A Renaissance In The Making: Craft Cider by MARGAUX BURGESS
Does it seem like cider is everywhere all of sudden? You are not alone in thinking so – and with good reason! While we have not reached the pint per day pre-prohibition consumption of those who lived in apple-growing regions, cider is one of the most dynamic beverages today with growth far outpacing beer and wine. This is a real benefit to those of us that love a refreshing, crisp and complex beverage with pure fruit flavour, as that is precisely what the crop of today’s craft ciders has to offer. Cider has been made in some form for over 2000 years, with the most developed cultures of consumption found in England, Spain and France. Geographically speaking, these 48
three countries are rather close to one another, but the cider regions developed independently and offer three very different, yet equally traditional, styles. English-style cider is made from specific apple varieties - generally tart with thick skins. Cider apples are also on the small side so there is a higher skin to pulp ratio further guaranteeing a cider with tannic grip. Spanish cider is made from Spanish apples, specifically those from the Basque and Asturias regions in the north of Spain. These are complex,
funky and savoury options akin to sour beer. French cider comes mostly from the Normandy region, which is the home of bittersweet and sharp cider apples not found anywhere else. These are low alcohol, naturally sweet ciders, with the residual sugars balancing the tartness of the apples. The vast majority of ciders made here in Alberta and the Pacific Northwest are known as American–style or New World ciders. While their roots are firmly planted in the traditional realm, they do not have so much of the smoky, savoury flavours that are often found in French and English ciders, and they are not restricted to any one style.