Apple Cider Research

Abstract

Cider apples and cider, or hard cider as it’s referred to in the United States, were very popular and abundant commodities prior to Prohibition. Despite their lack of popularity in the USA for the majority of the past century, there has been a recent boom in the cider-drinking culture of America. This recent boom has ignited interest in the cider apples of the colonial era that may have been lost to time and Prohibition. This study aims to find these heirloom apples and hopefully graft them to increase their population in the northeast US. We created a database of apple orchards in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, separated by county and state. Data has been collected on the apples that used to grow in this area. We also collected addresses, phone numbers, inventories, and responses from each orchard. The results will contribute to a body of knowledge that will help with the development of a cider industry in the United States and increase the quality and history of those beverages.

Team Members