Try juicing them and mixing them 40:1 with apple juice. They are truly the king of fruits for blending.
I’ve been meaning to juice some but haven’t gotten the chance. Tried to sneak some into the smoothie I just made, but my daughter was watching 
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I picked a couple of pounds from my 3 aronia plants. They’ve been hanging for a very long time. These were most of what remained.
The shriveled ones are around 25 brix, the plump ones around 18.
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I haven’t tried it yet, my viking is still baby size, but I would think the tannins would make them excellent for balancing out flabby grapes in a wine blend, or even for jazzing up cider or perry where are you didn’t have a good tenant source
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Siris Voice text feature is killing me. That should say a good tannin source
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Aronia are quickly gaining popularity as blending berries. They are used in many juices and wines now but the market is growing still. They are importing tons of aronia every year because we are not producing enough locally. If you want to see the imports take a look at this link https://www.seair.co.in/us-import/product-aronia.aspx
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They are about the easiest thing to grow, at least around here. I have a number of seedlings sprouting up in my berry area, and I think cuttings stabbed into the ground take.
They are super easy to pick, probably amenable to machine harvest. I combed my fingers and raked handfuls at a time.
I have two named cultivars and one seedling from a friend who gave me several. The others I’ve grafted over to pears and Shipova.
The birds didn’t seem to go too crazy on them this year. Maybe its because there were other things available before, and then a lot of Himalayan blackberries available after they colored up. I’m thinking I should plant out a bunch of seedlings in the unprotected areas, as perhaps a diversion. Although they are low growing enough that the deer may destroy them.
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Birds will eat Aronia but I don’t think it’s a favorite. If you have something better they will notice. If I were you and looking for a bird diversion I would probably try to find a fall fruit in the mulberry if there such a thing or bush cherry or something along those lines
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Deposited my last aronia check the other day. Certainly was a great year for aronia and we can only hope next year is as good or better.
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Good for you. As the demand increases, market will grow.
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The aronia looked completely dried out on the bush but to my surprise today they are plump and full after the rain! Looks like I will get some kind of harvest after all.
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mine are just ripening right now.
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Whats recommended cultivar and are they easy to propagate?
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Viking is good but I’ve not tried to propagate it
I ‘snuck’ a cutting from Lowes this summer but I cant remember what variety it was, it was labeled as ‘chokeberry’ if I remember correctly. It rooted fairly easily. Would be interesting to try hardwood cuttings if anyone could send me some next spring. I read the viking variety is easier to pick and more drought tolerant also…
i have a polish named variety and a viking but appear to grow and taste the same. very productive. i leave them on untill frost hits them.
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they root very easy if they touch the ground. like a currant. my neighbor has 3 from mine. let me know when you want some. the polish commercial variety is called galijanka or something like that. i give them barely any water and they produce fine, even after all the snow damage from last winter. very prolific bushes.
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The harvest today was eighty pounds
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I harvested a gallon about a week ago and juiced them in a masticating juicer. That was the berries from 1 of 3 bushes. It was incredible how dry the pomace came out after one pass.
I didn’t love it at first but its really been growing on me. I like to drink it straight, it reminds me of the POM wonderful pomegranate juice.
Just measured it, 19 brix.
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