cook apples to soften before juicing?

[paddyb]

I'm new to home brewing and have been having a go at making hard cider from fresh apples, detailed in this thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=589782

I'm going to start another batch today and after spending all last weekend extracting juice, I want to make it a bit easier this time around. I have bought a fruit press, but the apples still needed to be chopped/crushed before pressing. Freezing beforehand was recommended to soften them, but I haven't got enough room in my freezer. I was wondering about boiling or cooking them to soften them first. Unless I'm putting the wrong terms into google, this doesn't seem like common practice, but I did find this tutorial which recommends exactly that:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Apple-Cider-Without-a-Juicer-and-How-t/?ALLSTEPS

What are the pros/cons of doing this? How will it effect that taste of the cider? Will this also pasteurize it?

 

[Yooper]

A "cooked apple" taste is undesirable in cider. It's like the difference between a fresh crisp tart apple you bite into, and the cooked apples in apple pie. Also, cooking the apples may set the pectin, so the cider will never clear.

 

[paddyb]

Thanks Yooper

How about if I were to simmer them at a low temperature like pasteurization?

 

[bernardsmith]

Thanks Yooper

How about if I were to simmer them at a low temperature like pasteurization?

You want to make cider or apple sauce? If you want to make sauce then heat the apples. if you want to make cider , don't. Cider ain't beer. Heat is for brewing not cider making.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

If you want to soften apples, just freeze & thaw them; you can crush them into applesauce with your bare hands after they thaw. I do this with all kinds of fruit, works great, every time.
Regards, GF.