When is cider made?
Cider is made after the apple harvest, which in Normandy runs from September to November. Apples may be stored for up to a month first so starch turns to sugar, then they are pressed and fermented over the following weeks. New cider is often ready in winter or spring; Basque cider houses open the new season in mid-January.
Updated
The cider year
| Stage | When | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apple harvest (Normandy) | September to November | [1] |
| "Sweating" (storing ripe apples) | Up to one month after harvest | [2] |
| Pressing and fermentation | Weeks after harvest; fermentation 10 days to 4 weeks | [2] |
| Maturation | 2–6 months | [2] |
| Ice cider pressing (Quebec) | 1 December to 1 March | [3] |
| New cider season (Basque Country) | Mid-January to April | [4] |
Why wait after picking?
PNW 621: "It is traditionally considered necessary to store apples up to one month after harvest for uniform ripening, which is referred to as sweating." The aim is to turn as much starch as possible into sugar. [2] Storage has limits: soluble pectin builds up and can make apples slimy to press, and varieties differ, from 4–6 months for Dabinett to 1–2 months for Harry Masters' Jersey. [2] Apple choice is covered in best apples for cider.
When is new cider ready?
After fermentation and maturation, typically in winter or spring. In the Basque Country, cider houses open the new harvest's cider from the barrel from mid-January to April. [4] For the timings in detail, see how long does cider take to ferment. Quebec ice cider follows its own calendar, because it needs winter cold; see the glossary entry for ice cider.
When can I see cider being made?
At pressing time in autumn many makers and cider houses are busiest; harvest festivals in apple regions often include pressing demonstrations, as the Pays d'Auge tourist office describes for Normandy. [1] See what is a cider festival and the guide on how cider is made.
Related answers: how long fermentation takes · how ice cider is made
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Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
When is the cider season in the Basque Country?
From mid-January, when "Txotx!" announces the new cider, until April; the 2026 season ran from 13 January to 1 May. [4] See the glossary entry for sagardotegi and where to buy Spanish cider.
When is ice cider pressed?
Under Quebec's rules, from 1 December to 1 March, using natural cold only. [3] See how ice cider is made.
Can cider be made all year?
Yes, from stored apples or juice: PNW 621 notes that some varieties store for months (Dabinett 4–6 months) and that juice can be concentrated and stored. [2]
Sources
- Everything you need to know about apple picking — Normandie Cabourg Pays d'Auge Tourisme
- Hard Cider Production & Orchard Management in the Pacific Northwest (PNW 621) — Washington State University, Oregon State University and University of Idaho Extension
- Cidre de glace du Québec (IGP) — CARTV (Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants, Québec)
- Cider season 2026 — Tourism Euskadi (Basque Government)