Pick apples now for homebrew?
-
- Barbara Good
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:40 pm
Pick apples now for homebrew?
Hi everyone! What a great forum!! I wondered if you helpful people could help me with a query. I have a big apple tree in my garden and wouldn't normally harvest the apples for a while yet, but unfortunately I am moving. If I harvested some now (there'll be plenty left for the new owners!), what would the taste be like in homebrew? They are good apples for cider or wine so if you know which might turn out the best I would be grateful for your knowledge. Many thanks!
Re: Pick apples now for homebrew?
You know, I haven't the foggiest idea about this. I tasted one of my eaters this morning and it turned my face inside out. Strictly speaking, I suppose, it should just be a matter of sugar content - the riper the apple, the more the sugar. If that's the case, then picking your apples now would be OK but you'd need to use a tad more sugar in your recipe (about 5% of the weight of the apples at a guess). On the other hand, if there are other chemical changes between now and full ripeness, you may end up making a complete mess.
Whatever the case, you certainly can't poison yourself. I'd go for it, make a single gallon as an experiment, and freeze the rest (chopped). If it works, you can make a lot more. If it doesn't, you know exactly where the stuff to bin is.
Best of luck ... Mike
EDIT: I'm talking about wine, by the way. I think trying to make cider with unripe apples would be a bit pointless.
Whatever the case, you certainly can't poison yourself. I'd go for it, make a single gallon as an experiment, and freeze the rest (chopped). If it works, you can make a lot more. If it doesn't, you know exactly where the stuff to bin is.
Best of luck ... Mike
EDIT: I'm talking about wine, by the way. I think trying to make cider with unripe apples would be a bit pointless.
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
- frozenthunderbolt
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1239
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:42 am
- Location: New Zealand
Re: Pick apples now for homebrew?
Best cider is made with fully ripe windfalls as they have the best aroma and full sugar potential.
You could have a go but will need add sugar and will probably have quite a sharp cider as an end result.
You could have a go but will need add sugar and will probably have quite a sharp cider as an end result.
Jeremy Daniel Meadows. (Jed).
Those who walk in truth and love grow in honour and strength
Those who walk in truth and love grow in honour and strength
- CyberPaddy66
- Barbara Good
- Posts: 166
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:14 am
- Location: Penzance, Cornwall
Re: Pick apples now for homebrew?
If you pick them early (pulp then freeze to keep long term) they'll end up being sour but later you could add them to a super sweet batch and make a nice medium dry cider ;)
Life's a beach until you get sand in your pants!