nd of 3 carboys of last Fall's crab apple wine. Got to make room as I am picking sour cherries tomorrow for Meggybor
Found a old Slinger Wine jug-sure speeds up the bottling 4l at a time

[PartTimeHunter]

Originally Posted by omega50

Bottled the 2nd of 3 carboys of last Fall's crab apple wine. Got to make room as I am picking sour cherries tomorrow for Meggybor
Found a old Slinger Wine jug-sure speeds up the bottling 4l at a time

And you can honestly say that you only had one bottle of wine with dinner

[cat336]

Originally Posted by omega50

Bottled the 2nd of 3 carboys of last Fall's crab apple wine. Got to make room as I am picking sour cherries tomorrow for Meggybor
Found a old Slinger Wine jug-sure speeds up the bottling 4l at a time

How did you get your apple wine so white? I made some 10-12 years ago using hayer 12 apples and mine was dark red like a deep burgandy.

[omega50]

Originally Posted by cat336

How did you get your apple wine so white? I made some 10-12 years ago using hayer 12 apples and mine was dark red like a deep burgandy.

I never ferment on the pulp- Cut apple oxidizes as a defense mechanism to scab the surface and protect the flesh. This turns dark brown in short order.
I cut the crabs in quarters directly from the rinse sink to a large pot fitted with a colander fitted with a large heat proof jelly bag. I fill halfway up apples with water and make pectic enzyme additions to keep white and prevent gel.
Bring to a boil and let er buck about 4-5 minutes-
Drain and strain and discard pulp back to compost bin.
Continue on til I hit the 23l mark on my fermenter.
Let cool and check SG adding sugar to about 1.075
Wait a day and add yeast.
I also make malic acid additions to replace lost acidity from non-pulp fermentation

I have batch #3 from pink crabapples still clearing and will post pics when done-will be quite pink/red-ish

Like grape wine- skin contact duration will dramatically impact finished color and flavor

As luck would have it on my 2nd bottle of Crabapple wine tonite. The more I drink the more special effects seem to happen in front of my wire apple basket

[omega50]

Double tap on the last pics tells me that the wine was well enjoyed.

What I meant to post

[lyallpeder]

I built a press out of old 2x4s like the one before, the fresh Juice is real good.

[cat336]

Originally Posted by omega50

I never ferment on the pulp- Cut apple oxidizes as a defense mechanism to scab the surface and protect the flesh. This turns dark brown in short order.
I cut the crabs in quarters directly from the rinse sink to a large pot fitted with a colander fitted with a large heat proof jelly bag. I fill halfway up apples with water and make pectic enzyme additions to keep white and prevent gel.
Bring to a boil and let er buck about 4-5 minutes-
Drain and strain and discard pulp back to compost bin.
Continue on til I hit the 23l mark on my fermenter.
Let cool and check SG adding sugar to about 1.075
Wait a day and add yeast.
I also make malic acid additions to replace lost acidity from non-pulp fermentation

I have batch #3 from pink crabapples still clearing and will post pics when done-will be quite pink/red-ish

Like grape wine- skin contact duration will dramatically impact finished color and flavor

As luck would have it on my 2nd bottle of Crabapple wine tonite. The more I drink the more special effects seem to happen in front of my wire apple basket

Thanks for the help.Much appreciated.