East Coast sources of true cider apples?

[landwaster]

Hi all -- live in Pittsburgh and been getting your typical apples from a local orchard. Ready to upgrade to cider apples, but not sure where to start looking. Does anyone know of orchards on the East coast selling cider apples to the public? I'm thinking Virginia might be a good source since there a decent number of cideries there. Just not sure that they will sell to the amateur.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hicks in Upstate NY press for home cider-makers. My LHBS takes orders. Other orchards agree to allow us to bring carboys or buckets that they fill.

 

[forestbeekeeper]

Apple juice is unfermented. Apple cider is fermented.

Better ciders tend to be mixtures of different varieties.

Consider a high-sugar variety like the 'Sweet 16' or 'Minnesota 447' [also called sugar cones].

Then you need some tart varieties like: Prima, Cortland, Esopus Spitzenburg, and Golden Russet.

These are the six varieties of apple we have in our orchard.

 

[madscientist451]

Apple juice is unfermented. Apple cider is fermented.

I wish it WAS that simple to define, but it just isn't so.

To the OP: I'm planting some cider apples and am not far from Pittsburgh, PM me in 3 years or so. Go Steelers.

 

[Pyg]

Hicks in Upstate NY press for home cider-makers. My LHBS takes orders. Other orchards agree to allow us to bring carboys or buckets that they fill.

Ditto on what Bernard said!
Upstate Ny has some great orchards that grow tremendous apples!

 

[CvilleKevin]

https://www.orangepippin.com/orchards/united-states/pennsylvania

 

[WVMJ]

American Cider Apples or Euro Cider Apples?

 

[forestbeekeeper]

I wish it WAS that simple to define, but it just isn't so.

I know. I lived in the UK for 8 years.

Returning to the USA, it is easy to see the impact that prohibition has had on our culture.

 

[landwaster]

Just to clarify, I'm looking for those specific hard cider varieties -- bittersweet and bittersharps -- like ashmead, pippin, kingston black, etc.

As far as I know, there's only one orchard in western PA and they just planted them last year for their own hard cider.