Planting a cider orchard

[Northbound]

I've done some searching and it seems guys use whatever apples they have for ciders.
My question is if you where planting specifically for making cider, what varieties would you pick?

I have plans to plant another 1.5acre of apples next year, bench grafting this year. I focused on varieties for wildlife and long drop times when picking scions. Now I'm wondering if there are preferred apples for cider that I should keep those particular types on one side of orchard to keep harvesting efficient.

 

[Jhoss]

Yarlington Mill, Kingston Black, Dabinette, Harrison, Baldwin, Golden Russett. (Franklin is also super interesting and developing a following) If you have a year where all of these come together, YEOW! the cider (hard) ye shall have.

 

[buckvelvet]

I think Wickson Crab is supposed to be great for cider as well. Everything I read is about balancing brix vs tannins. If I every get to where i'm making my own, i'm just going to wing it, I admire those that aspire to legendary status though. :)

 

[Jhoss]

Scratter build in progress.

 

[rocksnstumps]

When this topic was brought up in the past someone on here suggested looking through The New Cider Maker's Handbook by Claude Jolicoeur. He has a section where he talks about good cider varieties and zones where they grow well. I checked out a copy from local library and captured a list somewhere but away from home at present so no help at the moment. Claude is from somewhere up in Quebec and zone 4 but talks about many other areas both east and west coast. First part of the book is a good read and the latter part is a whole lotta technical stuff on cider making.

 

[Telemark]

Golden russet.

 

[Northbound]

I assumed it's been brought up, my search wording never seems to find what I'm seeking so hope I'm not beating a dead horse by asking..
My Google searches did point to gold rush and Franklin as prime candidate, of course I can't find Franklin scion this season.
The tech type articles are over my head but I've got years to figure that out, just trying to kinda plan for future harvesting to be as convenient as possible

 

[chickenlittle]

How much do you plan to spray?

For the traditional old cider varieties, there is some data it there from universities supporting cider growers. I relied on an older version of this from MSU to eliminate some varieties. See appendix 3

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/E3364.(1).pdf

 

[yoderjac]

I've never purchased anything from them but there is a pretty good general characterization on their web page: http://www.applescions.com/

 

[Northbound]

Spraying isn't an issue as this orchard is very close to home, can see it from my living room windows. That being said if I can keep likely cider apples to one end, and not worry so much about the varieties just for wildlife to make spraying easier and consolidated.

I know nothing about making cider but I can assume it's something I'd take on years from now. For now I'm more than happy to buy from the local orchard, someday though when more time becomes available I could see it being a fun hobby. My local orchard is such a friendly place, but he won't talk about cider. Big secret he won't share, he's the one guy that actually talks less after hitting the hard cider!

Those are great links, just when I thought I've ran out of apple reading you guys find more thanks!

 

[yoderjac]

The folks at our local ciderworks say if it is not hard, it is not cider, it is apple juice. Personally I haven't been able to develop a taste for it. The driest they have is too sweet for me. Ours doesn't even sell the cider apples like Wickson. They just press them. I was able to talk them into selling me a few for seeds when I started my seedling project. The other thing they offered me were the pressings. Evidently enough seeds make it through the press that if you just till it in lightly seedlings will grow.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[sandbur]

The folks at our local ciderworks say if it is not hard, it is not cider, it is apple juice. Personally I haven't been able to develop a taste for it. The driest they have is too sweet for me. Ours doesn't even sell the cider apples like Wickson. They just press them. I was able to talk them into selling me a few for seeds when I started my seedling project. The other thing they offered me were the pressings. Evidently enough seeds make it through the press that if you just till it in lightly seedlings will grow.

Thanks,

Jack

I have a whole pile of the pressings sitting on my place. -34 should have stratified the seed!


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[buckvelvet]

The deer would have the pressings gone here in 12 hours in the cold.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

^^^^ Isn't that the truth !!

 

[yoderjac]

The deer would have the pressings gone here in 12 hours in the cold.

I presume that is why they suggested tilling them in lightly.

 

[Dan Wombles]

Most modern apples do not make a quality hard cider as they are too acidic. After the sugars are turned to alcohol, you are left with the acid, resulting in a sour cider. Research the vintage apples that were used by our colonists for cider. Here are a few good sites for researching for cider apples:
http://bighorsecreekfarm.com/master-variety-list/
https://www.albemarleciderworks.com/orchard/apple-varieties/cider
https://www.orangepippin.com/apples
http://www.cumminsnursery.com/cidervar.htm

 

[sandbur]

The deer would have the pressings gone here in 12 hours in the cold.

They are on the edge of an alfalfa field and the Deer never touched them.


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[cavey]

Esopus Spitzenburg, Court Pendu Plat, Bramley's Seedling, Goldrush, Somerset Redstreak, Stoke Red, Medaille d'Or, Brown Snout, Michelin, Brown's Apple, Harry Masters Jersey, Calville Blanc, Virginia Crab, Foxwhelp, Black Ben Davis, Dabinett, Roxbury Russet, Kerr, Empire, Grimes Golden, Newtown Pippin, Ashmead’s Kernel, Baldwin, Kingston Black, Cox’s orange pippin, Porters perfection, Wickson crab and Yarlington Mill

I'm adding cider trees to my orchards also: 25 varieties from grin this spring.. and I had 10 or so varieties I grafted this last spring successfully. The above are some from the usda and a few more that I can remember off hand that I have now in the nursery ... My Scratter build is in the near future... I have a press - Im going to use my 50 ton shop press. I have enough mature trees to start, the goal is cider/hard cider/ and sssssh maybe some apple brandy

 

[Appleman]

The Franklin has gone through extensive testing and has prove to have excellent growing properties and when used in a blend proven to produce a world Cider having taken a bronze metal in the International Cider and Perry 2017 competition. Classified as a bittersharp having high sugar. Acid, and tannins. Resistant to both scab and cedar Apple rust. 22 to 30 bushels have been harvested 12 consecutive growing seasons of the parent tree.

 

[cavey]

I just recently spoke with a retail mead/cider maker in norther Wisconsin who has managed to get a hold of what sounded like a large order of Franklin's; He was pretty pumped up about the prospects of getting them into the ground this year. The tree is gaining a lot of notoriety must really be a winner!