Calling All Good Apples

Uncommon Cider is kicking off it’s 8th Annual Fruit Drive in Calgary, to turn the fruits of the community into something special.

We are calling on all Calgarians to help us by bringing tree fruit from their backyards and communities!

All through the Fall, the team here at Uncommon Cider will be collecting and accepting your fruit to create the 8th Annual YYC Community Cider.

Your fruit will be made into a delicious taste of Calgary, and do a little good at the same time.

As a thank you, every donor will receive a 15% discount in our Tap Room.

Be a good apple

Do you have backyard fruit that you want to donate or would like to get involved?

Here's how you can help:

  1. Find and pick the fruit from your yard or fruit trees in your community.
  2. Select a drop-off date and location from the list provided below.
  3. Drop off your fruit, meet the Uncommon Cider Team, and sign yourself up for the Good Apples Club emailing list.
  4. Volunteer by emailing us at hello@uncommoncider.com . Help us pick apples for those who aren’t able to pick their own.
  5. Buy a bottle of our previous YYC Community Ciders and try the results.
  6. Share with friends and family, especially those with fruit trees!

Our Community Partner

For our 8th annual YYC Community Cider, we are partnering with Leftovers.

Leftovers is a registered charity working in Alberta and Manitoba to reduce food waste by getting surplus food to community organizations like soup kitchens, group shelters, and youth support programs working with vulnerable populations so that it can be used where food is most needed.

Leftovers also operates the Home Harvest program, which redirects excess produce from backyard gardens and fruit trees to service agency partners.

When the cider from the excess fruit of Calgary is released in 2025, a portion of the proceeds will go directly towards Leftovers, helping to continue the cycle of doing good.

Drop-off Locations

Alongside our Tap Room we will be announcing drop-off locations across Calgary soon.

Check back regularly or follow us on social media to receive updates when we confirm a location.

FAQ's

What types of fruit is Uncommon Cider collecting?

For the fruit drive, we are accepting all apples, crab apples, pears and berries.

If you have any other fruit or concerns about the fruit you do have, send us an email at hello@uncommoncider.com

Will Uncommon Cider accept bruised fruit?

Soft, imperfect and bruised fruit is absolutely acceptable.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to take rotten fruit. We will have a compost bin on site to get rid of any fruit that can not be used.

Why is Uncommon Cider collecting fruit?

Every year, fruit from trees all over the city goes to waste. By collecting fruit, we are able to make a truly local cider, ensure that it doesn’t go to waste and to pay it forward to Albertans in need.

What will happen with the fruit that I donate?

Uncommon Cider is going to press the fruit into juice, ferment it and create YYC Community Cider 2024.

Where can I drop off my fruit and when?

Our drop-off site schedule is shown on this page. Stay tuned to our social media or sign up for our mailing list for regular updates.

We will be accepting donations in our taproom as of Friday, August. 16th.

What if I am unable to pick or drop off my fruit?

Send us an email at hello@uncommoncider.com or complete the contact form below and we will do our best to help you out.

We are organizing a team of volunteers to come and pick tree fruit as well as pick up fruit that has been picked but can not be dropped off. If you are interested in volunteering, send us an email with the subject “Volunteer” along with your availability and we will keep you up to date with our schedule. We will be doing the harvesting on weekends.

When will the 2024 YYC Community Cider be released?

Our wild fermented ciders take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years to ferment and age. Once it is ready we will announce it’s release on all of our social media streams and through our Good Apple email list.

Why does it take so long to make cider?

Cider making is a delicate and time consuming process. The fruit needs to be pressed, and given time to ferment and turn into cider. The natural fermentation process is a labour of both love and patience

Our YYC Community Ciders

Try the fruits of a previous Apple Drive