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Cider Digest #1129
Subject: Cider Digest #1129, 21 April 2004
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1129 21 April 2004
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Re: apple grinders (Thomas Beckett)
Re: Cider Digest #1128--Apple Grinders (Michael Arighi)
Apple Lumber ("James W Luedtke")
Re: Ripening Times for Perry Pears (Dick Dunn)
Wyeast Cider Yeast? ("Mark Ellis")
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Subject: Re: apple grinders
From: Thomas Beckett <thomas@tbeckett.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 00:13:35 -0400
cider-request@talisman.com wrote:
> Subject: Apple Grinders
> From: "Fellenz" <fellenz@fltg.net>
> Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 00:54:18 -0400
>
> I've read in a few places that garbage disposals have been used to grind
> apples, but it sounds like they don't work real well for more than small
> quantities. What else is available which is affordable and works OK for
> a small scale, <10 bushels at a time, user?
I have heard of one person using an old commercial ice grinder/chipper
for grinding cider apples. Belt-driven, just hooked it up to an old
electric motor. Something you might be able to find used or in a junkyard.
Thomas Beckett
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Subject: Re: Cider Digest #1128--Apple Grinders
From: Michael Arighi <calzinman@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 21:34:52 -0700
On Thu, 2004-04-15 at 14:50, "Fellenz" wrote:
> Subject: Apple Grinders
> From: "Fellenz" <fellenz@fltg.net>
> Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 00:54:18 -0400
>
> I've read in a few places that garbage disposals have been used to grind
> apples, but it sounds like they don't work real well for more than small
> quantities. What else is available which is affordable and works OK for
> a small scale, <10 bushels at a time, user? Can a electric meat
> grinder like the ones used for hamburger and sausage be used? I've
> found plans for a small hammermill and will make one if I need to, but
> would like to find out if there are affordable grinders other than the
> "Happy Valley" type available.
I'd be suspicious that you will be disappointed with a meat grinder. We
used a restaurant-grade, continuous-feed food processor one time, and I
think you'd find the same problem, which is also the limitation of the
garbage disposal. Heat. Most of these items have a thermocouple
arrangement that senses the heat of the motor and turns it off before it
gets too hot. When it's cooled off (which took about 20 min, IIRC),
it'll start up and run again for a while, until the same thing happens.
We were running until after dark that night. I think we had 25 bushel
boxes (40#). Lot for a backyard operation, but we had about 10 people
involved.
The garbage disposal units usually depend on the flowing cold water to
cool them off. That, and being run only intermittently. I've wondered
idly if you could rig a fan on the "back end" of the motor axis, to blow
cool air onto the motor. It'd be pretty funky, and need shrouding for
the sake of fingers and other extremities, but might work. Haven't
gotten around to putting it into practice, not having a steady supply of
apples (hmmm--though the bloom on my Gravenstein at the moment is
promising??).
I use a Happy Valley, because it at least runs as many bushels as I
need, or have arm power, to.
- --
Michael Arighi <calzinman@earthlink.net>
------------------------------
Subject: Apple Lumber
From: "James W Luedtke" <james.luedtke@cgi.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 07:29:03 -0500
Chris Horn asked for advice on apple lumber.
I've had a few logs milled into lumber, though never apple. But: My
experience with apple firewood is that it can spalt and deterioriate
within a year, so get it milled ASAP. You might consider going to 4/4
instead of 5/4, unless you really need 1" finished stock. Find a mill
with good equipment, preferably a band saw type. A poorly maintained,
wobbly circular blade will not only waste potential boards, but also
produce varying thicknesses. Stack the boards well off the ground,
sticker them properly, cover the top layer (leave the sides open, it's
going to need good air circulation), and place plenty of weight over
each sticker. The rule of thumb for air-drying is 1 year per inch, but
it's probably better wait 2 years. If the boards are really nice, and
especially if you're in a part of Oregon that gets a lot of rain, you
might want to check out custom-kiln drying.
If, however, your log twists along it's length, you'll have a dickens of
a time getting the boards to dry straight. In that case, you might be
better off sawing it into 3 or 4 inch boards, drying them, and resawing
after they are good and dry.
On a cider note: I just finished setting out 31 apple trees of my own
grafting in my back yard orchard. Most are bittersweets, but there's a
half-dozen sharps, plus a few russets (Golden and Egremont). It looks
like there's finally blossom buds on some earlier-planted Browns and
Harry Masters Jersey. I can't wait.
Jim Luedtke
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Ripening Times for Perry Pears
From: rcd@talisman.com (Dick Dunn)
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 21:56:55 -0600 (MDT)
"Three Hills Farm" <organic@threehillsfarm.com> (John Gasbarre) asked about
ripening times for various perry pears.
I dug out the following from Luckwill & Pollard, _Perry_Pears_, 1963 (and
long out of print, unfortunately). The info depends on your climate and
all that, YMMV, etc.
I don't have direct experience working with perry pears. (I'm trying; I
hope I live long enough!) But the time between harvest and milling is
quite variable...some seem to want to be milled as soon as they're picked
while others seem to need a couple months. Anyway, here's the notes from
L&P for the varieties John asked:
> a.. Moorcroft
Harvest: 3rd to 4th week of September. The pears ripen over a rather
long period and are difficult to shake
Milling: Up to two days after harvest
> b.. Rock
Harvest: 4th week of October to 1st week of November
Milling: Up to eight weeks after harvest
> c.. Teddington Green
Harvest: 2nd to 3rd week of October
Milling: Up to one week after harvest
> d.. White Bache
Harvest: 2nd to 3rd week of October
Milling: Up to one week after harvest
> e.. White Longdon
Harvest: 1st to 2nd week of October
Milling: One to three weeks after harvest
> f.. Yellow Huffcap
Harvest: 1st to 3rd week of October
Milling: Up to one week after harvest
(John later asked offline about a few more; since I typed those up, here
they are as well. HTH someone.)
> Barland
Harvest: 4th week of September to 1st week of October. The fruit falls
over a long period.
Milling: up to three days after harvest
> Blakeney Red
Harvest: 4th week of September to 2nd week of October
Milling: up to seven days after harvest
> Dead Boy
Harvest: 2nd to 3rd week of October
Milling: one to three weeks after harvest
> Flakey Bark
Harvest: 2nd to 4th week of October
Milling: up to three weeks after harvest
> Hendre Huffcap
Harvest: 1st to 2nd week of October. The fruit is readily shaken from
the tree
Milling: up to two weeks after harvest
> Oldfield
Harvest: 3rd to 4th week of October
Milling: from three to six weeks after harvest
I wish the Luckwill/Pollard book could be reprinted, as it's got a wealth
of data in it! I was fortunate enough to get a photocopy by the good
graces of a Digest subscriber.
- ---
Dick Dunn rcd@talisman.com Hygiene, Colorado USA
------------------------------
Subject: Wyeast Cider Yeast?
From: "Mark Ellis" <mark@artisansrus.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 05:09:39 +1000
G'day All,
I generally use champagne yeasts to finish of my 2 step fermentations (
I pitch after 4-5 days once the native yeasts have had a go at things)
Anyway, I just got a hold of a couple of Wyeast cider smack packs and
wanted to see a few opinions on this yeast.
Any good?
Cheers
Mark E in Oz
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End of Cider Digest #1129
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