Cider & Antique Varieties
Wafler Nursery
Ciders
These varieties are great for cider making. Not all varieties are listed.
Franklin Cider
The Franklin Cider apple was discovered in Franklin, Vermont in 2008 and has become a game-changing cider apple. This bittersharp is high in sugar, tannins, and acidity. The fruit is average size; has a sweet, refreshing, and mild taste; and is very productive. The Franklin cider is cold-hardy, and resistant to both apple scab and cedar apple rust. Ripens in October; attractive to wildlife.
Redfield (Red Flesh)
The Redfield apple has pink to dark-red skin with some russeting, and has a dark, red flesh. It is great for baking, cider, vinegar, and jelly. The Redfield apple has an especially high amount of pectin. When pressed, it produces an eye-catching red juice great for bittersweet cider. Disease resistant and winter-hardy.
Binet Rouge
Binet Rouge is a French cider apple. A smallish yellow fruit with red blush. The Binet Rouge produces a high-quality bittersweet juice. The fruit ripens early to mid-season. Productive tree is a weak grower; susceptible to mildew.
Brown Snout
Brown Snout is an English cider apple originating in Herefordshire in the United Kingdom. The apple produces a sweet, slightly astringent juice and makes a mild to medium bittersweet cider. Brown Snout is a self-fertile tree which is susceptible to fire blight. The fruit is small, green to greenish yellow in color with patches of russet. Ripens in mid-October.
Chisel Jersey
Chisel Jersey is a small, bittersweet cider apple that is green with a red flush. Cider is full bodied with a bold flavor and aroma. Biennial but productive; ripens mid-October. Susceptible to scab and fire blight.
Dabinett
Dabinett is an English bittersweet cider apple. It produces a medium-large size apple with a dull red finish over green coloration. Dabinett is a self-fertile tree which produces sweet, astringent fruit that ripens in late October. Blight resistant.
Ellis Bitter
The Ellis Bitter is a medium size, bittersweet, small cider apple. The skin is yellow and waxy with an orange-red striped flush. It is a productive and vigorous apple which ripens in September. Short storage period.
Porter’s Perfection
Porter’s Perfection is a medium apple, cream in color with a dark red blush. It has a bittersharp, tart flavor with high acid and tannin. The fruit ripens in late October. It is annual and productive as well as scab tolerant and cold-hardy.
Tremlett’s Bitter
The Tremlett’s Bitter is a bittersharp cider apple producing heavy biennial fruit. Balanced flavor that has sweetness and acidity along with subtle bitterness. Slightly susceptible to fire blight but resistant to scab. Ripens in late September; does not store well.
Wickson
Wickson is a cold-hardy bittersharp crab apple popular with cider makers. It produces a small fruit, very high in sugar and high in acidity. The Wickson has a high pectin content which, coupled with is its surprising sweetness, makes it great for jams and jellies. Vigorous and annual bearing.
Yarlington Mill
Originating in Somerset, England, the Yarlington Mill produces a firm, medium to large size bittersweet apple. It is biennial but productive and winter-hardy. Blight and scab susceptible. Fruit ripens in late October.
Antiques
Ashmead’s Kernel
Ashmead’s Kernel is a medium, greenish yellow apple. It is sweet with a unique nutty flavor excellent for desserts. High in sugar and acidity. Good disease tolerance and winter-hardiness. The fruit ripens in late October.
Cox’s Orange Pippin
Cox’s Orange Pippin is regarded as an exceptional processing apple with fabulous flavor and aroma for both desserts and cider. The fruit is medium size, conical, with red stripes over a thin yet tough, smooth orange skin. It is annual and productive. Prone to heat stress, scab, and powdery mildew.
Golden Russet
Originating in NY around 1840, the Golden Russet is medium size, with a gray -green to golden bronze coloration. Excellent for cider and juice as well as fresh eating with its complex, sweet-tart flavor. High in both acid and sugar, the Golden Russet can produce a well-balanced hard cider on its own. Cold-hardy, scab tolerant, keeps well, ripens in October.
Newtown Pippin
The Newtown Pippin apple is the oldest commercially grown variety to have been bred in the U.S. (circa 1750 – Newtown, Long Island). The fruit is green to yellow, often russeted, with white dots. Excellent for baking as well as an aromatic sharp in ciders. The fruit develops full sugar and rich flavor after a few months of cold storage.
R.I. Greening
The Rhode Island Greening is a favorite cooking apple dating back to colonial America. It produces medium-large size fruit, with yellowish green skin with occasional orange flush, russet at base or pale dots. Excellent for cooking and as a sharp for cider blends. Ripens late October.
Roxbury Russett
The Roxbury Russett dates to 1600’s Roxbury, MA. Fruit is medium-large size with a light brown russet over green coloring. Very tart with high sugar and juice yield; great for desserts and cider. Keeps well, but prone to shrinkage if relative humidity not kept above 90%. Ripens mid-October.
Winesap
Winesap originated in New Jersey in the late 1700’s. Fruit is small-medium size with dark red skin and red stripes; some yellow on shaded side. It is juicy, crisp and aromatic; good for fresh eating, baking and cider. Winesap is disease-resistant and keeps well. Ripens in October.