Freezing Raw Cider

[D-west]

I have 4 apple trees, 4 weeks of vacation, a harbor freight 20ton shop press converted into a rack and cloth press, and a 3/4 hp disposal for pulping. I did some small scale pressing last summer with a 4x4 press I bolted together some leftover apples in storage and had a blast until I broke some stuff I plan on doing as much cider this year as possible, hopefully also bugging the neighbors and getting some local unwanted apples in trade for cider.

I will probably make a lot of friends by giving away a good portion of the cider, but I also want to save about 30 gallons to ferment year round.

I have a nice chest freezer that I can store all of this in, I am limited on containers though.

Does anyone have any CHEAP ideas on what types of containers might be best to store this frozen juice in? We try not to buy plastic jugs when we buy juice or milk so that's not an option for me.

My first thought was some type of 5 gallon water container that is cube shaped to fit into my chest freezer and not use a lot of space? I found one company that sells 3.5 gallon water containers and I could get what I need from them for 170$ !!! Not ideal. As the reviews were not that great either.

Ideas??

 

[phug]

food grade 5 gallon home depot buckets, $7 per bucket+lid combo, stackable too, and you can ferment directly in them with the change out the lid for one that's drilled for an airlock.

That's what I would do. even though it would leave some unused space in the freezer

When I picked up my not so fresh pressed from the mill that had been pressed 10 days earlier it came out of the freezer in a 6 gallon bucket.

 

[D-west]

food grade 5 gallon home depot buckets, $7 per bucket+lid combo, stackable too, and you can ferment directly in them with the change out the lid for one that's drilled for an airlock.

That's what I would do. even though it would leave some unused space in the freezer

When I picked up my not so fresh pressed from the mill that had been pressed 10 days earlier it came out of the freezer in a 6 gallon bucket.

Home Depot buckets are food grade? Not sure how well they will fit in my chest freezer. Thank you for the idea! that is much cheaper than I have seen so far.

 

[WVMJ]

There are square food grade buckets, USAPlasics has them, seal on the lid with a mallet, there is a gasket and you can squeeze them in next to each other better than round buckets, the lids are made for stacking one bucket on top of another. You might want to get the little gadget that opens the buckets, you can buy singles or as many as you like.

Post a pick of your press, always cool to see homemade presses.

WVMJ

 

[madscientist451]

I get used round and square food grade buckets from a local bakery for $1.
I've been doing experiments with freezing apple juice and then partially thawing it and pouring off the concentrated juice to make a higher gravity cider without adding any sugar. I keep freezing and thawing until it gets down to 1.020, then toss it out. I haven't fermented this yet, but will get around to it pretty soon.

 

[D-west]

I get used round and square food grade buckets from a local bakery for $1.
I've been doing experiments with freezing apple juice and then partially thawing it and pouring off the concentrated juice to make a higher gravity cider without adding any sugar. I keep freezing and thawing until it gets down to 1.020, then toss it out. I haven't fermented this yet, but will get around to it pretty soon.

Thanks for the ideas! I will check out a few local places, a new bakery just opened up down the road.

Will start a thread on my pressing next year when I dig out all my stuff and set it all up.

 

[phug]

Home Depot buckets are food grade? Not sure how well they will fit in my chest freezer. Thank you for the idea! that is much cheaper than I have seen so far.

Not all are, but look at the white 5 gal ones, at my Home Depot they have food grade printed right on the bucket

 

[Lodestone]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UDE5JQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I use these at home Quite a bit they only come in half gallon to 3 gallon however. They sell them at Smiths Grocery AKA Kroger in the states for $10-$15. I have never frozen anything in them but they are plastic and should be fine.

 

[Jim311]

Not all are, but look at the white 5 gal ones, at my Home Depot they have food grade printed right on the bucket

Exactly. If they are HDPE or PET plastic then they'll work. Buy a lid, and drill it for a blowoff tube and have the worlds cheapest and most easily available 5 gallon fermenter/storage bucket.

 

[MarkKF]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422893364.673004.jpg

That looks perfect to transport raw cider.

 

[D-west]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UDE5JQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I use these at home Quite a bit they only come in half gallon to 3 gallon however. They sell them at Smiths Grocery AKA Kroger in the states for $10-$15. I have never frozen anything in them but they are plastic and should be fine.

That would cost me over $100 for storage containers. Im trying to stay around $50. Also ive used those and the lids dont seem to seal very well

 

[D-west]

View attachment 253527

That looks perfect to transport raw cider.

Its not going anywhere, just in my freezer.

 

[D-west]

Exactly. If they are HDPE or PET plastic then they'll work. Buy a lid, and drill it for a blowoff tube and have the worlds cheapest and most easily available 5 gallon fermenter/storage bucket.

So far that sounds like my best option if I cant source some local second hand food grade buckets.