Due to adverse weather conditions last spring, most of the apple trees in our district lost their blossoms and are producing hardly any fruit. I will be lucky to have 50 assorted apples from my trees this Autumn, not even enough for a gallon of cider. In fact my Fameuse/Pomme de Neige has none! So, I will need to use "bought" juice.
Typically, my ciders will be any combination of Fameuse/Pomme de Neige, Cox's Orange Pippin, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Crimson Knight Crabs, Ballerina plus a couple of unknown wild trees, so normally I have scope to make some interesting stuff.
The question is, in the absence of my usual selection what varieties of "drinking" juice are useful for cider. Fortunately, I have access to "drinking" juice from an orchard that wasn't affected by the sub-zero temperatures and gale force winds. They have five single varieties of juice as well as some undefined "family favourite blends". Two of the single varieties are relatively high TA/low pH (Granny Smith and Pink Lady), and three are the opposite being low TA/high pH (Fuji, Royal Gala, Golden Delicious). They should start picking and processing over the next few months.
The only guide that I have is from a popular Tasmanian cider (which I quite like) which lists its ingredients as 70% Fiji, Royal Gala and Pink Lady with 30% "traditional" English or French cider apples but without any idea as to the mix. Unfortunately, "proper" cider apples are quite rare here in Oz unless people grow their own, so there is no chance of getting hold of any.
It seems to me that the right blend where I have some control would be better than a nondescript supermarket juice, even if it costs twice as much. I imagine that whatever I get may need a bit of fiddling with malic acid and tannin.
What do people think? All opinions are welcome.
Typically, my ciders will be any combination of Fameuse/Pomme de Neige, Cox's Orange Pippin, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Crimson Knight Crabs, Ballerina plus a couple of unknown wild trees, so normally I have scope to make some interesting stuff.
The question is, in the absence of my usual selection what varieties of "drinking" juice are useful for cider. Fortunately, I have access to "drinking" juice from an orchard that wasn't affected by the sub-zero temperatures and gale force winds. They have five single varieties of juice as well as some undefined "family favourite blends". Two of the single varieties are relatively high TA/low pH (Granny Smith and Pink Lady), and three are the opposite being low TA/high pH (Fuji, Royal Gala, Golden Delicious). They should start picking and processing over the next few months.
The only guide that I have is from a popular Tasmanian cider (which I quite like) which lists its ingredients as 70% Fiji, Royal Gala and Pink Lady with 30% "traditional" English or French cider apples but without any idea as to the mix. Unfortunately, "proper" cider apples are quite rare here in Oz unless people grow their own, so there is no chance of getting hold of any.
It seems to me that the right blend where I have some control would be better than a nondescript supermarket juice, even if it costs twice as much. I imagine that whatever I get may need a bit of fiddling with malic acid and tannin.
What do people think? All opinions are welcome.
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