[Ansteorra] question for brewers

[Eadric Anstapa]

Dave Wise wrote:
> Any recommendations for particular apples to grow for eventually turning 
> into a hard cider?  Have some land near Brenham and wanted to plant a 
> few trees, so figured I might as well produce something useful.
>
> Alexis

Since you asked for help from brewers I am going t assume that you are 
looking at a making a European style hard cider.  I did some research on 
this a few years ago.  I have spent less time researching apple 
varieties than I did vineyard grape varieties but I did find some good 
information.  You have to get low chill varieties to grow decent apple 
crops here.

The best hard cider apples are more tannic and not really good for 
eating and have characteristics and flavors that only develop after 
fermentation or that help produce a good ferment.  This is very similar 
to the way that the best wine grapes are usually not good table grapes.  
I have personally made some of the most insipid, bland, featureless 
cider with apples that were great eating apples.  The best ciders are 
usually made of a blend of various apple varieties.  Ideally for a good 
cider you want a mix of sweet apples, bittersweet apples, and sharp apples.

Most apples require another variety to pollinate with, some pollinate 
better with some varieties than they do with others.  Some varieties 
don't produce viable pollen, others are triploid varieties that are 
limited to what they can cross pollinate with.  Obviously for your trees 
to be pollinated by another variety both have to be blooming at the same 
time so an early blooming and late blooming variety aren't a good match 
as cross pollinators. Make sure you check to see what other varieties 
the trees you plant will pollinate with. 

You should consider planting a crabapple as a pollinator as crab apples 
are always good pollinators and their fruit can lend nice character to a 
cider.  There are some crabapples that just bloom and bloom and bloom so 
they are good pollinators for early and late blooming varieties.   There 
are also some sweet crabapples that aren't bad to eat and in addition to 
being good for cider they are good for pies and salads and jellies.  The 
thing about crabs is that they never get very big.

You should also consider varieties that ripen about the same time so 
your picking and pressing isn't spread out over three months (unless 
thats what ya want).

Since this is an SCA list the first variety I'll mention will be a 
period apple variety.

"White Winter Pearmain" is a classic old English variety from Norman 
times that dates back at least to the 13th century.  It is the oldest 
known English apple variety.  Despite being from England is is 
classified as a low chill variety that will bear here and produces a 
good cider.  A lot like the modern Granny Smith.  I want to plant a 
couple of these trees myself.

"Foxwhelp" is another classic English Variety that will grow here.  It's 
really a classic great variety almost entirely dedicated for cider and 
may also be a period variety.  It dates back to at least the early 
1600's.  Another variety I want to plant myself.

"Lady'  is a classic French cider variety that can also be traced back 
to SCA period times and should grow here.  A third Variety I want to plant.

"Dorset Golden" originated in the Bahamas and will grow here and makes 
good cider.  You can actually find it in commercial nurseries and home 
centers around here.  The dedicated local nurseries around here could 
probably order it for ya.  It is supposedly a terrific producer.  The 
final variety I want to plant.

"Freyburg" grows here and makes a good cider.

"Horse"  makes a good cider and is the apple variety that you might 
likely find at old homesteads across the south.

The "Golden Russet" is the classic American cider variety and will grow 
here.

"Red Boskoop" can be used for Cider and will grow here.

I wouldn't overlook the Granny Smith Apple which can make decent cider, 
is self fertile, and a good producer. Of course you can get these trees 
at a local nursery or home center.

I have heard that the "Prairie Spy" variety grows well here and can make 
decent cider.

I would suggest you email to Kuffelcreek  Nursery in southern CA as they 
specialize in  benchgrafted  warm climate  heirloom varieties and are 
very helpful folks.  http://www.kuffelcreek.com/applenursery.htm

Also talk to the folks at Big Horse Creek Farm. 
http://www.bighorsecreekfarm.com/

And talk to the folks at Trees of Antiquity.  They have a great website 
and sell some larger trees rather than just just benchgrafts or whips.  
Search their site for "cider" and then read the varieties they suggest.  
Then contact them and ask which they think will grow best in our climate 
and soil.
http://www.treesofantiquity.com/

In general a bushel of apples will net ya 2 to 3 gallons of juice.  A 
dwarf tree will give ya about a bushel of apples at full production, a 
semi-dwarf tree 4-5 bushels, standard trees 5+ bushels depending on how 
big  they get.

Dont overlook planting some pears.  Pears live to a long age as well, 
can grow as stately as oak trees, they require less chill time than 
apples, and you can make "perry" or pear cider.  Pears are however 
almost never self fertile.  I love pears and perry.

-Eadric