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Ciders are having a moment. For ages, they have been resigned to the the same dusty shelves syrupy wine coolers occupy, but now they are sharing space with their craft beer brethren. With smaller, artisan cider producers employing local ingredients, new techniques, and Newtonian smarts to craft apple-focused concoctions (ones that take on similar characteristics to biting IPAs, or complex barrel-aged brews), their old—albeit warranted—reputation as a weak, candy-sweet alternative to beer has seemingly faded. So forget everything you thought you knew about the stuff and reach for one of these local new-school ciders.
Bantam Cider Company La Grande
The earliest farmhouse ciders in Europe were made using little more than a wooden bucket of freshly pressed juice and some airborne yeast. Using a more sophisticated approach, Bantam’s limited edition La Grande takes Massachusetts-grown apples along with both wild and cultivated yeasts, dry ferments them, and then ages the blend in bourbon and rum barrels for four months. And then says: “You should drink this.” Where to find it: Eastern Standard, Hungry Mother, T.W. Food
Down East Cider House Antoine Dod-Saison
Along the lines of a classic farmhouse ale, this American-style cider is made with Saison yeast and a heap of spices and citrus. Fun fact: It’s dubbed Antoine Dod-Saison after internet sensation Antoine Dodson, whose infamous interview resulted in a hilarious Auto-Tuned hit. Enter “hide yo..” joke here. Where to find it: Cambridge Brewing Company, Mead Hall, Salty Pig
Far From the Tree Cider Sprig
Picture a Massachusetts-made craft cider as a concoction of locally grown, freshly squashed apples with touch of maple syrup. Now picture a dose of Cascade hops from Four Star Farms in Northfield added before the two-week aging process. Basically, picture a cider remix with a pale ale spin, and three mint flavors (lemon, pineapple, and apple) from the Herb Farmacy in Salisbury dropped in just a day before bottling. Or just picture this cider. It’s less work. Where to find it: Bukowski’s Tavern, Miracle of Science
Blacksmiths Fatty Bampkins Dry
Styled after the ciders of England and Ireland (think: dry and crisp), this Maine barrel-aged cider is one of the driest on the market. Ripe local apples finish with a prickly cider’s swallow, while an insanely enjoyable wave of drying tannins pummels the taste buds. It all sounds very violent, but it’s really just delicious. Where to find it: Lower Depths, Picco, Stoddard’s Pub
Farnum Hill Ciders Extra Dry Cider
With a dream of making New England the Napa Valley of cider producers, Farnum Hill Cider at Poverty Lane Orchards in Lebanon, New Hampshire, brings you a game-changing cider (with a sparkly Champagne façade) that carries a subtle tart apple snap challenging the sugar-laden, from-concentrate normalcy traditional ciders are known for. Dreams can be real, people. Where to find it: Deep Ellum, The Abbey, Redbones Barbecue