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Mark Woodman
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| Cider and Perry making at Gregg's Pit – from blossom to bottle |
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After blossomtime when the fruit has set, James and Helen walk through the orchards to check which varieties are likely to produce a good crop at harvest in the autumn. In mid-summer the crop is assessed again and a detailed plan for the vintage is prepared so that we know what to make and when.
The ripe fruit is picked up by hand from the ground from late September until mid-November. It is chopped in a mill to produce a pulp that is left to stand overnight. This softens the pulp, removes some of the tannin, and increases the juice extraction. |
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| Collecting Apples |
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| Building The Cheese |
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Next day, the pulp is taken to a stone press and tipped onto a press cloth, called a hair, and the cloth is folded up to make a square parcel. A pile of these parcels, perhaps 15 or more, is called a cheese. A heavy board is put on the cheese, the timber beam on the top of the press is wound down slowly and the juice runs out.
The juice is stored in an airtight barrel and the wild yeast begins its work. Several times during the winter, the fermenting juice is racked into clean barrels. When fermentation slows in May or June, the finished product is ready for bottling or sale on draught. |
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In most years, depending on the varieties available, we make a range of named varietal blends and single variety ciders and perries, one or more of which will include the Gregg's Pit perry pear that is named after the property. |
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| Pressing The Cheese |
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