Pressing Apple Cider

Every year about now we wish we had a cider press.  We have several apple trees and after canning dozens of quarts of applesauce and some pie filling, a few fresh apple pies, eating fresh apples until we're sick of them, we pick several boxes, store them in the garage, eat a few & throw the rests out in the spring.  So wasteful!

This year Dave decided he would build a cider press.  After perusing the different home made presses others have made and posted on the internet, he built one we quite like!  He used materials we had on hand or that were scrap, so the total cost for the press came in under $50!  The grinder for our apples came from Dave's grandparents.  Grandpa hooked it up to a motor years ago and it worked pretty slick for grinding up our apples. 

A few days ago we had Cider Pressing Day.  A few family and neighbors brought apples to press and in between, we pressed our own.  We started just after 10am, finishing up about 6pm.  We did about 50 gallons of cider! (I'm sure we drank about 3 gallons of that through the day.)

I thought I'd share some photo's from that bit of fun... and show a little how our process works. :)

It starts with picking and washing apples.  Then for the grinder we use, we have to quarter or eighth the apples, cutting out any bad spots.  (no matter how many times Dad says the worms add flavor, I just can't add them. LOL )





The apples go through a grinder, into a fabric-lined plastic bucket that Dave drilled holes in, and then into the press.   Wish I could share a glass of cider with each of you!  It is delicious!

We plan on making this an annual event!  We still have a few apples left on the tree this year.  We may get good enough weather to press another 5 gallons or so this week, hopefully to use at our Halloween party Saturday!  Yum!