Second Pressing Yield (SG)

[SeamusMac]

Hey guys,

Wondering if anyone here has ever bothered doing a second pressing and what sort of results you're getting. Obviously the exact SG numbers of the second pressing are dependent on the sugar content of the apples but perhaps someone could throw down some percentages?

I usually end up watering down the finished product to get the ABV I'm looking for but this year I'd like to maximize on the usage of my apples. If the second pressing only yields weak apple water then it wouldn't be worth the effort but if I could get 25% of the SG from the first pressing then I might give it a shot.

Thanks! (and here's a pic of my favorite cider)

 

[LeBreton]

When double pressing pomace, the juice from the second pressing is the same SG as the first run.

 

[gregbathurst]

If you add water to the pomace to do a second pressing the SG will be lower because of the dilution (known as small cider). If you are adding water anyway then you could do a second pressing, extra work but it may be worth it for you.
I think it is a pity to add water, but understandable if you want a lower alcohol drink. You will get less flavour as well as less alcohol. My cider from fresh juice was 8-9% this year because we had such a warm autumn in Australia. Annoying because it means I can drink less, but lots of flavour. One tree gave juice of 1.105 sg, I didn't know apples could get that sweet.

 

[SeamusMac]

Whoa, that'd be quite a cider greg! I like to keep it lower in ABV so it's more sessionable, usually around 5.2% or a bit above. Apples at home in eastern Canada don't normally have the high sugar content that's possible in Aus/NZ so I wouldn't have to dilute by very much to knock the ABV down.

I suppose a second pressing isn't all that common these days and I may have to wait and see for myself if it ends up being worth doing. Just to jump off topic for a sec, does anyone bother aging their apples to sweeten them up? I've got the space for it but have never bothered as most of my apples are picked quite late.

 

[gregbathurst]

I think a lot of people do age their apples in cold climates like yours. I can't see the point of it myself, I reckon they are as good as they will ever be when they are fresh picked, but I can't store mine anyway. Often it is because a lot of apples come in together so some have to be stored while the others are pressed.

 

[sashurlow]

I aged mine last year with very noticable results. My esopus spitzenburg turned from a bland apple to the incredible apple they are. Concquently I thought the crispin/mutsu apples tasted worse a week later.
If you have the room and patience, why not.
What the heck are you doing to your apples to get that high? My cider has always turned out at 5%.

 

[gregbathurst]

Part of storing fruit is to allow all the starch to convert to sugar.

If you have lots of warm sunshine, deep soil, no disease and mature trees, apples can get very sweet, with lots of flavour. Apples don't ripen well if it gets too hot, above 35c, but we had a couple of months through february/march of sunny weather and temperatures in the high 20s C, perfect ripening weather. I don't want my cider to be 9% but better too ripe than not ripe enough.

 

[sashurlow]

So you do age them.... On the tree.

 

[SeamusMac]

When I press apples at home they come from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. It's one of Canada's major apple growing regions but temperatures in the high 20s don't last long. Luckily, the majority of the apples I press are Golden Russet and Northern Spy to a lesser extent, so they spend an extra long time on the tree. Juice is usually 1.055-ish but that still makes for over 6% ABV if the FG is around 1.008.

If a higher FG is desirable then I'd just ad honey, which is honestly not the most affordable way to increase ABV but certainly better than adding dextrose ha ha.