Cider Production
 The autumn, when most farming activity is starting to wind down for the winter,
marks the beginning of the cider and perry makers' year. Indeed the period
from September to December is one of constant activity with the gathering of the
fruit, extracting the juice and then storing it in suitable vessels for fermentation.
In the subsequent months as the fermentation slows and then stops, there will
be tasting and blending before arriving at the final product. Perry is made in
a similar way to cider so let us look in a little more detail at the key elements
of the cider makers' craft.
- Gathering the fruit
- Sound fruit is the foundation of the final product.
Getting it right therefore meant the cider maker was well on his way to a successful
cider. Dirty, rotten fruit is to be avoided, even though washing can help. Cider
apples are tough, though! The two main methods used therefore take advantage of
this by shaking the tree by either a pole attached to the branches or a mechanised tree
shaker powered by a tractor. The apples are then stored preferably in the dry
to ripen further so increasing the sugar content.
- Extracting the juice
- When the fruit is soft - the traditional gauge
was when you could make an imprint with your thumb - it is ready to be juiced.
There are two stages involved. Firstly the apples are chopped up or milled into
little pieces and secondly the resulting mash, or pomace, is pressed to extract
the juice. Small producers essentially carry out this latter process similarly
to days of yore by wrapping the pomace in cloths placed on top of each other and
applying pressure to the top of the pile. The stack of pomace filled cloths is
called a cheese. The cloths used were known as hairs, (as they had traditionally
been made from horsehair).
- Fermenting the juice
- The juice is collected and stored in vessels
which may vary in size from a few to many hundred gallons. There will probably
be a mix of different types of apple juice but many of the specialist craft producers
now make single variety ciders from one type of apple. The fermentation will rely
either on the natural yeasts in the apples or have dried yeasts added. Although
the main fermentation will be over in about 8 weeks the cider will continue to
develop over the following months.
- Blending
- In the spring the skills of the expert cider maker will be
required when the fermented juice from the various vessels will be blended to
produce the desired cider. This is no easy task and experience of the qualities
of the different varieties and a sensitive palate are needed.
- Drinking
- Last but by no means least the cider can then be dispensed
straight from the wood, bottled, bottle conditioned, bottle fermented, blended
with cider brandy, distilled for cider brandy but above all enjoyed for the many
different ways the fermented apple can be utilised.
 Apple juice
Apple juice is simply the cleanest of apples, milled and pressed, then bottled
and pasteurised immediately to prevent the fermentation process commencing. Apple
juice can be in the bottle a week after picking the apples.  | Three Counties Cider and Perry Association |
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Represents the interests of members in their Cider and Perry Making activities.
Meets several times a year. For details of membership contact Helen Woodman 01531
660687. |
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Cider Producers