The Garden Fence - help and support in tough times

Petula

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

we're making cider again!...

May have to ask you some questions sometime as my OH does like cider and I've thought about getting him one of the kits (beginner type) for a Xmas pressie.....

[Deleted User]

Of course you can PETULA, we've been making cider for about 5 years now but have never used a kit, we have some apple trees of our own and there are lots in the village and we usually get offered the windfalls. Our front garden is Wasp City in the autumn and I very seldom come home without finding several carrier bags full of apples outside the front door in the season! We started with an article on Cidermaking in Home Farmer magazine way back then and the first year had an old food processor and a tiny fruit press that I'd found at a boot fair. We made 25 gallons of cider that year and very good it was too. We've updated the food processor for one with a good motor and the girls got He Who Knows a big fruit press for christmas a couple of years ago which makes life so much easier. I still have to wash and chop the apples by hand to get them the right size for processing though. Today we managed 14 litres of juice which has gone into some demi johns with a pinch of cider yeast and a tiny amount of sugar to burble away until it's fully fermented and clears. It gets stored in big 5 gallon containers in the shed to mature and then we bottle it in capped glass beer bottles and it lives in cupboards in the shed until it's drinkable. Ask away petal and I'll ask He Who Knows for the answer!

GrannyKate

Returned from Spain yesterday but not back at home until this afternoon as staying over near airport for GD birthday. It is cold here. Hard to believe it's only early August as more like early Autumn. We had a good holiday with GS5 but spent and ate too much. Dreading the thought of a weight check at home as I had lost 21 lbs but think some of that will have gone back on.

ivyleaf

Welcome home GrannyKate Glad you had a good time. i'm sure any weight gain will soon sort itself out once you're back into your routine

We have ripe blackberries in the garden too Lyn, but they have been "got at" by insects and spiders and don't seem to taste right because of that. I suppose the answer is a fruit cage, but the brambles weren't planned, they just seeded themselves with the help of the birds. (i.e. that's why they're not better protected.)

mardatha

Been MIA but back now and caught up

Petula

Thanks for that MrsLW, suffices to say that I don't know a demijohn from a semijohn :rotfl: although I do know what a fruit press looks like

I would go for a beginners kit - don't remember the website I saw them on but have it bookmarked - so that I know he has everything he needs to begin except the apples. Think we would need some sort of "Cider making for dummies" type of book, lol. I'll try to remember to jot down any questions I think of.

I seem to have done my back in weeding so looking forward to a quiet weekend!

ivyleaf

mardatha are you feeling a bit better? Thinking of you.

Mrs LW So glad you enjoyed Barcelona! It sounds lovely.

mardatha

I'm feeling great ty Ivy - not been ill this time lol just been busy

ivyleaf

Excellent news mar :beer:

Popperwell

MIA action too. I hope everyone is well...Garden on hold but not growing too much out of hand and if I don't get everything done this year I'll start again in the Spring. At least its tidy.


Main reason I put off was difficulty getting around. Suddenly without warning I had an inflamed knee joint(a little investigation)suggests gout again and the gout meds/painkillers have made a difference but its taken 5 days so far to say its improving and some alternative suggestions on the NHS Choices website were scary.


Its been suggested by a taxi driver I know who has gout that it could even be side effect of the Statin tablet I am now taking(because he's affected in the same way)so I will see how things go in the coming days.


The weather was blustery with heavy but brief showers earlier but now its quite sunny and you feel you want to go somewhere but so late in the day there isn't really many places to go so I think I shall just take it easy and potter about. Perhaps do something nice for a meal later and listen to the radio. At least I am reasonably happy.