After a long hiatus, American cider is on the rise once more. Some 200 years ago it was the beverage of choice for Indigenous tribes and European settlers alike, an easy way to preserve plentiful apple harvests and transform them into something not only delicious but often safer than water. But times changed. Everything from the widespread migration from farms to cities during the Industrial Revolution and the resulting ascent of domestic beer production to Prohibition left the American cider industry in shambles. Yet today thousands of producers in all 50 states are working to reinvent cider and introduce the full scope of expressions to a new generation of consumers.
Some producers prefer to stick to traditional methods and styles while others are drawing inspiration from other categories like beer, wine, or even cocktails. But all have one thing in common—they’re helping accelerate cider’s return as a beloved beverage. Here are the makers changing the landscape of American cider.
Six Cidermakers to Watch
Dwinell Country Ales - Almira
Goldendale, Washington
Dwinell’s hands-off approach to fermentation allows its beers, wines, and ciders to express themselves as nature intended. Almira, Dwinell’s Normandy-inspired canned cider, is a blend of Domaines, Marie Ménard, and Muscadet de Lense apples that gets wild-fermented in the can using the ancestral method, better known as pétillant naturel (or pét-nat). It’s bubbly, bright, and earthy, with notes of lemon zest and baking spice—the epitome of a French cidre. Crack a can alongside a fresh loaf of bread smeared with a soft French cheese. countryales.com
Fable Farm Fermentory “Leona”
Barnard, Vermont
Vermont’s long winters and mild summers make it ideal for growing apples with high levels of acid, which can result in beautifully complex ciders. Fable Farm crafts one-of-a-kind products that embrace seasonal variation and reflect the local terroir. One example is Leona, made from foraged and wild apples, La Crescent and Frontenac Blanc grapes, and seaberries that have all fermented together. While coferments like Leona may not fall under a traditional cider designation, they give us a glimpse into the possibilities of fruit-centric fermentation. fablefarmfermentory.com
Rose Hill Farm “Batty Pyde”
Red Hook, New York
Pears are incredibly hard to work with. Their delicate skins are prone to bruising, meaning they often rot before they’re ripe enough to harvest. But one sip of perry, as pear ciders are known, or a pear-apple coferment like this one from Rose Hill Farm, and it’s easy to understand why cider makers put in the effort. Pears contain a not easily fermentable sugar called sorbitol, which gives a characteristically round mouthfeel and lingering sweetness. Batty Pyder combines foraged and cultivated perry pears, along with Hewe’s Crab, Stoke Red, and Bramley’s Seedling apples from their Hudson Valley farm, offers an unfiltered taste of pear’s ethereal magic. rosehillferments.com
Bauman’s Cider Company - Kingston Black
Gervais, Oregon
The vast majority of cider around the world requires blending types of apples together since
very few varieties contain the requisite balance of acids, tannins, and sweetness to create a harmonious product by themselves. Of the prized few used to make high-quality single-variety ciders, the Kingston Black is considered one of the best. Bauman’s spontaneously fermented Kingston Black cider showcases all the dimensions of the bittersharp apple, with a high acid content shining against a rich, full, tannic mouthfeel. This is one to sip slowly, and ponder. baumanscider.com
Son of Man - Sagardo
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Basque cider is one of the more recognizable styles in the world. Funky, tart, and dry, it’s food-friendly and traditionally poured from high above the glass to rouse carbonation. Son of Man utilizes Oregon-grown apples to pay homage to this special cider making tradition, and Sagardo is their flagship. It’s aged in oak barrels called foeders, which soften the tannins and results in a distinctly bright and fun take on Spanish cider. sonofman.co
Potter’s Craft Cider - Sod Cutter
Charlottesville, Virginia
Sod Cutter, Potter’s Craft Cider’s category-bending pineapple margarita gose cider, draws inspiration from both sour beers and tropical cocktails to create something completely new. With zero sugar and 5.5 percent ABV, Sod Cutter is an unfussy and refreshingly fruity concoction with big whiffs of pineapple on the nose, crisp apple in the finish, and a light citrusy sweetness balanced against a hint of sea salt. If you can, grab a can for on-the-go enjoyment, or opt to savor it at their picturesque 100-year-old tasting room only 15 minutes from downtown Charlottesville. potterscraftcider.com