We’re celebrating National Cider Month with a few facts you probably didn’t know about hard cider!
1) Washington produces the most apples followed by New York and Michigan. Oregon is 7th on that list.
2) Over 100 different varieties of apples are grown specifically to make cider. It also takes 36 apples to make at least one gallon of cider.
3) Ciders are governed by the FDA and must list the ingredients on the bottle or can.
4) History tells us that cider was cleaner than water and 14th Century children were baptized in it.
5) Consumption of cider by gender is pretty equal, unlike beer where men are primarily the target market at 80%.
6) Sometimes, there is more than apple in your cider. Cider markers are starting to integrate hops when making cider varieties along with various types of fruit.
7) Apple trees are pretty hearty and sustainable. Plant an apple tree and it will bear fruit for 70 years and during drought years, apple trees seem to thrive.
8) Ciders pair the best with spicy foods like barbeque and Mexican food because the crispness cuts down on the hotness of the food. When pairing with cheese stick to dry ciders with goat cheese, medium dry to medium ciders with cheddar and medium sweet ciders with blue cheeses.
9) Cider is always gluten free making it an awesome drink for those on a paleo diet and suffering from celiac.
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