Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 47

CLOCKWISE: Grimes Golden apples
are among the heritage varieties that
Kirk Billingsley grows.
Andrew Clark and Mike Herold feed
Hewes crabapples into Big Fish Cider's
press.
Kirk Billingsley samples the cider being
made from Dolgo crabapples.
Heritage apples have flavors that can't be found
in apples from a grocery store. People should
buy apples with their taste buds in mind,
not what is appealing to the eye.
Billingsley explains that Highland's
Big Fish Cider's back porch where employees
Andrew Clark and Mike Herold
have begun the process of turning Hewes
Crabapples into cider. The duo pours
bins of Hewes, which originated in Virginia
during the early 1700s, into a press
which grinds them into a liquid that, in
turn, drains into a barrel just like the one
where the Dolgo cider ferments.
" Both George Washington and
Thomas Jefferson grew Hewes, " Billingsley
says. " We even know that Jefferson
raised this crabapple for cider at Monticello's
north orchard. Dolgo trees are
more carefree to raise while Hewes are
more difficult. I lost half of my Hewes
trees to fire blight one year, for example.
But both produce excellent cider, and
both have their fans. "
mountainous setting makes it an ideal
location to raise apples. One reason is
because even during the summer growing
season, nighttime temperatures can
plunge into the upper 40s or low 50s
which causes stress for the trees, which,
in turn, creates more acidity in their fruit.
The resulting tartness is what brings
more intense flavor to his company's
cider, emphasizes the craftsman. Other
factors also come into play.
" With each batch, I have to test for
sugar content, titratable acidity levels
[the acid we taste], and pH, " Billingsley
says. " Briefly, I let the yeast that is naturally
on the apples start the fermentation,
which is called wild fermentation,
but if the aroma lets me know something
is not right, I may pitch [pour] yeast into
the cider. All this is based on the taste
profile I am hoping to achieve.
" The advantage of wild fermentation
is that some of the best cider I've
ever made has come from that process.
You get some really interesting flavors.
The disadvantage is some of the worst
cider I've ever tasted has come from
wild fermentation. "
Next, the Highland County native
needs to check on the trees at one of
his three orchards. Upon arriving, Billingsley
touts the virtues of the heritage
trees whose fruit he examines. Grimes
Goldens sport a slight cinnamon flavor,
plus hints of licorice, Cox Orange Pippins
flaunt pineapple and orange flavors,
making them the perfect eating-out-ofhand
apple, Roxbury Russets feature
nutty flavors, and Ralls Genets are a
" never fail apple. "
" I encourage people to grow these
and other traditional varieties for their
own eating pleasure and to keep our region's
apple heritage alive, " Billingsley
says. " Yeah, these old-fashioned apples
often have spots on them unlike supermarket
apples. But you won't notice
those spots when you drink their cider or
eat their pies. "
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 47
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Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023
