Cider making

Last weekend I crushed the first batch of my apples for the season in an attempt to make cider. I have about 20 gallons fermenting at my place in Folsom right now. I'll find out in a few months if its worth it.  Anyone have a source for free apples? I'm hoping to crush more varieties and increase the production but my personal apples trees are still young aren't fruiting enough for my drinking habits.

-Brian G

I have a single granny smith tree in the backyard that spits out decent yield, far in excess of our household's consumption capacity.  But not enough to make it worth juicing, I suspect.  They aren't quite ready, but if you want em, have at it

I have the perfect place to taste said cider when it is done.
Not too far from Folsom either.
We even added another bar.  It's bigger and holds more 'stuff'.

Anyone have a source for free apples?

Brian I make my hard cider from Whole Foods natural unfiltered apple juice. I use either their house brand of 365 or North Coast which runs about $6 a gallon plus you get a glass gallon jug which I use for the actual fermentation. I usually dump about half a glass out then fill with a little corn sugar/water mix to bump up the alcohol level. Then pour in the yeast and pop the air lock in.

Here is my recipe with ratios

3 gallon apple juice
2-1/2 cups corn sugar
2 tbs Natural honey

Safale US-05 yeast

OG-1.055 @72deg.
FG-1.000 @ 72 deg.

ABV 7.2%

I usually let it sit in the primary (gallon jugs) about 3-weeks to a month. The transfer to a bucket and back into the gallon jugs to clarify for about 2 weeks. Then tansfer to the botting bucket with about 1/2 cup priming sugar, bottle and wait about 3 weeks to carbonate. Its F-ing good!

Little slide show of the my cider making process.

Once made, how long does the cider keep? Do you have to refrigerate it?

Howard

Dang dude that's pretty serious lol!  You wd be deadly up in WA where they have apples dripping off of every tree it seems