How do you make apple juice in colonial times?

Making apple juice in colonial times was quite laborious and time-consuming. Below are the steps involved:

1. Apple Harvest:

Choose ripe and healthy apples. Colonial farmers would typically use varieties such as russet, pippin, or crab apples.

2. Washing:

Wash the apples thoroughly to remove dirt and impurities.

3. Crushing:

Use a hand-operated apple press or a cider mill to crush the apples. This could be a large wooden press or a smaller tabletop model. The press would extract the juice from the pulp, leaving behind the pomace (the solid remains).

4. Straining:

Place a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer over a container to collect the juice. Pour the crushed apple pulp into the strainer, allowing the juice to pass through while catching the solids.

5. Settling:

Let the collected juice settle for a few hours or overnight. This allows any remaining sediment or pulp particles to sink to the bottom.

6. Racking:

Carefully pour the clear juice from the top, leaving the sediment behind.

7. Sweetening (Optional):

Colonial people sometimes added sweeteners like honey or molasses to their apple juice, but it was not a common practice.

8. Preservation:

To extend the shelf life of the juice, it could be boiled, reducing its volume by about half. This concentration preserved it and concentrated the flavors.

9. Bottling or Storage:

Store the concentrated juice in clean glass bottles or jugs, sealing them tightly to prevent spoilage.

Remember, refrigeration was not available in colonial times, and so the concentrated, boiled juice could be stored in a cool, dark place, such as a cellar or root cellar, to preserve it for longer periods.