The beginnings of a Cider Empire ?

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The beginnings of a Cider Empire ?
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Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 13 6:27 pm Post subject:

We make our cider dry and then with a bit of jiggery pokery, we can, if we want to, alter it to be medium.
Our press is the largest manual one that the company Vigo make. The next one up is a automated one which comes with a price tag of around ï¿½3000. We can get around 15 gallons an hour out of our manual press which is plenty enough for our scale of operation but when we're old and decrepid, ( not long now

) we may very well go for an automated press.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 13 6:10 am Post subject:

A quick update.

Three weekends ago we planted 44 more cider trees on 106 root stock. This takes the total trees that we've planted up to around the 200 mark and tomorrow, we will take another step forward in the development of our enterprise, when we'll be taking delivery of a dozen 50 gallon oak barrels.

They have come from the French wine industry, where, the wine people in France only use their barrels twice before passing them on. They'll look brand new and these, should last me for ever, I can't wait to get them and then after that, all my cider will be made in oak, rather than the boring less traditional blue plastic barrels. There will be pictures.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 13 7:39 pm Post subject:
They've arrived. Safely stored away in the cider shed before the rain came. There are some superb cooperage marks on them. They were all made in either 2007 or 2008. They all had tight fitting rubber bungs and the guy even threw in three spares. Now here's to getting them all filled.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 13 7:47 pm Post subject:
Nice looking barrels.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 13 8:02 pm Post subject:
I'm dead chuffed Rich. As long as I look after them, they should see me out.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 13 9:47 pm Post subject:
Can you give some idea of how much they cost each? They do look good.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 13 10:03 pm Post subject:
With carriage, its worked out at ï¿½54 each.

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 13 10:34 pm Post subject:

RichardW wrote:

Nice looking barrels.

Very pretty.
Much nicer than blue plastic.

EV

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 13 6:15 am Post subject:

You learn something new every day. I split this load of 22 barrels with another chap. He gets barrels like these and then takes them totally apart before using the materials to build the most superb furniture.
Although the barrels were made and used in France, the oak in them is imported from North America. There was only one amongs the twelve barrels that I had, which was actually made from French oak.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 13 8:05 am Post subject:
Oh..they do look like new..lovely! I noticed you have sword and bow hanging on wall .how does that fit into cider empire? Keeping unwanted tasters away?

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 13 9:04 am Post subject:

Right on one Finsky. Yes there's a bow but the sword is a beach fishing tripod.
Our cider room is full of what I consider interesting stuff, the contents include various traps, lanterns, wet weather gear and basically anything that my wife wont let me have in the house. Its a real Aladins cave of usefulness, well at least I think so.

. With the generous application of cider, the cider shed has become a bit of a social club where my friends drop in and then drop off their chairs.

I really do have a couple of leather settees going in there next week.

I seem to recall that in a previous post, I admitted that 'living the life' sometimes gets in the way and prevents me from seeing the wood from the trees and running my business.

I'm guilty as charged but its all good fun though.

Most Fridays see us having an open free style ferret racing night.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 13 11:59 am Post subject:
Do you know what the barrels were used for before you got them? There is/was a fashion for ageing malt whisky in specified casks (sherry cask/port cask etc.). There might be some mileage in something similar for cider above and beyond 'oak-aged'.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 13 12:13 pm Post subject:

Sounds incredibly waisteful way of making wine..used TWICE!
Is that common practice or is it just French ...or just for specific type of wine ?
I've got serious cider/alladin's cave envy now..that looks so interesting and ..hmm..'cosy'(I'm trying find a right word)
I can imagine sitting there, lantern lighting the shed..little sip of cider every now and then..bit of food and perharps even a dog under arm to scratch for. I'll leave to you imagination what sort of dog..

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 13 12:16 pm Post subject:
Red Wine Sean. I wish we had smellovision on here, because they really do smell divine. My next task is to build the stillages for them and then to get them loaded onto them. Then they'll be filled to the brim with water and mixture of Malic acid and SO4 to make sure that they don't contain any lurking nasties that would attack my cider.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 13 12:16 pm Post subject:
They need the new oak to add flavour to the wine and then the barrels are sold off, doesn't sound too wasteful. I'm just wondering what other uses I could find for the barrels, they seem very reasonable at the bulk price. Bodger, do they need any special care if you don't fill them? I.e. do they need wine/cider or whatever in them to keep them watertight?

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