A brief(-ish) (re-)introduction
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James Fidell
Dec 7, 2009, 7:16:28 PM12/7/09
to cider-w...@googlegroups.com
Eventually found my way to this group from the UK Cider list. Nice to
see so many familiar names in the archives.
I've made very little cider over the last couple of years, mostly
because I've had very poor crops due to less than clement weather during
the flowering period. This year I collected about 70kg of apples from
my two Dabinett trees, but the unbelievable amount of rain we've had in
West Somerset over the last few months has meant I passed on the
opportunity to spend my time slogging through the mud collecting any
more.
Over the summer I built mark 3 of my cider press -- basically the same
as the previous design, but made from 6"x2" timber held together with
generous quantities of glue and 12mm threaded rod, the operational bit
being a twelve tonne bottle jack.
Last weekend it finally saw action, managing to press between 35 and 40
litres of ~1050 SG juice from the Dabinetts. More out of curiosity than
anything else I steeped the spent pomace in water overnight and pressed
it again the following day, obtaining a further 25-ish litres of "juice"
at around 1025 SG and leaving the pomace dry to the touch and firmly
compacted into sheets. So, I'm quite pleased with the performance of
the press and may well consider using it to press juice for drinking
from my dessert apples next year as well as for cider-making.
I was hoping to expand the orchard this winter, planting a selection of
trees (some or all of Dabinett, Harry Masters Jersey, Brown's, Sweet
Coppin, Kingston Black and Stoke Red, possibly with a couple of crab
apples and an Ashmead's Kernel and Blenheim Orange thrown in as well),
but looking at the availability of the rootstocks I'd prefer it looks
like I've left it too late for this year. Perhaps if I can find someone
with some Kingston Black or Stoke Red I might try crown grafting (is
that the right term?) some onto one of my existing Somerset trees, as
whilst they can be prolific fruiting they're not particularly high
quality and I think I could live with myself if the worst happened and I
killed the tree completely.
I've also started off this year's batches of sloe gin and vodka
recently. Whilst researching (well, ok, idly browsing websites) I found
some people recommending a drink called "Slider", made by refilling the
sloe container with cider once the gin/vodka has been removed. I'm not
entirely convinced by the idea, but I'm all for a bit of experimentation
and it gives me something to do during these long winter evenings.
James
see so many familiar names in the archives.
I've made very little cider over the last couple of years, mostly
because I've had very poor crops due to less than clement weather during
the flowering period. This year I collected about 70kg of apples from
my two Dabinett trees, but the unbelievable amount of rain we've had in
West Somerset over the last few months has meant I passed on the
opportunity to spend my time slogging through the mud collecting any
more.
Over the summer I built mark 3 of my cider press -- basically the same
as the previous design, but made from 6"x2" timber held together with
generous quantities of glue and 12mm threaded rod, the operational bit
being a twelve tonne bottle jack.
Last weekend it finally saw action, managing to press between 35 and 40
litres of ~1050 SG juice from the Dabinetts. More out of curiosity than
anything else I steeped the spent pomace in water overnight and pressed
it again the following day, obtaining a further 25-ish litres of "juice"
at around 1025 SG and leaving the pomace dry to the touch and firmly
compacted into sheets. So, I'm quite pleased with the performance of
the press and may well consider using it to press juice for drinking
from my dessert apples next year as well as for cider-making.
I was hoping to expand the orchard this winter, planting a selection of
trees (some or all of Dabinett, Harry Masters Jersey, Brown's, Sweet
Coppin, Kingston Black and Stoke Red, possibly with a couple of crab
apples and an Ashmead's Kernel and Blenheim Orange thrown in as well),
but looking at the availability of the rootstocks I'd prefer it looks
like I've left it too late for this year. Perhaps if I can find someone
with some Kingston Black or Stoke Red I might try crown grafting (is
that the right term?) some onto one of my existing Somerset trees, as
whilst they can be prolific fruiting they're not particularly high
quality and I think I could live with myself if the worst happened and I
killed the tree completely.
I've also started off this year's batches of sloe gin and vodka
recently. Whilst researching (well, ok, idly browsing websites) I found
some people recommending a drink called "Slider", made by refilling the
sloe container with cider once the gin/vodka has been removed. I'm not
entirely convinced by the idea, but I'm all for a bit of experimentation
and it gives me something to do during these long winter evenings.
James
Mark Shirley
Dec 8, 2009, 2:39:45 AM12/8/09
to cider-w...@googlegroups.com
> I've also started off this year's batches of sloe gin and vodka
> recently. Whilst researching (well, ok, idly browsing websites) I found
> some people recommending a drink called "Slider", made by refilling the
> sloe container with cider once the gin/vodka has been removed. I'm not
> entirely convinced by the idea, but I'm all for a bit of experimentation
> and it gives me something to do during these long winter evenings.
>
> James
See here for some blog posts on our Slider making experiments:
> recently. Whilst researching (well, ok, idly browsing websites) I found
> some people recommending a drink called "Slider", made by refilling the
> sloe container with cider once the gin/vodka has been removed. I'm not
> entirely convinced by the idea, but I'm all for a bit of experimentation
> and it gives me something to do during these long winter evenings.
>
> James
http://rockinghamforestcider.blogspot.com/search/label/Slider. At it's best
the result is like Sloe Gin as a long drink and well worth trying. I'd say
the best results we've had are with a sweeter cider, and Slider is really
good heated up as a 'mulled' drink.
Mark
http://rockinghamforestcider.moonfruit.com/
http://rockinghamforestcider.blogspot.com/
Ray Blockley
Dec 8, 2009, 5:30:22 AM12/8/09
to cider-w...@googlegroups.com
Hi James - and welcome! Glad to see you've finally found the (almost)
hub-of-the-metaphorical-cider-universe...
> Perhaps if I can find someone
> with some Kingston Black or Stoke Red I might try crown grafting (is
> that the right term?) some onto one of my existing Somerset trees...
I have a large Stoke Red on M25 which I will be pruning quite heavily
post-Santa (assuming my wish-list pruning saw and secateurs arrive by
Reindeer...). We are cutting back a range of branches from twigs up to 30mm
+ diameter in order to cope with our expansion plans to house a couple of
IBC's. Also Stoke Red is a very twiggy tree and I do need to tidy it up. I
am more than happy to send you some suitable stock if you wish and none is
available local to you.
Cheers,
Ray
http://hucknallciderco.blogspot.com/
hub-of-the-metaphorical-cider-universe...
> Perhaps if I can find someone
> with some Kingston Black or Stoke Red I might try crown grafting (is
I have a large Stoke Red on M25 which I will be pruning quite heavily
post-Santa (assuming my wish-list pruning saw and secateurs arrive by
Reindeer...). We are cutting back a range of branches from twigs up to 30mm
+ diameter in order to cope with our expansion plans to house a couple of
IBC's. Also Stoke Red is a very twiggy tree and I do need to tidy it up. I
am more than happy to send you some suitable stock if you wish and none is
available local to you.
Cheers,
Ray
http://hucknallciderco.blogspot.com/
Julian Back
Dec 8, 2009, 7:07:50 AM12/8/09
to cider-w...@googlegroups.com
2009/12/8 Mark Shirley <marksh...@btinternet.com>
See here for some blog posts on our Slider making experiments:http://rockinghamforestcider.blogspot.com/search/label/Slider. At it's best
the result is like Sloe Gin as a long drink and well worth trying. I'd say
the best results we've had are with a sweeter cider, and Slider is really
good heated up as a 'mulled' drink.
Slider sounds interesting, I've always thought it a shame to throw away the sloes, I'll give it a try when I bottle my sloe vodka. I've just bottled some strawberry vodka (from a strawberry glut in June) and I wonder if I could do the same thing with them. Would that be called Strider?
Julian
Ray Blockley
Dec 8, 2009, 7:30:35 AM12/8/09
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Try using damsons and vodka instead of sloes and
gin. The damsons are great with ice cream afterwards, or cooked with apple, or
try pouring hot custard onto them, or...
I might try making some "Damder" this year
though...
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James Fidell
Dec 8, 2009, 11:05:09 AM12/8/09
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Julian Back wrote:
> Slider sounds interesting, I've always thought it a shame to throw away the
> sloes, I'll give it a try when I bottle my sloe vodka. I've just bottled
> some strawberry vodka (from a strawberry glut in June) and I wonder if I
> could do the same thing with them. Would that be called Strider?
The other thing I've read as a suggestion for the used sloes is to stone
> Slider sounds interesting, I've always thought it a shame to throw away the
> sloes, I'll give it a try when I bottle my sloe vodka. I've just bottled
> some strawberry vodka (from a strawberry glut in June) and I wonder if I
> could do the same thing with them. Would that be called Strider?
them (allegedly easily done just by squashing one end with a knife) and
dip them in melted chocolate. I'm not entirely convinced about the
viability of doing that with enough sloes to make it worth the effort
though.
James
James Fidell
Dec 8, 2009, 6:38:44 PM12/8/09
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Ray Blockley wrote:
> I have a large Stoke Red on M25 which I will be pruning quite heavily
> post-Santa (assuming my wish-list pruning saw and secateurs arrive by
> Reindeer...). We are cutting back a range of branches from twigs up to 30mm
> + diameter in order to cope with our expansion plans to house a couple of
> IBC's. Also Stoke Red is a very twiggy tree and I do need to tidy it up. I
> am more than happy to send you some suitable stock if you wish and none is
> available local to you.
That's very kind of you Ray. I'll ask around a few people who have
> I have a large Stoke Red on M25 which I will be pruning quite heavily
> post-Santa (assuming my wish-list pruning saw and secateurs arrive by
> Reindeer...). We are cutting back a range of branches from twigs up to 30mm
> + diameter in order to cope with our expansion plans to house a couple of
> IBC's. Also Stoke Red is a very twiggy tree and I do need to tidy it up. I
> am more than happy to send you some suitable stock if you wish and none is
> available local to you.
orchards locally, but I may well take you up on that when you come to do
your pruning.
I've found some Kingston Black, Blenheim Orange and Ashmeads Kernel at
Ashridge and asked my local tree supplier if they have any of the others
I'm after (one of my day jobs is managing planting of new woodland and
whilst this year I need to get about 5,000 native broadleaves planted,
I'm hoping they might have some apples I can sneak in).
James
Cheshire Matt
Dec 9, 2009, 4:08:46 AM12/9/09
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Saw some Slider for sale at a cider emporium in Cheddar last weekend
(and not the tourist trap type). I was thinking just sticking the sloes
from the gin in a muslin bag and hanging like a teabag in a 5L
container. Probably don't have enough sloe gin on the go for a lot
more. All the damsons and plums have made it into 100L of wine...
Julian Back wrote:
> 2009/12/8 Mark Shirley <marksh...@btinternet.com
> <mailto:marksh...@btinternet.com>>
(and not the tourist trap type). I was thinking just sticking the sloes
from the gin in a muslin bag and hanging like a teabag in a 5L
container. Probably don't have enough sloe gin on the go for a lot
more. All the damsons and plums have made it into 100L of wine...
Julian Back wrote:
> 2009/12/8 Mark Shirley <marksh...@btinternet.com
> <mailto:marksh...@btinternet.com>>
from Heather
Dec 9, 2009, 11:55:13 AM12/9/09
to cider-w...@googlegroups.com
I had never heard of sloes gin or slider, so I have been reading your blog and a little bit of wikipedia to figure out what it is. You say in your blog, "We made a Slider last season, but got the timing slightly wrong, meaning there was only a limited amount of our own cider available for the experiment." So I guess I'm unsure when you are putting the gin soaked sloes in the cider - before, during, or after cider fermentation?
> From: marksh...@btinternet.com
> To: cider-w...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Cider Workshop] A brief(-ish) (re-)introduction
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Mark Shirley
Dec 9, 2009, 1:00:01 PM12/9/09
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I had never heard of sloes gin or slider, so I have been reading your blog
and a little bit of wikipedia to figure out what it is. You say in your blog,
"We made a Slider last season, but got the timing slightly wrong, meaning there
was only a limited amount of our own cider available for the experiment." So I
guess I'm unsure when you are putting the gin soaked sloes in the cider -
before, during, or after cider fermentation?
The thing I find nice about making Slider is how
it fits in so nicely with our cidermaking. We don't rack any of our cider until
Jan at the earliest (others seem to be more hasty), and the cider we made in
early December may not be ready to rack until Feb or later. Assuming we made our
Sloe Gin in Oct, Jan/Feb is around the time we decant the Sloe Gin off the
berries, so we put aside a demijohn of racked cider and gin-soaked sloes
at this point. It's probably wise to fit an airlock so as to be
sure any sugar from the berries doesn't start the fermentation off again (it
generally does!).
The Slider will be ready to rack off the berries in a
month or two's time.
bombadilo
Dec 9, 2009, 2:57:47 PM12/9/09
to Cider Workshop
hello folks,
as well as some sloe gin i've also made cranberry vodka using the same
method.
i wanted to make some cyder jerkin this year but couldn't get any
damsons so i've used plums instead.
would this be called plyder ? ! ?
phill
On Dec 9, 6:00 pm, "Mark Shirley" <markshirle...@btinternet.com>
wrote:
as well as some sloe gin i've also made cranberry vodka using the same
method.
i wanted to make some cyder jerkin this year but couldn't get any
damsons so i've used plums instead.
would this be called plyder ? ! ?
phill
On Dec 9, 6:00 pm, "Mark Shirley" <markshirle...@btinternet.com>
wrote:
Ray Blockley
Dec 10, 2009, 1:12:21 AM12/10/09
to cider-w...@googlegroups.com
Phill wrote:
"would this be called plyder ? ! ?"
Nah. "Pluder" sounds better...
"would this be called plyder ? ! ?"
Glad to see it was just a technical hitch, Phill. Not hearing from you made
me wonder if it was the Great God OFSTED coming to visit... ;-)
Cheers,
Ray
http://hucknallciderco.blogspot.com/
from Heather
Dec 29, 2009, 6:55:49 PM12/29/09
to cider-w...@googlegroups.com
Well, no wonder I had never heard of Sloe Gin: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2010572414_sloegin26.html
From: for_h...@hotmail.com
To: cider-w...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [Cider Workshop] A brief(-ish) (re-)introduction
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 16:55:13 +0000
From: for_h...@hotmail.com
To: cider-w...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [Cider Workshop] A brief(-ish) (re-)introduction
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 16:55:13 +0000
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Andrew Lea
Dec 30, 2009, 3:51:41 AM12/30/09
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Yes although there are many wild Prunus species in North America it
appears Prunus spinosa (sloe) is not one of them. Here sloe gin is
commonly made at home by the sorts of people like those on this list who
are also into kitchen crafts and cider making and knitting their own
yoghurt. Commercial sloe gin is available here but most people would
make their own. This is the right time of year to be drinking it
(preferably after a whole year's maturation).
appears Prunus spinosa (sloe) is not one of them. Here sloe gin is
commonly made at home by the sorts of people like those on this list who
are also into kitchen crafts and cider making and knitting their own
yoghurt. Commercial sloe gin is available here but most people would
make their own. This is the right time of year to be drinking it
(preferably after a whole year's maturation).
Andrew
from Heather wrote:
> Well, no wonder I had never heard of Sloe Gin:
> http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2010572414_sloegin26.html
>
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