Storing apples before pressing

[Uncomfortabrew]

Hi, i have understood that it is best to store the apples in a cold place for 2 weeks before pressing (ideally when the apples skin has become a little soft)
But i am noticing that a lot of my apples are becoming bad in this process - so i was wondering your experiences - do you store them, how and for how long?

I have a few apples where the skin is brown the apple dont seem the have taken any damage or become soft - should these be discarded? (look pictures)
And i have some which have been stored with a bit too much humidity and they seem to have some surface mold (look pictures) which i think comes from the other apples which have gone bad in same storage
Would you wash these and still use them? There is nothing else wrong with them other than to mold on the skin

By the way i am making natural cider, so no use of campden og commercial yeast.

Thank you for your time and help!

 

[Uncomfortabrew]

By the way, on the first picture the browness is not caused by windfall
So as said it is not soft or anything

 

[Coriba]

I wouldn’t hesitate putting any of those apples in my blend. You should see some of the ground fruit I use. No issues.

 

[Uncomfortabrew]

I wouldn’t hesitate putting any of those apples in my blend. You should see some of the ground fruit I use. No issues.

Okay thank you, do you use campden or sulphite?

 

[Coriba]

I do not, but probably don’t take my advice. I think apples are pretty forgiving. I have never had an issue, but it is good insurance.

 

[Ronnb]

I've heard one English farmer say he used to let their apples soften up over time because they were easier to pulp and press but, if you are using a modern pulper, you could press sooner.

 

[doublejef]

Letting the apple for a rest before pressing have a lot of benefits, sugar concentration pectin action (Don't remeber details) and muche more, good pulper doesn't make this job.
I made a new thread about this question a few weeks ago but only get one answer.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/apple-sweetening-before-pressing.683804/

 

[cottonwoodks]

I have to say that I inadvertently stored my last batch of apples for two weeks after picking them, and yes, a lot of them rotted too, but I did get WAY more juice out of them than the earlier batches, AND the SG was a lot higher. So something happens.

 

[doublejef]

Do you have an idea on what some rotted ? Something you should change if you have to do it again?
How and where did you stored them?
Thanks for sharing.

 

[cottonwoodks]

Do you have an idea on what some rotted ? Something you should change if you have to do it again?
How and where did you stored them?
Thanks for sharing.

Some of them had some small rotten places, and those just expanded, and then the apples that were touching those started rotting. I had planned to press them almost immediately, but then life got in the way. If I KNEW that it was going to be two weeks, I would have not left the ones with rotty spots in with the others. Also, perhaps storing them in a cooler place might have helped. Again, it was inadvertent.

But even discarding all those rotten ones, I DID get way more juice. But definitely storing them in someplace cool would help (a bit hard to do when the weather is hot).

 

[madscientist451]

I've been making hard cider for almost 20 years and here's what I have noticed:
1. Late season apples make better (hard) cider
2. Its easier to "sweat" the late season apples 4 weeks or longer because the temperatures are cooler.

 

[Bilsch]

As I collect the apples, some each day during the season, either windfall or picked, they go into a chest freezer just for this purpose. This is good for a lot of reasons like frozen then thawed apples don't need grinding and go directly into the press. They stay fresh (frozen) indefinitely until I'm ready to make the cider. But more importantly there is way less oxidation (browning) introduced, like when grinding, and the juice is almost water white with much better flavor.

 

[AzOr]

As I collect the apples, some each day during the season, either windfall or picked, they go into a chest freezer just for this purpose. This is good for a lot of reasons like frozen then thawed apples don't need grinding and go directly into the press. They stay fresh (frozen) indefinitely until I'm ready to make the cider. But more importantly there is way less oxidation (browning) introduced, like when grinding, and the juice is almost water white with much better flavor.

I’ve read about people doing this.
Question- are you missing out on tannins or complexity since the skins aren’t being ground? I’m assuming that the skins just split when thawed.
Also- Would a hydropress work for thawed apples?