Apples ripening at different times

[Jack09]

Hi. New user here.
I have a question that may of been asked before but can't find.
I have a selection of apples for my hard cider but they are ripening at different times.
If I decide to juice the ripe ones what shall I do with the juice while I'm waiting for rest to ripen? (Rest will be ready in about a week)
Thanks in advance
Jack

 

[Yooper]

Freeze it.

I have one tree that produced in early August, and others that are ripening now.

 

[gregbathurst]

You can start the fermentation,then add juice as other trees ripen. Make sure you test the sg and starch (with iodine) before you pick the apples. The iodine test is very important for cider apples, if there is still starch the apples won't taste nearly as good.

 

[Jack09]

Thanks for the replies. The apples have all been picked and are currently under some sheeting in my garage. The apples were given to me, I did not grow them myself.
I'm hoping that a couple of weeks under the sheet will allow some starch to be used up and hopefully provide a better cider.
I have been cutting one every few days to check the pips and some are still a little pale.
Thanks again

 

[WVMJ]

Iodine test as mentioned above, sounds like they werent ripe when picked so this test is even more important, you have to get the right iodine also, not just the stuff you put on your fingers when you get a cut. WVMJ

 

[siderluver]

Is there something wrong with freezing it until you're ready?

 

[phug]

Iodine test as mentioned above, sounds like they werent ripe when picked so this test is even more important, you have to get the right iodine also, not just the stuff you put on your fingers when you get a cut. WVMJ

No you'll be fine with the stuff from the drugstore that you put on cuts, as long as it's actually tincture of iodine. and not some colorless iodine that doesn't stain. This is the same red/orange/yellow staining iodine that I've been using for doing starch testing when checking my mash for beer.

From http://fruit.cfans.umn.edu/files/2012/08/starch-iodine.pdf

David Bedford’s formula for iodine
solution: To prepare the iodine
solution at the beginning of each
season, purchase a one-ounce bottle
of tincture of iodine at a drugstore.
Pour the entire con-tents into a onepint
spray bottle. Fill the bottle with
water.
The iodine solution is light-sensitive,
so wrap the bottle in aluminum foil.
The solution is poisonous. Label it and
store it away from children and pets.
Slice the apples in half along their
equators. Taste and then set aside
one half of each; spray the cut surface
of the other with iodine solution.
After about a minute, compare the
amount of starch present with a
photographic index. Most apples
grown in Minnesota follow the Granny
Smith chart as they ripen, but you
may find the Red Delicious and Golden
Delicious charts more appropriate for
some varieties.

 

[Greghark]

As long as the apples aren't rotting you can wait for the others to catch up before you juice. Keep them cool and dry and not stuck under plastic and they should be okay. If you do juice in batches freeze immediately is better than refrigerating and using a bunch of chemicals to hold off fermentation, in my opinion.

Different varieties can ripen over 3-4 months depending on where you live and the varieties. Then you may try other things like fermenting in batches and blending the resultant ciders.