Cider from a juicer

[Vivha]

Just noticed my apples trees are already heaving so looks like it could be a bumnper crop this year and reading some of the posts here has given me the idea of making cider. It seems I need to crush and then press the apples, I was thinking of buying a masticating juicer for making juice at home as my old centrifugal one has packed up, would this be any good for making cider as it would save the expense of buying a press ?

Viv

[rustylady]

Don't see why not, if you're buying a new juicer anyway. All the press does is extract the juice, surely?

[SarzWix]

The main difference is the quantity you can process in one go, I guess. For cider/apples you would generally use a big press if possible. Doing it with a juicer does work, but it might take you hours to get through all of your apples, and that could put the motor under a bit of stress.

[janeyo]

We used a juicer for the first couple of years, but you get a lot of wastage through all the 'froth'. It takes forever too as you have to keep emptying yhe pulp container. Took all evening to get enough juice for 2 demijohns. (7pm til about 10pm)
OH made a press, much easier and you can squeeze more in one go.

oh and of you have any chooks, they love the apple pulp

[ohbeary]

Spotted juicers in Lidl £29 ish, max run time 30 mins!, tempted but suspicious, I'm thinking a ferment on the pulp with cider type yeast or even natural for "scrumpy" and textural flavours to add a little of what might be lacking in just juice cider and an apple wine bolstered with either grape juice or sultanas.

[Vivha]

I agree that it sounds time consuming. The juicer i'm looking at is a heavy duty masticating one, which extracts more juice than the normal centrifugal type and apparently you don't get the 'froth'. Might consider asking OH to make a press, he likes a 'project' !

Viv

[WrexTheDragon]

I have a masticating juicer and it is very good for apples. Mines an Oscar
from Vitalmax.

Not sure what you mean by "CIDER" as this is a fermented apple juice drink and using a £200 juicer is a bit over the top. Cider does need special sour apples and the ones in the garden my be eaters and not the best when fermented.

If you are going to juice other things like fruit and veg then they are worth it. You should be aware that with some of these you will need to dice the fruit & veg so they fit in the juicer. The good thing is you can use all the fruit & veg without peeling, except for the likes of oranges and lemons.

I have a whole pineapple that will be juiced today, only the top will be removed.

[janeyo]

Our cider is mostly made from the sweet apples from the garden. It is a pink apple that is ready late July. We also make cider from mixed windfalls, but to be honest there is little difference in the taste when finished. It is simply a case of adding the juuice to a demijohn, adding the yeast and waiting for up to a month for fermentation to finish. Then you can blend them after or add sweeteners if it's too dry. I have not yet been successful at stopping fermentation before fully complete. If they are a tad dry then adding a dash of lemonade sorts that out.

It is well worth a go and so easy to do. Ours is normally about 6%.

Vivha I can give you details of how we made the press if you like

[ohbeary]

Jane a diagram and some instructions would be nice, as far as I am aware cider is made from cider apples, bitters, sweets and sours, but you ferment what you got! and it's cider, pressing is obviously the best? but whatever way you get the juice and fement it, if you like it that's good enough

[Hilary B]

Some authorities recommend adding a proportion of crab apples to get the necessary bitterness. Cider apples (judging by the "Kingston Black" juice I bought a while back) are VERY sweet, but also bitter. Eating apples are sweet, but not as sweet as that, cookers are acid, crab apples tend to be bitter AND acid. Allowing apples to get over-ripe may help with sweetness (= sugar content for fermenting) and windfalls are often over-ripe.
I have never managed to gather enough enthusiasm for cider making, I just have a knack for repeating information I came across in the past (and sometimes adding different bits of info together to get a new result).

[Vivha]

Hi Jane,
Instructions would be good,many thanks.

Wrexdragon, as I said in my original post I am considering buying the juicer anyway, as I juice alot at home, so was just wondering would this be ok for when I make cider, rather than going to the added expense of buying a press. My apples are a mixture of cookers and desserts plus a few crab apples which apparently is the best mix for cider.

Viv

[benvee]

Hi Vivha,

Juicers are O.K. in theory, but they leave alot of waste. I made cider for the first time last year and considered it.

Get a Pulpmaster - a bucket with a hole in the lid to allow for a T bar to pass through. Attach the T bar to a drill, fill the bucket with apples and blast away.
Throw the apples in leafs, stalk and all. You end up with an 'apple sauce' consistancy.
You will need a mesh/muslin bag - again only cheap - and simply squeeze the pulp by hand into your bucket/bin.

However, this leaves you with a bad back, red/orange fingers and saw hands and forearms! You may find your self making a press next year. I made one using a plastic box from Ikea, a piece of wood and a car jack.

The more basic it is, the more you'll appreciate it!

[danmon_81]

Well...im at the point where im contemplating a 12ltr Press...my friend runs and orchard so there's loads of apples (loads of unusual varieties).....
I've done some reading and its appears it can be complicated or very simple.....so
- janeyo did the simple method give you a tasty cider??
- Any chance of the diagram of the press? (save some pennies)

cheers

Dan