Cider apples around Quebec or Montréal

[Antoine Raby]

Hello everyone,

I have been brewing cider for a couple of years now, and it is my first season using actual apples. I have made two batches so far using crabs, wild foraged apples and orchard apples. What low acid sweet or bittersweet apples to use? Is there a place to get them around Quebec or Montréal? It would be a nice addition to blend with the golden russet, ananas reinette (and maybe calville blanc d'hiver) i just found for free !!! The sweet apples would also be a good option to lower the unbelievable acidity of the dolgo cider...

Thanks,

Antoine

[Claude Jolicoeur]

Le lundi 16 octobre 2017 15:51:33 UTC-4, Antoine Raby a écrit :

I have been brewing cider for a couple of years now, and it is my first season using actual apples.

As a matter of curiosity, with what did you "brew" cider with if not with apples???

 

I have made two batches so far using crabs, wild foraged apples and orchard apples. What low acid sweet or bittersweet apples to use? Is there a place to get them around Quebec or Montréal? It would be a nice addition to blend with the golden russet, ananas reinette (and maybe calville blanc d'hiver) i just found for free !!! The sweet apples would also be a good option to lower the unbelievable acidity of the dolgo cider...

Unfortunately, such apples are almost impossible to find in Quebec. Those of us that grow some use them all.
You could try your luck in New Hampshire at Steve Wood's Poverty Lane Orchard in Lebanon, this is about 3 hours drive from Montreal. He grows more than he can use for the ciders he makes (Farnum Hill) and a number of cider makers do get true cider apples from him.
I know some hobbyist cider makers from Montreal got some there last year, and apparently entered Canada without issue with their load of apples.
Claude

[Antoine Raby]

I knew my phrasing was weird writting the message, I have used nothing but apples and i have not ''brewed'' the cider!!! I meant to say it is my first time juicing the apples myself. My question was also about a common Quebec apple that is significantly less acidic than other. Is there such a thing?

Regards,

Antoine

[Claude Jolicoeur]

Le lundi 16 octobre 2017 17:28:59 UTC-4, Antoine Raby a écrit :

My question was also about a common Quebec apple that is significantly less acidic than other. Is there such a thing?

A common one, not really. Some growers may have varieties like Britegold or Honeygold that are less acidic than average (I do like both very much).
Or maybe some may have old varieties such as Pumkin Sweet or Tolman Sweet that have been grown in Quebec, but these aren't planted anymore. The only growers likely to have them are those that have kept their old standard trees.
Good luck...
Claude

[luis.ga...@gmail.com]

I find some of the new variety of desert apple cultivated in Quebec (like Honeycrisp or Gala) are less acidic than the traditionnal apple of the McIntosh type (McIntosh, Empire, Cortland, etc.). I made a test batch with one of those (store bought) once and their acidity was of 0,4%, which can help to lower a blend of more acidic apples.

Another thing that could help you to lower your blend's acidity would be to use a yeast that consume malic acid like 71B, which is easy to find in wine supplie shops.

Louis