For Cider & Overwintering ?
Moderator: appledude
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David Marchbank
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:03 am
- Location: Sandy Creek, NY
For Cider & Overwintering ?
I have two acres in Sandy Creek (North Central NY) that I want to plant for my own use. What varities should I concider for cider and good storage?
Dave
Two that come to mind are Arkansas Black and Hunt Russet for storage. The russet is supposed to keep for a year in cellar conditions. Never tasted either, but am working on growing both!
I have experience growing and eating GoldRush apple. I think it is wonderful, as it is scab proof and heavy yielding. I have heard it makes a wonderful cider too, just have not done it. I may plant more of this tree. It is an excellent winter keeper as well.
Mother Earth news says that Newtown Pippin (also known as Albemarle Pippin or YellowNewtown ) is just about the best eating apple to be found. The Newtown is a large, bright green fruit with fine, crisp flesh and a wonderfully tart-sweet flavor. It's also one of the best storage apples around and the flavor keeps improving right into March or April.
Still researching cider apples. I have heard that Kingston Black makes an excellent stand-alone cider, but I have also read that its crops are not dependably large or regular. Maybe just plant a whole lot of them?
I'd be glad if somebody with cider research came forward and told us what is best.
I have experience growing and eating GoldRush apple. I think it is wonderful, as it is scab proof and heavy yielding. I have heard it makes a wonderful cider too, just have not done it. I may plant more of this tree. It is an excellent winter keeper as well.
Mother Earth news says that Newtown Pippin (also known as Albemarle Pippin or YellowNewtown ) is just about the best eating apple to be found. The Newtown is a large, bright green fruit with fine, crisp flesh and a wonderfully tart-sweet flavor. It's also one of the best storage apples around and the flavor keeps improving right into March or April.
Still researching cider apples. I have heard that Kingston Black makes an excellent stand-alone cider, but I have also read that its crops are not dependably large or regular. Maybe just plant a whole lot of them?
I'd be glad if somebody with cider research came forward and told us what is best.
Sacred cows make the best hamburger. -- Mark Twain
It isn't always what we know that affects our results so much, as what we know that ain't so! -- Dr. Melvin Westwood
It isn't always what we know that affects our results so much, as what we know that ain't so! -- Dr. Melvin Westwood
I press cider from September through March for our Farm Market. Because of this, I change varieties as new apples are harvested.
My experience lies more with "commercial" varieties.
I never use less than 4 varieties in my blend. Each variety brings something different such as tartness, sweetness, aroma, color, body, etc.
Each person has their own preference of flavor, and with so many varieties to choose from, you can blend what you prefer. I prefer to use 75% tart apples and 25% sweet when available.
Do not use: Rome, Summer Rambo, or Granny Smith (make cider muddy)
In general, early season apples (harvested before mid sept.) are poor cider apples.
Of course the riper the apples are, the better the flavor.
The most popular cider I press is a mixture of 25% Stayman-Winesap, 25% Empire, 25% Cortland, 15 % Ripe Golden Delicious or Grimes Golden and 10% Gala.
I would recommend purchasing some apples from a local source and try some blends to see if you like more tart or sweet apples. Then you can plant in varieties in groups according to harvest dates. The reason I recommend spreading out the varieties is because two acres will make a lot of cider. With a hand press your probably going to get 2 gallons per bushel. You can easily yield 2000 gallons of cider off of a mature 2 acres if you pressed them all into cider. That would be a lot of cranking at one time!
As far as good keepers
York Imperial, Granny Smith and Pink Lady are my best keepers. Flavor is enhanced on all three after a few months in storage.
Arkansas Black, Gravenstein, Jonathan and Winesap are also good keepers. All of these are excellent bakers and except for Granny's are great cider apples.
My experience lies more with "commercial" varieties.
I never use less than 4 varieties in my blend. Each variety brings something different such as tartness, sweetness, aroma, color, body, etc.
Each person has their own preference of flavor, and with so many varieties to choose from, you can blend what you prefer. I prefer to use 75% tart apples and 25% sweet when available.
Do not use: Rome, Summer Rambo, or Granny Smith (make cider muddy)
In general, early season apples (harvested before mid sept.) are poor cider apples.
Of course the riper the apples are, the better the flavor.
The most popular cider I press is a mixture of 25% Stayman-Winesap, 25% Empire, 25% Cortland, 15 % Ripe Golden Delicious or Grimes Golden and 10% Gala.
I would recommend purchasing some apples from a local source and try some blends to see if you like more tart or sweet apples. Then you can plant in varieties in groups according to harvest dates. The reason I recommend spreading out the varieties is because two acres will make a lot of cider. With a hand press your probably going to get 2 gallons per bushel. You can easily yield 2000 gallons of cider off of a mature 2 acres if you pressed them all into cider. That would be a lot of cranking at one time!
As far as good keepers
York Imperial, Granny Smith and Pink Lady are my best keepers. Flavor is enhanced on all three after a few months in storage.
Arkansas Black, Gravenstein, Jonathan and Winesap are also good keepers. All of these are excellent bakers and except for Granny's are great cider apples.
Thank you very much for your experience! That sort of first hand is what we need. I am sure you have saved alot of people years of experimenting.tkuntz wrote:I press cider from September through March for our Farm Market. Because of this, I change varieties as new apples are harvested.
My experience lies more with "commercial" varieties.
I never use less than 4 varieties in my blend. Each variety brings something different such as tartness, sweetness, aroma, color, body, etc.
Each person has their own preference of flavor, and with so many varieties to choose from, you can blend what you prefer. I prefer to use 75% tart apples and 25% sweet when available.
Do not use: Rome, Summer Rambo, or Granny Smith (make cider muddy)
In general, early season apples (harvested before mid sept.) are poor cider apples.
Of course the riper the apples are, the better the flavor.
The most popular cider I press is a mixture of 25% Stayman-Winesap, 25% Empire, 25% Cortland, 15 % Ripe Golden Delicious or Grimes Golden and 10% Gala.
I would recommend purchasing some apples from a local source and try some blends to see if you like more tart or sweet apples. Then you can plant in varieties in groups according to harvest dates. The reason I recommend spreading out the varieties is because two acres will make a lot of cider. With a hand press your probably going to get 2 gallons per bushel. You can easily yield 2000 gallons of cider off of a mature 2 acres if you pressed them all into cider. That would be a lot of cranking at one time!
As far as good keepers
York Imperial, Granny Smith and Pink Lady are my best keepers. Flavor is enhanced on all three after a few months in storage.
Arkansas Black, Gravenstein, Jonathan and Winesap are also good keepers. All of these are excellent bakers and except for Granny's are great cider apples.
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David Marchbank
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:03 am
- Location: Sandy Creek, NY