Replying to Homemade Alcohol

So my uncle was telling me a story about how he grew up on an orchard, and at the end of each season, him and his friends would take a bunch of apples and pears and put them all in a barrel with some water.  then theyd go back and check on them at the end of summer and it would all turn into booze!  so now me and my friends want to try it.  were gonna take a bunch of apples and pears and put them in a water cooler and leave it over the summer and try to throw a huge end-of-summer party.  anyone think itll work/have any suggestions?