May 4, 2017

Stark Bro’s cider apple blend wins Glintcap medal

Back in 2008, Bill Mayo discovered a chance seedling in the midst of his 400-tree Honeycrisp orchard, and started incorporating it into the cider he was making for his general store in Franklin, Vermont.

The mystery apple added a bite and dry finish to his sweet cider, which became very popular. Mayo saw the fruit’s opportunity for hard cider as well, and began sending off samples for evaluation – some of which found their way to Stark Bro’s, who realized the potential and secured the rights.

The cold-hardy apple has formally been named Stark Franklin Cider, as an homage to the town where it originated. More than 2,000 trees were immediately budded on B.118 and are now available to growers on a wholesale basis. Plans are in the works to produce enough inventory to feed the consumer taste for hard cider. 

 Terence Bradshaw, tree fruit and viticulture specialist with the University of Vermont, has noted that tannins are the most difficult characteristic to get out of commercially grown hard-cider apples. (Tannins are polyphenolic compounds that provide mouthfeel, dryness, and a slight bitterness, all characteristics that are desirable in craft hard ciders.) He noted that the Stark Franklin Cider apple ranked fifth highest in total polyphenols, third highest in sugars, and that the apple’s acidity is akin to Northern Spy and Liberty.

Tom Frey, owner of Elfs Farm Winery & Ciderhouse, and 2016 Eastern States Exposition cider Gold winner, touted Mayo’s creation, calling it a “delicious elixir” with “strong and welcome notes of crisp apple,” one of the hardest aspects of hard cider to maintain.

“The second thing to grab my attention,” said Frey, “were the tannins and astringency, and the long, complex finish. Best of all, it made me want more. I believe you have a winner for blending in both sweet and hard ciders there. Can’t wait to get my hands on some stock and for it to crop so I can begin playing with this apple.”

 “This new variety will likely supplant Kingston Black (the current bittersharp cider apple benchmark) because it’s far easier to grow, is a prolific annual producer and shows no signs of scab or cedar rust,” said Cameron Brown, Stark Bro’s president and CEO. “It’s going to change the cider industry.”

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