Adapability In The Key To Survival ... And Brewing

This MooseBoots journey is always full of twists and turns.  It seems, in everything we do, that we are always guided, perhaps because we are slightly misguided, to excellent results.  The achieved results, however, are not always what we set out to accomplish.

Wendy and I have been talking, for a few weeks, about foraging apples growing wild to brew our next batch of cider.  And, as luck would have it, it is apple season.  We figured that we will not be drinking any until next Spring.  Cider takes about 6 months of fermenting and settling to be really good.  But, alas, things get in the way. 

Finally, we got out picking.  We have been noting the location of trees brimming with apples on the side of the road, in unattended fields, and in local public parks.  To our dismay, many of the trees must be an early variety.  Still, we were able to gather, in a frenzied rush to get back to pick up the girls, 33 pounds.  These apples are the ugliest, gnarliest apples ever seen anywhere ...  perfect for cider!  Nobody would want to eat these.

Proudly, we hauled the apples home.  We decided that we will probably need to go out again, but would get this juiced and ready.  Then, we would assess how many more we would need.  We do not have a juicer.  I planned on using the grinder to juice the apples.  Alas, the grinder kept clogging with apple peels.  No problem, I thought ... I'll use the food processor.  Yes!  That will do the trick.

Nope.  It doesn't really break them up very well.  I threw the pulp into a cloth mesh bag and squeezed.  Juice.  But, it would take a billion years to juice them this way ... and, we'd lose a lot of the juice.  We need a juicer!

So, we ran out to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to see what they had.  Well, the display rack had several choices and we settling on one that looked like it would last several years ... not plastic devices to break , or die, after 2 uses.  Selection made ... we looked for the boxed units.  Nothing.  There was one box and I'll be dipped in wax (you ain't calling me cheese wheel) if I am going to spend $329 on a juicer to make cider.

One the way home, I called a few family member and asked if they had juicers ... nope.  Damn!  Today, we ran to the nearby indoor flea market ... nothing.  I found one on craigslist ... no reply.  I found one locally on e-Bay ... no reply yet.

Finally, I reached the conclusion that I was not meant to start brewing any cider today.  But, thanks to some friends, I had a beer kit (Export) just waiting patiently to be prepared.  As a matter of fact, I was also given another brewing kit (complete with buckets, hoses, bottling tubes, cappers, air lock, etc.) last week.  So, I acquiesced to the beer kit and starting it bubbling.  And with the new addition, when we get a juicer lined up this week (I hope), I'll be able to start the cider.

Conventional wisdom is that in order to survive one must be adaptable.  Thank you, Universe, for the reminder!  Either way, life is good.