Hard apple cider brings with it the character of where it’s grown, and the personality of its grower. The history of early America is drenched with cider, and by 1767 its per capita usage in Massachusetts alone stood at over 35 gallons a year.
Primarily a farmer’s drink, “every plantation owner made cider, drank cider, and bragged about his cider” wrote U.P. Hedrick in his book, A History of Horticulture in America. In the 18th century, cider was a part of everyone’s daily life, from the provisions of our Revolutionary soldiers to our elder statesmen. Of these, it was most notably at the table of John Adams, who drank a tankard every morning to settle his stomach. By 1840, cider had even become so ubiquitous that William Henry Harrison used it to win his presidential campaign over incumbent Martin Van Buren, giving it away at his rallies and on polling day.
When J.S. Buell published The Cider-Maker's Manual in 1868, there was little reason to believe that anything would unseat it as this country's drink of choice. But, just a few decades into the 1900s, it would be all but forgotten. The reasons for its swift decline can be traced to a steady barrage of events culminating on January 17th, 1920, with the Volstead Act prohibiting the sale of alcoholic drinks; with one stroke of the pen the U.S. government thrust hard cider and with it, The Cider Maker’s Manual into obscurity.
For nearly 60 years, cider would be kept alive in America by small farmers, many of whom resided in upstate New York and New England. Finally, an act of Congress in 1978 would mark the beginning of a home-brewing Renaissance that would yield thousands of new craft breweries. The population’s increased vigor for the creation of artisan beers brought with it a renewed desire to produce hard cider. With only a few original copies remaining, “The Cider Maker’s Manual” was unknown to all but the most savvy in cider world. This reprint edition confers the information J.S. Buell imparted to help today’s home cider makers in creating their very own exceptional, traditional cider.
Available in both hardcover and paperback.
The Cider Maker's Manual: A Practical Handbook
Quotations about Apple Cider:
"I'll squeeze the cider out of your adam's apple!" -Mo (one of the 3 Stooges)
"We won't name her Apple Cider or Salami..." -Dancing with the stars champ, J.R. Martinez recently revealed that his wife Diana Gonzalez-Jones is pregnant. Reported by PEOPLE Magazine
Making Apple Cider. Woods Cider Mill is located in Weathersfield, VT and online at: www.woodscidermill.com This Video was produced by McNaudio Media Solutions LLC at www.mcnaudio.com Music for this video is credited to: The Skillet Lickers from Goergia Recorded in the 1920's Roots of American Fiddle V.1 - This Cider Mill was Featured during the knife fight scene in the movie "The Cider House Rules"
Apple Cider on Wikipedia
Cooks.com have tons of recipes for Apple Cider.
Apple Cider.org is a collection of all kinds of info about Apple Cider and their annual meeting was on February 8, 2012!
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