$$Apple Cider$$

[Dan_Shade]

you don't know what your missing.  my dog likes it, so it's gotta be good.

[hiya]

I have a press I picked up at a farm auction when I was still in school. It has
2 tubs like you have Dan. At the one end is a hopper with a grinder . It was a crank
type. I put an electric motor on it.Fill one tub, slide it down under the screw.
squeeze that one while the other tub is being filled.
We would make apple butter.  8), Been years ago :(.
Richard

[Dan_Shade]

apple butter is good stuff.  I've had a hankerin'  for some lately, bought some at the store, and wanted to yack, no wonder people say they don't like it!

My mom had a friend that had a whole slew of kids, they'd make a big pot every november.  that's a few days job right there...

my uncle has a kettle, but I can't remember the last time they did it.  My mom makes a pot in the oven every year, it's good, but not like that open kettle stuff is.

[rpg52]

We bought a press from an outfit in Washington state when our kids were little and drinking gallons of juice.  My wife dragged it out today and pressed a couple gallons.  It sounds like what hiya has only a single tub.  Has a big acme screw - always a decision about how much juice can you get out of a pressing.  Frame is laminated 4X4 maple - it creaks when you really crank it down.  Some apples don't have much juice, they say a mixture of sweet, tart and a bit of special cider apples (with a little bitterness) makes the best juice.  Too  much sweet (Golden Delicious, etc.) is definitely too much.  We pasturize some in beer bottles too, it keeps for years that way.
Ray

[Dave Shepard]

My neighbor has some cider in his basement that'll keep for years, but pastuerizing wouldn't be good for his technique. ;D


Dave

[Dan_Shade]

what do you guys use for grinding up the apples?  I saw a thing a guy made with flat head screws screwed into a round chunk of wood.  I may make up something like that, but I think i'll try to use PVC pipe or something like that for my drum.  only problem there is if the screws will hold in the PVC.

[Jeff]

The mass of the wood is what helps grind I would think. I think the PVC would be to light.  I figured on making a similar grinder, but I wont use a big solid cylinder as I don't have a lathe. I do have a jigsaw though.  I can cut round circles out of 4/4 or 6/4 stock and bore holes in the center. then glue them up using a chunk of all thread through the center holes to line them up, rotating end grain as I do.  Use a pipe floor flange or a big nut and washer to press them tight together.  This should make a solid cylinder. Put my shaft in it when its dry and mount it in simple wood bearing (holes bored in frame).  Put on a belt sheave and spin it with a 110 motor I have here. Then I'll take the belt sander and sand the cylinder as it turns, making it perfectly round. Then I'll put the stainless steel wood screws in it.

At least thats my plan.

[Don_Papenburg]

I use a vegie shreader  then I fill my wood slat drum and slide it under the shop press that uses a 15 ton portapower hydraulic system .  I built a table out of oak that colects and directs the juice into a waiting bucket.

[Jeff]

Something I bet would work good, and I just saw one at a yard sale a week or so ago but never gave it a thought.  A garbage disposal.  This one was in the sink too. They are made for grinding food.

[solodan]

I was just telling my wife that we need to start using some apples. She owns a full service catering/ cake business and just opened a retail cafe/bakery at her commercial food facility. We have a small piece of open space that is owned by about 100 of us here in Sugar Pine. It is an old apple orchard that has been pretty run down, but the trees still produce a lot of apples .Another guy and my self are the only ones that do any maintenance on the property. :-\  Now Jeff has really got me thinking with cider at $5/Gal. :D I should be able to find some old pressing equipment around here, cause the central Sierra was once the apple capital before Washington state was. We have wild apples growing all over this county and the Stanislaus National Forest too. I guess I've got more homework to do cause even though I have always had apple trees, all I have ever done with them is eat them or let my mom or my wife bake pies. :-\ ;D 8)

[Dan_Shade]

I don't know that a garbage disposal would hold up for long grinding apples, and can you fit an entire apple into one?  I do'nt know what the duty cycle of a garbage disposal is, but i wouldn't think it's for more than a minute at a time.


Jeff, why don't you set up a jig to turn the wheel down?  make up the thing on a shaft, and then true it up by spinning it.  I guess I could make a wooden one.  i don't have any maple right now, I figure that would work well. 

[thecfarm]

Go back to Brad's post,#6 and it says a garbage disposal.That's what mine plans call for too.In fact that's the most expensive part.The apples have to be chomped up before going into the garbage disposal or really any small grinder.My directions says when it overheats and shuts off,just wait for it to cool off and start again.I would think it's like those small welders.When it shuts off it comes back on when it's cool down.These do come in diffeant size motors.Those disposal are not designed to run an hour steady.

[Paschale]

I bought a small bottle of apple syrup one time and always wondered how it was made. Does anyone know? do you take cider and boil it like maple sap til it turns to syrup?

Hi there,

Not sure if anyone's answered you, but you've got it right.  If you do a google search for "boiled cider" you should come up with some answers.  I've done it myself before, though it's easy to go too far too.  I think there's still a company out in Vermont somewhere that sells bottle boiled cider. 

What's terrific is to boil down some cider, and then make caramel sauce out of it.   8)  I've done that before, and man, it's tasty along side an apple pie and ice cream!   8)

Hmm...just found the recipe I used before.  Check it out.

[Roxie]

Sawerfortyish, here is the recipe I use to make apple syrup.  It's awesome served warm on French toast, or over ice cream.  I use real maple syrup to make mine.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plus 2 tsp. apple juice, divided
1/2 cup molasses, honey, or maple syrup
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled apple (about 2 medium)
2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:
Combine 3/4 cup of the apple juice and all of the molasses and apples in a 1-qt. saucepan. Place over medium heat, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Combine the cornstarch and the remaining 2 teaspoons of apple juice in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the pan, and cook and stir for 1 minute, or until the mixture is slightly thickened.

Serve warm over pancakes, French toast, or waffles.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week.

[SwampDonkey]

yum yum
let it age and get a little hard

Could just as easily end up with vinegar for the spring fiddle heads. ;D :D

[SwampDonkey]

I'll pass.  I never had any layin'mash ice cream before.  ;D

We always substituted grape nuts for the chicken feed.  :D :D :D

[Dan_Shade]

I've never seen grapenuts in 50lb bags  :

[johncinquo]

I have an Olympia juice machine.  Wash, quarter the apples, turn it on and feed em through.  The peels and seeds fall out the end, the juice falls out the bottom.  You can get various sized holes in the screens, for how thick you want your juice.  You can get one off ebay for about $50.  The make all kinds of juicers like jack lalannes and the Juiceman model.  You dont have to do it outdoors or in the garage with many buckets and the mess.  I do up a gallon or two and keep them in the fridge.  Fresh stuff every couple days, before it turns brown and ucky lookin.  If you use a screen with bigger holes you get some great apple sauce.  Still no peeling the apples. 

Its not a press, but sometimes I think technology does have some benefits. :D

[Sawyerfortyish]

Paschale and Roxie thanks for the recipes I can't wait to try em. I got about 10 gallon of maple syrup left from what I made this spring so i'll mix up batch.

[dail_h]

   They'us this ol boy ta home,usta make cider wif  a "Bearcat" hammermilland a old Oliver tractor. Used a big hydraulic cylinder to squeese it. He'de make a ton a cider,then later process it through this other odd lookin contraptionwiff a lot o fire,'n steam,'n water. Reduced the volume quite a bit,,,,,did increase the punch a right smart though smiley_whacko smiley_whacko smiley_whacko