Twin Pines Orchard & Cider House
AWARD WINNING CIDERS
Twin Pines Orchards and Cider House, was founded in 1968 on a picturesque sandy loam ridge in Thedford, Ontario. The soil is rich with naturally occurring aquafers and is perfect for growing fruit. Twin Pines grows more than 40 varieties of commercial apples resulting in excess of one million pounds every year.
Heritage and English Cider apple varieties, are pressed on site and used for making traditional British Hard Cider and apple wine. In 2015, Twin Pines won “Best in Show” at the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition, the largest cider competition in the world. In 2018, Twin Pines won first place for their Ice Cider and a best in class for their Old World cider in 2021, in addition to another eleven awards.
Mike and Mark Vansteenkiste, Co-Owners and Cider Makers, are proud to grow premium fruit with minimal or ideally, no use of pesticides, herbicides or chemicals. Twin Pines has been designated an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) orchard. The IPM approach results in a substantial reduction in the over-use of pesticides. They also appreciate their environmentally friendly, chemical free ozone water disinfection system for the production of their award-winning ciders and wine.
Client Needs
Safe, Chemical-Free and Environmentally Friendly
Superior Disinfection and Sanitizing Capabilities
Compliance With All Government Regulations
Prevention of Build Up and Biofilms on Equipment
Easy Installation and Maintenance
Fast Facts
CLIENT: Twin Pines Orchard and Cider House
LOCATION: Thedford, ON, Canada
DATE: 2018
CONTAMINANTS: High Iron, Patulin
FLOW RATE: 10 GPM / 20 GR/HR with oxygen
Twin Pines relies on incoming well water for drinking, washing and pressing apples as well as sanitation of the processing equipment. The well water contained a high concentration of iron that needed to be removed.
Furthermore, Twin Pines needed a superior water disinfection solution that would destroy and prevent the growth of patulin during cider production. Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by a range of different fungi, including Penicillium expansum. Patulin can cause various gastrointestinal symptoms.
Mike was also looking for a chemical-free, sustainable water treatment solution to enhance and preserve the high quality of the orchard’s apples.
THE ACLARUS SOLUTION
Aclarus worked with Twin Pines Orchard to determine key factors including the flow rate of the water, the treatments required and ultimately the required ozone “dose” and system design that was necessary to meet their needs.
Twin Pines uses the ozonated water for its primary needs – producing premium drinking water, washing and pressing the apples, cleaning and sanitizing the cidery processing equipment and bottling the apple wine and cider.
The Aclarus system has delivered the benefits Mike expected, premium water quality and sanitation without the use of expensive and dangerous chemicals.
The Aclarus system has given Mike peace of mind while saving valuable time. The system provides monitoring of water quality to meet all of Twin Pines regulatory compliance, quality assurance and control requirements. Water input and output connections are part of a network of sensors and software that are imbedded in an automated monitoring system that controls the dose of ozone required for effective disinfection. Should there be any significant fluctuations or anomalies in the water, the system will provide immediate notification.
Technical Specifications
10GPM Saturation System
Oxygen Generator (6-10 litres per minute)
Ozone Generator (20 grams per hour)
Entrained Air Removal (Degas)
Injection & Mixing System
Two Automatic Filters
I am extremely happy with our Aclarus solution and their customer service is fantastic. The system is safe and easy to use, adjustable and flexible enough to meet all our operational needs.
Mike Vansteenkiste, Co-Owner and Cider Maker
THE BENEFITS
SAFE, CHEMICAL FREE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
There is no need to purchase, transport, store and handle chlorine or other potentially harmful chemicals.
COST-EFFECTIVE
Reduced monthly costs because there is less need to purchase/store expensive chemicals; costs about 5 cents per 1000 litres of water treated, significantly less than other treatments.
A BETTER TREATMENT
Completely disinfects the water; removes colour; removes harmful metals, microplastics and other micro-organisms more effectively than other treatments.
NO DISRUPTIONS TO BUSINESS
Water is treated with ozone as it flows for use throughout the orchard operations.
EASY INSTALL AND MAINTENANCE
Easily installed, easy to use, takes up little room, and is modular for easy maintenance and service.
FOOD SAFE COMPLIANCE
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food and surface sanitization.
A Superior Chemical-Free Disinfectant Effective at Treating the Most Complex Water Problems Including:
Pathogens
Bacteria (E. coli, Streptococcus, Cholera, Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium)
Viruses (Adenovirus, Legionella, Rotavirus, Salmonella, Influenza, Hepatitis, Polio)
Cysts (Giardia, Crypto, Cyclospora, E. Dispar)
Contaminants
Metals (Iron, Manganese, Sulphur, Lead, Arsenic)
Organics (Biofilm, Algae, Tannin, Colour, NOM)
Inorganics (Cyanides, COD)
Contaminants of Emerging Concern
Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care Products
Hormones, Antibiotics, Medications
Estrogen, Sulfamet, Oxycodone, Ibuprofen, Triclosan
Amphetamines, Cocaine, Opioids
PFAS (per & Polyfluoroalkyl Substances - Teflon)
Micropollutants & Microplastics
We Can Help
Do you have a water challenge or want to learn more about this use case?
We’d love to discuss your water treatment needs and develop a solution that’s right for you.