California crab apples - good or not?
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flars
Well-Known Member
Just read an article in "Wine Enthusiast" about ciders. Crab apples make the best according to this author. Crabs have a common background of tart and tannic.
Go for a tart and dry cider.
Go for a tart and dry cider.
I agree. I typically shoot for 5-10% crab apples by weight, the tannins and acid make a world of difference. But, saying "use crab apples for cider" is like akin to saying "use grains for beer". I'm wondering about this specific breed of crabs... hoping someone's got some experience with them!
gregbathurst
Well-Known Member
If you are talking wild growing crabs, the only way to know is to try them. Don't pick too early, crabs will be better if you leave them to ripen, but then you might have to fight with birds for the fruit. Test with a refractometer and an acid titration kit, that will give you a better idea. You can tell how much tannin is there by the furry-mouth tannin taste.
I'm talking commercially grown apples. But, the farmers are farmers, not cidermakers... they don't know much about acid or tannins.
The only surefire way is to buy them and see. But I'm still holding out for someone with experience with those particular apples to get some info beforehand
The only surefire way is to buy them and see. But I'm still holding out for someone with experience with those particular apples to get some info beforehand
gregbathurst
Well-Known Member
They sell crab apples commercially? I hadn't heard of that. All apple cultivars should have a correct name. If you find out the name it would help a lot.
gregbathurst
Well-Known Member
So, I just looked it up - Malus fusca, native from California to Washington. The fruit sound quite small and acidic, they might be low in sugar, but you never know most crabs are high in sugar but so tart they don't seem sweet.
Should be well worth using as an addition to cider, probably a good source of tannin and acid, maybe some good flavours there. Would be a buzz making cider from a native tree.
Should be well worth using as an addition to cider, probably a good source of tannin and acid, maybe some good flavours there. Would be a buzz making cider from a native tree.
gratus fermentatio
Well-Known Member
Mixing the juice of crab apples with regular store bought apple juice (in a good ratio) will result in a very tasty cider! The acids & tannins in the crab apples really do make a difference, especially with a dry cider. As to the ratio, You'll have to experiment to see what YOU like, but I'd say start with about 5% crab apple juice & go from there. I've heard of people making cider/wine from just the crab apples, but I've never tasted any; Yooper has a recipe for crab apple wine that sounds good, you might be able to adapt it to cider:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f79/crabapple-wine-51010/
Regards, GF.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f79/crabapple-wine-51010/
Regards, GF.
Thanks everyone! Good info.
I'm trying to get them down in the San Luis Obispo area. The supplier I've found seems to be national though: http://www.24hourbestbuy.com/
I'm trying to get them down in the San Luis Obispo area. The supplier I've found seems to be national though: http://www.24hourbestbuy.com/
gregbathurst
Well-Known Member
According to the internet they grow wild on the margins of swamps, but aren't usually cultivated. If you could find a swamp with a good stand of crabs you could pick them yourself.
I do want them badly, and I want them more often than I can get here. 10 pounds of crabs will go a long way...
If anyone can recommend a better source, I'm all ears!
Swamps are terribly difficult to find in California. Maybe if I drove out to Florida...
If anyone can recommend a better source, I'm all ears!
Swamps are terribly difficult to find in California. Maybe if I drove out to Florida...
gratus fermentatio
Well-Known Member
Around here, there are a LOT of people who plant them as ornamentals & just let the fruit fall to the ground, much of it rots, a lot gets sucked up by the lawn mower & the rest get raked up & thrown away.
Granted these are the really small crab apples, they're a little bigger than a big cherry. A PITA to deal with, but they're chock full of those wonderfull acids & tannins that when blended with regular store bought apple juice, can make a ho-hum cider really pop.
Take a drive around the neighborhood & see if you can find a couple of crabapple trees in somebody's yard. If you ask them nicely, they might let you come pick those crabapples this autumn. That's what I did & I've got a standing invitation to pick fruit from 3 different people & 1 restaurant. Just make certain they're the edible type of fruit, get the tree ID'd at your county extension office.
Regards, GF.
Granted these are the really small crab apples, they're a little bigger than a big cherry. A PITA to deal with, but they're chock full of those wonderfull acids & tannins that when blended with regular store bought apple juice, can make a ho-hum cider really pop.
Take a drive around the neighborhood & see if you can find a couple of crabapple trees in somebody's yard. If you ask them nicely, they might let you come pick those crabapples this autumn. That's what I did & I've got a standing invitation to pick fruit from 3 different people & 1 restaurant. Just make certain they're the edible type of fruit, get the tree ID'd at your county extension office.
Regards, GF.
