Originated in the Gloucester, England, from seed planted by a Dr. Ashmead around 1700. Stores three to four months at 32 degrees. Flavor is outstanding, rich and strong, with a balance of sugars and acids. Ripens in late September or early October. Good for eating fresh, cider and sauce. Crisp yellowish flesh is tinged green and sugary, juicy, and aromatic with an acidic sweet flavor. Because of the high acid content, storage for weeks or months mellows the fruit for dessert use. This is a good cider apple and good for winter storage.

Baldwin was the preeminent commercial apple of the country, mostly in New England, until a harsh winter in 1933-34 killed most of the trees. It has been replaced by McIntosh. The skin is thick, on the tough side. Flesh is yellow, crisp, coarse and juicy, with a spicy character that is good in cider and pies. Keeps well and ripens in late September or October. Originated as a seedling in northeastern Massachusetts sometime before 1750.

Calville Blanc d'Hiver is the classic dessert apple of France, and is of either French or German origin. It was mentioned by LeLecire, procureur for Louis XIII, at Orleans in 1627, and it likely dates to the late 16th century. This is a large, flattish, round apple, with uneven ribs extending the entire length of the fruit. It should be stored a month or longer to develop its maximum flavor. It has distinctiveness described by some as effervescence. In vitamin C, it ranks very high. The tree does not produce fruit of the highest quality until it has cropped for a number of years. Other than its very high dessert quality, it makes exceptional cider and cider vinegar. Ripens in October. Good culinary apple as well.

Golden Russet may be a seedling of English Russet. There are a number of strains and cultivars. It was known in the 18th century, and was described by Downing in Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, 1859. Under favorable conditions, the skin is smooth and the shape uniform. The fine-grained, yellowish flesh is crisp with an exceptionally sugary juice. Properly stored, it will keep until April. Still considered to be one of the best cider apples of all time, but is also a tasty dessert apple.

Harrison is a famous 19th century American cider apple, believed to have been extinct. Known in the early 19th century, Downing in 1846 reports it to have come originally from Essex County, New Jersey. New Jersey is the most celebrated cider making district in America, and this apple...has long enjoyed the highest reputation as a cider fruit. Makes a high colored cider of great body. The Harrison apple was long though to be extinct, but was rediscovered by Paul Gidez in New Jersey in 1976. Nurseryman and fruit historian Tom Burford verified its identity.

The Harrison apple remains very little known outside a small group of American apple enthusiasts and cider connoisseurs. Current recovery efforts have been focused in Virginia but trees have recently been distributed, mainly to home orchardists and small commercial cider producers, throughout the United States. Alone, Harrison apple juice makes an extremely dark, rich cider with exceptional mouth-feel. It was a leading variety for cider production from the early 1800s until the early 1900s and documentation indicates that it was a variety of high merit for cider taste and profitability.

Kingston Black is one of the classic cider apples, and is speculated to have originated in Somersetshire, England, about 1820. It is thought to be named after the village of Kingston St. Mary, near Taunton, and is probably related to other Somerset bittersharp varieties, such as Lambroook Pippin, and others. It is one of a very few single varieties used for high-quality cider making. Classed a bittersharp apple it is moderately sweet, with a strong astringent aftertaste. It ripens in late September.

Also called Essex Pippin, Glory of York, Ribstone, among other names, was grown from three apple pips (seeds) sent from Normandy to Sir Henry Goodricke of Ribston Hall at Knaresborough, in Yorkshire, in 1709. Only one seed germinated and matured. The original tree was blown down in 1810, but was propped up and lived until 1928. Skin is a yellow, flushed orange, streaked red with russet at the base and apex. The yellow flesh is firm, fine-grained, and sweet. Some tasters detect a pear-drop flavor, others detect fermenting cider. Has one of the highest vitamin C contents: 30.30mg/100mg. Does not store well and ripens in September.

Roxbury Russet originated early in the 17th century in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and is probably the oldest named variety of apple in America. Propagation wood was taken to Connecticut soon after 1649. Medium to large in size, and elliptical in shape, the green skin is tinged a bronze, and overspread with a brownish-yellow russet. Sometimes, there is a reddish blush on the sun-exposed side and a hint of ribbing. An all-purpose apple, Roxbury Russet stores well and ripens in late September and early October.

Originated in Esopus, Ulster County, New York, in the latter part of the 18th century. It was one of Thomas Jefferson's favorite apples. He ordered 12 trees from William Prince's Flushing, Long Island, Nursery in 1790 to plant at Monticello. A likely parent of the Jonathan and is classified in the Baldwin group. A large apple, oblong in shape, smooth-skinned and colored a brilliant red, approaching scarlet, and covered with small yellow specks. The yellow flesh is rich, juicy, and sprightly, and ranks high in taste tests. Ripens late September and early October.