water core apples for cider

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bcarwile123

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Oct 4, 2025, 3:21:48 PM (8 days ago) Oct 4
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Hello everyone.    

I picked half of my Blacktwig apples here in Virginia (USA) and will pick the other half tomorrow.  These are my favorite all purpose apples and I use them in my cider, fry them and always save a bushel or so to store in the fridge for eating. They keep till new Years. 

I cut one to sample and eat right after picking today and was sorry to see that it had severe water core.  Blacktwig apples normally are fairly tart when first picked but slowly mellow in storage and over time lose most of the tartness.   After seeing the water core, I cut three more and all were badly water cored and they showed no sign of the usual tartness that I really like for fresh eating.  

Will these apples be O.K. for cider?   Several sources online say they are OK for cider and that they will ferment and finish with some residual sweetness.   Has anyone made cider with water cored apples and if so what kind of cider resulted?

Thanks much.       

Bill Carwile

dick kirk

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Oct 4, 2025, 9:20:07 PM (7 days ago) Oct 4
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I can’t imagine them retaining enough taste for a good cider. Tartness (acid plus sugar) is key to good cider, along with “sharpness” (tannins”. Let us know how it tastes if you go ahead and juice them. I’ll be interested, & hope I’m wrong.
Dick (Dungbeetle) Kirk

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Bill Carwile

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Oct 5, 2025, 9:13:23 AM (7 days ago) Oct 5
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Dick,  

I picked one tree yesterday and the water core is extensive.

I picked a couple from my second tree this morning and they are fine with no sign of water core and normal taste and texture. So I will pick today. Hopefully not all is lost.  I do love the tartness of my black twigs. 

Mark Fitzsimmons

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Oct 5, 2025, 5:14:43 PM (6 days ago) Oct 5
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The increased sorbitol will leave a sweeter finish and drinking a lot of it can cause loose bowels. In the future, pick more of those apples early so that tartness remains and you should have less water core. I always find my ciders that include some fruit that is underripe to be better tasting, but of course it depends on the variety and the location.

Bill Carwile

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Oct 5, 2025, 8:40:15 PM (6 days ago) Oct 5
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Historically my black twigs ripen around 10-5 to 10-10.  I was busy with other stuff and did not check the trees for a couple of days then checked them on 10-4 and a few had dropped and the rest seemed ready to pick. NOne tree had a lot of water core the other tree had little to no water core. But the flavor of the non water core apples is not as good as is typical for black twigs, at least to my taste.  Moose you loose, I guess.
Bill

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