New Cider focused member from Eastern Washington.

[pgreensoup]

Hi, Patrick from Eastern Washington. I love beer and appreciate those who home brew, but don't dabble in it myself. I do however make about 50 gallons of hard cider each year. I live on an orchard, and I have plenty of dessert pears, and can get apples for free too, but I've found the difference with cider specific fruit is incredible. In fact, I'm not interested in making dessert apple cider, because I haven't been able to make something I really want to drink. I've had more success with dessert pears, but need to replicate to prove it. I've planted a few trees, but they are not yet producing...maybe three years old. I've planted Harrison, Michelin, Finkenwerder Herbst Prince, Tom Putt, and have grafted Yarlington Mill and Dabinett too. I've got three perry pear trees that are three years old and don't look like they are near ready for production. For now, I'm begging, borrowing and buying. I've found some canyon apple and pear seedlings that have some promise, and am experimenting with that. Also been working with two types of Asian pears. Oh, I'm also trying to press some Quince this year. I built a 3 tap keezer to keg anything worth drinking. Not a great photo below. Looking forward to learning from this group.

 

[JohnSand]

Welcome aboard! I've dabbled in cider making, with mixed results.

 

[madscientist451]

After years of trying to make decent cider from non-cider apples, I‘ve given up and these days only make cider when I can get the right fruit.
Recently I was in the Seattle area and hunted around on FB market place for cider apples. I found several sellers in central Washington, perhaps look there?

 

[JoshuaWhite5522]

Welcome! Been making cider for years here in western WA. I have a few tress on my property tried a 50/50 wild apple and Asian pear this year. Maybe it will be . Best of luck with your cider making!