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History: Hard Cider in New England
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"It was a huge gamble, and people called us crazy," Wood recalls, sitting down with a glass of his Extra-Dry Still Cider in the bottling room at the end of a day. He and Louisa traveled and talked with old-time cider makers in England and France. They read everything they could find. They experimented with different varieties; discovered which apples grew well in the unforgiving New Hampshire climate; blended them for just the right proportion of sugars, acids, tannins, and fruitiness. Through trial and error, they refined the process. Their timing was good: They jumped into this just as the microbrew and local-food trends were gathering steam. Theirs was real cider, nuanced cider, with the complexity of fine wine. They created a label: Farnum Hill Ciders. And in liquor stores and fancy markets they found a niche.
Nearly two decades later, they've converted about half of the orchard's 80 acres to cider trees and are preparing some 20 more for planting. At trade shows and farmers' markets, Steve and Louisa are on a crusade to introduce a nation of consumers to a product once found in every farmhouse basement and back room in New England.
"Some people still call us crazy," Wood says, lifting a glass of liquid gold to his lips. The flavor and aroma are subtle, slightly woody; the drink goes down smooth. "We can't say we've won the gamble yet," he adds. "But an awful lot of orchards have disappeared since we started. And we're still here."
To learn more: 603-448-1511; povertylaneorchards.com
Reader Comments
Comment from on September 17, 2010
Many years ago when I was in my teens, I helped out at local cider mill. When those apples were crushed and pressed between layers of straw, We would catch that fresh cider in a glass and enjoy a piece of mother nature at her finest!!
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