The code behind my snippet deflator (http://www.vervestudios.co/projects/compression-tests/snippet-deflator). Original written sometime in 2009.

snippet-deflator.aspx.cs

        protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            
            if (Request.Form != null && Request.Form.Count > 0 && Request.Form["text"] != null)
            {
                var text = Request.Form["text"];
                byte[] byteArray = Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(text);
                using (var stream = new MemoryStream())
                {
                    using (var strm = new zlib.ZOutputStream(stream, zlib.zlibConst.Z_BEST_COMPRESSION, false))
                    {

                        strm.Write(byteArray, 0, byteArray.Length);


                        strm.Flush();
                        strm.finish();
                        strm.Position = 0;


                        var length = stream.Length;
                        var olength = byteArray.Length;
                        decimal perc = 100 - Math.Round((length / (decimal)olength) * 100, 2);
                        size = "<br />Deflated Length is: " + length + " bytes.<br /> Original length is: " + olength + " bytes.<br />" + perc + "% savings";
                    }
                }
            }
        }

Z_BEST_COMPRESSION — I see the zlib module was written by a Frenchman.

Haha. Sorry about the C#.

Apache doesn't have a built in way to get a raw deflate stream, at least not at the time I wrote this.
At the time I didn't check for any deflate libs written in other languages, but I imagine they'll supply similar results.