ID

AREC-46P (SPES-117P)

Authors as Published

Jarrad Farris, Research Assistant, Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech; Greg Peck, Assistant Professor, Horticulture, Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center; Gordon Groover, Extension Economist, Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech, and reviewed by Sherif Sherif, Assistant Professor, Pomology, Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center

This publication is available in PDF format only.

This publication describes a set of associated budget spreadsheets that utilize a systematic means to assess the feasibility of growing specialty apple cultivars for sale to commercial hard cider producers.

Hard cider is a growing part of the alcoholic beverage industry. It is made by fermenting apple juice with yeast and typically has an alcohol content between 5 and 10 percent by volume. To make a premium hard apple cider product, commercial cider operations, called “cideries,” want apple cultivars with high tannin, high acid, and/or high sugar content. Few apple cultivars satisfy all of these characteristics, so cider makers often blend multiple cultivars to achieve a desired flavor profile.

Virginia Cooperative Extension materials are available for public use, reprint, or citation without further permission, provided the use includes credit to the author and to Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.

Publication Date

March 20, 2019