Effective press for grapes or Apples

[Anders Johnson]

Hey I have been reading online and talked w a couple different companies and gotten mixed feedback on whether or not wine presses would work with Apples also… Currently use a hydro press that does both well, though it is back breaking and slow and not very efficient (esp) w pressing grapes. 

I have seen a handful of cidermakers (esp in Normandy) using horizontal pneumatic presses. Has anyone tried this on apples…? I assume you would work great, as they have lots more pressure than hydropress which does fairly well, though has a mesh screen to keep pomace from going everywhere. Anyways anyone know something I’d love to hear it. 

ThNks Anders

[Claude Jolicoeur]

I haven't used them myself, but I have met many professional cider makers in France (Brittany and Normandy) and in Spain who use these horizontal pneumatic presses. They seem to go to this type of press when they update their old hydraulic rack-and-cloth press in order to reduce labour costs, and this is the preferred type.

One argument I often heard is the quality of the juice is better than the juice from a belt press, for its slower extraction and less turbidity. Apparently keeving works better with the juice from these presses than juice from a belt press - and this is possibly the main reason why these are preferred to belt presses in France.

I have seen in Europe such presses used for apples and pears and made by Della Toffola, Schneider, ATI Softpress, Bucher.

I never met a cider maker who was not pleased with it... although they do agree this is an important investment.