The Cider Apple Difference
Most apples grown today are bred for the table — sweet, crisp, low in tannins, and mild in acidity. Cider apples are a different breed entirely. Selected over centuries for their complexity rather than their palatability, heirloom cider varieties are often astringent, bitter, or sharply acidic when eaten fresh. These qualities — which make them unpleasant to bite into — are precisely what make them exceptional in the press.
The key difference lies in two compounds:
Tannins (polyphenols) — Responsible for astringency and bitterness. Eating apples contain very low levels; cider apples can contain 4–10× more. Tannins add structure, mouthfeel, and longevity to cider.
Malic acid — The primary organic acid in apples. High-acid varieties produce sharp, bright ciders; low-acid varieties yield softer, rounder expressions.
Together, tannin and acid levels define the four classical cider apple categories.
The Four Types of Cider Apples
🍎 Bittersweet
High tannin · Low acid
Bittersweet apples are the backbone of traditional English-style ciders. Their elevated tannins deliver body, astringency, and complexity, while their low malic acid keeps the flavour soft and rounded. On their own they produce flat, heavy juice — but blended with sharper varieties, they create structured, full-bodied ciders with excellent aging potential.
Our Bittersweets: Bedan des Parts , Binet Rouge , Bulmer's Norman , Chisel Jersey , Dabinett , Domaine , Ellis Bitter , Harry Master's Jersey , Michelin , Porter's Perfection , Somerset Redstreak
🍏 Sharp
Low tannin · High acid
Sharp apples are the counterbalance to bittersweets. Their high malic acid content brings brightness, freshness, and fermentable sugars that drive a clean, lively fermentation. Low in tannins, they produce light, crisp juice that on its own can be thin — but in a blend, they lift and animate heavier varieties. Many culinary apples (like Bramley) fall into this category.
Our Sharps: Bramley's Seedling , Esopus Spitzenburg , Harrison , Winesap
🍎 Bittersharp
High tannin · High acid
The rarest and most prized of the four types, bittersharp apples combine the structural tannins of a bittersweet with the cutting acidity of a sharp. The result is complex, intense juice that contributes both backbone and brightness to a blend. Historically associated with traditional Herefordshire and Somerset cidermaking, bittersharps are challenging to grow and relatively uncommon.
Our Bittersharps: Cap o' Liberty , Kingston Black , Stoke Red
🍏 Sweet
Low tannin · Low acid
Sweet apples produce mild, neutral juice — high in sugar but low in both acid and tannin. They ferment readily and contribute alcohol and body without adding bitterness or sharpness. Used as a blending component to soften aggressive varieties or increase overall yield, they rarely shine on their own but play an important supporting role in the press house.
Our Sweets: Calville Blanc d'Hiver
With a few exceptions, no single apple makes a complete cider. The craft lies in blending across categories — balancing tannin structure against acid brightness, sweetness against astringency — to achieve a finished cider with depth, balance, and character. This is why at The Orchard Point Prim, we only grow what we believe are the best of all four types, and why variety selection is as much a cider-maker's decision as it is the orchardist's.