Holy Apples!

Holly Apples! Yesterday was my luxurious wednesday off and I spent it taking Winnie to the vet and picking apples. This was the result, 209 lbs of apples from Megan's parents over productive tree. Add to that the apples from the last time we went and thats a total of 230 lbs.

So, we can either make about 100 pies, get really really sick of (and from) eating apples, or make cider! Of course I am going for the latter. Right now I am working out the specifics, but the apples are living in a garage waiting to be pulped and pressed. My estimates show that we have the potential to make 16 gallons of cider.

Here is the process:
1: Pulp the apples using a garbage disposal (new of course, $50)
2: Press the pulp in an apple press to get the juice. Hopefully ours works, it was made in the late 1800s!
3: Divide into batches of 5 gallons. One will be naturally fermented using the wild yeast in the apples, one will be spiced, and one will be flavored (think raspberry cider).
4: Wait for 3-6 months.
5: Bottle in wine bottles for still cider, add sugar and cap in beer bottles for sparkling cider.
6: Wait another month, then drink!

Also, that tree has the potential for another 2-3 hundred pounds of apples still on the branches. Its too much to handle!

PS: For instant satisfaction I am also going to keep some as fresh pressed cider for immediate drinking! It will be non-pasteurized and I have heard that the flavor is totally different. None of the apples have touched the ground, so there is virtually no threat of of e-coli.