Cider, Hard and Sweet: History, Traditions, and Making Your Own

by Ben Watson

Drinking fresh, or "sweet," cider in the fall is an American tradition. And recent years have seen the resurgence of "hard" (alcoholic) cider--once the drink of choice in England and the Americas--after decades of obscurity. Now this delightful, fizzy drink is turning up again in American farmer's markets and in bars and restaurants as a refreshing alternative to handcrafted beer. What's more, this elegantly simple beverage is so easy to make that producing good homemade cider, both hard and sweet, is well within the reach of the enthusiast. In Cider, Hard and Sweet , Ben Watson explores the cultural and historical roots of cider. He introduces us to the different styles of cider--including draft, farmhouse, French, New England, and sparkling, as well as apple wine, applejack, and cider vinegar--and gives complete instructions on how to make them at home with a minimum of time and equipment. In addition, there are tips on evaluating homemade ciders, instructions for hosting a cider tasting, and recipes for cooking and baking with cider. This book is sure to interest not only apple aficionados, but anyone who appreciates good food and drink and the cultural traditions that surround and inform them.

Genres: Cookbooks, History, Nonfiction, Food History, Food, Brewing, Food Writing

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Will Ansbacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good summary of just about everything you need to know to start brewing cider, plus a whole lot more about the history and types of cider, and various apple varieties. This is about principles rather than specific recipes and it’s a bit light on details such as the mechanics of apple-crushing or “recipes” (though what sort of recipe do you really need? – it’s all about the apples: the rest is technique). But you can find a lot of that on the internet, and since so much is contradictory - read up on a few techniques then refer back to this book to see how much of it makes any sense.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent overview of the apple-related arts - orcharding, milling, brewing, distilling, and cooking, complete with a short history of cider. Even if you have no plans of making your own cider, with this book, you will become a connoisseur of apple varieties and gain a full vocabulary of words to describe future cider tastings. Because home distilleries are still illegal in most parts of the states, there is only a brief overview of the techniques used in making apple spirits. An inspiring and informative book. I am passing the book on to friends who have an apple tree in their yard.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for anyone interested in making their own cider. It contains clear instructions for both small and large batch fermentation, as well as thorough history of the practice, reviews on apple varieties, and recipes for using apple cider products in your cuisine. Having read several books on cider making now, I can confidently say that this was my favorite and the one I will be referencing next fall.

[Justin K. Rivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best book about cider I've yet read. It has details not found in the Annie Proulx book, has an extensive list of apple varieties and characteristics, and talks about specific yeasts as well. The history chapters are interesting as well.

Essential for the North American cidermaker's library.

[Mark White · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an odd little book, a mix of the science and history of apple growing and cider making, US based but acknowledging its European origins, plus a significant section of cider based recipes and how to brew cider. I found the science, history and traditions very interesting but the brewing methods and recipes less so. The cider making advice is traditional and overly prescriptive, not optimised for home brew scale (I have made a few batches of cider in my time) and I am not a "foodie". For me recipes are a necessary evil so I just skipped the lot. If I some day have a load of cider I don't know what to do with I may revisit but I'm not going to skip drinking cider just to add it to the pot. Be warned also that Watson tends to wax lyrical on the benefits of cider drinking almost non-stop through the book. At first this is charming but then becomes amusing and finally boring. It might have been better if rationed thin.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book, because I find apples interesting. So for someone looking for the history and traditions part, it was a bit unbalanced. There was so much about making your own cider (hard and sweet) that felt a bit bogged down with technical terms. However, if your intention was to learn about cider making, you have found a wonderful reference book that you may go back to again and again.

I loved the collection of recipes in the book, but I’m also the type to read through a cookbook like it’s a novel. I finished feeling like I am more knowledgeable on the subject and learned some new words. So that’s a win for me.

I dropped from a five star book to a four star for the heavily detailed “how to make cider” and also another “way to make cider” and “the things that can go wrong” and “how to fix some things that go wrong”

I wanted the whole history! But of course I will never go to a book without expectations. You will have your own.

[Max Finnance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice summary of the cider-making process, aimed at the home cidermaker interested in getting into a new hobby. This book also delves into a bit of the history and regional variation in cidermaking, as well as some of the apples, pears, and their associated fermented and distilled products. A substantial portion of the book is also dedicated to sweet (nonalcoholic) cider (which may not be apparent to readers who haven’t come across the term “sweet cider” before) as well as its culinary uses and range. Overall a very enjoyable book, and worth the read if you’ve ever wondered about making your own cider.

[Allen Crump · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been a really nice read. While a couple of the techniques are perhaps a bit outdated ten years later, it’s extremely clear why this title appears in the “further reading” section of just about every cider book that’s been authored ever since. Watson takes a traditional and artisan approach to cider in all its form and discusses cider’s legacy in wonderful detail.

A definite must-read for every cider maker.

[Timothy Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great starter book on brewing cider. Not very detailed and contains lots of history about cider and regional variations. I'm also not interested in growing or crushing apples for cider. I will buy the juice, thanks.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic intro to cider.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A how-to book that has no recipes is next to useless in my opinion. The writing in the history and traditions section is tolerable but not at all engaging.

[Dan Hyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has a very good detailed look at the cider making process. A lot of tips and hints that are missing from other books, and a good reference book.

[Seth Mares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great info and history. Would recommend to any home brewer

[Dean Dipietro · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you're looking to read a book about food, this is the kind you want. A perfect balance of history, contemporary status, and learnable techniques. If you're not itching to start fermenting cider after a few chapters, you're doing it wrong.

[Sergio Rico · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book, it'll give you most of what you need to get started fermenting cider and a lot of general info on this type of drink. For a more in-depth discussion on the topic of fermentation, I recommended The New Cider Maker's handbook by Claude Jolicoeur instead.

[Anne Hosking · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an inspiring book , fascinating detail and history as well as practical information ! Will our autumn crop become a unique brew ?......

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning the history of cider and where it came from. You can also learn everything you need to know about your first batch of cider.