Apple pressing!

[Tim Ingram]

We have some thirty or more varieties of apples in the garden, mostly on dwarf rootstocks and over 30 years old now. Some produce a lot of not very good fruit which usually goes to waste. So what about making apple juice? A friend has a part share in an apple press and these are some pictures of the process in operation. The apples are first broken into a pulp by a 'scratter', powered by an electric drill (a simple drum with a few screws in it to catch the apple pieces). The pulp is then layered in cloth 'cakes' in a press and squeezed using a small car jack. Result about 20 litres of juice which was pasteurised at 90°C for half an hour. The apparatus was made by a local craftsman and shareholders have access to it for a number of days on and off over the autumn. Great fun!

[Maggi Young]

Ingenious and clearly effective.  Super idea to have as a "community" device.
 I can smell that delicious juice from here, I'm sure! 

[John Aipassa]

I wouldn't press my Apples with that device. I will only get micro chips, broken glass, aluminum pieces etc. 

[Paddy Tobin]

Could you go on to make cider?

[Tim Ingram]

I had wondered - hic!

[Anthony Darby]

I wouldn't press my Apples with that device. I will only get micro chips, broken glass, aluminum pieces etc. 

Best thing for them, in my book. My kids got apple itunes vouchers for Christmas. They are useless as we don't have New Zealand credit cards!

[John Aipassa]

Maybe you should have given them some other gift then.......?

[Maren]

I love it, I mean the apparatus, especially the craftmanship, never mind the juice. That scratter is so lovingly shaped, makes you want to run your hand over the curves. What a nice idea to let your friends use it.

I too get the occasional glut of apples from my mini orchard of semi dwarf trees on my allotments. Most of the time they get stolen just on the day before I want to pick them or eaten by 'visiting' muntjak deer. I'll have to put a fruitcage over them, with a big padlock. That worked well with my blueberries, where I increased the yield from nothing to several kilos a year.   

[pehe]

Tim,
Thanks  for showing. We have lots of apples and I have thought of making an apple press by myself, and your pics have given me a very good idea how to do. Specially the scratter is a simple and easy  design.
Enjoy your apple juice!

Poul

[Susan Band]

A small electric garden shredder kept especially for apples is good for breaking them down before you start the pressing. You have to modify the inlet hole to allow the apples in.
Susan

[Maggi Young]

Traditionally, grape pressing was begun by foot.... perhaps these might help with the preparation of the apples for pressing :



 

[Palustris]

We went to an Apple Day near to us and watched them using a Press to get juice from the fruit. We reckon we get just as much from our Electric juicer., which was a lot cheaper than the cheapest Apple press we could find.
Don't forget that the juice may be frozen for future use too.
In the days when I could drink alcohol, we made Cider once. Sadly that made from non Cider apples is extremely sweet, much too much so for us.

[David Nicholson]

Yes, apples used for cider making are very bitter indeed.

[John Aipassa]

Traditionally, grape pressing was begun by foot.... perhaps these might help with the preparation of the apples for pressing :

(Attachment Link)

 

Those are wicked!

You naughty girl you 

[ArnoldT]

Maggi:

Are those boots from the back of your closet?