It's Farmer's Market season again...

...and my hopes of making a hard cider with FM apples have already been crushed. I've seen threads talking about pressing/etc, and I'm going to take a guess that this simply isn't possible for me at this moment in time.

With that said, I still want to use fresh apples in some kind of beer. Anyone have any recipes/directions on how I could make this happen?

I juiced 5+ gallons apple juice (with a counter top fruit and vegetable juicer) two years ago when we had way too many apples to consume. It was a BIG project, even got 4 stitches from paring them in quarters. This year's crop is looking good again, so I will be making a crusher and press DIY. I had no regrets on the first batch, it turned out a fine, dry, apple campaign.

I have since done four other, five gallon batches from raw, organic, store bought, juice ($5 per gallon when on-sale). They turned out great too, but lacked that extra special something that can only be had by going the long road...

None of this stuff I've posted over the years is feasible for you to do? There's all sorts of cheap and easy DIY's here.

Revvy said:

You might find this info i posted on an old thread helpful. (look at the videos at the bottom for the garbage disposal apple shreader.

How to Build a Cider Press

You can also make one out of an old Maytag washer evidently. (this article is awesome, especially if you are going to consistantly be doing large batches...)

THE MAYTAG CIDER PRESS

I can't show you, you have to be a Craft Subscriber to view the online edition, but they recommend a 30 dollar home depot garbage disposal mounted on a frame and emptying into a bucket to shred the apples prior to juicing and pressing, for those of you who don't have a free juicer...
like this...

YouTube - Garbage Disposal Apple Grinder (Crusher)

YouTube - Seneca Falls Apple Grinders batch 5

This is cool too. But more work than a garbage disposal.

http://www.sentex.net/~mwandel/press/apple_grinder.html

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Check your LHB store. I know of at least on near me that has a press you can rent. I think you can press in house too.

I usually see it for sale at the FM during the fall. Juicers work in a pinch, but it's a slow process.