All About Cider

Cider has been an American tradition since the birth of our nation. Our country’s indigenous apple trees, mostly crab apples, were ideal for making cider. The colonists also brought their own Old World varieties to plant on their arrival. Cider was considered much safer than water to drink and was even consumed by children. Orchardist and horticulturalist Tom Burford has said he believes that Americans drank as much cider per capita in the 18th Century as they do sodas or soft drinks today. This makes one wonder, so where did its popularity go?

During Prohibition, orchardists switched their marketing strategy from cider being what the doctor ordered to the famous saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and stared growing eating apples. When Prohibition was repealed reviving the orchards with cider varieties would take many years. Thankfully the wait is over, and the selection of craft ciders has grown immensely!

When someone mentions the word cider, what kind of beverage do you think of? Most might respond, a golden colored liquid made from apples that is typically very sweet. While many enjoy this type of cider, there are so many more flavor profiles that come with a truly craft cider. Cider is now following the lead of craft beer  and hosting a revival of its own. Here is your guide full of helpful tips and hints to ordering these new craft ciders.

- Not all cider is super sweet.

One of the most interesting things I have learned about cider is that most cider is made from a blend of juices from different apple varieties. This process allows the cidermaker to create different levels of sweetness, the categories of apples include sweet, sharp, bitersweet, and bittersharp. If you like tart flavors look for Basque ciders from Spain, they are still and can be described as briney and sour. Another great style description to look for is Farmhouse, these ciders can be wild fermented and tend to be dryer and offer a bit of funk. 

- Ciders come in a wide variety of carbonation levels.

Ciders can be still, with no carbonation like wine, or offer the most bubbly carbonation like champagne. While most ciders are going to be somewhere in the middle, champagne ciders are exquisite. They typically come from France and are a wonderful substitute to champagne. They are a bit sweet but it is balanced. The most famous still ciders come from Spain as I mention above, but there are also some wonderful cask ciders that are bottled still from England that offer a more traditional cider flavor. 

- Some of the best ciders on the market right now are made right here in Virginia!

In 2012 Virginia became the first state to have an official Cider Week proclaimed by the governor and is held in November every year!