CiderSquatch Experience: One Wild Weekend in the Woods

Cider is an ancient, fermented beverage dating back thousands of years. It was popularized across Europe by the Romans and Normans before becoming a staple in Colonial America. Though nearly wiped out by Prohibition, the craft cider movement has recently seen a massive renaissance.

 

Here is how the humble apple drink evolved over the centuries:

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• Ancient Roots (55 BCE - 1000 CE): The earliest recorded references date to 55 BCE, when Julius Caesar discovered Celtic Britons fermenting native crabapples. Following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, French traditions merged with English apples, cementing cider into the English language and making it a vital daily drink.

• Colonial Staple (1600s - 1800s): European colonists brought apple seeds and grafting techniques to the Americas. Because grains were difficult to grow initially and water was often contaminated, cider became the beverage of choice. It was even used by wealthy landowners to pay farm workers' wages.

• Decline and Prohibition (Late 1800s - 1930s): Cider lost its massive market share due to the Industrial Revolution—which made mass-producing grain-based beer easier—and shifting cultural demographics, as German and Eastern European immigrants brought strong beer cultures to cities. The final blow came with Prohibition, during which many cider-specific orchards were chopped down or abandoned.

• Modern Renaissance (1990s - Present): Cider has made a remarkable comeback, driven by the global craft movement. Today, producers use heritage and culinary apples to create a wide variety of styles, drawing modern consumers looking for farm-to-table, gluten-free, and local alternatives to mass-market beer.