How Cider is Made

It All Starts with a Seedling

We work hard to source the finest ingredients and use them to handcraft only the highest quality cider.

Ingredients

Common Eating Apple varieties are those that are found in large numbers throughout US orchards and sold as fresh fruit in stores. A majority of our ciders are made from these apple types.

Cider Apple varieties are grown specifically for cider making. Sometimes called “spitters”, they are often bitter and not ideal for eating as fresh fruit. Some of our ciders incorporate these apple types.

McIntosh Apple
McIntosh

McIntosh is the Quintessential New England Apple. It’s two-toned red and green skin leads to a crunchy bite and bright white flesh. It’s especially juicy, with a sweet yet balanced and refreshing taste.
Harvesting: Early August – September

Spy apple
Northern Spy

Northern Spy features a deep red skin, with a cream white fine textured flesh. It presents a juice flavor that is sharp and sweet. It is Harvested late and keeps well, ideal for cider making.
Harvesting: October

Cortland Apple
Cortland

Cortland is red with a pale green stripe. Like the McIntosh, it has a well balanced flavor, thought slightly more tart. It presents a very white flesh, with moderate juiciness.
Harvesting: September – Early October

Granny Smith Apple
Granny Smith

Granny smith is an uncompromisingly crisp and hard apple with a bright green skin and bright white flesh. It presents a very sharp and tart taste, due to its higher acidity and lower sweetness.
Harvesting: Late September- Early November

Red Apple
Red Delicious

Red Delicious is the most widely recognized of all U.S. Apple Varieties. It has a distinct flavor and rich red color, as it reaches maturity. Its flesh is white, delivering a crisp taste with mild sweetness.
Harvesting: October

Gala Apple
Gala

Gala originated in New Zealand but is now one of the country’s most popular apple varieties. Crisp, juicy, very sweet apples, galas can vary in color, from cream to red and yellow striped.
Harvesting: August

Champagne yeast is used for most of our cider portfolio. While the exact strain is our little secret, we can tell you it is used because it best retains the fresh fruit character of the apple.

Process

 

At Woodchuck® we have been crafting America’s original hard cider since 1991. Back then we didn’t really care that the world was drinking beer, because we had a passion for hard cider. So that’s what we made. Sure, cider may be popular now, either way we’ve stayed true to our roots, fermenting quality innovative ciders with every batch, because we like it.