6Cat Black Cider....

"It was a beautiful bright autumn day, with air like CIDER and a sky so blue you could drown in it." - Diana Gabaldon (Outlander)

Tis the day to whip up the last batch of fermenting apples from last fall, into CIDER.

I had no idea there was a carboy or two of apple cider ready to go. So much fruit from our trees. Can't keep track of it. Or the six cats. Three indoors. (Bo. Poe. Bunny) That's ours. And three outdoors. (Cordelia. Smokey. Spencer) The ones who visit. The ones who sleep on our steps, on the porch , on the wicker furniture, on our fence, on our gate. One even has his own yellow cup to drink out of.

I name all the batches of cider and wine that we make, after cats. This time I thought it would be  great to have their names on the label. Problem is,  couldn't fit all their names on the square. 

So, "6CAT" it is. I think they'll understand.

It's an ordered affair . Making cider.  Many steps to  coerce the bubbly into glass. First you have to wash bottles , upside down, in a sterilizing bath.

Then they dry. Also upside down.

Testing time. Adding pure blackberry flavouring to the existing apple concoction.

"The tarter the apple, the tastier the cider."-Beverley Lewis (1949) ( The Revelation. Christian author)

Then time to bottle for real....

Bottles are kept in huge walk in freezer. You take out only a few at a time. So you are constantly running back and forth.

Eventually, "6CAT BLACK CIDER"  is bottled, capped, wire capped, and wrapped with paper. Ready to sit in the cellar. Ready to give away.  Ready for another season of apples to  fall from the trees. 

"One that would have the fruit must climb the tree." -Thomas Fuller

Making Cider.....

              August. Time to bottle the cider that has been bubbling away at the Winery for a season.

                        Last fall we took in bags and bags of apples. Apples that fell. Apples we picked.

                                          Watched them be ground up into pulp, mush and juice.

                                               And now. Time to bottle it into cider.
                                          Wash the little bottles standing neatly in rows.

                                             Cider with a fizz. And a kick.

                                                Two carboys of cider.

                                             Golden like the days.

                                              And looking so much like gingerale.

                                                 Bottled up Raspberry Cider at the same time.

                                                 Hint of apple with the raspberry. Pretty.

                                                         Spock approved.

                                              Pretty. Fizzy. Bubbly brew. Good for Christmas gifts.

                                             The colour of sweet peas when first picked.

                                                 Four cases.  To give away. Four cases to lug home.

                                                     Named after the neighbours cats of course.

                                              "Cordelia Spencer's Smokey Cider"

                                                  With "Pretty Raspy Cider" as it's companion.

                                               Bottled on one of the last days of the sweet peas.

                          On a day when Smokey and Spencer toddled off for home at the same time.

                      On a day when the spider webs of late summer made their first appearance.
                      On a day that smelled of fall, and Velvet Queen sunflowers  drooped overhead.