Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Cider Digest #0413
Subject: Cider in western Washington
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 21:24:37 -0800
From: John Ross <johnross@genetics.washington.edu>
I've just discovered the Cider Digest. Nice to know there are otherw who
share my madness for cider.
I pressed about 200 pounds of apples last fall, including about 50 pounds of
Wenatchee Valley fruit (almost all table apples) and 150 pounds from the
Western Washington Tree Fruit Research Center of Washington State University,
located in Mount Vernon, Wash., on the west (and wet) side of the Cascade Range.
About half of the fruit from Mount Vernon was European cider apples--things
like Cow Jersey, Michellin, Harry Master's Jersey, Brown's Apple, and other va
high-tannin varieties. The other Mount Vernon apples were an assortment of
things including Ashmead's Kernel, Sweet Sixteen and some other things.
Unfortunately, I did not keep careful records of varieties and proportions,
since I sort of blundered into the Mount Vernon apples. More like fill up
the back of my car with fruit than anything scientific.
I pressed the cider in October on my antique press, and kept about four
gallons for fermentation--the rest went to my crew and other friends as
sweet cider.
The cider fermented on wild yeast. I did not add anything to the jugs.
After about five weeks of mild activity, the cider had cleared out and was
ready for racking. It has fermented out to a very clear, dry still cider.
Probably because of the high amount of tannin, the cider could pass as a
(not very good) white wine, unless you know it's cider. If you taste it
expecting cider, theapple character is quite obvious.
I did not measure original gravity, but the fermented product measures to
about 8 - 9% alcohol.
Is anybody else reading this in western Wash.? I'd love to compare notes
techniques, fruit sources and cider samples.
------------------------------
