Not for sale on a shelf near you but this time next year Rodney, we could both be millionaires. What do you think, do they look OK? Here's our bottled cider and apple juice. We bottled the cider this afternoon and I'll be doing some quality control work this evening.
sean Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 42219 Location: North Devon
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 13 5:16 pm Post subject:
Very smart.
alison Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 12918 Location: North Devon
We've bottled some special cider today. Well at least I hope it is. Its been matured in an old rum barrel and then sweetened with soft brown sugar. The blending and tasting to get it as we want, has been great fun. The cider is a sweet and has a real taste of rum and at just over 7% by volume, it has a beautiful dark colour.
I think its quite special but what do I know? I'll drink anything, especially if I've made it myself. What we need to do now, is to get some labels done for next year, so that we can market it as something very different from our usual brew.
sean Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 42219 Location: North Devon
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 13 4:11 pm Post subject:
If you're adding sugar back in won't it start fermenting again? Are you bottling it in champagne type bottles?
I don't think so.
The cider that we sell straight from the barrel isn't pasteurized but air is the enemy of cider and as soon as you crack the barrel, then the clock is ticking and you only have so long to sell it and get it consumed. Its the same with beer and all the bottles of both cider and beer you see for sale in shops, they have been pasteurized.
Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 13 4:34 pm Post subject:
Which is why bag in box stuff lasts; no air gets in to oxidise it.
We've got a fair bit of blossom on the trees this year. All the trees in these pictures are eating apples and the fruit is hopefully going to be destined to go into apple juice. The cider apple varieties are way behind with just a few leaves showing.
They look lovely Bodger. Our big crab apple in the woods has been covered in blossom this year, and the ones in the garden are starting to flower. Also seeing apple blossom in the hedges, so really pretty. Hopefully a good apple year.
Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
Posted: Thu May 01, 14 12:30 pm Post subject:
What's your plan when you move? Are you giving it all up or taking the harvest with you in whatever form it's in?