A Brief History of Cider –

Hard cider became the traditional drink of New England not long after the first settlers arrived. Then and until recently, cider meant hard cider and legally it still does. Cider was on the table with meals in town houses and farm cottages. Cider was traded between countryside and town. Orchardists propagated apple varieties suited for cider. The apples were pressed in the neighborhood, put in casks and brought to the cellar to ferment and age. Our farm neighbors still carry on this tradition.

Cider is a World Wide Tradition –

In France, the traditional cider is light and sparkling and is poured from a Champagne bottle. The complex ciders of the Basques and Asturians in northern Spain come in a corked wine bottle. In England, where the cider tradition has seen a renewal, the ciders are kegged like beer and served on tap at the local pub. They can also be found in six packs and in wine bottles. A resurgence in popularity can also be found in New England, where small cider producers are using carefully selected apples grown especially for cider. A well made cider is easy as a cool fruity refreshment on a hot afternoon, or as a complex compliment to fine food.

Cider is Not Wine and it is Not Beer –

Like wine, cider is fermented from fruit and can capture its complex flavor. Like beer, cider has under six or seven percent alcohol and tastes best with some sparkle. It is different from both; a unique beverage. Because of the lower alcohol it is much less intense than wine. To expect the mouthfeel of wine when tasting cider ends in disappointment. The smooth taste of grain based beer is contradicted by the aggressive tang of the apple based cider.

What are the Characteristics of a Good Cider? –

In Spain, France and England, people will tell you with certainty and pour a glass of their local cider to demonstrate. The tastes are wildly different. The only clear guide is that there are different styles and traditions with new ones emerging. The scale ranges from an orchardist with a cellar full of barrels to large scale production facilities. The technology ranges from Medieval to Victorian to state-of-the-art. Underlying cider making is the same dictum that winemakers use: it takes good fruit to make good cider. The future in this country is exciting as both orchard-based artisans and large-scale producers experiment with new techniques. The orchardist partners with the cider maker as they plant traditional and newly developed varieties.