THE APPLES
The apples
Given the importance it places on quality, Petritegi keeps a close eye on the different varieties of apple in its orchards in order to ensure that they are harvested at just the right time. That's why it's so important to work with local apples. Each variety ripens at its own particular speed, meaning that they can't all be harvested at once. Another essential element to be taken into account is the climate, given that no two years are alike, and the moment of ripeness or harvesting therefore changes. To make a quality cider we have to classify variety by variety, not forgetting their physical and chemical compositions, which is why we work with acidic, bitter and sweet apples. However, no two mixtures are ever the same and each one depends upon the desired result. The later we want to bottle the cider, the more tannic apples we use, and the earlier we want to bottle it, the higher the percentage of acidic apples used.
Unloading
Having controlled the apples for perfect ripeness, we harvest them and take them to the bodega. Once there, we classify the apples once again and, having sorted them accordingly, distribute them into different areas for mixture of the different strains.
Pre-washing
Before pulping, the apples are pre-washed to completely eliminate the phytosanitary substances applied during growth (an indispensable process to prevent apple disease), and all dust or mud on their skins. This water also transports the apples to the selection table.
Washing
Once the apples have been pre-washed, they are given a final rinse with pressurised water to ensure the complete elimination of all harmful substances.
Selecting
One extremely important part of cider-making, despite the pre-selection made in the orchard, is making a final selection to eliminate apples badly bruised (in transport), or others that are obviously too ripe.
Grinding
Once the apples have been selected and washed, they are pulped to extract part of the must for improved pressing. Pulping is regulated according to the desired end product. If we wish to macerate the apples, before pressing we pulp them gently as we would otherwise extract too much tannin from the skin, with the result of an excessively bitter, over-coloured must. If the apples are directly pressed without being macerated, they are crushed harder to extract as much must as possible during the pressing process.
Pressing
Once pulped or macerated by variety, the apples are pressed. The pressing process is carried out in the shortest possible time to prevent the product from being contaminated or altered. We also use temperature control lagging in order to guarantee a better must. The pressing is always done at low pressure so as not to crush the apple pips as these make the end product particularly aggressive. Another very important part of the pressing process is to extract as much must from the apple as possible (around 75%).
Maceration
Maceration is the name of the process whereby liquid comes into contact with the apple skin once pulped and depends on each variety of apple, i.e. when the varieties are acidic, with low tannin (bitterness), they will be macerated for approximately 6 hours to extract as much aroma as possible from the skin. Maceration is no use in apples with high tannin rates as it would produce a must of excessive bitterness and colour.
The juice
The must obtained from pressing is always cloudy despite the mesh for separating solid particles installed at the press outlet. Once in the tanks, the must is analysed to ensure that the different varieties of apple are correctly mixed. If this is not the case, the balance is rectified with another must rich in the missing component. The must is tested for acidity, Ph, sugar and tannin.
Cooling
All of our tanks are fitted with temperature control devices. It is extremely important to lower the temperature of the must in order to delay the start of fermentation until it has been decanted.
Decanting
The purpose of decantation is the natural separation of solids from the must. It is therefore essential to lower the temperature of the must (10-12ºC) in order to delay fermentation while going about this process. The solids are drawn downwards by their own weight with the passing of time (around 12-24 hours). Following the necessary decantation time, the filtered must will be transferred to another tank for its fermentation.
Fermenting
Fermentation is the process whereby sugar in the must turns into alcohol. The micro-organisms responsible for fermentation are yeasts, and these require 17 gr/l of sugar to produce 1º of alcohol. Temperature control is once again an extremely important part of the fermentation process (10-14ºC), given that the lower the temperature, the greater the amount of carbonic gas is maintained, an essential part of obtaining quality cider.
Bottling
We first of all proceed to render the entire piping installation inert with nitrogenin order to eliminate all existing oxygen, given that cider coming into contact with nitrogen will lose its fruity character and oxidize (darken in colour). It is also important to bottle the cider at a low temperature to ensure that it loses as little carbonic gas as possible.
End product
The cider is now ready for consumption at the recommended temperature of 12-14ºC. It should be served at a height to release its aroma and in an amount which can be drunk in a mouthful. Cider left sitting in the glass will lose its carbonic gas and go flat. RIGHT, IT'S TIME TO ENJOY!