Fall Cider prices

[CvilleKevin]

Virginia had a great apple crop this year, but prices are still almost double what they were 3 years ago. I have heard stories about processors from Illinois and Michigan offering to buy entire orchards' output for ridiculous money, which is driving the prices up.

OTOH - The apple growers around here have been getting hammered for years by cheap imports, so its good to see them finally getting some decent money on their apple crop. A lot of farmers will be able to get new tractors and fix up their barns this Spring and thousands of new trees will be planted this Fall. And even with the spike in prices, a keg of good cider is still pretty inexpensive to make. So yeah, it kinda sucks that good juice isnt dirt cheap anymore, but its not going to slow us down. My friends and I are getting 120 gallons of juice on Thursday.

 

[todd46]

I know it's not 100% fresh pressed, but Motts Natural is actually pretty damn tasty and a good option. Its a combo of fresh pressed and concentrate, with no preservatives or additives. Looks like cider, tastes like cider. I just started a one gallon batch on Saturday - you can get a gallon for $5 on sale, 50 cents more regular. So, not perfect but it's an option

 

[m_stodd]

A few weeks ago I paid $10/gallon for 75% cider 25% pear west of Milwaukee. It was pressed right in front of me, and picked 30 minutes before. I was told that the yield keeps getting better throughout the season, so hopefully the price will go down a bit.

After doing some research, it looks like the weekend of Sept. 15th is when more orchards will start to have cider in SE WI.

 

[motobrewer]

where'd you go m stodd?

 

[FishOn69]

I ended up paying $6.50 a gallon near Burlington VT. Owner said that a lot of orchards are not making cider in bulk this year. Rather they are selling to companies like Gerber for higher prices.

 

[furner]

Grand Rapids, MI here. One mill that I bought at last year said probably no bulk sales. They brew cider commercially so I can understand they probably cant get enough to fill their brewery orders let alone selling bulk to the public.
Another mill I bought at last year said they will be selling but at a higher price. Not sure how high but they were really cheap and considering the situation I wouldnt mind paying double to get some.

 

[zazbnf]

Local orchard here quoted our club members $5 gallon for bulk fresh cider.

 

[LeBreton]

Virginia had a great apple crop this year, but prices are still almost double what they were 3 years ago. I have heard stories about processors from Illinois and Michigan offering to buy entire orchards' output for ridiculous money, which is driving the prices up.

OTOH - The apple growers around here have been getting hammered for years by cheap imports, so its good to see them finally getting some decent money on their apple crop. A lot of farmers will be able to get new tractors and fix up their barns this Spring and thousands of new trees will be planted this Fall. And even with the spike in prices, a keg of good cider is still pretty inexpensive to make. So yeah, it kinda sucks that good juice isnt dirt cheap anymore, but its not going to slow us down. My friends and I are getting 120 gallons of juice on Thursday.

Good to hear VA is having a good year, lived down there for a couple of years and enjoyed the ciders and nice folks at Albemarle Ciderworks in your neck of the woods. Now if only y'all could learn to spell 'Newtown Pippin' correctly!

 

[ebstauffer]

Here in Indianapolis Im paying $9.75 / gallon for local cider.

 

[Kingofi88]

Picked up some Sunday in the Chicago burbs. Pressed in front of me at $7.00 a gallon. I'm going to mix it with some store bought stuff and hope it turns out.

 

[m_stodd]

motobrewer, This is where I went, place was a little tough to find, but it was a pretty cool place in the end.

map

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/grd/3224221763.html

http://blacksheepenterprises.webs.com

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I'm expecting to pay between $8 & $9 per gallon of the brown, cloudy stuff that's mostly Mac juice.

 

[Sambecker1]

Paid $4.50 a gallon at Strites Orchard in Harrisburg PA this past weekend. Helluva deal!

 

[BWN]

The local cider mill near me charged 5.25 a gallon last year. They don't grow their own apples just press them. This year it is 3.89 a half gallon and they are not even selling it by the gallon or to the local stores. So I guess it will be store bought apple juice for me. They did say they plan on buying 1000 acres of orchards next year though.

 

[levifunk]

A friend owns an apple orchard and he said wholesale juice apple prices have quadrupled. Good for him...

 

[fl4tdriven]

My local cider mill is charging 5.25 a gallon this year.

 

[mojorader]

You're lucky! I just called for prices and here in SE Michigan they are asking $10/gal !

 

[carltjones]

Picked up 10 gallons for $50 in West MI for frozen cider. Prices will be going up to $6-7 gallon. Hill Bros estimates less than 15% production.

 

[diabeastie]

A local orchard/cider maker quoted me $50 for 5 gallons of a mix of bittersharp and bittersweet. He is the first producer in WA state that sells non-sweet/drinking cider that I have found. I will probably end up picking up 10 gallons to experiment with since this is the first time I have found non-sweet/drinking cider.

It looks like we are having our 2nd biggest crop ever here in WA, I bet a lot of it ends up elsewhere in the country. Not sure what impact this will have on the fresh drinking cider market, my guess would be that we will see average prices ($6-10 a gallon).

 

[TyTanium]

Picked up some Sunday in the Chicago burbs. Pressed in front of me at $7.00 a gallon. I'm going to mix it with some store bought stuff and hope it turns out.

Where?

 

[MarkKF]

In CT I was quoted $4/gal yesterday

 

[UpstateMike]

Just got back from Wegmans. 3 quarts of apple juice just went up from $2.89 to $4.29.

However, I also saw that a gallon of Musslemans Cider at Walmart is $3.00 this week, down from $4.48.

 

[jkingery79]

Picked up 3 gallons in central Illinois back on Friday. 8 bucks a gallon, around 4 a half gallon. Had to get a little extra just to drink.

 

[biochemedic]

Apples did pretty good this year in NC, I guess...my LHBS pressed over 3 tons of apples and charged 5.99 per gallon (it was $5 if you pre-ordered it ahead of time...)

 

[Kolenka]

A local orchard/cider maker quoted me $50 for 5 gallons of a mix of bittersharp and bittersweet. He is the first producer in WA state that sells non-sweet/drinking cider that I have found. I will probably end up picking up 10 gallons to experiment with since this is the first time I have found non-sweet/drinking cider.

Where in WA is this? My bulk orders have currently been going to Skagit Fresh, but I'm always up for getting a bit of diversity. Although that is double what I'm paying now.

 

[Pommeau]

My cost is ~ $3.60/gallon.
but...this is the important part, previous poster is right, wholesale prices are up.
Seven years ago it was $5/bushel, last year was $7, this year......$9.00 a bushel fir cider apples.

Sure beats $.99 pund for grocery store apples though.