Charlottesville Area Masters of Real Ale

Hi Folks - I just talked to Shannon (the guy who runs the press at Showalters orchard) and have decided to go on Monday instead of tomorrow. They should have a few more apple varieties then, plus I can pick it up earlier in the day. So if you want some cider but didnt have an empty carboy in time for last night's meeting, you still have a few more days. Since I'll be buying in bulk, the price is $2.85/gal to fill a carboy, $3.50/gal for single gallons. Juice for this run will be mostly a mix of Cortlands and Galas, probably with some Jonathans. Its unpasteurized and I generally get there right after they start pressing, so its about as fresh as possible. I'll be making runs about every three or four weeks till the beginning of January. If you are interested, let me know. You can drop off a capped sanitized carboy at my house over the weekend and pick it up during lunchtime or after work on Monday. If your carboy is glass, please put it in a milk crate, (it will be traveling in the back of my truck). Cheers - Kevin

I forgot I had to work at my second job in the AM. Is it alright if I pick the juice up on Friday?

Peter - sure - right now it is on my front porch, so if you want you can stop by after work or in the morning. If its not gone the AM, I will move the cider around to the back porch, because it will be shaded there until the afternoon. You probably want to get it ASAP tho. Last batch I did, the wild yeast batch started fermenting at 24 hours. Temps were a little warmer three weeks ago, and a bit of the wild yeast taste is nice, but a day and a half might be pushing it. Then again, it might be really good, because the cultured yeast will ultimately outcompete the wild yeast and the wild yeast tastes best early in the ferment