Cider Making In West Dorset
Sam has been making cider for about 5 years. He saw the potential in the Marshwood Vale with the very few orchards that were left. From the 1960s onwards many very old orchards were "ridden out" all over Britain.
Sam has taught himself to make cider and last autumn came out to Bluntshay to pick up some of my cider apples. (9) By the beginning of November I had thousands of apples all over the ground. (10) The problem was so did everyone else!
Collecting Apples
Sam has lots of contacts so collects apples from quite a few different farms in the area. (11) He has a very good 'cider house' set-up located in his garage and the first process (after cutting any large apples in half) is to put them through the scatter. (12)
This machine, which is run with a small electric motor, will take up to 6 apples at a time. The result of this process is apple lees (pulp). (13) The lees are then put into a fruit press which has a 12-litre capacity. (14) This has to be levelled off, (15) and pushed tightly into the inner bag. (16)
The lid is then firmly attached (17) and the "single screw" handle is gradually wound around and down to ensure that the maximum juice is extracted – (18, 19) usually up to one and a half gallons of liquid in one pressing.
The new apple juice flows into a plastic fermenting bucket. (20) What remains in the fruit press is tipped out into a wheelbarrow and composted. (21) There are various names for this – cider cheese, cider cake, or just plain apple pomace. The fermenting bucket then has a lid and airlock put into place. (22)
Some water is put into the airlock so that escaping gas from the apple juice/cider will be dissipated, and no air will be allowed into the process from the top. The fermentation process begins within hours. It can be slowed down if the liquid is put in the fridge.
It should be consumed within 4-5 days if you are not keen on alcohol. The liquid can also be put into demijohns with the necessary airlocks in position. (23) Sam does not sell his cider, but uses it for social drinking with his friends.
Sam is interested in the approximate sugar content of his cider and uses a hydrometer to measure the potential alcohol level. (24)
He would expect a reading of between 1035 and 1060 which would be an average reading, meaning that his cider would be 6% to 7%. Sam gave me a bottle of the juice made from my apples, which I had to drink in a fairly short space of time as I am a teetotaller. (25)
