Making the Case For Cider

by Jessie O'Brien

Even though apples are one of the most famous American fruits to eat, people don't care for them as much in a beverage. Cider makes up a meager 1 percent of the beer market. Things have changed since the beverage's heyday.

"Cider used to be wildly popular in America during pre-prohibition because everyone could have some apple trees in their yard, and it was pretty easy to make for yourself," said Alex Ekey, the head cider maker at Fenceline Cider in the small town of Mancos, Colorado. "When prohibition came around, many cider orchards got cut down, and we lost part of that history."

That's a shame. Today, we overlook the mighty apple's resiliency, wild nature to grow anywhere, and wide-spanning diversity. 

With more and more people interested in artisanal beverages and foodie culture, now is the time for a revival. However, misconceptions about cider and bureaucratic forces keep the cider industry down.

Cider's Challenges and Misconceptions
One reason cider is the underdog is that the big brands that most people are familiar with are cloyingly sweet and misrepresent the variety of nuanced flavors that quality ciders possess. Some of these brands don't even have real apples but use added flavor and aroma. 

"Popular ciders are the same boring stuff when cider can have as much variation in it as wine can," Ekey says. "Just like all the different variations in wine from different grapes, there are thousands of apple variables."

Because of this range, there are light, fruity, delicate ciders that drink like a rosé, and then you can have earthy, tannic, bitter cider that would drink more like a red.

"There's a lot of variation people don't understand. They've just tried one and think they've tried them all," Ekey says.

Ekey says the misconception is about cider apples themselves. The Granny Smiths, Red Delicious, and McIntosh Reds are unsuited for cider. 

"Usually, apples that are enjoyable to eat don't make very good cider," he says. "You lose a lot of flavor in the fermentation process, so that light sweetness dissipates."

Cider apples are much more potent. 

"You usually want something that's really intensely flavored, that's almost uncomfortable to eat for a lot of people," he says.

People don't eat cider apples, which explains why the beverage didn't survive prohibition. With bourbon, for instance, producers could make the case that the corn would be used for food instead. Cider makers couldn't do that with cider apples, so the orchards were chopped down. 

Regulations have also prevented cider's growth. Depending on its alcohol content, cider is either regulated by the Food and Drug Administration or the Jurisdiction of Alcohol and Tobacco Trade Bureau. These regulations are not standard, making them challenging for producers to navigate.

The different varying alcohol content speaks to cider's undefined identity. Is cider more like a beer or more like wine? 

"A lot of cider that you'll find in cans right now is probably more analogous to beer. It's going to be some of the easier drinking stuff. It's carbonated. It's in a can," Ekey says. 

However, Fenceline produces high-end bottled ciders that are higher in alcohol content and have a more serious feel. These ciders are more similar to wine. 

"We're kind of riding that middle line of being a little bit of both," Ekey says.

Why Brewers and Beer Drinkers Should Try More Cider
Brewers could offer a cider to stand out from a crowded market. There are very few well-known ciders out there, especially quality ciders, and brewers already have the equipment on hand. 

"The one thing that is really different is when you're brewing beer is when you're making your wort or your mash, you're heating all of those grains to convert the starches to sugar so they're fermentable," he says. "We don't do any of that cider. So, cider-making is not even brewing because brewing implies some heat, creating a chemical change. We're just doing fermentation, so the juice comes from the press, and then we add the yeast, we pitch the yeast, and then it just eats the natural sugars that are there." 

Ekey suggests that for someone who is experimenting with cider for the first time, the key is to have a quality fruit. 

At Fenceline, they get their ingredients from 500-year-old apple trees. Back in the day, this was the main agricultural industry in Montezuma County, where Mancos resides. Many trees remain in the area, but very few are harvested for business. 

"This year, we actually had a program where local people could bring in fruit, and we purchased it from them," Ekey said. "We wound up getting close to 20,000 pounds of fruit that our community picked."

That connection to apples makes cider more appealing to Manco's residents, but the Fenceline team has trouble convincing the beer-drinking crowd to try more cider.

For those unconvinced, Ekey says you haven't tried the proper cider yet. 

There are some additional benefits, too. 

"It's way lower in calories. There's no grain. A lot of people put on a lot of weight if they're really heavy beer drinkers, so they have to watch out for that. So it's a lot healthier in that regard," he says. 

If you have to try it to believe it, Ekey suggests Fenceline's flagship, classic American cider, Seedling. 

"It's made with all local fruit from the Four Corners region. I probably picked most of it," he said. "It's off-dry, just like nothing but Apple. It really showcases what just a light, crisp cider can be. And so if you're looking to try a cider, that's one to try."

Fenceline is available in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. The cidery ships to most states. Sign up for Fenceline's Cider Club to receive three higher-end bottles twice yearly.