Category: apple

Very nice color, I haven’t tried the taste yet.

Hidden in a corner of the house, 11 gallons of apple cider are turning into hard cider. Hopefully this 3rd attempt tastes even yummier than the previous 2.

On this fast-forwarded gif, you can see the different rates of fermentation. Fruit flies are attracted to CO2 (the byproduct of fermentation coming out of the air lock). That’s why I attach an extra piece of paper towel to make sure they don’t find their way into the lock through the tiny holes.

I spent some time Saturday picking up apples and it quickly filled another trailer. So here came another cider pressing day. We unfortunately didn’t manage this day too well, being overly ambitious with canning AND pressing. It was too much to tackle so I was left pressing by myself which is physically demanding. Washing, moving water, crushing, moving apples, pressing. It’s a lot. The day quickly went from another nice pressing day to an endurance test. Not a big deal, just a different mindset.

And because I was very busy, I barely got to take pictures. So let’s just say for the record that we made another 10 gallons of cider. For a total of 24 gallons this year, the most we’ve ever done.

Our compost pile was improved with a lot of organic matter: all the refuse from the pressed apples.

As for the few leftover apples, they were also composted, mechanically.

We set 5 gallons to ferment with maple syrup and honey. Canned 3 gallons so the kids can get non-alcoholic apple juice out of season. And now we have to decide what to do with the rest before it ferments of its own volition.

All in all it has been a very good season. “It has” because the trees are almost done, and I most certainly am.