The Cider Revival: Dispatches from the Orchard

Cider is having a major moment, and The Cider Revival charts its history, resurgence, and a year with the vanguard makers of heritage cider




Cider is the quintessential American beverage. Drank by early settlers
and founding fathers, it was ubiquitous and pervasive, but following
Prohibition when orchards were destroyed and neglected, cider all but
disappeared. In The Cider Revival, Jason Wilson chronicles what is happening now, an extraordinary rebirth that is less than a decade old.



Following the seasons through the autumn harvest, winter fermentation,
spring bottling, and summer festival and orchard work, Wilson travels
around New York and New England, with forays to the Midwest, the West
Coast, and Europe. He meets the new heroes of cider: orchardists who are
rediscovering long lost apple varieties, cider makers who have the
attention to craftsmanship of natural wine makers, and beverage
professionals who see cider as poised to explode in popularity. What
emerges is a deeply rewarding story, an exploration of cider’s identity
and future, and its cultural and environmental significance. A blend of
history and travelogue, The Cider Revival is a toast to a complex drink.