Fizzy Favorite

By Alice Feiring

Back in the days when Ida was sweet as apple cider, the reference was not to the sweet juice but to the gently fizzed hard stuff--about 6% to 8% alcohol, refreshing and delicious. That's right. Forget beer; from colonial times to the early 20th century, hard cider was the American buzz of choice. Thanks largely to the efforts of Judith and Terry Maloney, a woodsy, sixtysomething couple, cider has staged a comeback.

The Maloneys' path to cider was accidental. On a road trip in 1972, their car broke down in the sleepy town of Colrain, Mass., near the Vermont border. It was beautiful. They stayed. Terry Maloney, an emergency-room physician, explains that in California, where they had previously lived, they made wine for home consumption. Looking to continue the practice, they soon realized that the local fruit was not grape but apple. So they did as the saying--slightly paraphrased--goes: When life hands you an apple, make cider. The Maloneys cleared acreage, planted trees, plunked fermenting tanks in the cellar and entered the market in 1984 with West County Cider. Judith was the marketer, Terry the farmer and cidermaker. The work was full time, but because their volume was only 300 cases, it wasn't exactly enough for Terry to give up his day job.

Today production is up to 2,000 cases, and Terry is retired from medicine. The 1,400 trees on their property produce the fruit of traditional cider varieties like Kingston Black, Redfield and Dabinett. Cider apples can be gorgeously ugly and highly tannic, with a blistering bitterness. In fermentation, those qualities help make a complex, food-friendly thirst quencher. In fact, cider is so food friendly that you'll find it on some pretty flashy wine lists, such as those of Gramercy Tavern in New York City and Wildwood Restaurant in Portland, Ore., as well as at more casual spots like Bottle of Bread in Shelburne Falls, Mass.

When the Maloneys started West County, it was the only hard-cider maker in North America; there are now about 60. Why the interest? Judith cites the current love affair with food that is local, authentic and artisanal. Cider bottles do tend to stay close to home because of limited supplies, so if you live in St. Louis, it will be difficult to find a cider from Massachusetts at your local wine store. But because of changing shipping laws, it will be easier than ever to get ciders by mail. And since most cider sells for $10 to $18 a bottle, it's not that much of an extravagance.

West County westcountycider.com produces about 10 varieties. My favorites are the faintly blushed, honey-hinted Redfield and the rich, slightly bittersweet Dabinett. Among other attractive offerings: Cyderworks cyderworks.com in Portland, Ore., produces a dry blend with a distinct chalkiness. Great ciders for wine geeks are the ones from Farnum Hill farnumhillciders.com in New Hampshire. Caution: Farnum Hill's bone-dry, tannic ciders do best with a hunk of cheddar or even a kasha knish. The maker has just released Summer Cider, an easy drinker, lemony and a bit smoky. Its name is an excellent reminder that lovely cider is not just for fall but fabulous all year round.