12 replies to this topic

[zymot]

I tried searching the internet, thee answer is all over the place.How many pounds of apples do I need to make 5 gallons of cider?I understand there a several variables. I do not have a clue.How about a high and low and then some of the variables to consider.Thanks,zymot

[HarvInSTL]

Really depends on the variety and when they are harvested.Average rule of thumb would be 2-3 gallons per bushel. I got just over 5 gallons last year from 1.75 bushels.

[ScottS]

Really depends on the variety and when they are harvested.

Also on the type of mill, type of press, etc. There's a right way and a wrong way to do it, when you're trying to maximize yield.I think the practical maximum is 75% yield, and that's pretty hard to achieve. More realistic for an amateur setup is probably 50.I don't have any personal experience with this, I've just done a bunch of research. My first pressing will be this fall.

[zymot]

Also on the type of mill, type of press, etc. There's a right way and a wrong way to do it, when you're trying to maximize yield.I think the practical maximum is 75% yield, and that's pretty hard to achieve. More realistic for an amateur setup is probably 50.I don't have any personal experience with this, I've just done a bunch of research. My first pressing will be this fall.

So if I fill up two 5 gallon bucket with apples, I should fill one 5 gallon bucket with cider?I guess I am going to have to run some experiments. Weigh some apples, juice them and measure how much juice I get.zymot

[ScottS]

So if I fill up two 5 gallon bucket with apples, I should fill one 5 gallon bucket with cider?I guess I am going to have to run some experiments. Weigh some apples, juice them and measure how much juice I get.zymot

In theory, yes. Though I wouldn't be surprised if it's less on your first try. Getting a good yield is not as simple as it looks, or so I've read.

[zymot]

I did some experimenting.Using my Jack LaLane juicer, I got ~1.5 Qts from ~6 lbs of apples. This comes out to equal 4 lbs/qt or 80 lbs for a 5 gallon batch. And it works out to about 5-7 minutes per quart.I wanted to see about making a home press. I tried several manual methods, squeezing a bag of chopped up apples, pressing down on the chopped apples through a colander. Best I got was about .75 qts of juice from ~6 lbs of apples. And that was too much work.To get a decent yield, you need to get quite a few pounds of pressure. The best source I can think of is a car jack. The tricky part is the jack has to press against something, to create force down onto the apples, but what? I could make a frame out of unistrut, that would work. Then you have to get, cut and assemble get the unistrut. That is getting to be a bigger project than I want.So now the garbage disposal idea is looking real good. Renting equipment is now a possibility.Also driving along in apple country and picking up gallons of cider might be a nice day in the country.zymot

[BeesNBrews]

Yield will even vary with variety of apple and hydration at time of picking--more juice with irrigation or rain, less juice with drought.I have pressed cider with home made mills and commercial hobby mills; I will always go back to small commercial mills and presses.My purchase this past fall was a very large antique press. The iron is in good shape, but all of the wood will need to be replaced over the next few years, but it can be used if I make a new tray for this fall. Ran some pears through it last year and it performed quite well.My very own Uber Press in the garage, now if I can only figure out where to park my wife's car.....

[zymot]

I understand there are variables. When I did my test, I did it with as many different kinds of apples to get a rough average.I have taken on making a my own press. Part of the fun of this hobby is the homemade projects aspect. I am guessing my homemade press will yield somewhere between the power juice and hand press.zymot

[mTizzle]

I am not sure how much we got, but my grandfather had a press like this: https://cgi.ebay.com...INE...:1|294:50Even as a young kid I helped crank it.

[zymot]

Update. For what It Is Worth:I got my disposal grinder and homemade hydraulic jack apple press up and running yesterday.From <18 pounds of various apple varieties I got about 1.5 gallons of cider.This puts it in the 10-12 lbs of apples per gallon.I did core my apples and my disposal crusher produces basically apple sauce.Best cider I have ever had. nothing from the store or the orchards comes close.zymot

[japh]

I got my disposal grinder and homemade hydraulic jack apple press up and running yesterday.From <18 pounds of various apple varieties I got about 1.5 gallons of cider.This puts it in the 10-12 lbs of apples per gallon.

Hm.. IIRC the sign I read at the local apple farm was saying 20lbs/gallon.

[dondewey]

Update. For what It Is Worth:I got my disposal grinder and homemade hydraulic jack apple press up and running yesterday.From <18 pounds of various apple varieties I got about 1.5 gallons of cider.This puts it in the 10-12 lbs of apples per gallon.I did core my apples and my disposal crusher produces basically apple sauce.Best cider I have ever had. nothing from the store or the orchards comes close.zymot

Did you use plans/inspiration from somewhere online? Any tips?

[zymot]

Did you use plans/inspiration from somewhere online? Any tips?

I was inspired by HarvInStl" garbage disposal apple grinder this guy's design.https://thedeliberat...ing-my-new.htmlNothing tricky here. Buy a disposal and build a table to hold the disposal in place. I used a Waste King model 2600. 1/2 horsepower stainless steel cutting elements. (on sale and pay no sales tax, about $60.00)As for the press design, it is still a work in progress. Basically, I built a frame using Unistrut and a 2 ton hydraulic jack.Still exploring ways to find the best method to press the crushed apples.zymot

Edited by zymot, 30 September 2009 - 08:37 PM.