Cider apples grown for
depth, character,
and fermentation.

Nestled on the south shore of Prince Edward Island, we grow heirloom cider varieties that have been the tradition for thousands of years. Explore our rare varieties, shop for scions and budwood, and order fresh pressed frozen cider juices. Whether you are a home cider-maker or an artisan cidery, our specialty apples will elevate your cider. Experience the taste of history in a glass!

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What We Do - Cider Orchard

What We Do

The Orchard was developed to preserve many rare and antique (also known as heirloom), cider apple varieties, most of which are centuries old, that are essential in making traditional hard ciders. We are focused on using sustainable orcharding practices to produce the highest quality, fermentation-ready juices.

Traditional Varieties

Selected for tannin, acidity, aromatics, and the complexity that great ciders need.

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Sustainable Practices

Prioritizing tree health, a balanced ecosystem, and long-term resilience in the orchard.

Our approach

Quality First

Seasonal pressed juices blended for structure, mouthfeel, and unsurpassed flavour.

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Seasonal Sales - Cider Orchard

Seasonal Sales

Although we are busy in the orchard all year long, most of our products are only available seasonally until we get to full commercialization. Scionwood is harvested in the late winter and early spring, budwood in late summer, and apples for juice in the late fall.

Spring Scionwood

Late March → Mid May

Inventory is limited by variety and updates automatically as items sell out. Order early for best availability. Scions are typically shipped in early May or as requested.

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Fall Budwood & Frozen Juice

Early September

Budwood availability is similar to scionwood and is grafted in early fall. Cider juices are fresh pressed into 10L aseptic bag-in-box units and frozen, which keeps them stable for up to 12 months.

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Shipping to Canada only (See restrictions for Cider Juices).

Cider Education - Cider Orchard

Why Cider Apples Are Different

Cider Apples vs. Eating Apples

Best for fermenting but not for snacking

A fine red wine cannot be made from table grapes and cider is no different. It takes apples with special charateristics to make great cider and at The Orchard, we take that seriously. Our cider apples deliver complexity, unique flavour profiles, and aromatics to every cider blend.

Tannin adds structure and mouthfeel — it's what makes cider feel layered instead of thin.
Acidity supports balance and freshness, helping a cider stay crisp through fermentation.
Aromatics create complexity — they add more depth, more character, and give a better finish.

Explore Apple Varieties

About Ciders

Back-sweetening and flavourings in ciders

Because proper cider juices are difficult to obtain, many cideries make their ciders using juice or juice concentrates pressed from eating apples. Since these do not have the characteristics needed to make a great cider, additives are often used, such as powdered tannin, malic acid, sugars, and flavourings. We believe that if high quality cider juices were more readily available, most cider-makers would choose to use them instead of substandard alternatives. For thousands of years people have made great ciders from these apples, so experience it for yourself; taste history in a glass.

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Quick Education - Cider Orchard

Cider Apples - Just the Facts

Cider made from fermented apples was already well established when the Romans invaded Britannia (now England) in 43 AD. Since then, it has been an historical part in many cultures around the world, and when an exceptional cider apple was found, its scions (the part used to graft a new tree - see Grafting & Scionwood) were carefully passed on for future generations. These traditional cider apples have been the foundation of complex, flavourful ciders, and are still found in the best cider-making regions of the world. Now they are available here, in select Canadian markets, and we are proud to grow and process these special apples on Prince Edward Island.

Cider vs. Eating 4 Key Differences

Specially grown to ferment

Although many cider trees can be challenging to grow and may be difficult to source, these rare heirloom varieties give us apples that provide everything a great cider needs:

Tannin provides structure and mouthfeel (that “dry” complexity).
Acidity keeps cider bright and balanced through fermentation.
Aromatics add depth & character, better finish, less “one-note” cider.
Blending power lets producers build complexity naturally.

Explore Our Trees

Cider-Makers The Industry

All natural, no additives

With cider apples, the flavour profile is dependent on the skill of the cider maker in blending different juices, each with particular characteristics, to achieve the final product. This means: