Skip to main content

A Brief History of Hard Apple Cider

Johnny Appleseed was no legend, he was a living, breathing, apple-loving man. His actual name was John Chapman, but even during Chapman’s lifetime, which lasted from 1774 to 1845 (I’ll save you the math — he made it to 70 years old) he was known as “Appleseed.” And with good cause: homeslice loved him some apples. And he really, honestly did traverse much of America planting apple seeds and growing orchards. Also, he was an itinerant preacher who wouldn’t even make a campfire in the cold because he was worried it would attract and kill innocent insects. Weird, right? Totally weird.

Related:

Recommended Videos

Here’s the other thing: most of the apples harvested from Appleseed’s trees? They weren’t intended for eating, they were intended for drinkin’. Apples from trees grown johnny_appleseed
from seed (rather than those from trees grafted and then raised to maturity) tend to be so sour and bitter as to be unpalatable for eating, but they can still be used to make tasty booze.In fact, the first apples ever raised in America were for just that purpose as well. While some crab apples are native to the Americas, their fruit is so bitter as be almost unfit for consumption. The colonists who settled Jamestown in 1607 brought with them several varieties of apple seeds (and some trimmings from live trees), but even these apples were still sour compared to the Honeycrisp or Fuji you know today.

No problem there, though: the early settlers used their apples to make strong, hard cider. They drank hard cider because the fermentation process killed bacteria and the alcohol in the drink helped keep it free of contamination. Boozy cider was safer than often dirty water, see?

Hard Cider has been around for a long time

Cider has been consumed since time immemorial, with known varieties traced back to Ancient Greece, Gaul, Rome, and beyond. It’s enjoying a resurgence today, partly because cider is good and goddamned delicious, and partly because so many people suddenly hate gluten.

cider
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As for apples themselves, they are actually not America’s favorite fruit; that honor goes to the banana. (Barely, though: according to the USDA, the average American eats 11.4 pounds of bananas per year compared to 10.7 pounds of apples. And 286.3 pounds of Doritos. Probably.) While not necessarily America’s #1 fruit anymore, apples still have some pretty great stuff going for them. For example…

  • More than 2,500 varieties of apples are grown in America!old-school-cider
  • Apples are grown in all 50 of the states. Yes, even… um… Utah!
  • Apples sales top more than 3 billion dollars annually!
  • Apple Inc., on the other hand, top 230 billion. So they win that one.
  • Almost 60% of all apples grown in America come from Washington

Apples are also free of sodium and cholesterol, rich in vitamins A,B, C, K, and in potassium, and when preserved with sugars or when dried, they can be safely stored for extended periods of time.

Just make sure to keep up those annual physicals even if you do eat a daily apple, because that whole “keeps the doctor away thing” is less than scientifically accurate.

Steven John
Steven John is a writer and journalist living just outside New York City, by way of 12 years in Los Angeles, by way of…
Topics
Meet the man behind Serenbe, America’s most inspiring wellness community
Inside the creation of Serenbe: A biophilic community reshaping how we live, eat, and connect
Aerial shot of Serenbe

Few people have reinvented their lives—and the lives of others—as radically and impactfully as Steve Nygren. From pioneering Atlanta’s casual fine dining scene in the 1970s to founding Serenbe, a biophilic wellness community nestled in the hills of Georgia, Nygren’s journey is one of vision, values, and a deep commitment to living in harmony with nature.

What began as a spontaneous weekend drive to show his children farm animals eventually led to the purchase of 60 rural acres and a complete lifestyle shift. That grew into what is now Serenbe: a 1,400-acre community designed around the principles of sustainability, human connection, and holistic well-being. It is home to more than 1,500 residents, 700-plus homes, a boutique hotel, and one of Georgia’s first certified organic farms.

Read more
Honey whiskey 101: What it is, how to use it, and which brands to try now
what exactly is honey whiskey?
Tullamore D.E.W Irish Whiskey

Flavored whiskey is big business in the spirits world. Take a stroll along the aisles at your local liquor store or peruse your go-to online retailer, and you’ll be met with myriad flavored whiskeys. This includes flavors such as cinnamon, maple, chocolate, fruit, and honey (among others). And I could write an article about the various popular flavored whiskeys. But today is all about honey. What exactly is honey whiskey?

In my years of writing professionally, I’ve tried my fair share of flavored whiskeys. Many of which are honey whiskeys. While I wouldn’t drink these whiskeys every day and likely not neat (not judging you if you do) or on the rocks, they are well-suited for a wintry Hot Toddy or to elevate your favorite whiskey-based cocktail.
Honey whiskey

Read more
Labor Day Weekend calls for a Pineapple Smash
A tropical cocktail with bourbon shining front and center
Basil Hayden Pineapple Smash.

Labor Day Weekend is coming right up, the last gasp of summer for a lot of folks. It's a great weekend for camping, relaxing, or having a refreshing summer cocktail. Fortunately, we just got a recipe in our inbox that caught our attention.

Now is prime cocktail time. As we speak, fans are sipping on Honey Deuce drinks at the U.S. Open and making Aviation Gin cocktails to celebrate Wrexham's new season in the Championship. Some of us are just looking for the ultimate cool-off in backyards, decks, and hammocks across the land.

Read more