IT ALL BEGINS WITH
Our Fruit
At our organic farm, we cultivate apples, pears, plums, grapes, and berries, with an emphasis on apples. Using only distinct local varieties, our orchard was designed with cider in mind
The Keepsake Apple, our namesake, was developed by the University of Minnesota. This hardy apple boasts an impressive storage life and imparts a complex, sweet flavor to cider. Although it may not win any beauty contests, it is undeniably one of the tastiest apples. We love this apple!
LEARN MORE ABOUT
Our Process
We make our ciders using all local apples and a specially-designed press.
Pressing
We select a variety of cider bitter sweets, heirloom, crab, and modern dessert apples, all of which we believe enhance the unique and delightful flavor of Minnesota Cider. We produce 100% of our own juice, carefully washing, grinding, and occasionally macerating our fruit before pressing. There are no additions of sugar, water, acids, or yeast—only pure cider goes into our tanks. The pressing season starts in September and wraps up in early winter.
Aging
Our ciders mature in stainless steel tanks, with certain blends also aging in HDPE (high-density polyethylene) tanks and oak barrels. This aging process can last up to three years, varying by cider, but typically, our ciders are released 12 to 18 months after pressing. Throughout this aging process, we blend to discover the finest expression of that year’s harvest. While we occasionally age or co-ferment with fruit and other local ingredients, the majority of our ciders are crafted solely from apples.
Finishing
Our dry ciders are bottled using the Ancestral Sparkling Method, or “pétillant naturel” (pét-nat), the traditional way of making sparkling cider by bottling just before fermentation is complete, allowing the remaining fermentation to happen inside the bottle, thus trapping the carbon dioxide and creating natural bubbles. From time to time, we release a Traditional Method blend, which imparts a champagne-like effervescence and presentation.
Most of our medium ciders are naturally carbonated using the Charmat Method, a technique for producing sparkling ciders where the secondary fermentation, which creates the bubbles, happens in a pressurized stainless steel brite tank instead of in the bottle, producing ciders with fresh, fruity flavors and larger bubbles.
Seasonally, we also release a canned blend and a bagged cider.
Ashmead’s Kernel
English dessert apple with a long tradition in cider. Trees of Antiquity claims,” Fruit explodes with champagne-sherbet juice infused with a lingering scent of orange blossom.” Sound good?
Chisel Jersey
An English Bittersweet that grows and produces well in our orchard. Lots of tannin, very little acid and good sugars. One of our favorites for cider.
Crimson Gold
There is a certain amount of confusion around this apple. It is not the Albert Etter crab apple. This apple originated in Czech Republic, they are a medium sized, paper dry fleshed apple with complex and spicy flavors and a crunch.
Dabinett
Steve Wood, the grandfather of this era’s craft American cider from Farnum Hill Cider, says this bitter sweet English apple is the bittersweet apple to plant. So, we did. It does not grow well here, only a handful remain, but they are fantastic apples.
Enterprise
A modern apple with very little issues with disease. Easy to grow bushels and bushels. Its parents include McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Starking Delicious, and Rome Beauty.
Freedom
1958 cross with Macoun, Golden Delicious, Jersey Black, and Antinovka in its pedigree. Great diseases resistance for organic growers.
Golden Russett
Classic American Apple possibly from English russet seedling found in New York. High sugar and acid, famous for great cider.
Grimes Golden
Originated in West Virginia around 1830 and thought to be the parent of Golden Delicious. Rich, spicy and tangy.
Haralson
Classic Minnesota apple. Unique acidity. We use sparingly in the cider, but love to eat them.
Honey Crisp
University of Minnesota 1991 Minnesota State fruit! Well balanced and delicious. Perhaps you’ve heard of it.
Liberty
Cornell 1970’s. An organic growers dream as it is highly resistant to many diseases. Classic Macintosh-New England taste. Its parent is the Macoun, a childhood favorite of Farmer Nate, so it had an unfair advantage.
Nova Spy
Nova Scotia 1986 resistant to many diseases and potential to make wonderful cider.
Sweet Sixteen
University of Minnesota in 1979. This apple is a delight to eat with flavors of tropical fruit and vanilla, and we are excited to try it in our blends.
Wickson Crab
This little apple was developed by Albert Etter. What it lacks in size it makes up in taste and sugar level. Its sweet and tart and unique. Cider makers love it, and some even make ciders only with Wickson apples.
Yarlington Mill
Found by chance at the side of a mill in Somerset England. This bittersweet apple is hopefully winter hardy and definitely fantastic in cider.
4609 135th St E, Dundas MN 55019 | keepsakecidery@gmail.com | 413-552-8872