Sweet cider serves as both a fresh juice product and a precursor for hard cider production and is an important facet of agrotourism within the apple industry in the U.S. In this study, juice characteristics and physiological traits of apple cultivars developed by the Midwest Apple Improvement Association (MAIA) and apple cultivars bred at Iowa State University (ISU) by Spencer Ambrose Beach were compared to an industry-standard cultivar for sweet cider quality from 2022 to 2024. Given the historical and economic significance of apple production in Iowa during the early 1900s and its subsequent decline due to multiple factors, including a devastating winter storm that killed thousands of apple trees, this research examines the potential for regionally bred cultivars to compete with established industry standards. Juice quality parameters were analyzed, including pH, Brix, titratable acidity (TA), sorbitol content, nutritional composition, and oxidation rates. Flowering and harvest dates were assessed to determine the impact of climatic risks like spring and fall freezes, which are typical weather occurrences and concerns for apple growers in the Midwest during bloom and harvest periods, respectively, on production timing and feasibility. Preliminary findings indicate that Secor (ISU) demonstrated comparable juice quality metrics to the industry standard GoldRush and ranked highest in sensory preference evaluations. Sweet Zinger (MAIA) also received high consumer preference scores, suggesting promise as a regionally bred apple that is marketable both as a fresh-eating or cider apple. One cultivar, the Original Delicious (Iowa), scored the lowest consistently in consumer preference. While having relatively high Brix, it lacked acidity, with a pH of 4.0. GoldRush, a preferred cultivar, had a pH value of 3.2, suggesting the need for blending with more acidic cultivars to optimize cider quality. These findings provide insight into the quality and economic viability of regionally bred cultivars and their potential role in strengthening the cider industry in the U.S. Midwest.
