What is Cider?

Cider is fermented apple juice just as wine is fermented grape juice. The best cider, just like the best wine, is carefully crafted from fruit chosen for cider making. That brown stuff you buy in the grocery store juice section is just that, apple juice. In colonial America, fermented cider was the drink of choice. Thomas Jefferson’s champagne-like cider, made with Hewe’s Crabapples, was his “table drink”. Throughout the 19th century, growing apples and crafting cider from cider apples was an integral part of every community. Many Virginia cidermakers now aim to revive the cider tradition by growing, or encouraging others to grow cider apples, and by crafting fine cider.

 

Celebrating a Virginia tradition of creating hard cider.

Cider Week is November 11-20, 2016.

In 2012, Virginia became the first state to have an official “Cider Week” proclaimed by its governor. The week-long celebration will feature special tastings, pairings, dinners, events, and workshops.