http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/tags/cider-making chat about cider and perry making online en-US Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:24:37 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.1 q http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/search.php http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/first-ever-batch-of-cider#post-81 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:09:33 +0000 pomme man 81@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>ThunderCracker, I'd think carefully before using Champagne yeast. I have used it in the past and I found that it fermented out to produce a very dry but high alcohol cider - which is fine if that is to your personal taste but perhaps it is not to everyone's taste. However the juice that I pressed from my apples had a specific gravity (brix) of over 16. Of course much depends on the type of apple you are using and their ripeness. I can't speak for the types of which you speak or their sugar level this year. If they have a high specific gravity and you chose to use Champagne yeast, you could arrest the fermentation prematurely but you might think of using a yeast which ferments out at a lower alcoholic level with more of the fruit flavour remaining. </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/first-ever-batch-of-cider#post-79 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:59:09 +0000 ThunderCracker 79@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello.</p> <p>I'm a newcomer to the cider making art. I'm here incase I get stuck and need some help. However, I thought I'd mention what I'm going to try, to see if it's going to work or not...</p> <p>I was going to try mixing Braeburn with Bramley juice, and make cider from this. Good idea? Bad idea? I hear the Braeburn makes a nice, light, refreshing cider, and I thought I might try adding the Bramley to make it a little tart.</p> <p>For information, I have about 15lbs of Braeburn to 5lbs of Bramley...so, what do you think? Finally, I was going to use Champagne yeast...</p> <p>TC </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/first-ever-batch-of-cider#post-75 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:19:28 +0000 rider 75@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>making perfect cider is an art . . . mostly said<br /> you need to be an artist to create a perfect cider. </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/first-ever-batch-of-cider#post-72 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:14:39 +0000 Jim Callender 72@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Brian, </p> <p>Blending is the answer to your query on raising the sharpness. My advice would be to source some local dessert or culinary fruit (I wouldn't use Bramley's but that is my personal opinion) and either ferment these separately and blend later, or press separately and blend this dessert / culinary juice into your main juice checking pH regularly and/or tasting as you go.</p> <p>Narrow range pH papers are readily available online, ie: <a href="http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/PH_2.8_-_4.6_Strips.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/PH_2.8_-_4.6_Strips.html</a><br /> and you should try targeting something around pH 3.4 - 3.6; but again, that is often down to personal tastes.</p> <p>Titration kits are probably better / more accurate but are a bit more fiddly IMO. </p> <p>NB - This reply and thread were first posted on the Cider Workshop mailing list 08/07/10 </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/first-ever-batch-of-cider#post-71 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:13:16 +0000 Jim Callender 71@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello All</p> <p>This was our first year of making our own cider. From the results of<br /> the first batch it appears we have done ok. The cider is very smooth<br /> no nasty after taste but possibly lacking in depth of flavour and<br /> could be slightly sharper (any tips?).</p> <p>I am very happy with the results however and would like to thank<br /> everybody who gave me advice over this season. Look forward to racking<br /> off my next batch. </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/clochard-apples-for-cider-making#post-62 Sun, 30 May 2010 15:24:38 +0000 pomme man 62@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>The cider produced from the second pressing of apples is much better than the first. The acidity level is better, although still it would have been improved by the addition by blending in an amount of more bitter apple juice. But putting aside that counsel of perfection, I can say that Clochard makes a good and significantly strong cider. </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/clochard-apples-for-cider-making#post-55 Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:45:20 +0000 pomme man 55@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>This week we racked off the cider that has been fermenting over the winter months. Fortunately we had enough cubitainers (32 litre bag in boxes, left over from our French wine purchases when we lived in the UK) to take the 450 litres of cider. It's not the world's best cider. The acidity level is insufficient. We really ought to blend the Clochard with the juice of cooking apples or, better still, proper bitter cider apples. But we've got to make do with what we have until we can find a source of other apples to improve the blend. But having consumed three pints of our own cider this evening, I think it fair to say that I've drunk worse and what we've produced will keep me happy until this year's cider is ready for drinking! </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/knowledge-i-need-to-fulfil-my-cider-making-dreams#post-52 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:37:03 +0000 Jim Callender 52@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Dear Real-cider I would be very grateful if you could give me some advice please. </p> <p>I have been working as a self-employed gardener for over 5 year and lived and ran a pub for many years. My drinking passion is cider. I would love to develop my gardening business in a specific way: that is by buying a piece of agricultural land, growing cider and making my own local cider on a small scale. This might sound ambitious, but I have the ambition and the vocational desire to do it. Sadly, my knowledge of growing cider apples and cider production is virtually zero. </p> <p>Saying this, starting from a blank sheet would allow me to utilise modern techniques, etc. Could you, therefore, please point me in the right direction of some literature that would allow me to obtain the knowledge I need to fulfil my cider making dreams. </p> <p>Many thanks. Steve from Kinver, West Midlands. </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/cider-on-the-other-side-of-the-atlantic#post-25 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:23:03 +0000 Cider Wrangler 25@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>The only two I know are merridale ( <a href="http://www.merridalecider.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.merridalecider.com/</a> ) and sea cider ( <a href="http://www.seacider.ca/" rel="nofollow">http://www.seacider.ca/</a> ) but are not always easy to find, and are quite expensive, but well worth it as there are very few options over here </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/cider-on-the-other-side-of-the-atlantic#post-20 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:57:24 +0000 Jim Callender 20@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi there Cider Wrangler!</p> <p>I am currently in New Hampshire for our first thanksgiving. We have had some fantastic opportunities to meet real cider fans, we visited farnum hill cider today to meet Stephen who showed us around the mill. Timed right, as today was the first quiet day they had since august.</p> <p>I hope to get a list of North American producers together from my travels once back in the UK. </p> <p>We are looking forward to going to Quebec for an Ice Cider tour of two producers.. watch our real cider site for more details!</p> <p>If you have any recommendations for suppliers near you, let us know and I will add them to the list.. We need to support all cider producers, and without your feedback, others may miss some the fascinating insight into discovering the craft of traditional cider making.</p> <p>Jim C. </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/clochard-apples-for-cider-making#post-19 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:52:03 +0000 Jim Callender 19@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Pomme Man, I see that your photos are now in the real cider flickr group. Thanks for sharing and all the best with the cider making.. Keep in touch on here - Jim C </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/cider-on-the-other-side-of-the-atlantic#post-17 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:42:22 +0000 Cider Wrangler 17@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Living in Vancouver, Canada for a couple of years (I'm a Brit) shocked me at what passes for cider over here and in the USA. If you thought Strongbow was bad then you should try some of the 'ciders' here (I use the term loosely). They come in many fruit flavours and taste sugary, chemical and repulsive. I would love, not only to warn potential victims of these attrocities, but to find out if there is a list or association of craft cider &amp; perry producers over here. - </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/clochard-apples-for-cider-making#post-16 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:40:00 +0000 pomme man 16@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Oh well, I don't know what I've done wrong - although I admit to being a technodunce! I signed up for Yahoo and Flickr, uploaded a series of photos and transferred those to the real Cider Group there. The photos are visible if I sign into Flickr but not if I view the group gallery otherwise and they have not transferred themselves to this site. It's probably something basic and stupid - so if anyone can tell me what it is and, more importantly, what I need to do to rectify the problem, I shall be very grateful! </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/clochard-apples-for-cider-making#post-15 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:03:33 +0000 pomme man 15@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Sorry, I should have said that it is a French apple which is native to western France (it's also known as the Reinette de Parthenay). In this region, it is generally used as an eating apple - hardly surprising as all the production of the region is dessert apples. Vast hectarages of orchards and no commercial cider production!</p> <p>I appreciate that in an ideal world cider would be produced from a judicious blend of apples (although I believe that in the UK there are a number of single varietal ciders commercially available) but, as we did in the UK, we make cider from the apples of the trees we have - which is probably 70% plus Clochard . The juice - like the apple - is nectar like with a dry finish. The last pressing produced a brix reading of 16.3, which suggests great potential for this year's cider.</p> <p>I'll post some images of our equipment as soon as I have time - but it won't include the petrol engined garden mulcher that is serving as our scratter! However I have to say that it is far more efficient and effective than the manual broyeur we used before and it gives us a far higher yield of juice per kg of apples - between 70 and 90 litres from each pressing. </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/clochard-apples-for-cider-making#post-14 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:20:19 +0000 Jim Callender 14@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Pomme man,</p> <p>Thanks very much for taking the time to let us know about the cider you have made, that's hopefully fermenting in the farm house right now!</p> <p>This is the first time I have heard about this type of apple. I did a quick Google for you, and found that the "Reinette Clochard" is actually a Culinary/Dessert/Cider apple. So good news!</p> <p>However, ciders are usually made of a blend of apples to give the correct palatablility of sugars, acids and tannins. </p> <p>Did you taste the juice when you pressed it? As this can give a good idea of how the cider will taste.</p> <p>Look forward to hearing from you. We'd love to have any photos of the production process, or indeed the orchards.. If you have any, please add them to the Real Cider flickr photo group <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/realcider" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/groups/realcider</a>, and they will magically appear in our Cider gallery pages!</p> <p>All the best,</p> <p>Jim C<br /> Founder of the Real Cider community web site </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/clochard-apples-for-cider-making#post-12 Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:22:50 +0000 pomme man 12@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Does anyone have any views concerning the suitability of Clochard apples for cider making? Now that we have purchased a crusher and a press, this year we have started making cider again. Most of our apple trees are Clochard and whilst this variety is held in high regard as an eater, we have been able to find nothing concerning its use for cider production. In the absence of other input, we'll find out next spring as we've already pressed four batches - there is about 300 litres of apple juice fermenting in the old bake house - and we reckon on making somewhere in excess of 500 litres when all the apples are down. </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/local-networks-sharing-surplus-apples#post-11 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:30:04 +0000 Jim Callender 11@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Here are the list of local networks sharing apples and fruit:</p> <p><a href="http://citycider.org.uk/" rel="nofollow">http://citycider.org.uk/</a> - Making city cider from urban apples in Bristol<br /> <a href="http://landshare.channel4.com/" rel="nofollow">http://landshare.channel4.com/</a> - Landshare connects growers with landowners<br /> <a href="http://www.uddersorchard.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">http://www.uddersorchard.co.uk/</a> - Udders orchard make cider from ordinary apples around Huddersfield<br /> <a href="http://theorchardgroup.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/the-scrumping-project-is-go/" rel="nofollow">http://theorchardgroup.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/the-scrumping-project-is-go/</a> A group collecting cider apples from various orchards in South Gloucestershire</p> <p>Do you know of any others? Add them here! </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/i-would-like-to-grow-some-apple-trees#post-10 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:09:05 +0000 Jim Callender 10@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Tony,</p> <p>I hope this will give you enough information to get you started.</p> <p>Link to blog post - <a href="http://www.real-cider.co.uk/cider-news/grow-apple-trees-to-make-your-own-cider/" rel="nofollow">http://www.real-cider.co.uk/cider-news/grow-apple-trees-to-make-your-own-cider/</a> </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/i-would-like-to-grow-some-apple-trees#post-9 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:28:20 +0000 Jim Callender 9@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Great to hear from you Tony, I think this sounds like one for the real cider site to write about. Leave it with me and I will let you know about all the information you need to get started!</p> <p>Thanks again! </p> http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/topic/i-would-like-to-grow-some-apple-trees#post-8 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:26:44 +0000 Jim Callender 8@http://www.real-cider.co.uk/forum/ <p>Dear Real Cider,</p> <p>I have a small paddock in which I would like to grow some apple trees with a view of possibly making a small amount of cider.<br /> I know nothing about what trees to purchase or if it is even a practical idea.</p> <p>Can you advise on where is the best place for me to get help, buy trees or in fact learn all about it.<br /> I live near Norton Priory in Cheshire.</p> <p>Best regards,<br /> Tony Price. </p>