Apple Cider

Drinking Warmth in Winter

Nothing beats a cup of hot Apple Cider on a cold winter day.' The earliest known production and drinking of apple cider was in England. It is said that when the Romans arrived in England in 55 BC, the locals of the English villages were drinking a cider like beverage made from apples. Julius Caesar embraced this pursuit with enthusiasm. Cider drinking was well established by the Ninth century in Europe. The writings of Charlemagne confirms the popularity of this drink throughout the peasantry and also the aristocracy. Adding spice to cider became a tradition after the monks started producing it in large quantities. By the times, the Norman had invaded England in 1066 AD and cider drinking had become a habit. In fact, many orchards were given specific instructions regarding the productions of apples and the quantities to be reserved solely for the purpose of making cider.

Popular beverage in colonial times

In America, the early English settlers introduced Apple Cider as a beverage. They settlers brought with them the seeds of cider apples which were planted and made into orchards. These orchards did not thrive in the colonial times and the grains were costly to import. As a result, the apple orchards native to America thrived and hard cider became one of the most popular beverages. In the Eighteenth century, the consumption of cider increased steadily. This was partly due to the influence of Johnny Appleseed who planted numerous apple orchards in the Midwest region.

 

Apple cider production decreased in America with the oncoming of German immigrants who started the production of beer in large breweries. The Temperance movement became a strong reason for church going farmers to halt the production of cider. When prohibition became law, apple cider production dropped to almost nil. Today however, the tide has turned. The popularity of apple cider is rising with the popularity of micro-breweries across the United States. Traditional cider making is coming back in Europe as an artisanal craft.