Hard Cider Research

Hard Cider Research

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Cider apple qualities and consumer preferences will be evaluated thanks to a $40,000 “Emerging Research Issues” grant received this month by Washington State University researchers.

 

“The cider industry will gain a better understanding of the impact of growing environment, location and harvest method on fruit quality - and whether or not these differences are valued by the cider maker or detectable by consumers,” said Peter Tozer, research associate in the School of Economic Sciences at WSU.

 

The grant - from the WSU College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences is one of eight awarded. The grant supports innovative approaches to resolve significant issues – including social and economic factors - faced by the state’s agricultural industries. A social and economic factor that comes into play is the fact that hard cider has grown immensely in terms of its popularity.

 

Here is Dr. Tozer:" Alcoholic apple cider is pretty much the boom drink at the moment. They talk about a big increase in consumption and it looks nice when you get a 60 to 70% increase in consumption. It has only just this year gotten to be .32 and it is 1% of total beer sales. One of the problems we are having with the growth of the industry is that there is a shortage of cider apple varieties or at least a potential shortage in the future of the industry continues to grow the way it is.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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