A Taste of History

Regional Ciders

"If you can find a local, real cider in your area, drink that one," suggests Corrie Wolosin of Farnum Hill Ciders in Lebanon, New Hampshire. In that spirit, here is a short list of exceptional regional ciders.

Northeast

• Farnum Hill Semi-Dry Cider
  (Lebanon, New Hampshire). Tightly structured but opens beautifully with food.
• Original Sin Premium Cider
  (New York, New York). Light and refreshing with a distinct apple taste.

South

• Foggy Ridge Serious Cider (Dugspur, Virginia). English in style and perfect with cheeses.
• Albemarle CiderWorks Jupiter's Legacy (North Garden, Virginia). Made from classic American cider apples and ideal for Thanksgiving.

Midwest

• J.K.'s Scrumpy Orchard Gate Gold, Organic (Flushing, Michigan). Full-bodied and tasting like apple juice fermented naturally in a barrel.
• Crispin The Saint (Minneapolis, Minnesota). Fermented with Belgian Trappist yeasts and organic maple syrup; a good crossover for beer drinkers.

West

• Alpenfire Ember Semi-Sweet Cider, Organic (Port Townsend, Washington). Balanced in its crisp flavor and French and English styles.
• Tieton Cider Works Cherry Cider (Tieton, Washington). Beguilingly sweet and tart and bound to be popular with guests.

International

• Samuel Smith Old Brewery Organic Cider (England). Sweet and bright and dandy with pub food.
• Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouche Brut de Normandie, Organic (France). Elegant with velvety-smooth bubbles and suited for white meat and seafood.
• Isastegi Natural Cider (Spain). Wild and bracing but intriguing and addictive.