Five Incredible American Cider Apples

Cider was America’s first drink. Not the apple juice we call cider, but real cider… hard cider. In colonial times the water was not clean enough to drink. The fermentation process that the juice must go through before it becomes hard cider kills most pathogenic bacteria. As a result, in those days there was nothing safer to drink than hard cider. Orchards became a fixture of American farms with most containing apples that were unique to that farm.

Thanks to John Chapman and many others who planted apple seeds in the colonies and across the country, apple trees of American origin emerged. The ability of apples to create many very different combinations of genes contributed to the success of apples in the new world. Each apple seed is as unique as a snowflake, leading to unlimited new apple varieties. Most of these apple seedlings would eventually go the way of the buffalo. However, a small number of these lucky seedlings would have the right combination of genes that would later produce great apples. These varieties were selected and propagated by farmers and horticulturists from all over the country. Of all the apples of American origin, only a handful are truly fit to make great cider, the kind our ancestors drank morning, noon, and night. These apples form the backbone of the list of American cider apples.

camp

Many cider apples are named after the grower who found them or where they came from. This is the case with the Campfield apple, as it is named after a family that lived in eastern New Jersey. According to historical writings, a 50/50 blend of Campfield and Harrison made a “superior quality” cider. Campfield was also said to make a great single varietal cider.

hewe crab

Also known as Virginia Crab, this variety was a favorite of some of the founding fathers, including Thomas Jefferson. In fact, a large Hewe crab farm can still be found in Monticello. Hewe’s Crab makes a very high flavored dry cider. It is unknown when the first Hewe crab tree appeared, but writings from 1817 describe trees of this variety that were already about a hundred years old.

Newtown Pippin

Newtown Pippin is perhaps the oldest American apple, or at least the oldest on record. A single Newtown Pippin tree was found in Queens, New York in 1730. Classified as a mild sweet and sour and I would add very mild, Newtown Pippin will make a wonderful light-bodied cider in its own right and is also well suited to contributing to a blend. The Newtown Pippin apple is also a premium edible apple that ripens in November and does not reach its peak flavor until it has been stored for about a month.

harrison

Of all the American apples, the Harrison story is my favorite. It was discovered around 1770 in New Jersey, and at one point thought to be extinct, lost forever from this earth. It was rediscovered in 1976, just in time to take saplings from the tree before it was cut down. After careful examination and consultation with historical descriptions of the Harrison apple…over the course of 17 years, Tom Burford, a renowned apple expert, determined that it was, in fact, the lost apple. Fortunately for us, Harrison trees were propagated and can be found through various sources.

Wickson’s crab

Unlike the varieties listed above, Wickson’s Crabapple was the product of an intentional breeding program. Bred by Albert Etter by crossing two Crab apples and named after his friend and famed UC Davis pomologist EJ Wickson, this apple can make quality vintage cider. Wickson apples are bitter and tend to be high in sugar and acid, so depending on the year, they may be best used to balance out a low-acid cider.

Where you live will determine how easy it is to find the top apples, whether for eating or hard cider. But if you get the chance, definitely give them a try. Your taste buds will thank you.