Quince is a pome fruit that most closely resembles a pear. Bright yellow or golden in color, the softball sized fruit is very firm, tart, and astringent when ripe. Quince are bursting with floral aromatics, so much so that you can smell them from several feet away on a tree full of ripe fruit. Their distinct flavor, floral aromatics, tartness and tannic qualities make for a lovely addition to a cider or co-ferment. 

They are rarely used exclusively in an alcoholic beverage, so there is no equivalent name for fermented quince juice like there is for Cider/Apple or Perry/Pear. The firm flesh of a ripe quince is difficult to work with relative to apples and pears. Also, their flavor can be intense, and therefore a very small amount of quince can go a long way in a quince cider co-ferment with apples and/or pears. 

This collection includes a few very nice 100% Quince Wines (Alma, Art + Science) and several quince co-ferments with either cider or perry. We love quince, and if you know someone who makes an exceptional quince cider, please let us know!