Hello from Sandyford Dublin

[guest1906]

I hope you guys have room for a home brew cider maker, I was at Bloom on Friday and it was Alan from McGargles that informed me about this Club. My stock from last year is slowly dwindling and always looking for people who have apple trees who are not sure what to do with there crop. I work in garden maintenance and get access to apples in gardens I work in.

[Leann ull]

Welcome along, labour of love scratting and pressing apples and probably why as a collective there was commercial juice bought historically  

[guest1906]

I only make cider in season and waiting for apples to grow. Commercial juice is being lazy.

[johnrm]

Buying juice is not lazy. If you are doing it on a big scale you must have some mechanisation in place.
I'm not a big cider person, but I still wanted to make cider from scratch. I got a loan of a small press and used a simple scratter attachment for a drill.
It is a lot of effort for small, one off batches.
For many, access to apples, investment in equipment, time, storage space just does not add up.

[Leann ull]

Commercial juice is being lazy.

Ouch!
Jump right in there JamMan!
Let me qualify that the majority of us that buy commercial juice have all scratted and pressed apples, most have their own presses and know whats involved so its not being lazy its being practical as most of us have neither the time (family first) nor the inclination to press the quantity we used last year as a club.
In 2015 we organised 3,000 Litres or 120x25 Litre Drums equivalent of 3 IBC's from one of the best Producers in the country where there were freshly picked specific cider apples varieties used in the formulation and there was a 24 hour delivery window between the juice being pressed and last delivery being made.
We have some expert blenders in the club and that base juice has been very cleverly blended using everything from honey, oak, spices, soft fruits and even into whiskey barrels.
Our ciders have received rave reviews from commercial brewers who judge our national championships, so no we are experts and practical, but definitely not lazy.

[molc]

It's the variety blending and access to fresh apples that seals the deal on the commercial juice for me. Not a chance in hell I'd be able to get comparable with my own resources.

Same reason I don't try to grow grain.

[Leann ull]

But you know you want to and malt it

[molc]

I cause myself enough trouble making my equipment. Additional by indegrients is just asking for trouble.

[guest1906]

Ok guys

I'm holding my hands up an apologising over a comment I said two days ago 'commercial juice is being lazy'. As I'm a newbie here, I'm hear to learn from your mistakes. I live in an apartment and don't have the room to make large quantities and I'm restricted to making small batches. Last year was my first time to make Cider, as previous years I was making non alcoholic sparkling apple wine and still have samples if any one wants to taste. I'm also a member of the GIY (Grow it yourself) movement and we sometime organise meitdals (I may have spelt it wrong) it is where you get a couple of people together to achieve a common goal. Also in my GIY group we have a member that grow hops and would be glad to introduce you to them.   

[Leann ull]

No apology required the point was valid just not relevant to what we do, we are all here to learn and I'll make sure somehow you get a litre of one of our batches.
Was involved myself with GIY until they shared my and every other members email address with a third party
Their intentions are good though and the NHC is very much like a booze meitheal helping each other out in whatever way we can.

[mr hoppy]

I did find that actually visiting the Apple Farm made the cider a lot more real for me - even if I wasn't the one growing the apples - and I'd really recommend it to anyone passing through that part of the country who has even a passing liking for cider or apples.

[Leann ull]

Or strawberries or apple juice or honey or .....
Not cheap but quality.

[Shanna]

Ok guys

I'm holding my hands up an apologising over a comment I said two days ago 'commercial juice is being lazy'. As I'm a newbie here, I'm hear to learn from your mistakes. I live in an apartment and don't have the room to make large quantities and I'm restricted to making small batches. Last year was my first time to make Cider, as previous years I was making non alcoholic sparkling apple wine and still have samples if any one wants to taste. I'm also a member of the GIY (Grow it yourself) movement and we sometime organise meitdals (I may have spelt it wrong) it is where you get a couple of people together to achieve a common goal. Also in my GIY group we have a member that grow hops and would be glad to introduce you to them.

Think the word you mean is meitheal  is a term which is derived from the co-operative labour system in rural Ireland. Have not heard it used  for a good while now. But in Kerry where part of my family hails from it was common in cutting & saving hay, cutting, drying and drawing turf or other such labour intensive operations where a person would not have enough man power to do it all by themselves. This was before the wide spread adoption of mechanisation and tractors especially on farms that were more modest in size and maybe in areas where the land/farmers were not as rich.

Speaking of hops, myself and many others here on this forum grow their own hops and make beer from them also. Welcome to the site and as your in the general area of Sandyford come down to the Dark Horse some evening on the last Thursday of the month and introduce yourself to the South Dublin Brewers who meet there (member myself). A few of us have made ciders over the last few years from the group buy apple juice and we also have some avid Turbo Cider and medal winning Mead makers who would be more than happy to chat/share information.

Shanna

[guest1906]

Hi Guys
My scratter finally arrived yesterday and my first batch cider I'm going to make this year is to mix blackberries with the apples to make a berry cider. Can't wait to see how that turns out.

On another note the guy's I have met know I'm a gardener by trade and a garden I was working in at the weekend I came across 9 1 gallon carboys, saves me having to buy another 32 liter vat.
JamMan

[Leann ull]

You are gonna put them in at what stage?