lawnmower to cider

[willtrade]

Traded a lawnmower for an old cider mill.The mill is about one hundred years old,and has sat in a barn for the last 40.I rebuilt the mill,as the wood was mouse chewed,and not suitable for use.

I found a good local apple source,and pressed about 22 gallons of juice.The people who own the orchard,don't know what variety.some of the apples are,so I call my blend Middlesex Mystery,for the county where I live in Virginia.

Using the book CIDER by Annie Proulx as a guide,I fermented,and bottled two five gallon batches,using champagne yeast,and honey for the first,and ale yeast,and table sugar for the second.

I have no idea what good cider is supposed to taste like,but both of my batches are quite drinkable. Today we are going to a workshop,and cider tasting in Charlottesville Va and should have a better grip on cider making in general...Looking for Albemarle Pippen apples

 

[sashurlow]

Nice story.
Personally I make anything that interests me (Kayaks, sleeping bags, backpack, tents, painted my bicycle etc) so cider was very logical to make myself.
When I proposed the idea to my wife she would not let me until we owned a home. In turn I told her she could not get canning equipment until we owned a home. I bought her her canning equipment within a month of owning the house. I had to buy my own brewing equipment.

 

[LeBreton]

I know Vintage Virginia Apples/Albemarle Ciderworks in Charlottesville grows the Albemarle Pippin. Not sure if they have any for sale though. Assuming they're involved in the workshop you're going to, try to get some of their Hew's Crab cider. One of the best craft ciders being made in America these days IMO.

Probably the most common single variety cider commercially available cider these days based on what I've seen around, the pippin can be a stubborn apple to turn into quality cider. Has some nutty/earthy notes as well as pear flavors.

 

[willtrade]

Attended the workshop in C'ville yesterday,and found it to be informative,and worthwhile.Picked up a few items from the brewing/garden store where the event was held,and followed the advice of the locals as to where to find some apples.

We stopped at an orchard,and bought some of the Albemarle pippins,pink ladies,and others to try a new blend or two.We also picked up four gallons of fresh cider,that I'll start tonight.

On our ride about,we stopped at a junk shop,the Rockfish river,and a couple of country stores in Nelson county,then went to the "North South smackdown" at The Albemarle Ciderworks. We tasted 8 kinds of cider from Va.and some northern cidermakers..We were given score sheets,and had to grade each unnamed cider.I used terminology like "Aroma of new baseball glove" and the likes.We had to leave a little early,so we never did find out what we were drinking,or who won the competition,but I did come to the conclusion,that our first two batches of cider are in the ballpark with the others we tasted...

 

[willtrade]

Yep,there is nothing like hands on,when it come to just about anything,and following the path of diversity,has a value that sometimes cant be quantified.