Fwd: Crabapples

zxcvbob 21 years ago

I posted this last night in the beermaking group and haven't gotten any replies. I'm not sure where mead questions belong. (While writing this, I just found the mead group. D'oh!)

Bob

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Crabapples Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 19:20:03 -0500 From: zxcvbob Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing

I'm not sure if this belongs here or not...

There are crabapples everywhere this year; I've never seen so many. The best ones that are plentiful are about 1" in diameter with coral colored flesh, and are sour and rather tannic. I don't have an apple grinder or a cider press. What would be the best way to utilize these to make an interesting cyser or apfel (sp?) lambic?

If I quarter them and add to the fermenter, will the yeast break them up and suck out the juice? Should I freeze them first so they'll release their juice? Crabapples have so much pectin, I don't think pectin enzyme will help a lot.

Thanks, and best regards, Bob

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Ray Calvert 21 years ago

Years and years ago I made wine by cutting them up but I cut them smaller than quarters. Probably 8ths for the size you are talking about. I did use plenty of pectic enzyme. Your idea of freezing them first is a good one too. I then fermented on the pulp for a week and then squeezed them out by hand and finished fermenting in secondary. Today I would use my wine press at the end of the week.

Ray

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spud 21 years ago

Ray:

What do you have to say about the w>Years and years ago I made wine by cutting them up but I cut them smaller

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Ray Calvert 21 years ago

That is a harder question. That was among my first efforts. 25+ years ago. I was impressed at the time but I was not wine savy and had no group like this to help me so I was feeling my way in the dark. Further, it was before I had airconditioning so I was making and storing it in awful conditions. Rooms that easily exceeded 100 deg F. But I enjoyed it. It would be better if you had an apple grinder and press. But it is possible to do it the way I did it back then.

Ray

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spud 21 years ago

Thanks Ray, appreaciate it.

Steve Oregon

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