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Bittersweet Varieties

Ashton Bitter
Type – Bittersweet
Origin –
Class – Cider

MarkShirley -

 

Ashton Brown Jersey
Type – Full Bittersweet
Origin – Long Ashton, Bristol
Class – Cider

AndrewLea –
Harvests November. Pronounced hard tannin. Tree – Moderate growth, spurs well. Good yields but biennial.

 

Bulmers Norman
Type – Bittersweet
Origin – Normandy, France (developed by H.P. Bulmer)
Class – Cider

MarkShirley -

 

Dabinett
Type – Medium Bittersweet
Origin – Somerset
Class – Cider

Andrew Lea –
Harvests end October – November. Soft but full-bodied tannin. A "must have" for behaviour and blending. Tree – Small tree, precocious but grows neatly. Needs high potash. Susceptible to scab, mildew and canker.

 

Hangy Down (Hangdown)
Type – Mild Bittersweet
Origin – Somerset
Class – Cider

JezH –
Planted on MM106, bare-rooted maiden in 2009 (Ashridge). OK, I partly bought it for the name, but it is also supposed to produce a balanced apple on its own. Not fruited yet, and recorded as a slow grower but with a good yield once mature. Image courtesy of Marches Cyder.

 

Harry Masters Jersey
Type – Full Bittersweet
Origin – Somerset
Class – Cider

AndrewLea –
Harvests end October – November. High sugar, high tannin but fruit may not store. Tree – Compact, good annual cropper. Scab susceptible.

 

Knotted Kernel
Type – Medium Bittersweet
Origin – Herefordshire
Class – Cider

JezH –
Planted on M26, maiden 2009, bought from Bernwode as a rare variety. It is described (I fail to remember where I got the information from) as sweet, sub-acid and astringent. Yet to fruit.

 

Major
Type – Medium Bittersweet
Origin – Devon
Class – Cider

AndrewLea –
Harvests end September. Excellent soft tannin. Tree - Growth spreading. Annual cropper. Slightly susceptible to scab, canker and silverleaf.

 

Medaille D’or
Type – Full Bittersweet
Origin – Bois Guillaume, France
Class – Cider

AndrewLea –
Harvests end October – November. Very high but 'soft' tannin. Tree - Smallish tree, wood brittle and tends to split. Strongly biennial.

 

Michelin
Type – Mild Bittersweet
Origin – Normandy, France
Class – Cider

JezH –
Harvests September. Have used this variety, and it is a pretty good bulk apple. Does not keep particularly well, but useful to add a bit of body to an early cider. No experience of growing.

 

Royal Jersey
Type – Full Bittersweet
Origin – Jersey
Class – Cider

JezH –
Planted on M26, maiden in 2009. Bought from Bernwode as a rare/reintroduced variety. Not much information available about it (including an image)

 

Tremletts Bitter
Type – Full Bittersweet
Origin – Devon
Class – Cider

JezH –
Harvests September – October. One of my personal favourites and definitely one to get hold of if you have a high level of ‘roadside’ apples. Stephen Hayes describes Tremletts as a cider condiment, and I would agree, as it is so bitter it is almost inedible. Will give body to a weak cider, although does not have a great character of its own. No experience of growing, although does tend towards biennialism.

 

Yarlington Mill
Type – Medium Bittersweet
Origin – Somerset
Class – Cider

Andrew Lea –
Harvests end November. Good light aromatic cider. Tree – Tends to droop. Good biennial cropper. Scab susceptible.

If you would like us to include your variety, or if you want to add your review/comments, please contact us through the group - images are always useful.