Cider is having a moment, thanks to passionate makers around the country who are keen on its flavor profile and versatility, with some ciders offering a dry finish and others even imparting notes of vanilla.
Like wine, the flavor and mouthfeel of a cider depends on several things, including the cider-making technique itself as well as the region of the country where the apples are sourced.
“There are more and more cider makers planting heirloom apple varieties and making higher quality cider using those same apples,” says Amie Fields, a cider educator and co-founder at Botanist & Barrel, a cidery in Cedar Grove, North Carolina. “Others are foraging for feral apples and making truly one-of-a-kind terroir-driven vintage cider.”
The finest ciders being made around the country are premium artisanal varieties that are actually—by definition—considered wines, says Elizabeth Philbrick, co-founder of EsoTerra, an artisanal hard cider brand located in Dolores, Colorado, “These take a significant time to make—ours take six months to several years—and they’re made, served, and stored like wine. Best of all, they age really well and, over time, become more interesting.”
Locally, Flag Hill Farm in Vershire, nestled high in the Vermont mountains, is one of the original Vermont cideries that helped pave the way for the exciting craft cider renaissance. The rustic family farm is organic and solar-powered and follows Audubon guidelines for maximizing bird and pollinator habitat. The certified organic hard ciders, apple brandy, and cider vinegars draw complexity from a collection of over 80 varieties of cultivated and wild apples. The 250-acre hilltop farm has lovely, panoramic views of the White Mountains in neighboring New Hampshire. Flag Hill ships to most states; order here.
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