ABOUT APPLES
About
300,000 tonnes of apples are grown in Hawke’s Bay each year. Most of
these are dessert apples, destined for overseas markets, kids’ lunch boxes and
apple pies. Small, over-sized, damaged and ugly apples are rejected for
eating and a good proportion are turned into juice. Much of this juice is
concentrated and sent overseas for all manner of products. The remaining
rejects are perfect for cider making.
That said, there is a difference between eating apples and cider apples. Cider apples have been developed over the centuries to have a fibrous flesh to help juice extraction and to have heightened levels of tannins and / or acid. Tannins give cider richness and acid provides vibrancy. Many cider cultivars also have great flavours that survive fermentation.
England’s Westcountry is the home of the cider apple. Their cider is a rich, strong blend of apples classified as bitter-sharps, bitter-sweets, sharps and sweets. To the north, in the counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, the ciders are slightly less tannic but still beautifully balanced. Cider apples from this region used in Edgebrook ciders include Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, Dabinett, Knotted Kernel, Tremlett’s Bitter and Broxwood Foxwhelp.
Driving about Hawke’s Bay in Autumn, one cannot help but be astounded by the number of apples rotting on the ground. In fact, about two-thirds of a tree’s crop goes to waste. First, bunches are thinned out to one or two apples to increase size, flavour and quality. This is done chemically and / or by hand. Then, throughout the season, wind causes further apple drop, and at harvest time, pickers will drop any damaged or blemished apples. In the packhouse, damaged, blemished, misshapen or under-coloured apples are rejected and sent off for juicing.
Hail is a very real threat in Hawke’s Bay and can hit at any time of the growing season. Hail damaged fruit is often sent for juice but many growers will simply choose not to harvest their fruit. This provides Edgebrook Cider with the opportunity to have hail-damaged apples grown on as long as possible, picked to bin and be stored for a week or two to further enhance ripeness and flavour. This increases the quality of cider over cool-store fruit significantly. All of Edgebrook’s Festive Cider and much of our Village cider is made from apples destined to be dropped on the ground. The main cultivars used are NZ Rose, NZ Queen, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Fuji and Ballarat.
That said, there is a difference between eating apples and cider apples. Cider apples have been developed over the centuries to have a fibrous flesh to help juice extraction and to have heightened levels of tannins and / or acid. Tannins give cider richness and acid provides vibrancy. Many cider cultivars also have great flavours that survive fermentation.
England’s Westcountry is the home of the cider apple. Their cider is a rich, strong blend of apples classified as bitter-sharps, bitter-sweets, sharps and sweets. To the north, in the counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, the ciders are slightly less tannic but still beautifully balanced. Cider apples from this region used in Edgebrook ciders include Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, Dabinett, Knotted Kernel, Tremlett’s Bitter and Broxwood Foxwhelp.
Driving about Hawke’s Bay in Autumn, one cannot help but be astounded by the number of apples rotting on the ground. In fact, about two-thirds of a tree’s crop goes to waste. First, bunches are thinned out to one or two apples to increase size, flavour and quality. This is done chemically and / or by hand. Then, throughout the season, wind causes further apple drop, and at harvest time, pickers will drop any damaged or blemished apples. In the packhouse, damaged, blemished, misshapen or under-coloured apples are rejected and sent off for juicing.
Hail is a very real threat in Hawke’s Bay and can hit at any time of the growing season. Hail damaged fruit is often sent for juice but many growers will simply choose not to harvest their fruit. This provides Edgebrook Cider with the opportunity to have hail-damaged apples grown on as long as possible, picked to bin and be stored for a week or two to further enhance ripeness and flavour. This increases the quality of cider over cool-store fruit significantly. All of Edgebrook’s Festive Cider and much of our Village cider is made from apples destined to be dropped on the ground. The main cultivars used are NZ Rose, NZ Queen, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Fuji and Ballarat.