Commercial Production
Modern methods allow a formerly hand-made beverage to be commercially produced. About 2 kilograms (4.4 lb) of apples is needed to make a 1 litre (2.1 US pt) of cider. Apples are washed, cut, and ground into a mash that has the consistency of applesauce. Layers of this mash are wrapped in cloth and placed upon wooden or plastic racks. A hydraulic press then squeezes the layers together, and the juice flows into refrigerated tanks. The juice is bottled and sold as apple cider.
Early forms of production involved a man or horse powered crusher consisting of a stone or wood trough with a heavy circulating wheel to crush the fruit, and a large manual screw press to generate the pressure needed to express the juice from the pulp. Straw was commonly used to contain the pulp during pressing, although later, coarse cloth came into use. As technology advanced, rotary drum "breakers" came into use, and small scale manual basket style presses, such as the farm press pictured. Today nearly all small pressing operations use electric-hydraulic equipment with press cloths and racks both of polypropylene in what is commonly called a "rack and cloth press", and electric hammermill shredders. These modern systems are capable of producing 1 litre (0.26 US gal) of juice from as little as 5 kilograms (11 lb) of fresh apples.
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