Simply Pressed
After harvest, only the finest apples are selected for the production of Hush Heath Apple Juice. The three varieties, Cox Orange Pippin, Bramley Seedling and Egremont Russet are then pressed and blended in proportion to create a delicate balance of complementary flavours. Great care is taken to press and process the juice as soon after harvest as possible to capture that ‘freshly picked’ natural flavour.
Freshly picked apples awaiting selection, Autumn 2005
Richard Balfour-Lynn, Autumn 2005
Pressing
Once taken from the orchard, the apples rest for a short period in cold storage before they’re sorted, washed and taken to the press for pulping. The fruit is pressed in a modern continuous belt press, which allows a constant stream of pulp to be fed between the two belts. This acts like a giant filter, separating the juice from the solids. The flow rate of pulp onto the belts is set to take 60% of the fruit’s juice within a minute. A quick press captures that extra freshness. We then add a little vitamin C to help as an antioxidant and prevent the natural browning of the juice, which you often see when you cut or eat an apple. Hush Heath Cloudy and Clear Apple Juice are made in exactly the same way – Clear Apple Juice just has less pulp.
Autumn in a bottle
The juice is then pumped into a holding tank where it settles overnight. The few remaining solids fall to the bottom leaving a high quality juice.
The next day, the juice is pasteurised by gradual heating it as it flows towards the bottles. This is a highly controlled process which allows us to avoid the need for any other preservatives. Once inside the bottle, the top is sealed, a label applied and Hush Heath Apple Juice is ready for drinking.
It’s that simple. Liquid essence of autumn in a bottle.