2018: Making Pear and Apple Cider

Last year we used a pedal-powered grape crusher to process fruit before pressing juice out but the coarse pulp did not release all the liquid. A few YouTube videos demonstrated how well an under sink garbage disposal unit pulverizes fruit and documented that over 85% of the liquid can be readily drained from the apple sauce consistency pulp. We purchased a 3/4 horsepower all stainless steel unit for under $100 and will use it exclusively for making cider. It makes the process much faster and 15 or 20 gallons can be readily done in an afternoon by one or two people.

The Gray Box Holds the Garbage Disposal Unit and Fruit, Pushed Through the Bowl, Comes Out as Applesauce into the Bowl on the Ground

View Showing the Hole in the Bowl Bottom

The Outdoor Cider Making Setup Showing Fruit Washing Station to the Press 

Filling the First Layer of Apple Pulp in the Press

Pressing the Five Layers of Pulp So the Juice Fills the White Tray and Out through a Hole and into the Blue Funnel and 5-Gallon Glass Carboy Below

Second Layer of Pulp Being Loaded into the Press with a Chicken Waiting for "Apple Cardboard", the Almost Dry Product Layers from the Press

Another Day with the Fifth Layer of Pear Pulp Being Loaded into the Press

The Umbrella Shields the Pulping Operation from the Sun

Another View of the Pressing Operation: Various Blocks Are Used to Extend the Stroke of the Hydraulic Press

Pear Crushing Operation with Chickens Gleaning Seeds Dropped

Four Carboys of Pear Cider for Fermenting with an Additional Pot for Fresh Juice

Fruit "Cardboard" Unwrapped from its Filter Cloth

Fruit Pulp "Cardboard"

Applesauce Consistency Pulp Is Contained in Fabric to Filter the Juice into the Tray Below. This Fabric Proved too Weak to Withstand the Pressure.