Michigan Pure-Red: Development of Red-Juiced Apple Cultivars for Michigan Hard Cider Production
- Research Date
- 2019
- Authors
- Steven van Nocker
- Priorities
- Crop Quality, Product Development
- Crop Categories
- Apples
- Beverage Categories
- Cider
Hard cider is a rapidly growing sector of the Michigan beverage industry, and novelty/specialty ciders are in demand. Some non-commercial apple cultivars produce red juice, and can be used to make excellent hard cider with an appearance similar to rose or red wine. However, none are optimal for production in Michigan. This project uses traditional plant breeding to develop a collection of hardy, vigorous and disease-resistant apple cultivars that produce strongly colored juice optimal for hard cider production.