Cider Question: Are some crabapples poisonous?

Often the answer to common questions about hard cider and the cider making process is that it depends. For this question, I can firmly say the answer is no. Crabapples are not poisonous. You may be wondering why this is even a question. Growing up, I believed they were poisonous. We were told not to eat them. It’s probably because they were bitter and often sharp or maybe it was just an old wive’s tale. Most were ornamental crabs and very small, so they weren’t something you really wanted to eat. Whatever the reason, if you grew up thinking crabapples were poisonous or just inedible, you are missing one of the best apples for making hard cider. This is because the crabapples generally have more concentrated sugars, acids, and phenolic compounds, which support the creation of flavors.

The size of crabapples tends to concentrate the compounds in the apple and size is the reason crabapples are called crabapples. Any apple under 2 inches (~5cm) in diameter is classified as a crabapple. Some crabapples are well known cider varieties, like Hewe’s Virginia, John Downie, and Dolgo. Our modern apples, Malus domestica, originated in Kazakhstan from the wild apple trees, Malus sieversii, still found in the mountains. These apples were ultimately pollinated with crabapples in North America and Europe. Crabapples are the only native apples in North America and Europe. Crabapples have been used in breeding programs and some common eating and cooking apples have a crabapple parent. Crimson Gold and Surprise are examples that the famous plant breeder Albert Etter propagated in his orchards in California.

So, embrace the crab. It can be a great addition to most cider blends.

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