About 20 years ago, my grandfather passed away when I was in college. I didn't get to spend as much time with him during his final 2 years as I would have liked, and if I had been home I'm sure I would have had many more pleasant visits with him. But among the numerous activities that he really enjoyed in life, was making apple cider in the fall. I have quite a few memories of watching him and my dad press and jug cider, while I drank more than my share. The last few years he was alive, it was easier for him to go buy cider than to do the work of making it himself, and so his old press sat out and rotted away.
Fast forward 15 years, I got married and bought a house with an apple orchard, and I asked my dad "what ever happened to Grandpa's old cider press?" The answer was, "I think it's out there about 100 yards into the woods laying in a pile of rotted wood and rusty nails." I told my dad my idea of wanting to make cider again, and wouldn't it be cool to do it with Grandpa's old press. We dug it out from under the leaves and moss, and looked at the giant mess, and thought it may be easier to just go buy a new press.
But I was determined to give it a go. My dad had vague memories of how it was first assembled back when he was a young teenager, and we slowly pieced together a blueprint of how it could be rebuilt. Almost anything wood needed to be replaced, the grinder blades were worn and rusted, the screw was siezed up and rusted. I ended up taking 2 days off work, and working in the garage with my dad to salvage anything possible, and build new anything that needed made. And since it was going to get used with kids around, I also added a lot of safety features.
View attachment 988441
The only parts original are the threaded screw, the steel press plate, the grinder blades, and the oak barrel. Actually, the oak barrel was beyond saving last year, so as of 3 weeks ago that is now new also. What started out as a fun family tradition for my wife and daughter and dad, now involves my sister and her family, my other grandparents, my cousins and their kids, and some friends as well. It now is a giant cookout picnic that everyone looks forward to all year long, and everyone brings apples to make their own cider.
View attachment 988444
The kids gather around the grinder, and each one gets their own bushel of apples to throw in. We mix about 5-6 varieties of apples together.
View attachment 988445 View attachment 988446
And the kids really love drinking it straight out of the nozzle. I think we only get to jug about 1/2 of it, and the rest gets drank right on the spot.
View attachment 988447
So now we have 4 generations of family together during our cider parties. It has become the new favorite family tradition. I'm sure my Grandpa would approve.
Thanks for the chance to enter this GAW, I'm In!
