Is Cider Seasonal?

Just started delving in Cider this fall. We have a local orchard that supplies gallon jugs to be sold at my supermarket. The question just hit me the other day...is cider seasonal? Is it safe to assume that I am not going to see this cider in the store for much longer??

 

Yeah it's fairly dependent on the apple harvest in the fall. You can use regular apple juice the rest of the year. Just make sure to check the label for preservatives.

 

I know here in S Florida you can get Publix brand cider all year long,its not as good as straight from the mill but its pretty darn close and works great i have learned.

 

For this very reason I bought 20 gallons to last me through winter spring and summer here up north. Garwood orchard was still pressing apples up to Dec 23rd. I'm not one to make cider from watery crap you can buy at the supermarket so I figured is stock up. It also keeps my million carboy basement running nicely while I dream up my next concoction.

Short answer is that the seasons are dependent upon climate. I'm sure the southern states press nearly year round where here its just too flipping cold to expect trees to produce fruit all year.

 

In Upstate NY, most of the local orchards say they close up around Thanksgiving, and usually by Christmas. But I have found that if you call they might still have some they will part with.

 

Same here in CT. I got a couple carboys and some WL yeast for Christmas and now I can't find any cider. Guess it will be frozen juice this time.

 

Some orchards will have apples stored away that they will press at later months. The apple blend will change however. I think I've seen cider up to march last year. I was going with a gallon every few weeks.

The orchards themselves will close to the public, however they may still sell the cider elsewhere. For example, wasem fruit farm in Michigan only has their orchard open to visitors in the fall/winter. (not counting the summer berry picking though.) However, they sell their cider at the local farmer's market past December.

I have to pick up about 5 gallons soon.

But beyond that, like any agricultural product, there is a limit to how much you will see. Any cider found in the summer, for example, would be derived from apples either out of season, or from an outside source that has just had their season. Which is why where I am, I have michigan apples in the fall/winter and New Zealand apples in the Summer.

 

I take it you only want to use premade cider...

I do my apple picking in September on Long Island since its a shorter drive for me from the city than Upstate NY. This year, I made enough cider based on real apples and store bought apple juice and it was great. I really don't see the need, especially for the recipe that I used, to have farm fresh cider.

Please note, technically I didn't make cider...I made an 18.6% apple spirit or apple wine...whatever you want to call it.

 

You can buy apple juice and some ciders all year long. But most of the ciders past season are full of preservatives. Fresh cider is tied into the fall. Most cider mills in Michgan close around turkey day.

 

Just be glad you don't live in Winnipeg... I was reading posts about people "picking apples" well after our apple farms were closed down for the year (due to our first frost). Some places have shorter season then others!

 

Buy plenty of jugs of your favorite fresh cider in the fall, and freeze them for later use.

 

Then you can make 'ice cider'. The Quebecquois do this by freezing the unfermented cider, letting it thaw some, pulling out the chunk of ice and then fermenting the nice, highgravity remainder. Supposed to be like German Ice Wine. Only apple not grape in flavor.

 

Does the sugar in cider lower it's freezing point? I'm trying that already, and it's been 26 degrees outside for days, still no ice in the carboy.

 

I don't know if Beardsley freezes any of his pressed/UV treated juice but it could be worth the phone call.

 

I got an email, none til Labor Day.