Commercial apple growing in Sonoma County goes back to the early 1900's. The industry hit a high point in 1940 with about 14,000 acres in production. Prices were good enough back then to support 25 packing sheds that featured the first fresh apples of the season (Gravenstein), and 4 large processors that were making sauce, juice, and dried fruit for sale all over the USA.  In the late 1970's fresh and processed apple prices began to slide leading to a gradual decline in Sonoma County's apple acreage. Last year (2014) we only had about 2,000 acres of apples left in production.  Several factors over the last 40 years have led to this decline. One is the strong competition from irrigated growing regions with high yielding orchards.  Another is the decreased demand for processed apple products. Then, of course we have the high cost of land in Sonoma County influenced by urbanization and the potential for growing some of the best wine grapes in the world.  Our much smaller apple industry today focuses on the production of organic specialty sauce and juice products and heirloom varieties of fresh market fruit where prices are still good. But now there is another new and interesting alternative:  growing apples for the production of ‘hard-cider'. 

Hard cider as an alcoholic beverage is not new, but over the last few years demand has skyrocketed to a $ 500 million US industry, which is growing rapidly. Most apple cider is viewed as a trendy alternative to beer; made from low-cost, fruit juice from culls, or juice concentrate from the bulk juice market.  This product is and could be made almost anywhere, and it is quite price sensitive. The base product is often flavored with various other fruit juices, spices, or fresh apple juice to enhance the flavor. The big beer companies such as Boston Beer Co., Ahheuser-Busch, Miller, and others dominate this market with over 90% of the production and sales. Our largest local producer, by far, is Ace Cider with less than 0.5% of that market. 

There is another, much more interesting apple cider product, however, that is being produced locally - on a very small scale. It is made from heirloom apple varieties, or from specific cider varieties grown right here in Sonoma County.  It is essentially an alternative to wine. The exotic flavors of many heirloom varieties and especially the cider varieties offer the more sophisticated palate a food friendly, alternative beverage to accompany many of our gourmet foods.  Apple varieties can be separated into four different categories:

1. ‘Sweets' (Baldwin, McIntosh, Rome Beauty, Winter Banana)
2. ‘Bittersweets' (Jersey, Dabinett, Porter's Perfection, Newtown Pippin, Red Astrachan)
3. ‘Sharps' (Coleman's Seedling, York Imperial, Cox's Orange Pippin, Spitzenberg, Gravenestein, Jonathan, Winesap)
4. ‘Bittersharps' (Foxwelp, Kingston Black, Pearmain, Dolgo, Red Siberian, Transcendant).  Just like wine varieties, each apple variety offers its unique aromatic flavors, sweetness, tannins and acidity

While our local growers cannot compete with West Coast generic bulk apple juice prices of about $200 per ton for the fruit, they can compete with wine grapes. Cider and heirloom varieties last year were valued from $700 to $1,200 per ton – with a good dry-farmed orchard able to produce about 15-20 tons per acre and double that with full irrigation.  Pest control and fruit thinning production costs are also lower for apples grown to crush into juice and ferment into cider, because fruit cosmetics and size are of less concern. Cider apples can also be mechanically harvested - further reducing production costs.   

Let's hope this new apple cider industry takes off and lasts, we already have seven businesses producing apple cider in Sonoma County. It would be nice to see the diversity of Sonoma County's agriculture continue to include a vibrant apple industry.  

Visit Apples to learn more or contact Paul Vossen pmvossen@ucanr.edu