Apple sauce is done (somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 pints). Apple
juice is done (somewhere around 30 quarts). Apple pie filling...not
quite (Only about 12 quarts). We need to got pick another half bushel
somewhere, but the trees are starting to look a little sparse. Maybe
we'll just eat a couple less apple crisps this winter.
We've also got a gallon of juice fermenting in the storeroom. It is
really cool. We used an old apple juice bottle, but had to buy a
special topper (that I think looks like under-the-sink j-trap plumbing) which allows for the release of the gases built up
during fermentation. The first
couple days it bubbled and bubbled pretty much non-stop. Now its much more mellow. Time will tell if its tasty and alcoholic! I'll surely keep you posted. Its been pretty interesting to watch. Its also set us to a new task. We want to learn how to make and keep sourdough. Fermenting is kind of interesting, I think. Its not the greatest video in the world, namely because its sideways, but if you want to see it bubbling away....
I also learned just last night that apple is Matt's all-time favorite juice, in large part because he always got to drink fresh apple juice at his Grandma's house and so has a sentimental, childhood love for it. While I enjoy apple juice, especially right out of the press, I am more partial to grape juice. Here is hoping we can find time to harvest and crush grapes next week to add to our growing cache of juice!
It will be slightly alcoholic, and very good. Give the bottle a good shake every once in awhile so the fermentation doesn't get stuck. Apple Jack is good stuff!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip! We shook it, and sampled a taste, this week. It is definitely getting alcoholic. Its made me think of apple wine.
DeleteBefore my neighbor's tree fell into my yard and destroyed my scuppernong arbor, I could get bushels from the arbor. Now, it is flat on the ground!
ReplyDeleteOne year, I decided to just freeze grape juice in gallon bags and make jelly when it was cooler.I finally just drank all the grape juice because it was delicious. I think I would can the grape juice if I ever had another producing scuppernong/grape arbor.
That is a shame! I've never heard of scuppernong before. Any chance it will recover? Or fruit all flat on the ground?
DeleteWe intended to make both apple jelly and grape jelly with our juice from last year. It didn't happen. We drank the juice instead and I don't regret it for a second. It was so good.
I purchased Nik a kit for Father's day to convert juice to alcohol. It came with little packets of special yeast & that special topper. The first bottle we made we let sit for about 4 days, the 2nd one I forgot about & it sat for 2 weeks. Both were tasty & mildly alcoholic.
ReplyDeleteThat's a neat gift idea! Sort of like a toy for big kids. I always regretting that when one "grows up" one stops getting toys for gifts. Its fun to have something to play with after the excitement of gift opening. Its the gift that keeps on giving!
DeleteDo you can chunky or blended smooth applesauce? I do both and flavored sauces too. I can some of the smooth plain unsweetened one just for using to replace oils or eggs in cooking recipes. You usually only need a little so half pints work and you don't have a lot left over to use up..or freeze for another time you need it. Just a thought. Sarah
ReplyDeleteWe do smooth applesauce and all unsweetened. Hmmmm...flavored sauces...I've never thought of making those. What sort of flavors do you make? We usually make pints and when we open one for oil or egg replacement I make sure to pack the remainder in my lunch so it gets all eaten up in a timely fashion. And freezing applesauce, huh? That's another thing I'd never thought of. Thanks!
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