Apple Ciderin’ Workparty with the DIY Whizbang Apple Grinder
OK, aggies! It’s on. (actually, it WAS on… this is the invite and recap from Cider Pressin’, 2011… we will hopefully do this again next year, so stay tuned if you missed it!). We had a lot of questions. Now we have solutions!
What do you need to press your own cider from apples?
- Grinder: So, we have the makings of a “whizbang” apple grinder … We found a brand new garbage disposal and small stainless sink from the ReBuilding Exchange and a small tabletop with an opening to mount the sink and grinder… we just need to mount the disposal, wire a cord, and test it. {CHECK, done}.
- Press: We also have a sweet lunker of a vintage screw-driven fruit press that I’ve been itching to try out!
- “Cheese” Bags: We have big mesh bags to line the press (these are retired, after repairs will be usable for hop bags and such, but even the jumbo brewing bags were too small for the press and thus kept bursting at the seams. Save yourself $5 and the hassle and stitch up the hem and sleeves of old tee shirts, if you’re doing this at home).
- Apples, Crabapples (or Pears): We have a source of apples- Molly Breslin from Earth First Farm (owned by Tom and Denise Rosenfield) in Michigan will provide us with organic cider apples!
If you missed the pressing, you can buy their apples and their cider already pressed at a few places around town… check their website for more information: Earth First Farms ! She can deliver them to the Logan Square farmer’s market… I’m going to order our apples Tuesday the 24th, so let me know before then if you’d like to reserve a bushel or two for the pressing! You can pay me back the day of the workshop… I’m ordering 3-4 bushels for us for the workshop (unless enough other people want apples- you should get 2-3 gallons of cider per bushel- bring a new bucket or jugs to get it home!).
I’m planning to make 5 gal of hard cider, drink some fresh, and maybe try some vinegar if we get enough? We’ve got buckets of honey, so I think brewing a cyser is also in order this fall!
I also plan to can applesauce with a half-bushel or so of the apples- that could be another workshop if folks are interested? It’ll probably be a crisp and nippy fall day, so a the first gallon or so should definitely get mulled to share… maybe on the woodstove if it’s extra chilly!
And we have a date: Sunday, November 6th, 2012, rain or shine (we have a pop up tent we can press under if the weather is anything like today). 11 AM-?
Location: Alewyfe Farm (at the red brick cabin). Email me if you need the address!
Bring a snack to share, warm clothing, and if you have them, your shoveling muscles- in the interest of future pressings, we have two apple trees that have spent the summer in large pots- they need to get heeled in (or planted if we determine their ideal spots?) before the ground freezes.
Also, we have bees, so though they’ll probably be mostly tucked away for winter, they might be interested in apple pulp… heads up if you’re allergic.
We’ll have some homebrew on hand to share (Trappist blend with Logan Square crabapples from last fall) and if I pull the taps now so it’s not gone, a little bit of the hard cider I made last year with Seedling Fruit cider- dry, tart and tasty! Knowing me there will also be some eats…
Please RSVP… that way I can tell the chickens how many deviled eggs we’ll need.
Also, if we have more willing hands than apple jobs, and folks are inclined, we’ve got tools and there are tons of things to do if you want to help out on the farm! We’ve got a “barn” that needs raising (a shipping crate that needs stilts to stand on and to get tarped before we can use it as a woodshed… fences to hang… mulch to move… branches to chip… but mostly we can stand around and have fun figuring out how this apple thing works- washing, chopping, grinding, pressing, and sampling!
Post Cider Pressing Party Photos and Recap:
We got through 12 bushels on the group press date in about as many hours- should go a lot faster next time now that we know what we’re doing, and have a feel for how fast to feed the apples without overheating the grinder! To all who came, thanks for your willing hands and good cheer… hope to see you again next time!
