Tomato Summer Cider

Orange beefsteak open pollinated tomato on potato leafed indeterminate plants.

Description 

Summer Cider is a creamy textured juicy tomato with a delicate citrus flavour. A late ripening, indeterminate, potato-leafed beefsteak tomato with apricot coloured, flattened fruits of 4-18 oz. (Every year we have fruit of between 200 and 600 grams). Slightly blander flavour than Pink Brandywine it is nonetheless ideal for sandwiches and makes an excellent addition to late summer salads and a fantastic coloured, strong tasting sauce.

One of the many varieties bred by Tom Wagner and introduced in the late 1990s.

We’ve found that the taste improves when you leave the fruit to ripen well on the plant, wait until they’re soft to the touch and the richness of the taste really improves and then its flavour is THE BEST.

We’ve grown this tomato for many years and we really like this tomato for its attractive colour and excellent flavour and always try to make space for it. 

In 2018 we grew Carotina for the first time but forgot to sow Summer Cider, we need to do a grow-off to compare but they are similar in flavour – Carotina perhaps will come earlier but we can’t tell because 2018 was such an early year.

I seems I’m not alone. I’m a member of a tomato seed swap run by another website and some of the people who I have swapped this cultivar with sing its praises as well.

2019: Remembered to sow this this year but have forgotten to grow Carotina so no comparison (again).

2020: Grew it again (as usual) and cropped well and full of flavour.

2024: Accidentally grew two plants this year but, like all tomatoes, late ripening.