First Ciders of the 2024 Harvest
Newly Released: Here is the first trio of our ciders crafted from last year's exceptionally rich and plentiful harvest.
Geneva Crab juice flowing on the press.
2024 Geneva Crab - Made from the first pressing in mid-September, this cider highlights the Geneva Crab apple, an early-ripening, red-fleshed variety reminiscent of a beet. It offers a fresh, sharp acidity and mild tannins characteristic of red-fleshed apples, which are known for their intense flavors. While these apples aren't typically eaten commercially, Geneva Crab provides the exciting flavors and rich red juice we love for cider-making. Expect a dry, austere profile with great acidity, supportive tannins, and mineral notes, complemented by a beautiful color.
Baldwin, Kingston Black, Brown Snout apples before pressing
2024 Baldwin/Brown Snout/Kingston Black - This cider is a blend of three of our favorite apple varieties, mirroring one we crafted in 2021—it will be fun to compare them side by side! This particular blend emphasizes the earthy, leathery, and herbaceous flavors that ciders can possess.
While Baldwin and Kingston Black apples contribute a mild acidity, the Brown Snout apple offers a honey-like sweetness complemented by dry, chalky tannins. Despite none of these apples being considered high in acid from a cider-making perspective, the resulting juice impressed us with its rich orange color and a high brix level of 16.5, balanced by a low pH and total acidity. Fermentation reveals a complex, deep richness with an earthy, tannic backbone, enhanced by a higher alcohol content that elevates the aromas.
2024 Gnarled Chapman/Newtown Pippin - Here is a blend very special and unique to Redbyrd.
The Newtown Pippin, also known as Albemarle Pippin or Yellow Pippin, is an heirloom apple with roots in late 1700s Long Island, New York. The name "Pippin" indicates it originated from a seed rather than being bred or cultivated through grafting. Some history suggests it was a planted seed that came from England. We have grown Newtown Pippin at Redbyrd for 12 years. We've found it contributes refreshing acidity, fresh fruit notes, and a somewhat piney or terpene quality to our cider. It is a little thin on its own, benefiting from blending with a variety with more tannins.
Gnarled Chapman has always seemed like the perfect complement to Newtown Pippin. Early in my career as an orchardist in the Finger Lakes, I spent countless hours searching for and tasting wild seedlings, I have tasted hundreds of them and Gnarled Chapman is on the top of that list. I still vividly recall the sunny autumn day I discovered this gnarled seedling. Initially, I didn't spot any apples, but then I found a single, magnificent fruit—a huge, golden-green orb with a delicate rosy blush—hidden deep within the tree's branches. As I held that apple in my hands, I knew its flavor would be as unique as the tree itself. And it was, wonderful and unlike anything I had tasted.
The abundance of rich tannins, a characteristic I had previously only found in European cider apples, truly amazed me. Even more surprising was the distinct lack of mouth-puckering acidity. While most wild seedling apples in the Finger Lakes are exceptionally tart, which is a great cider-making quality, this unnamed apple stood out as distinctly different. Since then, I have grafted many trees from it, shared scionwood, and spread its seeds. We are good friends to this day.
All the complex tannins in this cider are coming from the Gnarled Chapman where the fruity tart acid comes from the Newtown Pippin and together they make a truly unique regional cider. Above on the left is a photo of Newtown Pippin and Gnarled Chapman right before pressing. And above on the right is a photo of a Gnarled Chapman apple on its branch.