Apples hold secrets. They persevere through drought and pestilence, and every year they show us a new way to experience them. Our goal is make ciders that elevate the apple to greatness, expressing a unique point of view and sense of place–something that inspires, captivates, and brings joy.
At Tilted Shed, we both grow and use dozens of apple varieties, from multipurpose heirlooms (like Gravenstein, Newtown Pippin, Roxbury Russet, and Wickson, which are good for eating, cooking and cidermaking) to the tannic cider types (such as Kingston Black, Muscat de Bernay, Nehou, and Tremlett’s Bitter, whose only purpose is to be fermented). Some of these are rarely grown in Sonoma County, much less California, so we’re conducting trials at our Sebastopol cider orchard to discover which apples will thrive here.
All of our apples are organically grown in Sonoma County, the majority in old dry-farmed orchards. Yearly variations in our climate affect the levels of tannins, acids, and sugars, as they do for wine grapes, which is why our ciders don’t taste the same every year.
Our ciders are orchard-driven and made in sync with the seasons. From late July to October, we sort, wash, grind, and press dozens of heirloom and tannic cider apple varieties at their peak ripeness and ferment slowly in small batches. We don’t take shortcuts or add flavorings and other adjuncts. Our mantra is apples and time. The results are food-friendly, earthy, elegant dry ciders that can be made only here.