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Cider Digest #1188
Subject: Cider Digest #1188, 27 December 2004
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1188 27 December 2004
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Cider varieties in MA (Heron Breen)
Re: Cider Digest #1187, 20 December 2004 (John Bunker)
Re: Cider apples in New England (Benjamin Watson)
Re: hard cider availability in Ohio (Benjamin Watson)
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Subject: Cider varieties in MA
From: Heron Breen <breen@fedcoseeds.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 06:43:09 -0600
Hi there,
If I were you I would ask Nashoba Winery over in Bolton, MA what varieties
are growing well for them, as they have a number of cultivars. Glenn Lord
is the Orchard Manager over there, a good guy if you can track him down,
as he is always running around, very busy! The old American standards
Baldwin and Golden Russett should thrive anywhere in your locality, and
may also be for sale at many orchards. Poverty Lane orchards, ie Steve
Wood, in Lebanon NH also grows a number of cultivars for his product, and
that orchard or their website might point you in the right direction. I
would just guess that many cider varieties, both foreign and domestic,
would do very well on good soil and site conditions in the Leominster
area. You are warm enough, and the soil is great in many places. Good Luck!
Heron Breen
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Subject: Re: Cider Digest #1187, 20 December 2004
From: John Bunker <jbunker@gwi.net>
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:55:07 -0500
> Subject: Cider Apples in New Engand
> From: Larry Gianakis <lgianakis@yahoo.com>
> Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 07:54:05 -0800 (PST)
Larry,
We sell cider apple trees in the Fedco catalog. You can see the catalog on
line at <fedcoseeds.com>. Or, drop me an email and we'll send you a catalog
snail mail.
Regards,
John Bunker
*****
John Bunker
Fedco
P.O. Box 520
Waterville Maiine 04903
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Subject: Re: Cider apples in New England
From: Benjamin Watson <bwatson@worldpath.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:03:23 -0500
Larry Gianikis wrote:
> The local community run orchard in Leominster MA, Sholan Farms is
> willing
> to designate some space to grow some cider apples. I am in need of
> information on varieties that will grow well in the region, and are
> available for purchase this year. I am not sure how much space they
> will allot, so for starters I will probably not have more than 24
> trees.
> Therefore I would like some apples that are either single variety
> ciders
> or compliment each other well.
You mention that you've used Mutsu (Crispin) for cider, and so have I
in the past, because I had a source for single-variety Mutsu cider.
It's not bad, but like most varietals, it's pretty ho-hum and
one-dimensional.
There are lots of great possibilities for cider apples, but if I had
limited space and a willing orchard partner (as I will have this year,
since I am helping to replant and graft an old orchard in Antrim, NH),
I would consider the following six as some of my top choices (all mid
to late season). Each of these makes a respectable single-variety
cider, but blended together in almost any combination they would kick
ass.
1. Ashmead's Kernel -- British russeted apple; sugary and aromatic
2. Baldwin -- excellent Mass. apple for base or alone
3. Esopus Spitzenburg -- sprightly, with high sugar/high acid -- one of
the very best
4. Golden Russet -- deep, rich juice with high specific gravity -- best
for base or blending
5. Roxbury Russet -- a Mass. alternative to Golden Russet -- very good
for cider
6. Wickson -- small fruit, extremely high sugar balanced with acid --
one of my favorites
Anyway, take this advice for whatever it's worth. Maybe other folks
will have better suggestions.
Happy New Year to all you Cider Digestivos,
Ben Watson
Francestown, NH
------------------------------
Subject: Re: hard cider availability in Ohio
From: Benjamin Watson <bwatson@worldpath.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:35:25 -0500
Pete Thompson asks:
> Does anyone know of any commercial producers of hard cider in the state of
> Ohio? I would like to try some cider other than Strongbow, Woodpecker,
> Woodchuck or Cider Jack.
Technically, I believe that Hard Core is still baed in Cincinnati;
they're owned by the Boston Beer Co., the makers of Sam Adams.
Their cider is industrial "draft"-style cider, but to my taste it is
one of the best of this class, and they win lots of medals and such. In
recent years they've been experimenting in Boston with small batches of
cider made from "real" cider apples that they've purchased from Steve
Wood's Poverty Lane Orchards in Lebanon, NH (the same folks who produce
Farnum Hill Ciders), and they have employed as a consultant Alan
Tringham, the longtime former cidermaker for HP Bulmer in the UK. So
they are making their bones right now, and someday might really have in
commercial quantities a superior draft cider -- albeit with the
limitations of that style and the marketing thereof. At present, their
limited production is enjoyed only by cider aficionados, judges, and a
few lucky patrons of Irish pubs in the Boston area, where they sold
their entire 600-gallon kegging a couple years ago.
If you do discover anyone making artisanal cider in Ohio, please let us
know. With the amount of sweet cider being produced and consumed in
Ohio, it would make sense for someone to start making and selling the
alcoholic stuff.
Ben Watson
Francestown, NH
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End of Cider Digest #1188
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