Franklin Cider Mill’s
time-honored process

Several varieties of fresh Michigan apples are delivered in bins to Franklin Cider Mill each week. Each bin is deposited into the apple hopper where the apples are washed and sanitized. From the hopper, the apples travel along a conveyor belt to the chopper. The chopped apples drop down a chute into the press room and onto a nylon cloth.

The chopped apples are spread across a nylon cloth. When each cloth is full with chopped apples the edges of the cloth are folded over to hold the apples in place. Boards are placed over the folded nylon cloth. A stainless steel form is pulled down and another nylon cloth is put into place for the next apple drop. The process continues until there are 7 layers of chopped apples on the press. When all seven layers are completed, the 90-ton cider press squeezes the layers, and the pure apple cider begins to flow. The fresh cider is refrigerated in holding tanks until the cider is ready for bottling.

All machinery used in the cider process is stainless steel leading to maximum cleanliness and safe processing.

Additional Cider Making Facts!

  • Where do your cider apples come from?
    We purchase our cider apples from farmers in western Michigan.
  • What is the cider making process?
    Our apples are washed, chopped, and spread out over a cloth. A board is placed over the folded cloth. Another cloth with chopped apples is layered over the board. The process continues until there are 7 layers.
  • What happens to the press once the 7 layers are created?
    Once the 7 layers are in place, the 90-ton press is gently lowered to squeeze the layers until all the of the liquid cider is pressed through the cloth while the dried-out pulp stays wrapped in the cloth. The liquid cider flows through the cloth onto the stainless steel table beneath the cloth layers and pumped into a refrigerated tank. Once chilled, the cider is bottled.
  • How many apples are used in each pressing?
    About 5,000 apples.
  • How much cider does each press make?
    Approximately 150 gallons of cider.
  • What happens to the apple pulp that is left over?
    After pressing, all that is left of the chopped apples is pulp. Layer by layer, the folded cloths of pulp are moved into a wheel barrel. The wheel barrels are then taken to empty the pulp into a dumpster.
  • Why isn’t the pulp used for other purposes rather than going into a landfill?
    The pulp has little nutritional value and therefore isn’t good as animal feed. If used as a fertilizer, the pulp would increase the acidic level of the soil.
  • What types of apples do you use for pressing?
    A custom blend that changes over the season, including Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, McIntosh and others.
  • How many apples does it take to make a cup of cider? One gallon of cider?
    It takes about 4 apples to make a cup of cider and about 33 apples to make a gallon of cider.
  • What’s in our apple cider?
    Our apple cider is made from fresh Michigan apples. We add nothing to our pure apple cider.

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