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Cider Digest #1691
Subject: Cider Digest #1691, 7 February 2012
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1691 7 February 2012
Cider and Perry Discussion Forum
Contents:
Equipment for carbonation (WhetstoneCiderWorks)
Cider Definition ("Rich Anderson")
Taxes, ABV, Sugar, AND ORGANIC (Peter Mitchell)
Train Golden Russets ("Rich Anderson")
announcing Rocky Mountain Cider Association (Dick Dunn)
NOTE: Digest appears whenever there is enough material to send one.
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Digest Janitor: Dick Dunn
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Subject: Equipment for carbonation
From: WhetstoneCiderWorks <whetstoneciderworks@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 19:35:23 -0500
New to our stable of equipment this year is a used brewers brite tank
that will allow to us to, for the first time, force carbonate ciders.
The tank has a myriad of ways to get things in an out of it- 2 tri-clamp
fittings, a 3/4" piece of stainless pipe threaded with NPT, and a 1/4"
or 3/8" female threaded pipe, all in various locations on the tank.
My questions have to do with the mechanics of carbonation. I understand
that cider must be kept at a certain pressure for a certain amount of
time to absorb a given amount of carbon dioxide, this being quite
temperature dependent. However, what is less clear to me is whether or
not there are preferred methods of introducing the CO2 into the tank.
Is it preferable to introduce the gas into the cider via a "stone"
submerged in the liquid versus just pressurizing the tank via the top,
as one does with a corny keg?
If one is introducing the gas through a port below the level of liquid
some type of valve must be necessary which will allow gas in but not
fluid out, either a pressure actuated check valve or a manual valve.
I would love to hear any experiences or words of wisdom regarding these
matters fro those more experienced with these things than myself.
Thank you!
Jason MacArthur
Whetstone Cider Works
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Subject: Cider Definition
From: "Rich Anderson" <rhanderson@centurytel.net>
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 17:23:31 -0800
I would like to see the "Hard" as in Hard Cider be removed from any
definition. I believe that most Europeans, at least the French consider hard
cider to be cider tainted with acetic acid. I suppose in temperance America
"hard cider" was an appropriate description, but 100 years later we might
try joining the rest of the world and just call it Cider.
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Subject: Taxes, ABV, Sugar, AND ORGANIC
From: Peter Mitchell <lotic@juno.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 08:25:30 -0500
I greatly appreciate the efforts by Steve and Mike. It will be a long
hard slog. I wish them well, and can offer my limited support. Perhaps a
petition is the way to go.
Alas, money is tight, and I cannot attend the Chicago meeting. There are
a few points that I wish to discuss. I cannot speak for every cider
maker, nor do I intend to. I can only speak to my product and operation.
So, I begin by describing what my cider is, and how it is produced, and
with what "rules" I must comply.
I grow all the apples I use myself. I do not buy, sell, or trade apples.
My 20-acre orchard is certified organic. I press, ferment, and bottle at
the orchard. At present, I distribute only in Massachusetts. I have one
label. It states "8% ABV". I chose that number because the growing season
can result in a wide range of sugar content in the apples. I add enough
sugar to get to 8%ABV. I produce a still, dry cider. The cider can be
described as "New England Style" (having sugar added to raise the alcohol
level, dry, usually still, tart, with good apple nose).
Massachusetts tax rates are $0.03 / U.S. gallon for "cider" less than
6%ABV. They are $0.55 / U.S. gallon for "wine" (>6 but <15 ABV). I think
the Massachusetts tax for "sparkling" is over a buck a gallon. The point
is, that there are a variety of state taxes on the books that must be
addressed. I do hope for a level playing field in the future. Perhaps if
one of us changed our last name to "Gallo" we would be more successful.
There is another regulation that is a real thorn in my...side. "Organic".
All my apples are certified organic. However, I add sulfites for
shelf-stability. The USDA-NOP (USDA - National Organic Program) came out
with a memorandum in 2010 (not a vote, not examined, not commented upon,
no scientific justification, just a "memo" that is now the law of the
land) that states only wine made with GRAPES can add sulfites and make
any organic claim on their label (e.g. "Made with organic grapes"). I was
not happy. I have attempted to contact USDA-NOP and only received (yet
another) copy of the memo. This too should be rectified. I am not capable
of doing so myself (nor is my congressman). I believe in growing organic
apples. Those of you who grow organic apples are aware of the limited
tools we have, and the increased labor. If anyone out there can aid in
making this issue "level" amongst grapes and apples, I would be so very
happy. I have found only one way to put "Organic" on my label. It can
appear ONLY on the back label. It is an ingredient list. Seriously? An
"ingredient list"? Have you EVER seen an ingredient list on a bottle of
cider or wine? Well, pick up a bottle of mine, and you will. I don't mind
the ingredient list, but I'd really like to put "MADE WITH ORGANIC
APPLES" on the front label (just like "made with organic grapes" can be
put on a wine label). Can this playing field be levelled? Or is the wine
lobby just too darned powerful?
Like Socrates, I comply with the decisions of my ruling legal bodies.
Yet, I will confront odious laws through the channels open to me.
Advocacy for one's industry should be only promotional. It should not
attempt to gain market control by adding burdens to an alternative
industry. Voices in the regulating agencies should be heard with equal
measure. They should not be drowned out by the lobbyist that can afford
the biggest megaphone.
Good luck to Steve and Mike, and let me know how I may help.
Peter Mitchell
Headwater Cider
------------------------------
Subject: Train Golden Russets
From: "Rich Anderson" <rhanderson@centurytel.net>
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 17:41:11 -0800
I have about 40 Golden Russets which I top grafted over Fauxwelps. Trained
them to a vertical axis tree. The result is a tall tree with very long weep
branches. It is a mess, impossible to train. I suspect that the Fauxwelp
interstem may be too vigorous. I would like to cut them back and see if
they will put out new growth, in addition I have another 30 Fauxwelps which
I would like to top graft with Medaille D'or which may have the same issues.
Any ideas on how to train the Russets, I realize it is a tip bearer but I
would like a more manageable tree.
------------------------------
Subject: announcing Rocky Mountain Cider Association
From: Dick Dunn <rcd@talisman.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 17:39:15 -0700
We are creating an association for commercial craft cider producers in the
Rocky Mountain region. Rocky Mountain Cider Association (RMCA) will
register as a nonprofit trade organization in Colorado, and will cover
the states of Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Our goals will be the fairly obvious ones: promote public understanding
and appreciation of cider and perry, coordinate cider-related events in
the region, and outreach to producers/suppliers of products we need.
If you're a commercial producer (licensed winery) in the Rocky Mountain
region, with craft/artisan cider or perry as your principal product(s),
please consider joining us.
We've laid out our goals and ground rules; bylaws are being drafted.
Not surprisingly, we still have organizational detail to take care of,
before we go public "for real". If you just want to follow our progress,
keep an eye on
http://www.rmcider.org
(At present that's just a place-holder.)
If you have specific questions, direct them to me,
rcd@rmcider.org
Also, if you're going to be at the Cider Conference in Chicago this week,
you can look up either me or Brad Page (Colorado Cider).
(And...if you're a producer in Idaho and might like to join us, let us
know. Idaho is sorta really part of the Rocky Mountain region, but we
didn't want to overreach TOO much.)
- --
Dick Dunn rcd@talisman.com Hygiene, Colorado USA
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End of Cider Digest #1691
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