Getting Started in Hard Cider Production

Getting Started in Hard
Cider Production
A Grower’s Perspective
My Orchard
My Cider
Do You…
Grow apples?
Press sweet cider for sale?
What price do you charge for a
gallon of
sweet cider?
What is the shelf-life of a gallon of
your sweet cider?
Hard Cider Prices
• 2.5 gallons in a 12-bottle case of cider
(750ml “wine” bottles)
• Assuming $10 / bottle: $48 / gallon
• Assuming $7 / bottle:
$33.60 / gallon
• Assuming $5 / bottle: $24 / gallon
• Shelf life measured in “years”
From the Wall Street Journal
Recent Growth
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
U.S. – Top 10 Cider Brands (thousands of cases)
Brand
Marketer
2010
2011
Vermont
Woodchuck Hard Cider
1,525
2,025
Co.1
Angry
Boston Beer
—
40
Orchard
Co.
Heineken
Strongbow
685
795
USA2
Wm.
Hornsby’s3
715
835
Magners Inc.
Crispin4
MillerCoors
115
348
Wm.
Magners
465
580
Magners Inc.
Michelob Anheuser-Bus
—
—
ULTRA Light
ch InBev
The
Ace
California
180
251
Cider Co.
Vermont
Wyder’s
Hard Cider
215
225
Co.1
Original Sin
Original Sin
90
125
Corp.
Total Cider
4,623
5,891
Data from: www.shankennewsdaily.com
2012
Percent Change
2010-2011 2011-2012
2,531
32.80%
25.00%
2,200
+++
+++
867
16.10%
9.10%
860
16.80%
3.00%
714
202.60%
105.20%
675
24.70%
16.40%
350
—
+++
278
39.30%
10.80%
248
4.70%
10.20%
160
38.90%
28.00%
9,579 27.40% 62.60%
Current Cider Market
• Dominated by large breweries seeking
alternative beverages due to lack luster
sales of existing beer lines
• Product development based on combination
of “craft beer”, “local”, “natural” ideals
• Result: similar market occupation across
brands
• Risk: Demise of brand ala “wine cooler”
disaster. Hyper-expansion.
Cider Apples
Cider Apples are
•
•
•
•
•
Low Grade
Any old apple
Over fed
Over watered
Bland
NOT:
Four Divisions of Fruit
• Bittersweet:
High in Tannin, Low in acid
• Sweet:
Low in Tannin, Low in acid
• Bittersharp:
High in Tannin, High in acid
• Sharp:
Low in Tannin, High in acid
What are “Tannins”?
• Phenolic compounds
• Contribute to mouthfeel –
astringency
• Prevalent in ciders from NW France
and SW England – due to apples
grown there.
• NOT prevalent in ciders from
Germany, Switzerland, or E England –
due to apples grown there
• >0.2% is high tannin
Acid in Apples
• Malic acid: “Malus domestica”
• Titratable acid: adds to mouth feel
“sharp”
• pH: low pH (<3.7) decreases
susceptibility of bacterial
contamination during fermentation
• >0.45% is high acid
Bittersharp Apples
•
•
•
•
•
•
Foxwhelp
Kingston Black
Porter’s Perfection
Stoke Red
Worcester
Herefordshire Red Streak
Bittersweet Apples
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dabinett
Major
Michelin
Medaile D’Or
Tremlett’s Bitter
Brown Snout
Chisel Jersey
Sharp Apples
“Classic Cider
Apples”
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crimson King
Brown’s Apple
Tom Putt
Bramley’s Seedling
Breakwell
Frederick
“Standard Apples”
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cox’s Orange Pippin
Esopus Spitzenberg
Gravenstein
Northern Spy
Ribston Pippin
Wealthy
Winesap
Sweet Apples
“Classic Cider
Apples”
•
•
•
•
•
Morgan Sweet
Northwood
Sweet Alford
Sweet Coppin
Reine de reinettes
“Standard Apples”
• Baldwin
• Golden Russet
• Roxbury Russet
• Sops of wine
• Westfield Seek No
Further
• Macintosh
• Rome Beauty
• Grimes Golden
Aromatic Apples
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Macintosh
Baldwin
Esopus Spitzenberg
Golden Russet
Roxbury Russet
Cox’s Orange Pippin
Wealthy
Is that the complete list?
NO!!
• Most all ciders are blends
Very few make a good single varietal cider
(Dabinett, Kingston Black, Foxwhelp)
• Most all apples have something to
contribute
Sugar, Acidity, Tannins, Mouthfeel, Body,
Aroma, Astringency, Volume
What Apples do Cider makers want?
They Don’t, They want
juice!
• Most cider makers do NOT grow
apples
• Most cider makers do NOT press
apples
• Most cider makers buy juice
–
–
Small to medium houses buy in IBCs
Large houses buy in tankers
Growing Apples for the Cider Market
• “Industrial”:
Desire large quantities of cheap
juice with high sugar and some apple
flavor for fermentation and back
adding. (concentrate)
• “Craft”:
Desire niche apples with heritage.
Think NW France, SW England.
“Industrial” Apples
“Craft” (Heirloom) Apples
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Kingston Black
Ashmeads Kernel
Roxbury Russet
Brown Snout
Ellis Bitter
Esopus Spitzenberg
Golden Russet
Baldwin
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Wickson Crab
Tremletts Bitter
Browns Apple
Northern Spy
Dabinett
Sweet Coppin
Major
Medaille D’Or
Growing Apples for YOU
• What are you growing NOW?
• Have you made cider from them?
Good points? Bad points?
Did OTHERS like it?
• What CAN you grow?
Climate, disease, bloom, harvest
• START A STOOL BED!!!!
Try Grafting
More Grafts
Mill and equipment considerations
•
•
•
•
HYGIENE!!!!
Product flow (apples “in”, cider “out”)
Traffic flow (health and safety)
Residency time of product in mill
(months)
• Stainless Steel (304 vs 316L)
• Avoid wood
• Ability to “hose-down” all equipment and
building
Grinder
Rack and Cloth Press
Rack and Cloth Press
Accordion Press
Belt Press
Stainless Steel Tanks
Oak Barrels
Plastic “totes” or IBCs
Bright “Brite” Tank
Hygiene
• The MOST important part of
cider making!!!
• Smooth finishes on all surfaces
• Tri-Clover fittings
• Use factory swaged hoses
• Steel and concrete are best for mill
construction (Think: “milking parlor”)
• Cider is acidic: Avoid copper,
aluminum, iron
Hygiene?
Cleaning Agents
• Since cider is acidic, use a caustic
cleanser
• Use sanitizer after cleanser (e.g.:
SO2)
• Most “Beer” cleaners / sanitizers are
acidic
• Do NOT use chlorine on tanks or
pumps
–
–
Pits stainless
Leaves residue
Packaging
Product “Image”
Promotion
Points NOT covered
• How to ferment
–
–
–
–
–
–
Yeast selection, or “farm style”
Malo-lactic fermentation
Filtration (Cartridge vs. Plate)
Pump selection (Positive Displacement)
Legal considerations
Distribution
Thank You!
• Peter Mitchell
112 Forget Road
Hawley, MA 01339
WWW.HEADWATERCIDER
.COM
[email protected]
om