Cider Classification
Cider apples are not usually edible. Instead these varieties are grown for the remarkable qualities of their juice that in varying degrees are rich in sugars and tannins. It is rare to find one variety that possesses all the attributes to make a great cider and it for this reason that most ciders are blends of different cider apples. In planning a blend as a starting point it is good to know three things about your juice - its sugar content, its acidity and the type and amount of tannin (that flavour we find in tea).
The SG or specific gravity of a juice, by and large, gives a guide to the possible sugar levels and as such the eventual alcohol content of the cider. Here late apples tend to offer more sugar. The general minimum SG from a single variety would be 1050.
| Sugar Content | SG | Brix | % Alcohol |
| Very Low | 1040 | 10 | 5 |
| Low | 1050 | 12.5 | 6.2 |
| Medium | 1055 | 13.5 | 7 |
| High | 1060 | 15 | 7.8 |
| Exceptional | 1070 | 17 | 9 |
By mixing varieties you can see how you could establish sugar content. Failing that as a weak resort you could add sugar.
Next up is Malic Acid - the main acid in apples (malus). The idea is to balance this ingedient.
| Acidity | Malic Acid | pH | Comment |
| Low | 0.10 - 0.35% | 3.8+ | Sweets Bittersweets |
| Medium | 0.36 - 0.60% | 3.4-3.5 | Ideal balance |
| High | 0.61 - 0.90% | 3.1- 3.3 | Dessert Apples |
| Very High | 0.91%+ | -3.0 | Cooking Apples |
The last of our gang of three is Tannin. The Tannin that necessarily adds distinctive "body" to a cider blend is sought from from Bittersweet Apples. (NB dessert apples have the least). Historically SW England and NW France ciders have used fruit with high levels of tannin whereas ciders in the East of England have used less.
The basic Long Ashton Cider Classification is used today (source Liz Copas).
| ACID% | TANNIN% | CHARACTERISTICS | |
| SHARP | Greater than 0.45% | Less than 0.2% | High in acidity and low in tannins |
| BITTERSHARP | Greater than 0.45% | Greater than 0.2% | High in both acidity and tannins |
| BITTERSWEET | Less than 0.45% | Greater than 0.2% | Low in acidity and high in tannins |
| SWEET | Less than 0.45% | Less than 0.2% | Low in both acidity and tannins |
We think this collection of gathered data is unique in that it attempts to draw sources together for purposeful comparision.
| Variety | Classification | S.G. | Acidity | Tannin |
| Amanda | BITTERSWEET | 1053 | 0.22% | 0.23% |
| Amere Nouvelle (F) | BITTERSWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Angela (New) | BITTERSHARP | 1045 | 0.62% | 0.19% |
| Amere de Berthscourt (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1049 | 0.20% | 0.34% |
| Amere Forestier (F) | SWEET | 1046 | 0.20% | 0.34% |
| Antoinette (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1050 | 0.19% | 0.27% |
| Armagnac (F) | SHARP | 1065 | 1.21% | 0.17% |
| Ashton Brown Jersey | M. BITTERSWEET | 1054 | 0.14% | 0.23% |
| Bedan des Parts (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1051 | 0.18% | 0.14% |
| Bell Apple | PURE SWEET | 1058 | 0.18% | 0.12% |
| Belle Fille de la Manche (F) | BITTERSWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Binet Rouge (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1063 | 0.26% | 0.24% |
| Black Dabinett | BITTERSWEET | 1048 | 0.23% | 0.28% |
| Breakwell's Seedling | BITTERSHARP | 1042 | 0.64% | 0.23% |
| Brown's Apple | EARLY SHARP | 1048 | 0.67% | 0.12% |
| Brown Snout | BITTERSWEET | 1048 | 0.31% | 0.16% |
| Bulmers Norman (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1056 | 0.24% | 0.27% |
| Bushy French (F) | SWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Camelot | M. BITTERSHARP | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Cap of Liberty | BITTERSHARP | 1055 | 0.92% | 0.30% |
| Chisel Jersey | FULL BITTERSWEET | 1059 | 0.20% | 0.45% |
| Cidor (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1055 | 0.25% | 0.40% |
| Cimitiere (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1039 | 0.13% | 0.23% |
| Coat Jersey | BITTERSWEET | 1047 | 0.18% | 0.27% |
| Colapuy (F) | BITTERSWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Court Royal | LATE PURE SWEET | 1050 | 0.21% | 0.11% |
| Crimson King | MEDIUM SHARP | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dabinett | FULL BITTERSWEET | 1057 | 0.18% | 0.29% |
| Dello (F) | RARE SWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Domaines (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1067 | 0.31% | 0.36% |
| Douce Coet Ligne (F) | SWEET | 1051 | 0.29% | 0.18% |
| Douce Moen (Banchet) F | BITTERSWEET | 1061 | 0.31% | 0.24% |
| Doux Normandie (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1047 | 0.23% | 0.29% |
| Dove | MEDIUM BITTERSWEET | 1049 | 0.22% | 0.31% |
| Dufflin | BITTERSHARP | 1062 | 0.90% | 0.20% |
| Du Verger (F) | BITTERSHARP | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dymock Red | MEDIUM BITTERSWEET | 1052 | n/a | 0.22% |
| Ellis Bitter | BITTERSWEET | 1053 | 0.20% | 0.24% |
| Frequin Rouge (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1047 | 0.26% | 0.30% |
| Freq Tardive de la Sarthe (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1059 | 0.12% | 0.44% |
| Fillbarrel | BITTERSWEET | 1062 | 0.25% | 0.30% |
| Fiona (New) | BITTERSHARP | 1049 | 0.69% | 0.15% |
| Foxwhelp | BITTERSHARP | 1057 | 1.07% | 0.20% |
| Frederick | SHARP | n/a | 1.02% | 0.09% |
| Genet Moyle | BITTERSWEET | 1052 | n/a | n/a |
| Gilly | BITTERSHARP | 1053 | 0.54% | 0.18% |
| Golden Harvey | SHARP | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Gravestein | BITTERSWEET | 1052 | 0.56% | 0.07% |
| Guillevic (F) | SHARP | 1059 | 0.86% | 1.35% |
| Halstow Natural | SWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Harry Masters Jersey | BITTERSWEET | 1056 | 0.20% | 0.32% |
| Hastings (New) | BITTERSWEET | 1057 | 0.13% | 0.29% |
| Helen's Apple (New) | BITTERSWEET | 1043 | 0.10% | 0.29% |
| Jane (New) | BITTERSWEET | 1052 | 0.19% | 0.33% |
| Katy | SUB ACID DESSERT | 1053 | 0.77% | 0.22% |
| Kermerrien (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1050 | 0.26% | 0.32% |
| King of T. County | SWEET | 1051 | n/a | 0.07% |
| Kingston Black | BITTERSHARP | 1061 | 0.58% | 0.19% |
| Knotted Kernal | MEDIUM SWEET | 1060 | n/a | 0.35% |
| Lambrook Pippin | BITTERSHARP | 1054 | 1.06% | 0.36% |
| Le Bret (F) | SWEET | 1054 | 0.20% | 0.12% |
| Lizzie | BITTERSWEET | 1047 | 0.17% | 0.20% |
| Major | EARLY BITTERSWEET | 1054 | 0.18% | 0.41% |
| Marie Menard (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1065 | 0.27% | 0.27% |
| Marseigna (F) | BITTERSWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Medaille d'Or (F) | FULL BITTERSWEET | 1059 | 0.27% | 0.64% |
| Mettais (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1056 | 0.19% | 0.25% |
| Michelin | BITTERSWEET | 1050 | 0.25% | 0.23% |
| Morgan Sweet | EARLY SWEET | 1049 | 0.22% | 0.13% |
| Muscadet de Dieppe (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1057 | 0.26% | 0.21% |
| Nehou (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1056 | 0.32% | 0.34% |
| Northwood | LATE SWEET | 1049 | 0.27% | 0.17% |
| Omont (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1063 | 0.29% | 0.22% |
| Porter's Perfection | BITTERSHARP | 1054 | 0.93% | 0.30% |
| Prince William | BITTERSWEET | 1057 | 0.15% | 0.25% |
| Red Gravestein | SHARP | 1052 | 0.56% | 0.07% |
| Reine des Pommes (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1063 | 0.41% | 0.52% |
| Ribston Pippin | SHARP | 1060 | 0.67% | 0.11% |
| Roquet Rouge (F) | SWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Rosemary's Russet | SHARP | 1055 | 0.86% | 0.07% |
| Slack Ma Girdle | LATE SWEET | 1052 | 0.24% | 0.14% |
| Somerset Redstreak | BITTERSWEET | 1050 | 0.19% | 0.35% |
| Sops in Wine | BITTERSWEET | 1065 | 0.19% | 0.13% |
| Stoke Red | BITTERSHARP | 1052 | 0.64% | 0.31% |
| St Martin (F) | BITTERSWEET | 1055 | 0.30% | 0.22% |
| Sweet Alford | LATE SWEET | 1052 | 0.20% | 0.18% |
| Sweet Coppin | MID SEASON SWEET | 1052 | 0.20% | 0.14% |
| Tale Sweet | M. BITTERSWEET | 1057 | 0.31% | 0.16% |
| Tardive Forestier (F) | BITTERSWEET | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Taylor's Sweet | SWEET | 1053 | 0.18% | 0.15% |
| Teign Harvey | BITTERSHARP | 1052 | 0.45% | 0.28% |
| Ten Commandments | SUB ACID DUAL | 1055 | 0.18% | 0.13% |
| Three Counties (New) | BITTERSWEET | 1057 | 0.20% | 0.30% |
| Tina (New) | FULL BITTERSWEET | 1055 | 0.18% | 0.25% |
| Tom Putt | SHARP | 1044 | 0.67% | 0.11% |
| Tremletts Bitter | BITTERSWEET | 1052 | 0.27% | 0.34% |
| Vicky (New) | BITTERSWEET | 1049 | 0.15% | 0.14% |
| Vilberie (F) | FULL BITTERSWEET | 1062 | 0.23% | 0.50% |
| Yarlington Mill | BITTERSWEET | 1052 | 0.22% | 0.32% |
Data from Liz Copas - The New Pomona and Washington State University Cultivar Performance Database together with Bore and Fleckinger Juice Analysis 1997 (French Varieties) plus analysis information from Bulmer's Pomona 1987.