You can tell you are an artisan cider maker when the press is set up in the rear room of a terraced house. After a day spent picking different varieties of apples and pears, the fruit is washed, then cut up in a scratter, before being built up in cheeses and pressed to release the juices. The picture above shows Alex from Llanblethian Orchards using his self-built press, made from Monmouthshire oak, to extract the sugar-rich juices of the Blakeney Red perry pear. The juice will now ferment for a few months and be ready to drink in the new year. Another pear pressed today was called Tainton Squash, a sweet-tasting pear which will ferment out, hopefully by the new year. More apples and pears to pick and press over the weekend, may even have a beer if we have time!
