The Apple Press and Pressing Apples!

We talked about an apple press last year so when Dave mentioned pressing apples this fall I couldn't help but think it was a little late since we didn't have an apple press.  Oh, me of little faith!  After researching plans and picking one, not a simple task in itself, he began spending every available minute in the shop.  Luckily a trip to Menards was easily worked into our return drive after dropping Karl off at the U.

Anyone who works with wood will appreciate why I really like this photo of the pressing racks.  There are three of them. Aren't they pretty?

So what does one do if you don't have any apples to press?
Dave, "Let's go to town, drive around looking for trees and ask if we can pick now, or later if they are not yet ready."
Patsy, "Really?"
I learned that #1. People are very generous and #2. Apple seeds turn brown when the apples are ripe.  Most apples ripen later in the fall but we found 4.5 bushels of apples we could press.  The renter thought it was great that we wanted to harvest from this tree, luckily her landlady agreed these State Fair Reds could come home with us.  Thanks Jean Marie!
How 'bout that homemade apple picker!  It really works, for the most part anyway.  The dish drainer tines are a little on the weak side.  The worst part is that it's a killer on your neck!

Almost ready to start our pressing adventure on Labor Day 2011.

Now I understand where the game bobbing for apples started.  I guess cider is best when you use at least two varieties.  And we actually ended up with two early varieties.

So the apples are plucked out of the wash tub/apple bobbing pot, rinsed, with leaves pulled off and I pop them into the musher.  It is amazingly fast.  That little table I'm working at is screwed onto the picnic table bench and it's a nice level to work at.

Once you get a bucket full of mushed apples you are ready to load up the frame at the apple press.

The removable frame holds the cotton sheet in place while you smooth out the "batter" of apple mush.  We carefully folded the sheet over the top of the mush while the juice started draining into the food grade 5 gallon bucket.

This was our trial run using just one frame of apples.  The bottle jack is in place and Dave is pumping it as needed.

There was one little leak but look at that juice!

Now this is serious!  Three apple mush frames with slatted press boards and the juice is really flowing!

It was so wonderful watching this juice filling up the bucket!

I think we were on the next batch of mushed apples by this time. 

The final result was two five gallon buckets of juice to be fermented into cider and one and a half gallons of incredibly tasty fresh apple juice.  The plan is to bottle the cider in beer bottles and enjoy it over the fall and winter months ahead.




I was amazed at the little bit of apple that was left after the process!

the remains 4 and 1/2 bushels of apples