Apple Ale

 

Continuing with the foraged autumn hedgerow fruits, there are many sources of wild, park or hedgerow apples available. I have a tree round the corner from my house full of apples just now and the park another 5 minutes walk away has many more.

These can be used for jams, jellies, chutneys etc and only cost your time to pick them. My old favourite use is from a Homebrew book I purchased when young and still have today. It's Apple Ale! This is so easy to make and tastes like liquid apple pie. It was a great success with everyone when I was a more sociable character.

Without further ado here's the recipe:

C.J.J. Berry’s Apple Ale

Ingredients:

1.5kg apples (windfalls will do)

30g Root ginger

0.5 tsp cloves

0.5 tsp cinnamon

675g sugar

4.5lt water

1tsp yeast and nutrient (nutrient just helps it get going)

Wash apples and grate or mince them into a plastic bin for fermenting. Add water, yeast and nutrient. Stir well then cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm room for a week, stirring thoroughly daily. Strain into another vessel, squeezing as much juice as possible from the pulp, add the sugar and spices and mix well. Leave for about five days and bottle in screw-top plastic bottles. Store in a cool place and will be ready to drink in a fortnight

TIP

If the pressure gets too high in plastic bottles you can see it bulge and release a little without getting exploding bottles.