French Cider Apples

[drsmurto]

Well i finally bit the bullet.

Been mucking around over the past year or so with various yeasts, apples and techniques but the end result is always a fairly 1-dimensional cider. Drinkable but thats not what i want. Went AG to get my beers up to scratch, need to do the same with my cider.

(FWIW - long life apple juice plus wyeast 4766 cider yeast gives the best results)

The aim is a cider that when I drink with the eyes shut transports me back to Rennes....

SO i got my partners Dad around to attack the 70+ year old apple trees with a chainsaw. Old school pruning. From a height of some 15-20m, they are now <1m in height.

Went to a grafting lesson and also had partners Dad show me his technique.

Grafted 9 french cider varieties onto 3 trees and left an original branch on 2 of the 3 trees. Most have taken and have leaves so i must have done a half decent job.

Cimetiere de Blangy - douce amere
Michelin - amere
de Boutteville - amere
Clozette - douce amere
Frequin Rouge - amere
Blanchet - acidulee
Antoinette - douce amere
Belle Cauchoise - douce
Chataignier - douce

Approximate translations are (am sure Jean-Yves can correct me):
douce amere = bittersweet
douce = sweet
amere = bitter (even more tannin than bittersweet)
acidulee = acid (levels appear to be between the English sweet and the English sharp)

Whilst this is a long term investment (2-3 years before i can collect apples) I will be getting fresh pressed juice from local orchards who grow cider apples. Will start small (20-30L) until i get the process down. Will also split batches to compare natural fermentation with Wyeast 4766 (cider) yeast.

I have read Jean-Yves 'How to make Breton Cider' several times and think i have the process down in my mind.

Cheers
DrSmurto

p.s. picked up a galette/crepes recipe book during my last visit to Rennes (2006) but am yet to make any. Cant find the right hot plate.....

[awalker]

I am very jealous
That will be some serious cider once all the trees are producing
Good luck with it I look forward to seeing the reports

Puts my single apple tree to shame, if I had more room, aah if only.

[jean-yves]

hello drsmurto how are you doing today !!
my daughter is gone to sydney 3 month ago !!!!

hope you had a great time in brittany !! Rennes is 2 hrs drive from where i live !
we're now making the cider, i'll start in a week ! my varieties are different , as there're so many local one. i'll post some pics.
the right hot plate to make the best galette is a "krampouz" http://www.krampouz.com/
which mean "galette " in breton. do not think you'll be able to find one in australia !!!

[DREADSKIN]

THAT IS A GREAT IDEA, WERE DID YOU GET YOU GRAFTS FROM? SOES ANY ONE KNOW CAN YOU BY GRAFTS IN THE UK, OR DO YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND A TREE YOU LIKE AND TAKE A WEE CUTTING? I TOO HAVE AN OLD ANCIENT TREE IN NEED OF REVITALISATION

[drsmurto]

hello drsmurto how are you doing today !!
my daughter is gone to sydney 3 month ago !!!!

hope you had a great time in brittany !! Rennes is 2 hrs drive from where i live !
we're now making the cider, i'll start in a week ! my varieties are different , as there're so many local one. i'll post some pics.
the right hot plate to make the best galette is a "krampouz" http://www.krampouz.com/
which mean "galette " in breton. do not think you'll be able to find one in australia !!!

I love Brittany, was such a beautiful part of the world. St Malo blew my mind, we just dont have that sort of architecture down here. Mont Saint-Michel is my desktop picture at work and is a great talking point when colleagues drop in!

i found a shop in Oz that sells 'krampouz' so will add it to my xmas wish list.

Looking forward to the pics of your cider making JY.