Is this Cider Press OK?

[jmc]

I saw this 12L one on Amazon


I think its on eBay too.


I'll just be using it for 5 gal batches.
I'm wondering what its like as price is quite good compared to others available.

Has anyone got one?

[scrumpyjack]

Hi
I used to use one of these a 12lt one from Machine Mart (Clarke) they're simple and easy to use but can be a bit of pain winding and unwinding the knuckle. I cut to 3"x3"x4" oak blocks to take up the slack. The secret IMO is to ensure you have a well mashed pomace I use a old Black&Decker blade type garden shredder bought especially for the purpose been using it for nearly 10 years with no detrimental effect to the machine or the cider. I also leave the pomace 24hrs in a bucket before pressing you get a far better yield. I never used a bag to line the press the pomace will stay in the press ok I poured the juice through a fine nylon seive straight into the barrel. I make about 150 gallons a year now so have moved on to hydraulic press but I still use the old garden shredder.
Hope you find this helpfull. Feel free to ask any other Cider related questions.
Cheers

[jmc]

Hi
I used to use one of these a 12lt one from Machine Mart (Clarke) they're simple and easy to use but can be a bit of pain winding and unwinding the knuckle. I cut to 3"x3"x4" oak blocks to take up the slack. The secret IMO is to ensure you have a well mashed pomace I use a old Black&Decker blade type garden shredder bought especially for the purpose been using it for nearly 10 years with no detrimental effect to the machine or the cider. I also leave the pomace 24hrs in a bucket before pressing you get a far better yield. I never used a bag to line the press the pomace will stay in the press ok I poured the juice through a fine nylon seive straight into the barrel. I make about 150 gallons a year now so have moved on to hydraulic press but I still use the old garden shredder.
Hope you find this helpfull. Feel free to ask any other Cider related questions.
Cheers

Thanks scrumpyjack. Very useful info.

You mention leaving pomace for 24 hours. Do you add anything to the juice / pomace like campden tablet solution to kill wild bugs, or pectolase for clarity?

I've also read that its good to let apples go a bit soft first. Is that true?

BTW the similar 12L Clarke one from MachineMart is over twice the price as the Amazon / eBay one.

[scrumpyjack]

Hi
I dont add anything to the pomace I just keep it in buckets with tight fitting lids. I dont add camden tablet or pectolase to the juice as want the natural yeasts in the air and on my equipment to ferment the juice. I've never had a bad batch I dont bother sterilising either just a wash over and rinse with plenty of cold running water, although I do store my buckets etc full of water with some bleach in over the summer.
The apples need to be as ripe as possible I normally wait until they fall of the trees( cut a apple in half and if the pips are dark brown/black then it's ripe) then I pile them up and let sit for a week or so to soften up. The riper the apple the more sugar in the juice so a stronger cider is produced.
I keep the cider in the cider shed in oak barrels when it gets cold fermentation slows right down and as the temperature in the spring picks up the cider kicks back into life and of it goes.
My father and grandfather before him made cider this way. Its all to easy to get wrapped up in fermentation temps and sterilisation but your not making wine or beer, cider is a different beast. Take a look inside most cider sheds and your average home beer/wine producer would run a mile.
The other interesting thing about making cider is that no 2 years are the same. Changes in the weather, the amount of sun etc can change the flavour.
If you are using traditional cider apples then your pretty much assured a good result but you are using eating apples the be sure to add some cookers or better still crab apples. Eating apples dont have the tannins of cider apples although this can overcome by adding strong brewed tea.
Hope you find this helpful
Cheers

[scrumpyjack]

Hi
Sorry on the subject of pectolase the cider will clear fine on its own given time. After 3 months in the barrel it looks like orange squash, 6 months looks like your morning p***, after a year its as clear as strongbow but not a gassy, chemical laden,headache inducing pint of dish water that strongbow is.
Cheers

[jmc]

Hi
I dont add anything to the pomace I just keep it in buckets with tight fitting lids. I dont add camden tablet or pectolase to the juice as want the natural yeasts in the air and on my equipment to ferment the juice. I've never had a bad batch I dont bother sterilising either just a wash over and rinse with plenty of cold running water, although I do store my buckets etc full of water with some bleach in over the summer.
The apples need to be as ripe as possible I normally wait until they fall of the trees( cut a apple in half and if the pips are dark brown/black then it's ripe) then I pile them up and let sit for a week or so to soften up. The riper the apple the more sugar in the juice so a stronger cider is produced.
I keep the cider in the cider shed in oak barrels when it gets cold fermentation slows right down and as the temperature in the spring picks up the cider kicks back into life and of it goes.
My father and grandfather before him made cider this way. Its all to easy to get wrapped up in fermentation temps and sterilisation but your not making wine or beer, cider is a different beast. Take a look inside most cider sheds and your average home beer/wine producer would run a mile.
The other interesting thing about making cider is that no 2 years are the same. Changes in the weather, the amount of sun etc can change the flavour.
If you are using traditional cider apples then your pretty much assured a good result but you are using eating apples the be sure to add some cookers or better still crab apples. Eating apples dont have the tannins of cider apples although this can overcome by adding strong brewed tea.
Hope you find this helpful
Cheers

Really helpful. Thanks.

[fatbloke]

Does the spindle on the press go down to a pressing block or plate ? Or am I looking at the picture wrongly ?

Because I prefer to press my fruit (apples, grape, and other stuff) in a straining bag to try and keep most of the "non-skins" type debris out of the liquid to reduce racking etc.

Even a small(ish) bladder press would need something round the outside screen as the holes are large enough to let some of the broken down flesh debris through.

I don't mind having to spend the £'s for the right piece of kit, but at the moment, a "cross beam" type device looks the better option.....

[jmc]

Press was delivered yesterday. Pics below:







Click to load large version of instructions

One thing I should mention is that I think that (as supplied) you cant press small amounts of pomace.
I'm going to make some more wooden blocks so that semi-circular pressing blocks can go lower.

[jmc]

Forgot to mention in previous post

I bought the one from eBay as it also included a free pulp bag. £66.77 delivered

[fatbloke]

Ah, Ok. TVM for the pic's - it means to achieve what I want to be able to do, I will need either an extortionately priced bladder press or a cross beam type one......

Hey ho! I'll keep looking then.......

[jmc]

Does the spindle on the press go down to a pressing block or plate ? Or am I looking at the picture wrongly ?

Because I prefer to press my fruit (apples, grape, and other stuff) in a straining bag to try and keep most of the "non-skins" type debris out of the liquid to reduce racking etc.

Even a small(ish) bladder press would need something round the outside screen as the holes are large enough to let some of the broken down flesh debris through.

I don't mind having to spend the £'s for the right piece of kit, but at the moment, a "cross beam" type device looks the better option.....

A pressing block and semi-circular wooden blacks are pushed down as you turn the screw.
The press/straining bag supplied with the eBay one has a hole to fit over the spindle and covers the vertical wooden slats. its quite a tight fit over the top, but that's probably a good thing.
See pic below.