LeBreton
Well-Known Member
September is here and the apples in the orchard are finally ready! It was a hot and sunny growing season with plenty of rain except for August which was a little dry. Pests were practically a non-issue since last year the apple crop was a total bust due to a spring heat wave and bloom killing frost.
Yesterday with the help of a friend I picked Ellis Bitters, Majors, Tremletts Bitters, and Somerset Redstreaks. The Majors were very heavily laden this year. Tomorrow I'm gonna tackle the Dabbinetts which also have a lot of fruit. The trees, all dwarfs, are averaging just under a bushel each. I was originally thinking of fermenting everything separately, but there's so much fruit that It'll be too hard to process individually (Pressing will be done by a local orchard) so it'll probably just be a big blend of bittersharps and bittersweets which can then be blended with Northern Spys for some acid if needed.
Forgot to bring my refractometer so I didn't get any sugar readings, but I'll get some tomorrow and post the results along with some tasting notes eventually.
This'll be my first ever cider made from trees I've cared for and fruit I raised since they were buds. Had to share my excitement!
Yesterday with the help of a friend I picked Ellis Bitters, Majors, Tremletts Bitters, and Somerset Redstreaks. The Majors were very heavily laden this year. Tomorrow I'm gonna tackle the Dabbinetts which also have a lot of fruit. The trees, all dwarfs, are averaging just under a bushel each. I was originally thinking of fermenting everything separately, but there's so much fruit that It'll be too hard to process individually (Pressing will be done by a local orchard) so it'll probably just be a big blend of bittersharps and bittersweets which can then be blended with Northern Spys for some acid if needed.
Forgot to bring my refractometer so I didn't get any sugar readings, but I'll get some tomorrow and post the results along with some tasting notes eventually.
This'll be my first ever cider made from trees I've cared for and fruit I raised since they were buds. Had to share my excitement!