Ryan Cashman

Looking back into the annals of New England history, there is one drink that stands out as a favorite among the myriad characters who populated our little corner of America: hard cider. It’s no wonder. Apple trees flourish here, due mainly to our (somewhat) temperate climate and the fact that they are gnarly, tough barked things. Cider was pressed and fermented in mass quantities from before our official founding in 1776 and up until the mid-20th century. At one time, the largest producing cidery in the world was the Holbrook Cider Mill in Sherborn, Massachusetts which ran production from 1853 until just after WWII when tastes shifted to beer.

Today, Sherborn is once again home to a terrific cider mill with aims of putting their town back on the craft cider map. This is Stormalong Cider, and while the actual orchard is in Middlesex County the company has a new production facility in Leominster, therefore it counts as booze news for Worcester County. Named for the cider swilling, larger-than-life, folkloric sea captain Alfred Bulltop Stormalong, the company’s main focus is on the revival of American craft cider – which coincidentally proves to be somewhat at odds with the industrial popularity of Angry Orchard and Redds Apple Ale. Mind you, I love a cold, crisp Angry Orchard, but, like with all things craft, there is something to be said for small batch individuality. Cider is reclaiming some of its forlorn popularity, and while it’s nowhere close to taking over the market from beer, for a writer of beverages, the uptick in cider making is something to take note of.

For a flavor profile on a Stormalong cider, here’s my take on one of their year-round products: Mass Appeal. As the name suggests, this a highly drinkable and appealing cider with just the right balance of tart and sweet. Made with a combination of Macintosh and Golden Delicious apples, Mass Appeal is, to quote the company website, “reminiscent of fresh New England farm stand cider.” It just has the added, adult, benefit of being an alcoholic drink.

Stormalong’s flagship cider is the Legendary Dry, a traditionally fermented drink which uses 14 different apples to achieve the right blend of tannins and acidity. The canned lineup rounds out with Light of the Sun, flavored with citra and ekaunot hops and guava, and Red Skies at Night, with passion fruit and hibiscus. Stormalong ciders also have the added benefit of being gluten free and devoid of any additional sugars or preservatives.

Stormalong also offers two specialty bottled series. The Grand Banks, named after the legendary fishing grounds off the coast of Cape Cod, is two ciders, one aged in a whiskey barrel and one aged in a rum barrel. Both barrels are courtesy of Bully Boy Distillers in Boston. The Rare Apple series is exactly as suggested. There’s Kingston Black, which is a single variety cider made using only Kingston Black apples, and Boston Heirloom, which uses a blend of Roxbury Russets and Baldwin apples – some of the first apples to appear in New England.

With autumn now in full swing and apple picking at its peak, it may be worthwhile to set aside the beer can and crack open a can of unique New England history.

Some other ciders to check out: Deep Rooted Cider at Foppema’s Farm in Northbridge, check their Facebook page for availability; Ragged Hill Cider Co. out of West Brookfield can usually be found at the Canal District Farmers Market, but again check their social media feed for more information.