Can I brew cider without an expensive press?!?

Adam's Apples · Jul 19, 2007

I have made 3 beers so far, only through extract brewing.

I have 2 apple trees in my garden and I think I have enough general brewing knowledge now to attempt different types of brewing. I would desperately like to produce a nice cider from my own apples, but after looking on Ebay at the prices of the fruit presses necessary to use my own apples, I was wondering if there are any alternatives possible without spending £100 on a press!

I don't care how time consuming it is, maybe I could just try and buy a small fruit press and just take lots of time getting the ferementables for a 5 gal batch from my apples...?

Does anybody have any suggestions or ideas about different porcesses or mor economical presses/methods?

Cheers

EdWort · Jul 19, 2007

Give my Apfelwein recipe a try. It takes 10 minutes to make, but 6 weeks of patience.

zoebisch01 · Jul 19, 2007

Look around for a local press! I would imagine (as iirc Cider is more popular o'er yonder) that there should be somebody within driving distance to you that can press your apples. Plus, fwiw, it takes LOTS of apples and the more you have the better your yields when you press. Figure on having 1.5 kilos to yield a liter of cider.

JimC · Jul 19, 2007

If you are in a jam you can also press the apples between two chunks of plywood using a bunch of c-clamps. Spin each clamp down in turn a bit and keep going round and round. Set the plywood/c-clam rig in a tub/tray of some sort to catch all the pressings.

NurseNan · Jul 19, 2007

Our local HBS has a press for rent, check to see if yours does too. You could try putting an advertisement in the local paper saying you are looking for a cider/apple press to hire.

Adam's Apples · Jul 19, 2007

Cheers guys, never thought of asking the HBS!

zoebisch01 · Jul 19, 2007

Keep your eyes open for family run presses. The one we are fortunate to have is a cider press built in the late 1800's. The guys father bought it to save a piece of functional history. It is a great time when we go with the kids and other families. He has a potbelly stove burning, the smell of fresh apple must....gotta love it.