Apple mash - prep for the fall

Information about fruit/vegetable type washes.

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Expat
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Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by Expat »

So chatting with a friend of mine recently and they mentioned that they have an apple tree which produces prolifically in the fall; in the past season they THREW OUT 6 garbage cans full! Sigh what a waste, I guess that's a small price for keeping our hobbies secret.

So in the coming season I will have as many apples as I can transport :)

I'm thinking ahead to how I can process these apples into something tasty.

So here is what i'm thinking.

First i'll crush the apples into a barrel. Probably rig up an electric motor decrease the arm strain given the quantity of apples to be processes. lol
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Add some water, and then use use a sharpened paddle mixer to further pulp the apples.

Greatly appreciated if any of the experienced folks might provide a bit of advice.
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by Badmotivator »

I'm probably wrong, but that looks like a grape crusher. I have used one very similar to that for grapes, at least. Apple scratters, by contrast, seem to feed one or two apples at a time to the cutters, which are just screws sticking out of the rotating shaft. The reason I mention it is that I would not be 100% confident that a grape crusher will handle two apples at at time, taking huge wide bites with those long crusher rollers.

I'd be curious to see the crusher rollers and also to know if you have tried this machine on any apples yet?
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by Desvio »

Depends if the rollers are metal, or rubberized. Most of what I used in modern wineries had rubberized rollers, but I have seen a few all-metal ones that might get the job done. A motor (slow roller speed) would be a must!
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by NZChris »

Where does this idea that apples need water come from? They are about 84% water already.
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by Expat »

Thanks all for the interest

@Badmotivator - nope you are correct, this was originally a grape crusher. But since it was next to free I figured it was better than nothing. The teeth are indeed metal, and seem to be quite heavy duty, as do the drive gears on the side. I can take some more detailed close ups of you're interested. I'm planning for a test sometime today or tomorrow in the evening.

@Desvio - yes definitely metal. Has the look of cast to my eyes. Presently it's a hand crank so speed is what I make it. I was thinking about adding an electric motor, so I'd have to size the pulleys for a slow turn ratio.

@NZChris - re the water, I didn't take it from any example. It just seemed like it might make it easier to manage with the sharpened mixer. Would I have released enough of the juices in the first step not to need it?

Cheers
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by yakattack »

Forget the grape crusher. To use that effictivly you need to change the cutter. Otherwise it doesn't pull the apples in.

2 season ago I switched to using a motar mixer in a 15 gallon barrel. Paddle through the lid, 60 seconds later apples are pulped and ready for pressing.

Cranky liked the idea so much he built a ss verson and loves it. It's easy to use, fast and efficient. Much better then my early verson.

You don't need to sharpen them. In fact you want the opposite. You want to smash the apples into pulp not cut them up. This breaks the cell walls allowing for the most efficient extraction.

Just my 2 cents.
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by Expat »

@yakattack

Sounds like good advice, appreciated. Apparently I underestimated what the grout mixer can manage. Glad I didnt mess up a mixer without cause.

A one step process will be better than a 2 so perhaps that's the solution. No money lost on the crusher, it may still come in handy (no pun intended).

As I'm curious I'll see what effect it does have on the apples.
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by yakattack »

Be prepared to have to use something to push them it the teeth manually. I used a few pieces of 2x4 screwed together to male a press plate. It took a lot of pressure to male is function enough. Give crankys thread a read. Everything you need to know is there. Just remember you dont need to make yours as elaborate. Just make sue that what you are using to smash the apples up in is very sturdy as the motar mixer will hit off of it.

Also you will need to make the barrel stationary as it will just want to spin on its own if you don't.

You're here in ontario if I remember correctly right?

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HDNB wrote: The trick here is to learn what leads to a stalled mash....and quit doing that.
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by Expat »

Yup, GTA
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by yakattack »

Thought so. I'm going to be very suprised if we have harvest this year with the weather we have had. My dad's trees started to bloom and then it froze. I'm hoping that it didn't kill it.
HDNB wrote: The trick here is to learn what leads to a stalled mash....and quit doing that.
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Re: Apple mash - prep for the fall

Post by Expat »

Yeah, its quite possible that things will be screwed up with all the warm weather earlier; I know my tulips sprouted and likely won't be back properly this season.

FWIW, the tree's owner says he never saw any sign of the bloom occurring, possibly it was missed, I guess we'll see. Its a pretty senior apple tree (~80 years) so perhaps it was slower off the mark to respond to the weather.

If it doesn't work out from this year, hopefully it will be next year.
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