The Cider Revival

Dispatches from the Orchard

By: Jason Wilson

Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey

Cider is having a major moment, and The Cider Revival charts its history, resurgence, and a year with the vanguard makers of heritage cider

Cider is the quintessential American beverage. Drank by early settlers and founding fathers, it was ubiquitous and pervasive, but following Prohibition when orchards were destroyed and neglected, cider all but disappeared. In The Cider Revival, Jason Wilson chronicles what is happening now, an extraordinary rebirth that is less than a decade old.

Following the seasons through the autumn harvest, winter fermentation, spring bottling, and summer festival and orchard work, Wilson travels around New York and New England, with forays to the Midwest, the West Coast, and Europe. He meets the new heroes of cider: orchardists who are rediscovering long lost apple varieties, cider makers who have the attention to craftsmanship of natural wine makers, and beverage professionals who see cider as poised to explode in popularity. What emerges is a deeply rewarding story, an exploration of cider’s identity and future, and its cultural and environmental significance. A blend of history and travelogue, The Cider Revival is a toast to a complex drink.

©2019 Jason Wilson (P)2019 Abrams Press

Witness to the revival

This connected on a very personal level as someone who relocated to Virginia to change careers and become a winemaker. Little did I know that the cider making side project would engulf me and to strive to be another story like the ones shared here.

Best cider book on the market

Wonderful book about Cider, A must-have for cider freaks :) To much BS about Trump, but other than that, its a great book.

Cider Ascending

I love this book almost as much as Andy Brennan’s.
It seems to me that the genetic variety of the apple and our nation’s shared upbringing with it on this continent suggest that this may be just the beginning of an important new chapter both of discovery and rediscovery.

Loved It!!

I loved it even being a cider professional I still found things I learned and Jason really painted the picture of being there with the cider producers this is a must read.

Good info but insufferable writer

Overall interesting topic and generally well written but the tone of the author makes it difficult to get through. He comes across as a know it all and is just unlikable as a participant in his own narrative. Also, I’m not really sure how Donald Trump fits into a narrative on apple cider however, the author at numerous points mentions Trump. all that being said, the book does provide some useful information, if only the author would tone it down on his personal contribution to the story.

Good overview of heritage cider producers

Was a good overview of heritage cider producers if you want to find some new ones to try. Was weird that he weaved Trump politics throughout the book, didn’t help the cider narrative at all and seemed like something the editor should have removed