Question 1

Why do you have two addresses?

Accepted Answer

Apple Cottage has an office in Baldock and a Production Unit at Radwell. All Apple deliveries need to be left at Radwell we do not accept apples to our Baldock location. If you are collecting cider this is from the offfice address.

Question 2

How many apples are on my tree?

Accepted Answer

We get this question a lot, but it is hard to determine how many apples you may have from a photo or by knowing the variety. The number of apples is not always correlated to the size or variety of the tree.

Question 3

How do I know my apples are ready to pick?

Accepted Answer

Check the handy guide on our picking my fruit page this should help you determine if your apples are ready.

Question 4

What size are the bottles?

Accepted Answer

Our standard size juice bottle is 750 ml or if you would like single serve bottles we can use 250ml these are perfect for restaurants, cafes and pubs. Standard cider bottles are 500ml bottles, we can also bottle your cider and add custom labels at an extra cost.

Question 5

How much Juice will I get from my apples?

Accepted Answer

We approximate that 120 kg of apples will produce 100, 750ml bottles of juice. To make sure you get the best yield pick your apples as close as you can to your appointment. Use our Handy Guide to check your apples are ripe.

Question 6

How long will my bottles last?

Accepted Answer

Your bottles will have an 18-month shelf life so you will be able to enjoy them throughout the year. We do recommend storing them away from direct sunlight as the colour of your juice can be affected by long term UV exposure.

Question 7

Can you make cider for me?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely, we would need approximately 330kg of fruit this will create around 200L. Instead of bottles we will pump your juice into a large fermenting drum where it will be lovingly cared for between 6 and 8 months. When your product is ready you will choose from bag-in-boxes or 500ml bottles. ​

Question 8

Can you press into my fermenter?

Accepted Answer

We can press into your own containers, please bring them to us sterilised. This is listed under pressing by the litre on our services page the cost for this is 60p per litre. We also sell fermenters with air locks if you would like to purchase one from us, please add it to the message when you book.

Question 9

What apples can be juiced?

Accepted Answer

We can squash any apple but if you wouldn't eat it, we wouldn’t recommend pressing it for juice. The taste of your juice will reflect the apples you use, for example, if your apples are sharp/dry the juice will be the same, we do not artificially sweeten juices.

Question 10

What about my cooking apples?

Accepted Answer

If you would like to blend cookers with a sweet variety, we recommend you balance 20% cookers to 80% eater/dessert.
This should'nt affect the acidity.

Question 11

How about pressing Pears?

Accepted Answer

Pears making an excellent juice when combined with apples and is a popular choice. Pears quality will tend to decline when left for long periods, so we recommend picking them as close to your appointment as possible. Pear and apple blends are likely to have more sediment which may sit at the bottom of your bottle so will need shaking before consumption

Question 12

I don't have many apples?

Accepted Answer

Our minimum quantity is 60kg if you dont have many apples, we can still press them, but we may blend them with similar varieties to create a mixed juice . We will estimate your apples on drop off to ensure you get the right number of bottles back. You may also consider hiring equipment from us to have a go yourself!

Question 13

How much does it cost to have my apples pressed?

Accepted Answer

Price for a 750ml bottle is £2.50 including VAT, 250ml serving size is £1.30 including VAT. You pay after your apples have been processed, we can give you a rough estimate of how many bottles will be produced. If you are pressing into your own containers price is £1.20p per litre including VAT you can purchase fermenters from us at an additional cost when you book in. ​

Question 14

What about windfalls?

Accepted Answer

We can't guarantee that apples on the floor have not been contaminated by wildlife or rot. If they have been on the ground for a long period of time, we wouldn’t recommend them for apple juice. The best tasting juice will use a fresh apple. If you wouldn’t want to eat it, we wouldn’t want to juice it.

Question 15

My apples have marks?

Accepted Answer

We will only reject apples that are rotten or those with significant bruising. It's normal to have scar like marks or colour variation on an apple, the supermarket apples are picked based on appearance but it's what’s on the inside that matters.

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