Cider Classification

Cider apples are not usually edible.  Instead these varieties are grown for the remarkable qualities of their juice that in varying degrees are rich in sugars and tannins.  It is rare to find one variety that possesses all the attributes to make a great cider and it for this reason that most ciders are blends of different cider apples. In planning a blend as a starting point it is good to know three things about your juice - its sugar content, its acidity and the type and amount of tannin (that flavour we find in tea). 

The SG or specific gravity of a juice, by and large, gives a guide to the possible sugar levels and as such the eventual alcohol content of the cider. Here late apples tend to offer more sugar. The general minimum SG from a single variety would be 1050. 

Sugar Content                  SG             Brix        % Alcohol
Very Low 1040 10 5
Low 1050 12.5 6.2
Medium 1055 13.5 7
High 1060 15 7.8
Exceptional 1070 17 9

By mixing varieties you can see how you could establish sugar content. Failing that as a weak resort you could add sugar. 

Next up is Malic Acid - the main acid in apples (malus). The idea is to balance this ingedient.

 Acidity                      Malic Acid pH             Comment
Low                      0.10 - 0.35% 3.8+  Sweets Bittersweets
Medium 0.36 - 0.60% 3.4-3.5 Ideal balance
High 0.61 - 0.90% 3.1- 3.3 Dessert Apples
Very High 0.91%+ -3.0 Cooking Apples

 

The last of our gang of three is Tannin. The Tannin that necessarily adds distinctive "body" to a cider blend is sought from from Bittersweet Apples. (NB dessert apples have the least).  Historically SW England and NW France ciders have used fruit with high levels of tannin whereas ciders in the East of England have used less. 

The basic Long Ashton Cider Classification is used today (source Liz Copas).                

         ACID%       TANNIN% CHARACTERISTICS
SHARP Greater than 0.45% Less than 0.2% High in acidity and low in tannins
BITTERSHARP Greater than 0.45% Greater than 0.2% High in both acidity and tannins
BITTERSWEET Less than 0.45% Greater than 0.2% Low in acidity and high in tannins
SWEET Less than 0.45% Less than 0.2% Low in both acidity  and tannins

 

Variety Classification S.G. Acidity Tannin
Angela (New) BITTERSHARP 1045 0.62% 0.19%
Ashton Brown Jersey  M. BITTERSWEET  1054 0.14%  0.23%
Bell Apple PURE SWEET      1058 0.18%  0.12%
Black Dabinett BITTERSWEET 1048 0.23% 0.28%
Brown's Apple EARLY  SHARP 1048 0.67% 0.12%
Camelot M. BITTERSHARP
Chisel Jersey FULL BITTERSWEET 1059 0.20% 0.45%
Court Royal LATE PURE SWEET 1050 0.21% 0.11%
Crimson King M. SHARP
Dabinett FULL BITTERSWEET 1057 0.18% 0.29%
Ellis Bitter BITTERSWEET 1053 0.20% 0.24%
Fillbarrel BITTERSWEET 1062 0.25% 0.30%
Fiona (New) BITTERSHARP 1049 0.69% 0.15%
Harry Masters Jersey BITTERSWEET 1056 0.20% 0.32%
Hastings BITTERSWEET 1057 0.13% 0.29%
Helen's Apple (New) BITTERSWEET 1043 0.10% 0.29%
Katy SUB ACID DESSERT 1053 0.77% 0.22%
Kingston Black BITTERSHARP 1061 0.58% 0.19%
Lizzie BITTERSWEET 1047 0.17% 0.20%
Major EARLYBITTERSWEET 1054 0.18% 0.41%
Medaille d'Or FULL BITTERSWEET 1059 0.27% 0.64%
Michelin BITTERSWEET 1050 0.25% 0.23%
Morgan Sweet EARLY SWEET 1049 0.22% 0.13%
Northwood LATE SWEET 1049 0.27% 0.17%
Slack Ma Girdle LATE SWEET 1052 0.24% 0.14%
Sops in Wine SUB ACID DUAL 1065 0.19% 0.13%
Stoke Red BITTERSHARP 1052 0.64% 0.31%
Sweet Alford LATE SWEET 1052 0.20% 0.18%
Sweet Coppin MID EASON SWEET 1052 0.20% 0.14%
Ten Commandments SUB ACID DUAL 1055 0.18% 0.13%
Three Counties (New) BITTERSWEET 1057 0.20% 0.30%
Tina (New) FULL BITTERSWEET 1055 0.18% 0.25%
Tremletts Bitter BITTERSWEET 1052 0.27% 0.34%
Vilberie FULL BITTERSWEET 1062 0.23% 0.50%
Yarlington Mill BITTERSWEET 1052 0.22% 0.32%