| Cider, known in the U.S. as hard cider, is an alcoholic drink made from crushed and then fermented apples. In the U.S. the term "cider" almost exclusively refers to apple cider, a fresh, minimally processed variety of apple juice.
Cider generally has a stronger alcoholic content than beer, usually over 5%, and golden yellow or cloudy appearance. To produce cider, apples are washed, then grated or mashed, then pressed (usually in a stone mill or hydraulic press) then fermented in oak vats using natural or added yeasts.
Cider is very popular in the United Kingdom, especially in South West England, when compared with other countries, and the UK has the highest per capita consumption as well as the largest cider producing companies in the world [1] including Bulmers, the largest [2]. The drink is also popular and traditional in Brittany and Normandy (France), in Ireland and northern Spain. The Netherlands and Germany also produce cider. The drink is making a resurgence in both Europe and the United States [3]. Overall, the UK produces 110 million gallons of cider per year.
The US actually consumes more gallons of (non-alcoholic) apple cider per year. Of the fifty states, Ohio alone consumes 20 million gallons per year. Eating apples are far from ideal for cidermaking, as they are low in tannins. Most makers use cider apples, the cultivars developed specifically for cidermaking, of which there are many hundreds. Types of cider Cider comes in a variety of tastes, from sweet to dry, although flavour differs enormously within these descriptions. The appearance of cider ranges from very dark, cloudy and sludgy through to very crisp, clean and golden yellow, and with the most processed, almost entirely clear. The varying colours and appearances are generally as a result of how much of the apple material is removed between pressing and fermentation. Modern, mass-produced ciders are generally heavily processed and resemble sparkling wine in appearance. More traditional brands tend to be darker and cloudier, as less of the apple is filtered out. They are often stronger than processed varieties. "White cider" is made by processing cider after the traditional brewing process is complete, resulting in a nearly colourless product. This processing allows the manufacturer to produce strong (typically 7-8% ABV) cider cheaply, quickly, and on an industrial scale. White Lightning is a classic amongst this genre, although many many others abound, such as Three Hammers, Polaris and Frosty Jacks (which, uniquely amongst white ciders, has a burgeoning range of merchandise and its own catchphrase 'You Don't Know Jack'. |
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