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.

Topics
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…
Espresso vs. drip coffee: Comparing two beloved brews
The battle of the brews
black eye coffee

True coffeeholics understand that comparing espresso and drip coffee is like comparing apples to oranges. While in the same "family," these two varieties are entirely different—from their taste to how they're brewed. You can't beat a traditional drip coffee for a classic, reliable cup at any time of the day. Yet, concentrated and bold espresso meets a need that drip coffee can't when I'm craving something stronger. Here's what to know about espresso vs. drip coffee and why they're different.
Espresso vs. drip coffee

Bernadette Gerrity, VP at Cafe Aroma, a family-owned and operated Cuban espresso company, shares what makes espresso and drip coffee unique. As a former coffee trader, Bernadette now brings her expertise to her family's business, which her grandfather started in 1961. Firstly, she shares that the primary difference between drip coffee and espresso is that they're brewed using two completely different methods. "Espresso uses a lot of pressure to push a small amount of hot water through finely ground coffee beans, resulting in a very strong, highly concentrated shot of coffee. It’s perfect for making drinks like americanos, lattes, and cappuccinos, and it requires very little time," she says.

Read more
This sweet & savory Ozark Wagyu Burger will change your grill game forever
Get ready for National Burger Month with this new burger recipe
Wagyu Burger

National Burger Month kicked off in May -- and this year, there's no time for bland, basic burgers. With so many delicious burger recipes available, crafting a delicious burger at home is achievable for anyone. Valor Provisions founder, Patrick Montgomery, shares his favorite burger recipe: The sweet & savory Ozark Wagyu Burger.
How to make the sweet & savory Ozark Wagyu Burger
 

After years in Special Operations, Montgomery says he has "zero tolerance for halfway measures — especially when it comes to what's on [his] grill."If you’re tired of bland, basic burgers that taste like the inside of a fast-food bag, it’s time to level up." This burger recipe marries two Missouri heavyweights: Mouthwatering Wagyu burger patties and Mac Farm’s legendary Ozark bacon. Add a knockout homemade bourbon peach jam and a savory smoked cheddar, and you’ve got a burger that’s sweet, bold, and completely untamed. This isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience that’ll make your taste buds stand at attention," says Montgomery.
Ingredients

Read more
I’m loving this: Starbucks x FARM Rio drop nature-inspired drinkware collection
Celebrating the joy of nature in full bloom
Starbucks FARM Rio

Since the initial collaboration of Starbucks x FARM Rio back in 2022, customers have been anxiously awaiting the debut of a new collab between Starbucks and Brazilian fashion and lifestyle brand FARM Rio. Launching tomorrow, May 13th, customers can get their hands on a vibrant, limited-edition drinkware collection across Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada. The five iconic FARM Rio prints are bold and lively, with roots in the nature and culture of Rio de Janeiro. Just looking at these new cups gets me excited for the summer. The collection will also be available in stores in Brazil and select stores throughout Latin America and the Caribbean starting on May 20, 2025.

The Starbucks FARM Rio collection includes colorful drinkware in five different prints designed to brighten your day with a burst of color and happiness. Mariana Flores Rios, Brand and product Marketing Lead for Latin America and the Caribbean at Starbucks, says the collection was crafted to celebrate Starbucks's rich coffee culture while incorporating FARM Rio’s artistic flair, making each coffee experience more memorable. The design team wants us to get in the summer mindset, believing that summer isn't just a season -- it's a state of mind. Inside the Starbucks FARM Rio collection, you'll find the following bold prints:

Read more