How to sterilize??

[Delaney]

Hi,

I'm quite familiar with brewing and wine making, but I'm new to cider making. Please take a moment to read my method, and correct me where I am going wrong. Equipment being used is a grape crusher and press, with two nylon mesh grain bags lining the press.

I'm trying to decide the best way to sterilize/pasteurize my apple juice prior to fermentation. The apples in question are wild apples, and I shook the tree so they would fall, then collected them from the ground. There was dirt, and presumably lots of contaminants on the fruit. First, I am washing the apples off in water to get rid of debris. Then, I am using a grape crusher and press to create the juice. I intend to crush and press the apples whole. Sound good?

Now that I will have juice, I'm confused as to what method should be implemented for sterilization.

My idea: Heat the juice to 150F and maintain temperature for 30 minutes. Cool, add 1 campden tablet/gallon, pitch yeast 24 hours later.


If I were to steep at 150F for 30 minutes...Could I safely reduce my sulfite levels by adding 1 tablet/2 gallons?
If I were to steep at 150F for 30 minutes...would much of the aroma/flavour be lost?
Is steeping really necessary at all?

 

[jet35a]

The apples will need to be chopped before pressing. Pressing whole apples will get you 5 drops of juice. I went thru this 2 years ago.

First attempt, cut in quarters, pressed, 5 drops.(using 2 ton hydraulic jack to press)

Second attempt, ran apples thru food processor, lots of juice, took forever.

Third attempt, crushed apples in clean 5 gallon bucket with 2x4, worked, but hard on the arms.

Last attempt, constructed a rotating drum with stainless screw head protruding. Worked great, can "process" a 5 gallon bucket of apples in less than a minute.

Others have used kitchen sink garbage disposer, but I think that would also chop up the seeds, not good.

Heating will work, but I can't give you any more information.

 

[Yooper]

Most people crush (they sell apple crushers) and then press. I have neither, so I cheat by freezing my apples, then smash them up as they thaw and stick them in mesh bags that I squeeze thoroughly (as my press). It's ghetto, but it works and I normally only deal with about 80 pounds of apples and/or crabapples a year so I hate so spend the time and money on a crusher and press.

In any case, no need to heat up the juice AND use the campden. Campden alone is sufficient for sanitizing the must, at one crushed tablet per gallon or 1/4 teaspoon of powdered k-meta for 6 gallons.

 

[Delaney]

Okay....

I do have a grape crusher...I was assuming this would do the trick. The apples are small. If not, I can put them through the food processor and then use my grape press to get everything out. I assume I would have to remove the cores before putting them through the food processor, so as to avoid minced apple seed?

I want to minimize sulfite use for a small portion of the cider which will be drunk young...Should heating the apples as described eliminate the need for sulfites entirely? Or would it still be advisable to add 1-2 tablets for 5 gallons of must?

 

[sashurlow]

I posted something earlier with what happened to me. I ground (garbage disposal grinder) and pressed my apples then added 1 camben/gal and put them in water jugs. Something grew in them anyway. In all fairness, I should have left them in a cool place like my basement but left them on my porch instead. To fix this, I boiled everything and added lots of pectinase enzyme. The problem with heat is the pectin. Of course this year I will prove or disprove how big of a deal that is. I do not know what happened to my batch. I should have probably processed the cider sooner but daily life comes first.
As far as coring the apples, I don't see the big deal of seeds. Even a drum grinder is going to crush some seeds. I most definitely have had crushed seeds in my cider and it turned out pretty tasty.
If you want to heat the cider, it would probably be wise to add pectinase enzyme. It won't hurt your cider, so try it and decide if it was wise for next year.
Scott

 

[Bonde]

Campden will work just fine. But my advice would be to wait 48 hours before pitching. Lost a few good yeast portions on the 24 hour rule