Cider/Perry Favourites

History: Maypole was developed in 1976 by Plant Breeding International at the East Malling Research Station in the UK as a cross between Wijcik Spur McIntosh and Baskatong. Wijcik Spur McIntosh originated as a mutation discovered on a McIntosh tree in 1962 in the Wijcik Orchards in British Columbia, the branch growing oddly straight with little branching. Several varieties were deliberately bred to have this mutation and now Maypole, released in 1986, is one of six columnar varieties developed at the station. This series of trees is known as Ballerina in the UK but due to that name being unavailable in the US, they are known as Colonnade in North America. 

Why We Grow It: Not only is Maypole unique as a columnar apple, this crabapple also boasts lovely red flesh, bronze coloured leaves, and pretty pink blossoms in the spring. This makes it overall a lovely ornamental tree to have, whether planted in the yard or in a pot. The fruit is also excellent for jelly, apple butter, and cider, adding a red hue to each. It can also be eaten fresh although it tends to be quite acidic with a touch of sweetness.

History: John McIntosh planted several apple seedlings upon settling in Dundela, Ontario. From these, he discovered the famous McIntosh apple as a seedling in his orchard. The family began selling the fruit and grafted McIntosh trees in 1835 and in 1870 it entered commercial production. By the 1900s it was one of the most popular apples in northeastern North America, although its popularity waned over time as varieties such as Gala were introduced. Nonetheless, McIntosh apples still remain some of the most popular in North America. The original tree died in 1906 after being damaged by a house fire and a commemorative plaque marks where it stood. The apple has since been named Canada's national fruit. The Macintosh line of Apple computers was also named after this variety.

Why We Grow It: For fans of Canadian heritage apples in particular, this one is hard to beat. To the best of our knowledge, this is the original strain of McIntosh. Aside from its storied past, McIntosh apples boast soft, slightly tart flesh with high Vitamin C content. It is excellent for fresh eating and making applesauce.

History: Medaille d'Or was raised from a seed by Monsieur Goddard in Rouen, France. In 1873 the apple was awarded a gold medal by the Societe Centrale D’Horticulture de Departement de la Seine Inferieure and in 1884 was brought to England by the Woolhope Naturalist's Field Club where it became established as a classic English cider apple.

Why We Grow It: It is easy to see why this apple was popular in both France and England with its yellow-gold skin and excellent cider qualities. This apple produces a fruity juice with high alcohol content and is very high in tannins. It makes a great single-variety cider.

History: Michelin was raised by a French nurseryman in Normandy where it first bore fruit in 1872. It was named after pomologist Henri Michelin who studied cider varieties. In 1884 the Woolhope Field Naturalist's Club brought Michelin along with Medaille d'Or back to England where it became one of the most commonly planted cider varieties by the 1900s. 

Why We Grow It: These juicy apples produce good quantities of bittersweet juice that make a nice addition to cider blends. The trees start producing fruit at a young age and have large, reliable crops. They have preformed well in recent studies at the Vineland Research station in our Canadian growing conditions. 

History: Miki* Life was bred in Hirosaki City, Japan in 1981 by Seiichi Kudo and patented in 1996. It is a cross between two popular Japanese varieties: Tsugaru and Senshu.

*without knowing how the name is written in Japanese, it is difficult to say what 'miki' translates to but it could be 'beautiful tree'

Why We Grow It: Like many other Japanese varieties, Miki Life is a lovely red apple that is all sweetness with no acidity. These juicy apples can also be used to help bulk up cider and add alcohol by adding more sugars.

History: Mindemoya Maroon was discovered near Mindemoya, Ontario by Wayne Kuntze when he was vacationing on Manitoulin Island with his family in 2020. It, along with Mindemoya, were found growing wild along Lake Mindemoya. It was named for the location where it was found and the red flesh of the crabapple. We are happy to officially introduce this variety to the world in 2023!

Why We Grow It: Always excited to try new things, Mindemoya Maroon is hard to turn down with its bright red flesh. For those who like really tart apples, it is not bad for fresh eating but would likely be better for jelly or potentially cider. Red-fleshed varieties often produce a lovely red juice, adding visual appeal to whatever they're used in!

This is a brand new variety and we're still learning about it! For any avid apple growers who decide to plant these out, feel free to keep us updated on how it grows, what you use the fruit for, etc, so we can provide as much information as possible!

History: Little is known about Muscadet de Dieppe aside from the fact it originated near the port of Dieppe in Normandy, France. It was commonly grown in the area since 1750 at least. 

Why We Grow It: Considering this French cider variety was popular in an area known for its cider, this makes for a classic cider apple. The juice is bittersweet and aromatic which is excellent in both single-variety ciders and cider blends.

History: Also known as Albemarle Pippin. This apple was discovered as a chance seedling (aka a pippin) in the village of Newtown in New York sometime in the late 1600s or early 1700s. It was commonly grown in colonial America, even earning praise from both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. In 1838, the American minister to Great Britain gave some to Queen Victoria who loved the apples so much she removed tariffs on the variety and they became an important export until the tariffs were reinstated during WW2. 

Why We Grow It: Newtown Pippin's popularity can be ascribed to its unique ‘rich pineapple flavour’ which it develops under optimum growing conditions. So far it has been performing well in our test orchard with good vigour and we have had no issues with diseases despite the tree's general susceptibility. 

History: Noël des Champs (translated from French as 'Christmas Field') emerged in the Normandy region of France in the 1800s. It has remained a well-regarded apple and is one of thirteen apples prized for cider production in the Pays d'Auge region.

Why We Grow It: This rare cider apple is bittersweet with small, flattish fruits. They are dark red with some striping. As its prestige suggests, this is a good quality cider apple. The tree tends to start bearing fruit at a young age.

History: Nonpareil originated in France although no one is sure quite how old it is or what its exact origins are. We do know that it was brought over to England sometime in the 1500s where it gained more popularity due to its pear-drop flavour. It can still be found at markets, farmgate sales, and in gardens in England to this day and is believed to be the ancestor of the popular European variety Ashmead's Kernel. 

Why We Grow It: Nonpareil is not much to look at with its dull yellow-green russet skin but it packs a flavourful punch: sweet-sharp with notes of pear-drops. The fruits hangs onto the tree well and stores for several months. It is mainly used for fresh eating but can be added to cider blends as well. The tree is naturally more compact and has moderate vigour.

History: Little is known about this variety aside from the fact it originated in France and was widely grown in Austria. It has historically been popular in both countries. Its name translated from German means Normandy Cider Pear, which may point to its place of origin or at least where it was most popular in France. 

Why We Grow It: Normannischen-Ciderbirne produces small, russeted pears  that are a greenish-yellow. The fruit produces high quality juice for perry.

History: Pine Golden Pippin's exact origins are unknown, but it is quite an old variety that either originated in northern England or in Scotland. It was first formally described by nursery worker Thomas Rivers in A Descriptive Catalogue of Fruit Trees in 1863. In 1875, Robert Hogg claimed that Pine Golden Pippin was one of the best fresh eating apples around in his book The Fruit Manual. 

Why We Grow It: Robert Hogg was correct about Pine Golden Pippin! Despite the small size of the fruit, it makes up for it with crisp and juicy fruit with a sweet/sharp flavour that has a hint of pineapple and resin. The fruit is great for fresh eating and can also be used in cider blends. It tends to be slower growing but produces good crops. 

History: The origins of Pomme Gris (translated as 'gray apple' from French) are a bit of a mystery. It may have originated in France in the 1600s as either a seedling or sport of the variety Reinette Gris which was then brought to Quebec by French or Swiss colonizers. Alternatively, it may have its origins in Quebec, perhaps being grown and propagated in Canada from the start. The first instance of this variety's documentation was by a William Forsyth in 1803 who believed the apple originated in Canada and made its way to Europe sometime in the 1700s. Regardless, this variety was grown in Quebec for centuries. 

Why We Grow It: Pomme Gris is an excellent all-purpose apple! Although not the prettiest apple in the world, it is crisp, juicy, and aromatic with a nutty flavour and hints of vanilla. It was really a standout when our tree first produced fruit a couple years ago! The fruit can also be used for cooking and the apple would likely be a good addition to cider blends. 

History: Porter's Perfection originated in Somerset in the UK some time in the 1800s. It became extremely popular in England although its popularity began to wane following the 1910s. It is still grown today but not as commonly as it once was. It shows promising results in the North American climate, unlike some other European cider cultivars.

Why We Grow It: This English cider apple produces a medium bittersharp cider. It has done well in different studies in Ontario with the Vineland Research Station with regards to juice composition, disease resistance and overall performance. The tree is a heavy cropper and grows vigorously.

History: Little is known about this variety aside from that it originated in the Brittany region of France in the 1800s. The variety is held in high esteem as a traditional French cider variety. Translated from French, its name means 'Queen of Apples.'

Why We Grow It: Reine des Pommes produces a bold, fragrant flavoured bittersweet cider that is quite unique. It is good both as a single-variety cider and in blends. The tree is fairly vigorous and produces good crops. 

History: Rouville apples were created by R.L. Granger and G.L. Rouselle in 1962 at the Agriculture and Agri-food Canada research centre located in St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. The variety was introduced in 1983.

Why We Grow It: This lovely Quebec cider apple has a wonderful bitter-sweetness that is great for fresh eating and juicing and sauce. It is resistant to scab and has grown very well in our test orchard.

History: Roxbury Russet is the oldest American apple still under cultivation. It was discovered around 1650 in Roxbury, near Boston. These apples were well-known for their long keeping ability and qualities for cider making. They were grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello and are even referenced in one of Nathanial Hawthorne's novels. Due to the russet skin, these apples have never achieved true commercial success but they can still be commonly found in American farmer's markets. 

Why We Grow It: Aside from its historic roots, Roxbury Russet is an excellent all-around apple that can be eaten fresh, used in cooking, and made into a great cider. It has a nice flavour that is sweet and sharp. This variety is also a good choice for organic orchards.

History: Somerset Redstreak originated in Somerset, England in the early 1900s. This cider apple is still widely planted in the UK.

Why We Grow It: These attractive apples, yellow with red blush and striping, create a nice bittersweet juice with no sharpness. 

History: Spigold (aka Spy Gold) was developed at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York and released in 1962. It is a cross between Red Spy and Golden Delicious that has remained somewhat popular in North America. 

Why We Grow It: Spigold marries the best qualities of Golden Delicious and Red Spy. It produces very large apples that are crisp and juicy with a honeyed sweet/tart flavour. These large apples are excellent for fresh eating, making applesauce, baking into pies, and making into cider. They also store quite well and some say the flavour actually improves in storage. 

History: Not to be confused with Stembridge Cluster, Stembridge Jersey was introduced in Somerset, England, in the 1950s. To this day it remains a popular variety in UK cider orchards.

Why We Grow It: The good-quality bittersweet juice produced by this variety explains why it is still popular in the UK. Although Stembridge Jersey suffers from a tendency to only produce fruit every other year, it does produce good crops in those alternate years and is relatively disease resistant.  

History: This English cider apple originated in and was named after Rodney Stoke, a small village in Somerset, England. It was discovered around 1920 and has been popular in England since. 

Why We Grow It: Stoke Red produces a great bittersharp juice that is well-regarded for cider making. As an added bonus, it is a heavy cropper and resistant to scab.

History: Summer Rambo was first described in 1535 in France where it is known as Rambour d'Ete, named for its early ripening and the village of Rambures. It arrived in colonial America where it was called Summer Rambour which became Summer Rambo sometime before the 1850s. Its short shelf life means it never reached commercial success but it is a popular early apple at u-pick orchards and farmers' markets.

Why We Grow It: Summer Rambo produces oblong apples that are green with a red blush that ripen relatively early in the summer. This crisp, aromatic apple has a wine-like flavour that is good for fresh eating, cider, and sauce. Although it does not store well, it is a delightful summer treat!

History: Sweet Coppin originated in Devon, England, in the early 1700s. It was grow on a relatively large scale in the 1800s before its popularity waned, although it has since made a comeback and is grown around the world. 

Why We Grow It: While this old English cider apple has a very good but mild flavour that is suitable for fresh eating, it is most well known for its cider qualities. It produces a full sweet cider of vintage quality

History: Little is known about the origins of Taynton Squash. Its name is derived from the village of Taynton in England where it was discovered at the parish. It was possibly discovered at some point in the 17th century as writings on it from 1811 describe it as an old variety. It was noted at the time for producing an excellent perry although now it is considered rather average.

Why We Grow It: This ancient English perry pear produces 4-5cm round green fruits in heavy crops. They should be blet for two days at most before being turned into perry, of which they make an average quality single-variety perry. 

All around the world, the public’s taste for fermented cider has been growing more rapidly than at any time in the past 150 years. And with the growing interest in locally grown and artisanal foods, many new cideries are springing up all over North America, often started up by passionate amateurs who want to take their cider to the next level as small-scale craft producers.

To make the very best cider—whether for yourself, your family, and friends or for market—you first need a deep understanding of the processes involved, and the art and science behind them. Fortunately, The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is here to help. Author Claude Jolicoeur is an internationally known, award-winning cider maker with an inquiring, scientific mind. His book combines the best of traditional knowledge and techniques with up-to-date, scientifically based practices to provide today’s cider makers with all the tools they need to produce high-quality ciders.

The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is divided into five parts containing:

• An accessible overview of the cider making process for beginners;
• Recommendations for selecting and growing cider-appropriate apples;
• Information on juice-extraction equipment and directions on how to build your own grater mill and cider press;
• A discussion of the most important components of apple juice and how these may influence the quality of the cider;
• An examination of the fermentation process and a description of methods used to produce either dry or naturally sweet cider, still or sparkling cider, and even ice cider.

This book will appeal to both serious amateurs and professional cider makers who want to increase their knowledge, as well as to orchardists who want to grow cider apples for local or regional producers. Novices will appreciate the overview of the cider-making process, and, as they develop skills and confidence, the more in-depth technical information will serve as an invaluable reference that will be consulted again and again. This book is sure to become the definitive modern work on cider making.

A mechanical engineer by profession, Claude Jolicoeur first developed his passion for apples and cider after acquiring a piece of land on which there were four rows of old abandoned apple trees. He started making cider in 1988 using a “no-compromise” approach, stubbornly searching for the highest possible quality. Since then, his ciders have earned many awards and medals at competitions, including a Best of Show at the prestigious Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (GLINTCAP).

Claude actively participates in discussions on forums like the Cider Digest, and is regularly invited as a guest speaker to events such as the annual Cider Days festival in western Massachusetts. He lives in Quebec City.

History: Thorne was discovered in Gloucestershire, England, in 1670. It was originally grown for cooking and fresh eating but is now primarily used to make perry. It is still commonly grown for perry production in England today. 

Why We Grow It: This is the most reliable of the English perry pears for Canadian growing. Although this pear can be eaten fresh, it packs an astringent punch and is best made into a good perry instead.

History: Thunderchild is a crabapple that was developed by Percy Wright, a prairie plant breeder in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Although it is unknown when exactly Thunderchild was created, it likely came about in the 1900s and can still be seen as a common ornamental tree in the area.

Why We Grow It: Thunderchild makes for a lovely ornamental tree with a profusion of pink blossoms in the spring and deep red foliage. The tiny dark red fruits it produces can be used in cider blends and to make jellies with a gorgeous orange hue. The tree is quite cold hardy and generally disease resistant. 

History: Little is known about the origin of this heritage apple, but Tolman Sweet has been highly valued since its discovery. It is uncertain whether it came from Massachusetts or New York in the 18th or 19th century but it was first recorded in 1822. This hardy tree was used as a source of rootstock at one time.

Why We Grow It: Tolman Sweet is a great all-purpose apple. The fruit are medium-sized with yellow skin, and have a distinctly sweet, dry flesh. They are nice for fresh eating but can also be used in baking, drying, and pickling. Their unusually low acid content helps to reduce acidity in both sweet and hard cider.

For the most up-to-date information see Claude Jolicoeur's website here!

History: This particular iteration of Trail, previously referred to as Bilodeau, has a bit of a messy history. A Trail crabapple tree was mislabeled at a Quebec nursery in the 1980s and sold to an unknowing customer named Claude Bilodeau who thought he was purchasing a pear tree. Later on Claude Jolicoeur, well-known Quebecois cider-maker and pomologist, took a cutting from this tree and found that the fruit (definitely not a pear!) was excellent for making cider. Since it was still a mystery what the original variety was, the crabapple was named Bilodeau by Jolicoeur after the owner of the tree - only for Paul Kron from the University of Guelph to confirm that it was actually Trail via DNA testing in 2022. The Trail crab was bred at Ottawa from a cross of Northern Queen x Rideau, it was selected in 1913 and introduced in 1920.

Why We Grow It: Despite the confusion, we are regardless happy to have this apple in our catalogue! This bittersharp cider apple has excellent cider-making qualities and, unlike most crabapples, is also great when eaten fresh or made into jelly!