Making sweet and hard apple cider

[allmodcons6]

i'm thinking about putting 2 or 3 cider apple trees on my allotment if you could only have 3 what would you pick? i've been looking at vintage quality apples like yarlington mill, black dabinett and tremletts bitter but would appreciate any advice

[gabrielsdescention]

Fantastic press and mill,may i ask, where you go them?Thanks again for the inspiring vids

[stephenhayesuk]

@gabrielsdescention The gear came from Vigo who are the main UK suppliers of such gear. less costly alternatives exist, for information see the Google ciderworkshop group. It is perfectly posisble to make a press from wood, a car jack and and DIY parts the crusher is more difficult.

[andrewnorris1]

I can see that the secret of an easy pressing is to mill the apples almost to a pulp! Another great, informative video, thank you.

[stephenhayesuk]

@andrewnorris1 Thanks Andrew. Since I discovered how to use Microsoft movie maker I have been able to edit and splice videos to make a more straightforward how-to demonstration. Just passing on lessons we took ages to learn, to make things easier for beginners, as we once were.

A fine pulp is essential,but so are ripe apples. Most of the fruit here was Laxton's Epicure-4 boxes we hadn't sold before their texture became soft-we can't sell them like this but they crush and juice beautifully

[ayelvington]

I have the same grinder and love it! I wish I could get a small 220V generator over here in the U.S.; only larger generators come with 220V.

[ivankinsman]

I was thinking - have you thought of selling your cider commercially at your fruit stall? I suppose you would need to get a licence to do so?

Here in Poland there is no cider on sale which is a great shame as it both one of my and my wife's favourite drinks.

[stephenhayesuk]

@ivankinsman Yes Ivan I have thought about it, but there are too many regulations and I don't need the money. Instead, we make about 250 litres year for ourselves and to share with friends. My friend Jez takes all my surplus fruit-he made 900 litres of cider in 2009

I heard that there are a lot of apples grown in Poland-perhaps there is a business opportunity for someone? Cider is a high quality traditional drink with a very low carbon footprint compared to beer.

[cooper68ns]

what a fun time of year,it only seems like a month ago you were showing us a pressing,how time flies.thank you mr hayes.

[garryentropy]

I bet it smells much nicer than nappy changing

[stephenhayesuk]

@garryentropy

yes

[WillEyedOney]

Just recieved my copy of 'Cider Making on a Small Scale' :)

[Teorispa]

Can't get enough of the orchard life.

[ristin59]

Yummy!

[MadBadVoodo]

★★★★★