Fruit

CHISEL JERSEY is a cider variety that is very old, concentrated around Martock, central Somerset, England. The juice is bittersweet and very astringent. Ripens in late Fall. Chisel Jersey is one of the most famous of the Somerset bittersweets. The fruit is round-conic and red-striped with a brownish-pink blush. It has good sugar content and slow to medium fermentation, with medium acidity, very astringent, harsh and high in tannins. It produces strong, rich, full-bodied, colorful cider. It is best blended with other apples. In old English, "chesil" means "pebble." Chisel Jersey is small, hard and bitter. The spreading tree may require encouragement to develop a strong central leader. It is a consistent cropper, closely related to Dabinett, but they should not be relied upon to pollinate one another. It is also a late bloomer.