Assessment of One Year of Growth in the New Jersey Hard Cider Variety Trial M. Muehlbauer and R. Magron Rutgers University There is much interest in hard cider in New Jersey. the best apples for their cider. Some traditional fresh In New Jersey the manufacture of hard cider is covered market apples make good hard cider, but many of the under the Farm Winery Act, passed in 1981. NJ law hard cider producers are looking for both the English treats hard cider as a type of wine as it is fermented and French hard cider varieties to source for production from fruits (N.J.A.C. 18:3-1.2) of craft hard ciders. As such there is much interest from existing sweet Apple growers and hard cider producers are look- cider producers to make and sell hard cider as a value ing to source these hard cider apple varieties that have added product. There is also great interest and for the specifi c characteristics for craft hard cider. There is an establishment of new, stand alone hard cideries. NJ now abundant interest and momentum from these NJ hard has a mix of both established, seen the list at https:// cider producers to evaluate and grow or purchase these www.ciderculture.com/cideries/state/nj/ varieties from other apple growers. 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This will enable us to make recommendations begin our hard cider variety testing. Thirty-one hard on variety choices and appropriate growing practices cider varieties were top worked onto an existing dwarf for these cultivars. Many of these varieties have had research apple block. The hard cider varieties were cleft limited cultivation in New Jersey. grafted onto fi ve-year-old apples on M9(NAKBT337) In April 2018, a plot was established at the Rutgers rootstock, planted 3’ x 12’ growing in a tall spindle Fruit Notes, Volume 84, Winter, 2019 7 system. Four trees each of the 31 varieties were top Blossoms were thinned off of the trees during 2018 worked. Twenty-eight of these varieties saw at least one to allow for increased vegetative growth. Therefore, successful graft. The three varieties that were entirely fruit data were not collected in 2018. unsuccessful were Cr istalina, Raxao, and Solarina. Graft vigor was assessed by scion length and di- Unfortunately, all three of these unsuccessful varieties ameter at the end of the growing season. Tree growth are new Spanish hard cider selections being tested in was measured above the original scion wood scar, and the United States. scion diameter was measured 12 inches above the top of Hard cider apple varieties are categorized primar- the original scion wood. Tree vigor varied dramatically ily by their level of tannins (bitterness), sugars, acidity across cultivars, as shown in Figure 1. Stoke red was (sharpness), and aroma. The 28 varieties successfully shown to have both the largest diameter (14 mm) and the grafted for this study are listed in Table 1, alongside greatest height (<70 inches) after one growing season. their cider characteristics. Characteristics listed in Table This was followed closely by Calville Blanc, Esopus 1 were referenced from previous studies and were used Spitzenburg, and Golden Russet, all ~ 60 inches tall to determine their inclusion in this study. To date, the and 12 mm in diameter. Blanquina, Court Pendu Plat, three unsuccessful varieties from Spain have yet to be and Cox’s Orange Pippen all grew less than 20 inches characterized under New Jersey conditions. However, in one season; however, diameters on these varieties they will be added to this study in the 2019 growing were some of the largest, ranging from 7 to 12 mm. season. Despite only one growing season of data, this study Preliminary results of the study show high grafting provides a fi rst glimpse as to which varieties show initial success. Just under 50% of all of the trees grafted had vigorous growth in the New Jersey climate. Calville a 100% graft take (4 scions), followed by 33% of the Blanc, Stoke Red, and Esopus Spitzenburg represent trees resulted in 1-3 successful grafts. Of the remain- an array of fl avor profi les, sharp, bittersharp, and sharp ing trees, 18% resulted in zero graft take and will be respectively, all of which are well suited to hard cider re-grafted next season. production. StillStill growinggrowing strong!strong! Delaware & California Grown Certified Peach Trees. Order Now for Spring. Adams County Nursery, Inc. • Aspers, PA (800) 377-3106 • (717) 677-4124 Fax PEACHES Website: www.acnursery.com • Email: [email protected] 8 Fruit Notes, Volume 84, Winter, 2019.