Hard cider has been steadily gaining in popularity in recent years, and with Cider Week in full swing it’s hard to miss fall’s most apropos beverage.
But how is cider made? We went up to the Hudson Valley to check out perennial favorite Doc’s Hard Cider.
The most important thing to keep in mind, according to Jeremy Kidde, the co-owner of Doc’s, is that creating hard cider is a particular process unto itself. He says, “a lot of people they get it confused whether cider is more like a beer or like a wine. I like to say it’s more like a cider.”
At Doc’s they start in early September with twelve varieties of apples and blend them to try and find the perfect balance of flavor, sugar and acidity. Then the apples are pressed into juice and transferred to a fermentation room. Once the cider is innoculated it ferments for six weeks – going from very sweet to the dry flavor cider enthusiasts are familiar with. At this stage the cider is transfered to a chill tank to bring down the temperature and then it is carbonated, bottled, and sent out into the world.
Want to learn more? We’ve got all your essential apple coverage, including a Cider Week preview from our own Amy Zavatto and NY Apple Country resources, on our website.
Ali Rosen is the Founder and Host of Potluck Video, a site for food, drink and travel videos. On weekends you can find Ali attempting to not kill her herb garden and thanking her lucky stars for her CSA.
