Im thinking of going on a cider making course?

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herminator

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Hi,
Im very new to cider making, and thinking of going on a 1 day course on cider making? Has anyone been on one before? I have made my own cider press, but im a little confused about the fermenting process and everything after I have pressed the apples really. And not very confident on the whole thing really.
I thought this might help me on my way to doing everything the right way without to many hiccups..
I live in Dorset England, and have one about 10 miles away that offer this.
Do you think it's worth it? or if anyone in my area that is already doing it, wants to give up a little of their time with some lessons im more than happy to reward them :mug:

Thanks Tom
 
With a little bit of motivation, you can find out a great deal of info on the interwebs. Google "how to make hard cider" and there will be a million results. There are a lot of complicated recipes/instructions around, but don't get overwhelmed.

Fresh apples will have wild yeast on them. The simplest thing you could do is just press the juice, put it in a bucket, and let it ferment on its own. That's how people used to make cider in ye olden times.

Nowadays we have better sanitation and techniques. You can pasteurize it and pitch in yeast, add sugars, etc. but the simplest recipe is just juice and yeast.
 
you can watch a ton of how to videos on youtube. I would start there. There are plenty of good and bad on the internet but overall you will get a feel for the process.

if you still want to take a class after than then I would go to it. you will have a lot of initial questions answered after watching the videos but may come up with some that you havent even thought of yet.
 
Nateo said:
With a little bit of motivation, you can find out a great deal of info on the interwebs. Google "how to make hard cider" and there will be a million results. There are a lot of complicated recipes/instructions around, but don't get overwhelmed.

Fresh apples will have wild yeast on them. The simplest thing you could do is just press the juice, put it in a bucket, and let it ferment on its own. That's how people used to make cider in ye olden times.

Nowadays we have better sanitation and techniques. You can pasteurize it and pitch in yeast, add sugars, etc. but the simplest recipe is just juice and yeast.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, though I hate the idea of hard cider, I prefer the traditional cider root. I have been looking on many a website and picking up a lot of things. I think i would find it easier to see how its all done and the process than reading about it, find it hard sometimes reading to take it all in.. :)
 
Man, if you have a place nearby that offers it, I say go for it. You don't really have anything to loose.

As far as further instruction, the best place on the web for info in cider (IMO) is Andrew Lea's site. Since you have your own press (and grinder I assume?) you are well on your way.

Fermentation is a fairly simple process. I see a lot of people really complicating the issue by racking 3-4 times within the period of a week or so. Keep it simple, have fun and don't sweat the small stuff. Or in the words of someone much wiser than I, Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew!
 
herminator said:
Thanks for the reply, though I hate the idea of hard cider, I prefer the traditional cider root. I have been looking on many a website and picking up a lot of things. I think i would find it easier to see how its all done and the process than reading about it, find it hard sometimes reading to take it all in.. :)
Click to expand...

Here in the colonies "cider" is just fresh pressed apple juice. "Hard cider" is fermented apple juice. Does "hard cider" mean something different in the UK?
 
Edcculus said:
Man, if you have a place nearby that offers it, I say go for it. You don't really have anything to loose.

As far as further instruction, the best place on the web for info in cider (IMO) is Andrew Lea's site. Since you have your own press (and grinder I assume?) you are well on your way.

Fermentation is a fairly simple process. I see a lot of people really complicating the issue by racking 3-4 times within the period of a week or so. Keep it simple, have fun and don't sweat the small stuff. Or in the words of someone much wiser than I, Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew!
Click to expand...

I don't have a grinder yet, Im hoping my father inlaw with be able to build me one in his spare time as his is now retired.. I have seen some simple homemade ones on youtube I think it wont take long to whip up :)
At the moment I was going to use the food blender I have just to pulp it up?
Thanks for the link! I'll have a good read through and make some notes, eager to get going now as its mostly all to hand.

As for hard cider - My take on it was making cider from apple juice that comes out of a carton and then fermented in a matter of a couple of weeks?
If im wrong, I apologise..

Thanks again for all help, if you have anything that helps in anyway just throw it this way! all will be a great help :mug:
 
herminator said:
I don't have a grinder yet, Im hoping my father inlaw with be able to build me one in his spare time as his is now retired.. I have seen some simple homemade ones on youtube I think it wont take long to whip up :)
At the moment I was going to use the food blender I have just to pulp it up?
Thanks for the link! I'll have a good read through and make some notes, eager to get going now as its mostly all to hand.

As for hard cider - My take on it was making cider from apple juice that comes out of a carton and then fermented in a matter of a couple of weeks?
If im wrong, I apologise..

Thanks again for all help, if you have anything that helps in anyway just throw it this way! all will be a great help :mug:
Click to expand...

I made some cider this week using motts apple juice in the store. The important thing to look at for store bought juice is the ingredients. Make sure there is no preservative listed. (vitamin c aka ascorbic acid is ok)

Preservatives will inhibit your yeast from doing their job.

Publix brand also is an option as well as kirkland (costco)

Fermentation time is dependent on many factors such as types of yeast and temp. I have had cider finish up in as little as a week though. Personally I just use WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale Yeast for mine. I havent tried a ton of different ones as of yet but I have been happy with the results this one produces.
 
Well, if they offer samples of cider in the class I would go!
If your starting out, it would be nice to see the process laid out and demonstrated. It really does reduce the anxiety level.
 
Have found a place just down the road from me offering a short course which I can attend in a few weeks! Shoud give me a good insight of what I'll have to do..

Could someone answer, when Im sterilizing the demi johns and everything else what should I be using? VWP? and whats the best process about sterilizing everything before use? thanks for all the replies so far!
 

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