SC - Apples for Cider

[Stefan li Rous]

Angus Mac Iomhair replied to my stories of my cider disasters with:
> I have tried the blender way to cider myself.  To be honest it wasn't an actual blender, more of a juice maker of the centrifuge kind.
> The result was icky to say the least.  
  
> What did you use to clean your blender ?

Cleaning the blender was no problem as far as I remember. Just simple 
soap and water. But then unlike a juicer the surfaces in a blender are
pretty smooth and once disassembled it is easy to clean.
 
> Regarding the vinegary apple juice in the Grolsch bottles...
> I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess you didn't measure the S.G. of the must before you bottled it hence the built up pressure in the bottle.

No, somewhere I've got a hydrometer, but I've never used it, including 
when making meads.

> Were there any preservatives in the juice ?  Sometimes they will slow down the yeast's fermentation rate.  Putting it in the refridgerator won't help much.  The yeast will still be active (but working slowly).  If you forget about it for a few weeks, well, there's your pressure build up.

I don't know about the preservatives. I don't think I looked. I figured
once I put in my own yeast that wouldn't matter. But yes I see where
it might. But it didn't stop the bad beasties, either. As far as the
pressure, I wanted that. I was trying for bubbly cider. I do the same
for meads. The preasure was not extraordary when I put it back in the
refrigerator after thinking i tasted a vinegar taste. And the reason
I took the bottles out to the compost instead of opening them in the
kitchen when I decided to open them was I thought they might fizz up 
and bubble over. I just did not expect the bottle top to get torn off
the Grosch bottles and have the hugh fountain of spray. I'm *real*
glad I didn't open the first one in the kitchen.
 
> As for 'proper' cider making equipment I found a couple of drawings of/plans for various presses in a swedish book I bought at a sale.  I did a quick calculation and found that the whole thing would cost me about $20 plus cloth for the pulb bag.  I plan to try and make a press in a few weeks.  If anyone wants the plans, let me know and I'll scan them and mail them privately.

I would like a copy. I've not seen one anywhere near that cheap even
if it does use modern plastics and such instead of wood. It does
seem a waste to buy those prime apples they sell in the store to
squeeze for juice. I'm not in an apple growing region, so there is
no source for the second-class apples normally used for cider.
I'll send you my address by email.
- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****