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Date: 14 Jul 2006 08:44:53
From: Dave Smith
Subject: crab apples?
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I just bought a house which has an apple tree in the backyard. I'm told
it is a crab apple tree. Right now the apple's are about the size of my
thumb and are red. You can see a picture here:
http://homepage.mac.com/davecalhoun//misc/apple.jpg
I have several questions:
1. Is this really crab apples?
2. When will they be ready to pick?
3. Can I use them to make apple cider?
4. How big should they get?
Thanks for any info.
Dave
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Date: 14 Jul 2006 16:44:25
From: Ric
Subject: Re: crab apples?
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Crabapples are great for making cider. Most 'eating' apples do not have
enough 'tart / bitter' to make great cider. So using a blend of eating
apples and crab apples is ideal.
A great book on cider making is by Annie Proulx (yea, the same) - check
Amazon for it.
R
Dave Smith <dave@nowhere.com > wrote:
>I just bought a house which has an apple tree in the backyard. I'm told
>it is a crab apple tree. Right now the apple's are about the size of my
>thumb and are red. You can see a picture here:
>http://homepage.mac.com/davecalhoun//misc/apple.jpg
>
>I have several questions:
>1. Is this really crab apples?
>2. When will they be ready to pick?
>3. Can I use them to make apple cider?
>4. How big should they get?
>
>Thanks for any info.
>
>Dave
--
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Date: 14 Jul 2006 16:20:16
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: crab apples?
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On Fri, 14 Jul 2006 08:44:53 -0700, <dave@nowhere.com > wrote:
> I just bought a house which has an apple tree in the backyard. I'm told
> it is a crab apple tree. Right now the apple's are about the size of my
> thumb and are red. You can see a picture here:
> http://homepage.mac.com/davecalhoun//misc/apple.jpg
>
> I have several questions:
> 1. Is this really crab apples?
Looks like it to me. My parents had a crab apple tree when I was a kid.
> 2. When will they be ready to pick?
> 3. Can I use them to make apple cider?
Have you tasted them? IIRC from growing up, they were pretty tart/sour.
I'm not sure if they'll make something drinkable.
> 4. How big should they get?
That's about as big as I remember them getting.
John.
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Date: 14 Jul 2006 20:15:38
From: Droopy
Subject: Re: crab apples?
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I would not say they are great for making cider....they are absolutely
essential for making good cider (unless you have access to cider apples
that is).
Use about 1 lb per gallon of commercial apple juice.
the extra acidity/astrigency gives the balance a mildly sweet cider at
about 6-7% abv needs.
Ric wrote:
> Crabapples are great for making cider. Most 'eating' apples do not have
> enough 'tart / bitter' to make great cider. So using a blend of eating
> apples and crab apples is ideal.
> A great book on cider making is by Annie Proulx (yea, the same) - check
> Amazon for it.
> R
>
>
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Date: 14 Jul 2006 22:28:35
From: Tom Biasi
Subject: Re: crab apples?
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"Dave Smith" <dave@nowhere.com > wrote in message
news:dave-572372.08445314072006@nntp.charter.net...
>I just bought a house which has an apple tree in the backyard. I'm told
> it is a crab apple tree. Right now the apple's are about the size of my
> thumb and are red. You can see a picture here:
> http://homepage.mac.com/davecalhoun//misc/apple.jpg
>
> I have several questions:
> 1. Is this really crab apples?
> 2. When will they be ready to pick?
> 3. Can I use them to make apple cider?
> 4. How big should they get?
>
> Thanks for any info.
>
> Dave
They are crab apples, and that's about as big as they get.
The longer they hang the sweeter they will get but sweet is not really a
good term, they are quite tart and make a good jelly.
They contain pectin, which jelly makers like and wine makers do not.
I grew up with them. We had all kinds of uses as a kid but none that I just
described.
Tom
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Date: 17 Jul 2006 12:15:37
From: rb
Subject: Re: crab apples?
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Tom Biasi wrote:
[snip]
> I grew up with them. We had all kinds of uses as a kid but none that I just
> described.
> Tom
>
>
I'm guessing a shanghai was involved:)
rb
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Date: 18 Jul 2006 08:48:54
From: Dukester
Subject: Re: crab apples?
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"Dave Smith" <dave@nowhere.com > wrote in message
news:dave-572372.08445314072006@nntp.charter.net...
>I just bought a house which has an apple tree in the backyard. I'm told
> it is a crab apple tree. Right now the apple's are about the size of my
> thumb and are red. You can see a picture here:
> http://homepage.mac.com/davecalhoun//misc/apple.jpg
>
> I have several questions:
> 1. Is this really crab apples?
> 2. When will they be ready to pick?
I haven't seen anyone else answer #2, so I'll take a stab. My understanding
is that when they start falling off the tree by themselves in decent
quantities is when they are ready to pick (don't wait so long for them to
collect on the ground and start attracting yellowjackets though!). Another
trick I learned is not to fiddle with picking and instead put several sheets
or dropcloths under the tree, and just shake the limbs like mad. Roll the
sheets up and pour the collected apples into a 5 gallon bucket or a washtub.
You won't get every apple this way but you won't have to pick near as many.
By the way, I used crabapples like these in making a Perry a few years ago,
turned out great.
Cheers!
Dukester
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