TeePee Cider

Cidery in Aotearoa

[teepeecider]

Birds of Beau Vista apple cider orchard. The Kāhu or Australasian swamp harrier is a large, tawny-brown bird of prey that occurs throughout New Zealand. It arrived after Māori settlement about 800 years ago. It is an opportunistic hunter that searches for food by slowly quartering the ground with its large wings held in a distinctive shallow V-shape. Adapted to hunt in open habitats, its numbers have benefitted from widespread forest clearance and the development of agriculture. Although carrion is a major component of the harrier’s diet in winter, it also actively hunts live prey such as small birds, mammals and insects. Seen over the orchard daily it difficult to photograph amongst the apple and pear trees but I ronically often seen perching on fence posts nearby on the side of the road. This one was feeding on road kill close by this morning. #birds #ornithology #orchard

[teepeecider]

At TeePee Cidery in Wairarapa New Zealand we have an ethos of working with nature not against it, that way we can produce the best cider with the least ecological footprint.

One aspect that has concerned us to date is our energy footprint. We would love to have dug cool cellars to store our cider undergoing secondary fermentation for 2 years or so, as champagne is, in the Roman caves in Rheims, but the water table is too high. So we used chillers in insulated shipping containers instead. That uses electricity.

Now we have installed solar panels on top of the containers and generate electricity for our needs and export any surplus. #solar #electricity #cider

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William Camden (1551-1623) was a prominent English antiquarian, historian, and author during the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean eras. He is best known for his masterpiece, Britannia 1st published in 1586. Multiple further editions were published as his research continued, (unusual for the time he toured England extensively as well as drawing from reports from his extensive network) Britannia was the first comprehensive topographical and historical survey of Great Britain and Ireland. William wrote it in Latin.

He first mentions perry in the 1607 edition in the chapter on Worcestershire. He comments on pears making a "counterfeit wine called pyrry," the Latin being "....pyris adeo focundus, ut e succo expresso vinum adulterinum fiat, quod Pyrry vocant, pergratum illud quidem potu, sed frigidum & flatuosum." I guess he was not a fan of perry!

In these later expanded edition he also highlighted the apple and fruit orchards of Herefordshire and notes that the region was known for supplying London with great quantities of "Syder".

The first edition in English was 1610 translated by Philemon Holland. #perry #cider

[teepeecider]

I recently read an excellent post by Jane Peyton about early human alcohol consumption and was intrigued by a brief reference to one of its advantages being the drink often containing L. acidophilus or LABs ( lactic acid bacilli - there are several different species) ).

As a cider making doctor I thought I would elaborate given pre-biotics are all the rage at present. Fermented cereal drinks have been recorded back to 6000BC and there is indirect evidence of fermented fruits in the diet earlier, some of which have been found to contain L. acidophilus. Evidence has been found on pottery. Not all alcoholic drinks contain LABs. Many wine and cider makers try and keep them out. The exception is Spanish Sidra with its distinctive acetic favour.

Lactobacillus acidophilus in early human diets offers several crucial survival advantages.

Early humans scavenged and ate raw or intermittently stored meat which were frequently contaminated with pathogenic bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella. As well as meat hunter-gatherers also relied on fibrous, difficult-to-digest roots and seeds. L. acidophilus produces enzymes that broke down complex carbohydrates and tough proteins, increasing the extraction of essential calories, amino acids, and minerals (like calcium and iron). Obtaining enough calories and protein from uncooked food was difficult.

L. acidophilus binds to intestinal walls, denying space and nutrients to these harmful microbes. Also these bacteria promoted the production of protective mucus and strengthening proteins in the gut lining, preventing systemic infections from breaking through the intestinal wall.

By fermenting sugars into lactic acid, L. acidophilus lowers the gastrointestinal and food pH, creating a hostile environment for putrefactive and disease-causing bacteria.

Early humans faced constant exposure to environmental toxins and parasites.

Lactobacillus strains interacted heavily with early lymphoid tissues in the gut, stimulating macrophage function and regulating the inflammatory response.

Early human diets contained varying levels of natural toxins and mutagenic compounds found in raw vegetation. L. acidophilus produces specific enzymes capable of inhibiting the conversion of pre-carcinogens into active carcinogens within the gut lumen. #LactobacillusAcidophus #alcohol

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We have had some good frosts at Beau Vista orchard in the Wairarapa New Zealand recently. This is good in killing off unwanted bugs etc in the grass and resetting bud burst of the trees. Just like apples, perry pear trees require about 600-900 hours of winter chilling hours ( these are not just frosts but hours with temperatures below about 7°C) to break dormancy and reset their spring blossom. Without enough cold, the blossoms will be sparse, delayed, or fail to open entirely - delayed foliation. And unlike apples, pears like to blossom spectacularly before the leaves appear (hysteranthous). This is a high risk evolutionary tactic to attract a lot of pollinators but puts the flower (esp. the pistils) at risk from damage from a late frost once the flower has grown out from the protective scales of the bud. (When dormant in winter they can survive temperatures as low as -25C).

#pear #winterdormancy #frost

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Spanish cider is distinctive with an acetic taste.

During the natural, spontaneous fermentation of Spanish cider, the local wild yeasts found on the apple skin work in a specific succession, firstly Hanseniaspora uvarum an apiculate wild yeast dominates the early stages of fermentation. It is notorious for producing high amounts of acetic acid, and (ethyl acetate which gives a fruity, solvent-like edge to the vinegary note). But it is alcohol intolerant so dies out quickly as the alcohol content increases. The heavy lifting of alcohol production is done by Saccharomyces cerevisiae as is usual with cider. During the later maturation phase, slow growing Brettanomyces species - anomalus and bruxellensis add to the flavour. When exposed to only a trace amounts of oxygen, Brettanomyces metabolises residual sugars and ethanol into acetic acid, while also contributing the characteristic

"funk" (sidra macho). Note acetic acid bacteria (such as Acetobacter aceti) should not play a major role converting ethanol into acetic acid, this only occurs if the cider is exposed to air.

Acetic acid is considered a volatile acid -VA and is the primary culprit behind the sharp, vinegar-like taste. In sidra, strict production controls keep these levels regulated to preserve the beverage's fresh fruit character rather than letting it turn into full cider vinegar. The maximum permitted VA is 2 grams per liter (g/L) expressed as acetic acid #acetic #sidra #cider #Spanish

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Unlike wild apple forests which cover thousands of acres in Kazakhstan, entire forests of mainly wild pear trees do not exist. Pear trees require significant sunlight and are weak competitors against faster-growing canopy trees, so wild pears usually grow as scattered, individual trees or small, open groves rather than dense, continuous forests. However in the mountainous regions of the Caucasus region one of the wild ancestor of the domesticated European pear Pyrus communis subsp. caucasica can be found in groves.

The other parent of the European domestic pear is Pyrus communis subsp. pyraster, the European wild pear native to England and Europe. Though they never form a monoculture forest, they are widely scattered through mixed deciduous woodlands, hedgerows, and forest margins naturally occur in small groups, especially on forest edges, and in hedgerows. Photo credit to both photos Anna Asatryan, young pear trees and mature pear tree by the road to Herher village and Herher State Sanctuary Armenia. #pears

[teepeecider]

The apple and pear microbiome.

As apples are harvested and pressed into must, the indigenous microbes from the skins are the primary drivers of spontaneous fermentation. They impart a distinct regional identity (microbial terroir) and determine the aroma and flavour of the final cider.

When the apples are crushed, the sugar is released from inside cells into solution, a natural succession of microorganisms takes over to transform this sugar into alcohol. Initially non-Saccharomyces yeasts like Hanseniaspora uvarum break down the sugars but are intolerant of alcohol so are quickly eliminated but leave the aromatic esters they have produced to that point, (cool fermentation preserves these). As the alcohol levels rise (usually around 3-4% ABV), alcohol tolerant strains of Saccharomyces such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae naturally take over to finish the alcoholic fermentation. Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) naturally present on the skins can also cause a further malolactic fermentation (MLF), converting the harsh malic acid into softer lactic acid giving a smoother mouthfeel.

While wild fermentation adds complexity, the uncontrolled nature of the orchard microbiome can introduce off-flavours such as acetic acid bacteria like Acetobacter which converts ethanol into acetic acid, leaving a harsh vinegar taste. And Brettanomyces which creates distinctive "funky", "barnyard," or "leathery" aromas admired by some but not all!

Where do the Saccharomyces yeasts come from? Not the apple but from the Press House and Cidery. They are resident organisms of the cidery environment itself. They colonise the walls, floors, wooden barrels, and traditional pressing equipment including the press cloths. The juice quickly becomes inoculated with these microorganisms - the Cidery Biosphere, which develops over years of production. It travels through the air via microscopic dust particles and on the 'skin' of fruit flies so cobwebs are looked on favourably by trad wild yeast cider makers. #cider #perry #yeasts #fermentation

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How do apples spoil?

The apple is wrapped in the relatively impervious cuticle. The calyx and the stem ends however contain a significantly higher abundance and diversity of microbes than the smooth skin of the fruit. These structures trap moisture and nutrients, creating a perfect micro-environment for microbes to thrive.

The major route in is through the calyx. This star-shaped opening at the bottom of the fruit is the remnant of the original apple blossom. Some apple varieties (like Red Delicious and Granny Smith) even have an open calyx tube that extends into the apple's core. This provides a direct, unrestricted pathway for fungal spores and bacteria to enter the apple.

Even when the calyx tube appears closed, it retains moisture and traps significant microbial communities.

Fungi frequently colonise the delicate flower petals early in the season and then travel inwards from the calyx.

Whilst bacteria penetrate into the calyx cavity itself, they are rarely recovered from the deep inner flesh or seeds of the apple.

The vast majority of the microbes are harmless or beneficial. Organically grown apples feature a more diverse, balanced microbiome that contains helpful bacteria like Lactobacillus.

Apples grown under modern pesticide spray regimes however may harbour fewer beneficial microbes and a higher prevalence of plant-health affecting ones.

Fungi causing core rots like

Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum can cause tissue decay and discoloration.

Black Rot is caused by the fungal pathogen Botryosphaeria obtusa, which often infects the calyx end, appearing as brown and black concentric rings.

#apples #caylx #bacteria #fungi #rot

[teepeecider]

Different realities. A lot of 'authorities' especially from USA recommend only making cider from tree picked fruit in case they are contaminated by harmful bacteria and moulds from the ground. (This is partly is due to the fact that USA calls apple juice 'cider. The rest of the world calls fermented apple juice cider, this causes confusion in the literature about cider contamination especially with E. Coli.

Fermentation sterilises the cider. Apple juice must be sterilised to be safe for human consumption).

In the cider making counties of UK and elsewhere a lot of the larger producers use machinery like this to harvest the apples off the ground. There are quite a few agricultural machinery companies producing apple collecting equipment. We test the cider produced from our ground collected apples and there has been no contamination. We collect in our apples at peak ripeness when about one third have fallen with a Tuthill Temperley M2000.

The ones remaining on the tree are ready to fall and are easy to dislodge with panking onto tarps. #cider #orchard #fermentation #panking

[teepeecider]

Recently I posted in the structure of the cuticle which has 2 main components, a hydrophobic layer of interlinking cutin polymer molecules and waxes that are crystalline and protrude from it. As always organisms have evolved to maximise advantages. In this case

the protruding wax shards offer several significant advantages over a smoother liquid wax coating.

Firstly it gives superior water repellency by the Lotus Effect (named after the lotus plant). This is because of 2 synergistic properties, rough surfaces and waxes. The roughness of these crystals or shards trap pockets of air beneath water droplets.

Due to the high contact angle and the surface tension of water, the latter forms droplets as it cannot flatten out and wet the surface. The droplets roll off the hydrophobic surface easily washing away dirt and bacteria etc.

The wax shards offer solar and thermal protection by light and UV scattering. They also have a role in gas exchange regulation. The crystalline structures form a porous, breathable network allowing necessary oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange while slowing down water vapour loss though the cutin down to the lenticels below.

Interestingly the cuticle changes into a smoother continuous liquid wax layer near harvest ripeness which seals the lenticels pores as the metabolism in the apple changes to starch breakdown.

[teepeecider]

At Beau Vista cider apple and perry pear orchard in the Wairarapa New Zealand, we are into the 3rd wet weather event in 6 weeks, constant drizzle but no flooding yet this time although the rivers are high and could burst their banks later today as the rain in the Tararua ranges is heavy and the rivers will continue to rise for hours to come. A nearby town Martinborough is cut off.

Not a day for pruning as the ground is so wet there would be pugging if the grass sward, so! thought I would get artistic with the water. As well as being photogenic it's a reminder of what the dormant but living buds have to contend with in winter. This water could easily freeze tonight or heat up when the sun comes out, the raindrop acting like a magnifying glass for the light rays. #rain #apples #orchard

[teepeecider]

Apples and pears are naturally waxy. Not the stuff you see on apples in the supermarket which is carnauba wax (from palm tree leaves), but if you pick apples or pears in an orchard then you quickly realise they are. This natural wax or bloom is a complex, multi-layered protective structure, the cuticle (a continuous, non-living extracellular layer) covering the fruit's epidermis is primarily composed of interlinked insoluble polymer matrixes called cutin and hydophobic lipid compounds - waxes often crystalline, it is secreted from is the outer layer of the epidermis which is modified to ramp up production of these compounds. It governs moisture loss, disease resistance, and skin texture.

It is typically measures about 3um in thickness, depending heavily on the cultivar. It is peppered by stomata over the lenticels in the skin underneath which serve as gas exchange pathways but also can provide entry points for microorganisms and moisture loss. The crystalline waxes protrude outwards from the cutin layer.

Some apples and pears are russeted. This can be natural from the cultivar or induced by orchard conditions and is due to damage to the epidermal cells early after petal fall. As the apple grows micro cracks develop over the affected cells in the cuticle. The apple responds by growing a brownish, corky layer of wound-healing tissue (called a periderm or phellogen) to seal the cracks, resulting in a rough, canvas-like tan patch on the skin.

Microscopic analysis of the apple cuticle reveals complex microbial communities (microbiota) of yeasts bacteria and moulds. The cuticle (and its ecosystem changes) as the seasons and weather change and the apple matures and ripens. The organised wax crystals disappear and are replaced by liquid esters which leads to skin greasiness. #cuticle #apples #pears

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Beau Vista orchard is on the Taratahi alluvial plains at Dalefield in the Wairarapa New Zealand. The alluvial soils are predominantly free-draining silt loams over greywacke gravels.

The topsoil varies from 2-10cms of dark greyish-brown, friable silt loam, with high porosity which ensures excellent water drainage. Which is good as the area floods easily from adjacent streams.

The subsoil is 30 cms thick with a gradual shift to heavier silty clay loams. Underneath is coarse greywacke gravels and sands that provide deep drainage with river bed stones up to 30cms diameter. Our orchard is on regenerative land from beef raising which resulted in compaction and poor humus retention.

The water table is 5 feet underground with copious artisanal water flows. Here is a photo of diggings from a post hole and one of our adjacent road with the Taipaitangata stream overflowing it.

Germane at present as just flooded twice in a month this winter.

[teepeecider]

It's a good job pear trees don't mind wet feet occasionally! This is our second flood at Beau Vista orchard in Wairarapa Aotearoa N/Z in a month.

Luckily it's in winter when the trees are dormant so not expecting any long term damage. However it delays the winter pruning. The ground is to wet to work on without destroying the grass sward. Role on Spring. #perry #pear #tree #orchard

[teepeecider]

Although genetically the same species as culinary pears, Pyrus communis, they are a distinct category of pears cultivated for producing perry. Most perry pears cultivars are century old varieties found and then selected and brought on for their flavour characteristics. Like apples they do not grow true to form from seeds but need to be grafted. Most are found in Western Europe, with the strongest traditions rooted in the Three Counties of England (Gloucestershire Herefordshire and Worcestershire) and the Domfrontais region of Normandy, France. The fruit is distinguished by a high tannin content, pronounced acidity from citric as well as malic acid; and notable levels of sorbitol,as well as glucose and fructose, which collectively provide structure, body, and a characteristic off dryness to the finished drink. The aromatic profile of perry is complex, typically revealing notes of pear blossom, citrus zest, and subtle earthy spice, with a crisp, refreshing finish. #perry

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I often get asked what is best to pair with perry as opposed to ciders. Unlike traditional cider, perry is sweeter due to its natural sorbitol but this is balanced with acid, sharper citric acid to boot, that cuts though fatty foods. So a perfect match is rich blue Gorgonzola cheese and what could be better than to present it as "Pere al forno con gorgonzola e noci". Split a ripe dessert pear in half, scoop out the core and fill with the cheese and walnuts, lightly bake in the oven to soften them and concentrate the flavour. Then top with a little more gorgonzola cheese and finished with a drizzle of honey.

Enjoy with a glass of perry.