Category Archives: Cider-making

How strong is my cider vinegar?

Posted on January 16, 2026 by james

Because if you’re going to sell it, you need to know that it’s at least 5% acetic acid. Titration is the way forward and whilst it used to be possible to use a wine titration kit (which is actually intended … Continue reading →

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Second cider pressing day

Posted on January 16, 2026 by james

This time it was Dabinett apples, but otherwise it went much the same as for the earlier Harry Master’s Jersey. Slightly less than two hundred litres perhaps, but not by much. This juice also had a high pH of 4.4, … Continue reading →

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First cider pressing of 2025

Posted on January 14, 2026 by james

After being so dry for so long, I think this (mid-October) was when the weather in 2025 really started to change, so I was pressing apples whilst dodging rain showers and still having to cope with gusting winds. First up … Continue reading →

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Cider apple picking

Posted on January 14, 2026 by james

Towards the end of last year I had the good fortune to be allowed to pick cider apples at a local orchard where there are many different varieties of tree. As well as collection quite large batches for a single-variety … Continue reading →

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A new tray for the cider press

Posted on March 1, 2017 by james

Fresh from my success wrangling stainless steel for brewing, I thought I’d make up a new press tray for the cider press also from stainless steel. The starting point was one of those stainless industrial catering trays you see on … Continue reading →

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When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Posted on August 15, 2014 by james

But when it gives you apples, make cider… And to that ends I’ve just taken delivery of a new apple “scratter” for pulping apples before pressing them to extract the juice.  I used to use a manual crusher, but it’s … Continue reading →

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Cider Press Construction (Part 1)

Posted on March 4, 2011 by james

For pressing my cider apples I decided I couldn’t justify the price of even the smaller commercially-produced presses and after a fair bit of research I felt I could build one myself that should do an acceptable job. As it … Continue reading →

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Cider Apple Pressing 2010

Posted on February 15, 2011 by james

Behind our house are a small number of cider apple trees around twenty-five years old. Three of these I have identified as Yarlington Mill, two are Dabinett, four are, I’m fairly sure, Somerset, and the remaining three I have not … Continue reading →

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