Where can I buy cider apples?
You can buy cider apples, the varieties grown for making cider rather than apple cider juice, from orchards and cider makers that grow them, from farm shops and pick-your-own farms in apple regions, and sometimes as cheaper "cull" or windfall fruit from orchards and packing warehouses. Order early, as they are harvested in autumn.
Updated
Key facts
- Cull fruit. PNW 621 says apples for cider "can be purchased from local orchards or regional warehouses". [1]
- Storage before pressing. Storing apples for up to a month after harvest, known as sweating, lets more starch turn to sugar. [1]
- Clean fruit. A Tennessee guide advises against using fruit that has been on the ground for several days. [2]
Where can I buy cider apples?
- Cider makers with orchards. Some sell surplus cider apples in autumn; ask makers near you. See do cideries use local apples.
- Orchards and farm shops. In apple regions, orchards sell dessert and cooking apples by the bag or bin, and sometimes cider apples such as bittersweets.
- Packing houses and warehouses. Cull fruit that is too small or marked for sale can be good for pressing. [1]
- Juice instead of apples. If you cannot get apples, you can start from juice; see cider from apple juice. For fresh apple cider to drink, see where to buy apple cider.
How many apples do I need, and which ones?
A rough rule is in apples per gallon of cider. For balance, mix sweet apples with sharp ones for acidity and some bittersweet apples for tannin; the details are in best apples for cider. Press sound, ripe fruit, and keep it cool and dry until pressing day.
Related answers: best apples for cider · apples per gallon of cider
Find it on Cider Radar
- Find cider makers and orchards near you on the Cider Radar map, then contact them about apples in season.
- Guide: which apples are used for cider? · Glossary: cider apple
- Open the map: app.ciderradar.com · iPhone · Android
Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
How long do cider apples keep?
PNW 621 describes storing apples for up to a month after harvest, called sweating, so more starch turns to sugar; fruit should be sound, without rot. [1] After that, quality falls quickly.
Can I use windfall apples for cider?
With care. A Tennessee extension guide warns against apples that have lain on the ground for several days, as fruit picked up off the ground can carry contamination. [2]
Sources
- Hard Cider Production & Orchard Management in the Pacific Northwest (PNW 621) — Washington State University, Oregon State University and University of Idaho Extension
- Home Apple Cider Production (SP307-O) — University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service