Ripe enough for Cider?
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:42 am
Hello all. First post here. Thank you in advance and please excuse my inexperience.
I moved this year to a home that has 40-ish apple trees at different ages. I am new to the apple world and am very excited. I apparently have Lodi, Williams, Gravenstein, Delicioius (Starkey), Jonathan, and Stayman apples. I'd like to try my hand at cider, and have purchased the proper brewing materials and done a good amount of research.
I've performed no pest control on the trees. Some of the fruit is already going strong (it's late July and I'm in Pennsylvania, US), and I'm unsure how long I should wait before picking. For the fruit that's growing:
Ripe indicators:
1.) They look like fully grown apples
2.) They taste ripe (though some are a little tart)
3.) A good number are falling naturally
4.) The "twist and bend up" test works: They come off easily
Factors that make me think they're not ready:
1.) They're small--but could this simply be due to the fact that I'm not treating them?
2.) No dark seeds have grown in the core
I can provide photos if it helps...
I don't want to pick them prematurely, but I also don't want to miss my window. Furthermore, as I've never before made cider, I'm unsure if the optimal time for cider is the same as "eating" apples. I searched the web for a while and came up with no good advice. Thanks!
I moved this year to a home that has 40-ish apple trees at different ages. I am new to the apple world and am very excited. I apparently have Lodi, Williams, Gravenstein, Delicioius (Starkey), Jonathan, and Stayman apples. I'd like to try my hand at cider, and have purchased the proper brewing materials and done a good amount of research.
I've performed no pest control on the trees. Some of the fruit is already going strong (it's late July and I'm in Pennsylvania, US), and I'm unsure how long I should wait before picking. For the fruit that's growing:
Ripe indicators:
1.) They look like fully grown apples
2.) They taste ripe (though some are a little tart)
3.) A good number are falling naturally
4.) The "twist and bend up" test works: They come off easily
Factors that make me think they're not ready:
1.) They're small--but could this simply be due to the fact that I'm not treating them?
2.) No dark seeds have grown in the core
I can provide photos if it helps...
I don't want to pick them prematurely, but I also don't want to miss my window. Furthermore, as I've never before made cider, I'm unsure if the optimal time for cider is the same as "eating" apples. I searched the web for a while and came up with no good advice. Thanks!