Cider Saturday: Cider Summit Primer, Part 1

The Portland Cider Summit is just two weeks away, and it has, as usual, an impressive line-up.  We’re still in early days with cider-drinking, but last year was a watershed in the transition from obscure niche beverage to the mainstream.  At least around Portland, rare is the pub or restaurant that doesn’t have at least one tap devoted to fermented apple juice.  Still, I find that while many people enjoy a nice pint of cider, it still remains mysterious to them.  For this week’s Cider Saturday, I’ll outline some of the basics and next week look at some of the more interesting ciders to try at the Summit.

Consider National Tradition
There are three very important cider-producing regions, and they make very different kinds of cider: England, France, and Spain.  French cider is rich and silky, highly effervescent, and complex.  Traditional makers use an old process called “keeving” that strips the fermenting juice of nutrients so that the yeast goes dormant.  It means they can produce very …