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Cider Digest #1824
Subject: Cider Digest #1824, 12 November 2013
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1824 12 November 2013
Cider and Perry Discussion Forum
Contents:
Clarification Request for NY Cider Definition ()
Picking up Perry Pears (chris horn)
Tom Burford on the elusive "Taliaferro" (Dick Dunn)
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Digest Janitor: Dick Dunn
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Subject: Clarification Request for NY Cider Definition
From: <lotic@juno.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2013 04:02:38 -0500
Hey all,
Very glad to see some aspects of the new NY Cider definition.
I'm using the Bill Barton post (CD#1822) as my text of the NY bill. Great
Ciders, Bill! Keep it up!
But (as usual), I'm a bit confused.
Would someone be so kind as to clarify a few points for me.
1: ""Cider" means the partially or fully fermented juice of fresh, whole
apples..."
That means frozen apple concentrate cannot be fermented in NY, right?
That's how I read, "juice of fresh, whole apples". Right off the tree, or
out of cold storage. Crush 'em. Press 'em. Off you go.
OR! Could you take that fresh pressed juice and manipulate it?
Concentrate it? Freeze it? Increase latent flavors and sugar content?
That would increase the ABV without "adding" any sugars.
2: Does "other pome fruits" include:
"The best-known example of a pome is the apple. Other examples of plants
that produce fruit classified as a pome are cotoneaster, hawthorn,
loquat, medlar, pear, pyracantha, toyon, quince,[2] rowan, and
whitebeam." from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pome
Some of those sound dreadful, but which botanical definition of Pome
Fruit is being used in NY?
Can you add non-pome fruit to the fermentation process provided it is
less than 50% by volume? That could increase the ABV.
What about other "adjuncts" added prior to fermentation? Are any allowed?
Or, must all those be added "post-fermentation" as a "flavoring"?
3: "...to which nothing has been added to increase the alcoholic content
produced by natural fermentation..."
Does that mean "Cyser" is not "Cider"? (added honey prior to
fermentation)
If you wanted to raise the ABV of a cider, could you add ethanol after
fermentation? Ethanol is an agricultural product. Could you call ethanol
a "flavoring"?
Does that mean NY cannot produce New England Style Cider, as described by
the Beer Judge Certification Program (below)?
28A. New England Cider
This is a cider made with characteristic New England apples for
relatively high acidity, with adjuncts to raise alcohol levels
Appearance: Clear to brilliant, pale to medium yellow.
Flavor: A dry flavorful cider with robust apple character, strong
alcohol, and derivative flavors from sugar adjuncts.
Mouthfeel: Substantial, alcoholic. Moderate tannin.
Overall Impression: Substantial body and character.
Comments: Adjuncts may include white and brown sugars, molasses, small
amounts of honey, and raisins. Adjuncts are intended to raise OG well
above that which would be achieved by apples alone. This style is
sometimes barrel-aged, in which case there will be oak character as with
a barrel-aged wine. If the barrel was formerly used to age spirits, some
flavor notes from the spirit (e.g., whisky or rum) may also be present,
but must be subtle. Entrants MUST specify if the cider was
barrel-fermented or aged. Entrants MUST specify carbonation level (still,
petillant, or sparkling). Entrants MUST specify sweetness (dry, medium,
or sweet).
Above from: http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category28.php
4: "Nothing contained in this subdivision shall be deemed to preclude the
use of such methods or materials as may be necessary to encourage a
normal alcoholic fermentation and to make a product
that is free of microbiological activity at the time of sale."
So, use any yeast you want. Use any yeast nutrients desired. Use any
fermentation process (or, aids) you want. Use any preservative (or,
preservative method) you want, right?
5: What if there is a drink that violates the NY definition made outside
NY and imported into NY.
Can it still be called "cider"? Re-label it? Call it what?
I commend NY for taking the leap, and I am sure that NY knows what it
wants to get at with the adoption of this bill. Alas, I need a bit of
remedial education.
- -Peter
------------------------------
Subject: Picking up Perry Pears
From: chris horn <agent_strangelove@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 15:22:19 -0800
Has anyone used the Vigo Apple Wizard
(http://www.vigopresses.co.uk/Catalogue/Fruit-Picking/Apple-Wizard-99044?utm_sou
rce=GraphicMail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=NewsletterLink&utm_campaign=Retail+%2D
+End+of+season+sale&utm_content=)
for picking up perry pears? Worthwhile? It got a good review from
Andrew Lea on apples but I am wondering if the smaller pears would agree
with it's design.
Thanks
Chris
'To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing and be nothing.'
-Elbert Hubbard
------------------------------
Subject: Tom Burford on the elusive "Taliaferro"
From: Dick Dunn <rcd@talisman.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:24:46 -0700
Prologue: The "Taliaferro" apple was renowned as a cider apple in Thomas
Jefferson's Monticello orchard, but no longer exists...or does it? The
Taliaferro became somewhat of a "holy grail" for orchardists and cidermakers
in the US, just as the vanished Herefordshire Redstreak was in England.
The quality of cider made from it is the stuff of legends.
I recently swapped email with a couple of people who believed they had a
variety called Taliferro in their orchards. I've heard sketchy stories
third-hand about how Taliaferro had perhaps been found, then the candidate
rejected, over the years...so I wanted to know where we stand on this.
Tom Burford--"Professor Apple"--is the best resource on American apples,
and has spent considerable time researching varieties that have gone
missing over the years. Some have turned up, others not. Taliaferro has
certainly been a key interest of his. So I asked Tom if he could give an
update on what is known about Taliferro today, and he graciously provided
the note which follows. Incidentally, this is a good time to mention Tom's
recently published book "Apples of North America." It's authoritative,
informative, and beautifully done. It should be in your library.
- --
Dick Dunn rcd@talisman.com Hygiene, Colorado USA
remainder is Tom's note...
THE SEARCH FOR THE TALIAFERRO APPLE
Taliaferro is pronounced Toliver and was also called Robinson or Robertson.
Major Richard Taliaferro of Williamsburg, Virginia, who provided grafting
material of the variety to Thomas Jefferson is the person for whom the
fruit was commonly called and Robertson was the owner of the field near
Williamsburg where the seedling tree "grew alone," according to Jefferson's
letter to James Mease in 1814.
Nearly 100 grafted trees from scionwood sent to Jefferson by Major
Taliaferro from Williamsburg were planted in 1778 in the south orchard.
In the last documented description nearly one hundred years later in
1872 James Fitz, the pomologist, described the fruit unlike it had been
previously described and exuberated previous conflicting ones by Kenrick
and Coxe, both published apple authorities of the 19th century.
Since September of 1995 when the first candidate of what Peter Hatch,
the author of The Fruit and Fruit Trees of Monticello called "the mystery
apple of Monticello," appeared, three others have come forth to me with
an apple as a possible candidate for Taliaferro. All have been relegated
to not meeting all of the documented and empirical evidence available,
especially the paramount one of taste.
Comparing it to the Hewes Crab, Jefferson wrote: "It has more body, is
less acid, and comes nearer to the silky Champaigne than any other." Until
these criteria are exhibited, there is just reason to not make the never
provable claim.
It is my opinion the reason for the appearance and taste conflict from
nearly the beginning is that the continuity of propagation from the original
seedling tree near Williamsburg was adulterated by propagation from the
seeds of the Taliaferro and exhibited variability of color and taste. This
was a common practice in the 19th century with peach propagation and likely
other fruits.
We can speculate that not only multiple seedlings of Taliaferro deliberately
were marketed, but many or most of them did not produce cider like "silky
Champaigne" and lost favor. It is my notion the same status can be applied
to the Virginia Hewes Crab that survived and was seed propagated, not for
its original role as a cider maker, but as a pollinator for the huge pollen
sterile orchards of Winesaps, Black Twigs and Arkansas Black that came
so popular, especially in Virginia, at the end of the 19th century. Like
Grimes Golden the Hewes was nicknamed Rooster Apple.
You may never prove the authenticity but be on the watch for Taliaferro,
Virginia Hewes Crab, White Gloucester, Golden Wilding, Virginia White and
one dear to my heart, Ivanhoe, a seedling of Newtown (Albemarle) Pippin
that elicited a deep sigh from my grandfather on seeing a copy of Sir
Walter Scott's novel, "It was a wonderful apple."
Tom Burford
November 12, 2013
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End of Cider Digest #1824
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