The beverage of choice for Colonial Americans is quickly becoming the preferred beverage of a new generation. Cider, a fermented beverage made from apples, has seen an 850-percent increase in production in Virginia in the last five years. There are eight cideries licensed in Virginia and four more slated to come online by the end of the year.

Research being conducted at the Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Winchester, Virginia, is helping apple growers in the state meet the demand for production and improve the quality of hard cider in the state.

Recently, Virginia Tech was awarded a planning grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to identify how best to address the needs of the cider industry.

“This planning grant will help us resolve some of the key production barriers along the whole supply chain, from cultivar to consumer,” said Greg Peck, an assistant professor of horticulture and Extension specialist who is one of the principal investigators on the project.

Executing the planning grant will draw on a multidisciplinary team of expertise from the Department of Food Science and Technology, including Assistant Professors Amanda Stewart and Andrew Nielson, who will study the role fermentation plays in mitigating off-odors and negative sensory characteristics in the finished product. They will also evaluate the nutritional value of the polyphenols found in apples and the flavors that are expressed by them in cider production.

Another team member from Virginia Tech is Gustavo Ferreira, assistant professor of agricultural and applied economics, who will assess the marketplace for cider and determine how cider fits into well-established beer, wine, and spirits categories. Other principal investigators come from the University of Vermont, Michigan State, and Washington State.

“Our goal is to really ensure the long-term success of the emerging cider industry in the commonwealth and across the nation,” Peck said about the team.