Just in time for the days of Fall, I have a pair of Apple Cider’s that will help celebrate the spirit of the season from Farnum Hill and what’s in store for you and me is an apple journey most of us haven’t been on before.

In Europe, Cider is always alcoholic and never referred to as “hard cider” – that’s an American thing. In the grand tradition of our forefathers, there is a rising tide of old-school cider makers that are starting to crop up. I know, you might by thinking “why is Duane reviewing Cider on a wine site?” The reason is because it’s made in much of the same way many of the great white wines we all enjoy are made. Good fruit, quality fermentation, heart and soul from its producer.

Farnum Hill, based in Lebanon New Hampshire, produces bone-dry ciders that are food-friendly, low alcohol and quite frankly will shock a lot of folks out there who always think of their cider as being sweet. They grow a variety of “cider apples” of English, French and American heritage that it contends make a better product.

Extra-Dry Still Cider – W.E.P. Rating: 100%

• Alcohol: 7.5%
• Sugar: 0 grams per liter
• Price: $9

Taste: A very thin layer of honeycrisp, green and red delicious apple flavor with a soaring acidity that comes rushing in like a tidal wave across the end of the mid palate and carries well into the finish. I was very surprised at how “food-friendly” this cider really is – I could totally see having it with buttered shrimp, lobster or even a pan-seared sea-bass with pears. The acidity is so ripping that, honestly, it’d pair up nicely with a variety of foods.

Semi-Dry Cider – W.E.P. Rating: 100%

• Alcohol: 7.4%
• Sugar 7 grams per liter
• Price: $9

Nose: Liken to shoving an entire apple orchard up in your nose, along with some nice notes of butterscotch, honeysuckle and pears.

Taste: I’m liking the addition of the bubbles in this cider as they help if feel drier and certainly bring a level of good enjoyment to the party. Similar fruit notes here as the Extra Dry Still – honeycrisp, green and red delicious apples coming across the palate with nice acids. The finish is very dry to me but still has the slightest hint of sweetness – would be a stellar match with Thai Food, cajun-style pork and even Thanksgiving dinner.

In the end, this experience has given me a whole new appreciation  for what apples can do in the hands of a good cidermaker and I’ll tell you they won’t appeal to a lot of people out there who want sweet cider. If you’re a sweet cider kind of person, stick to apple juice, if however, you want a great bottle of Cider to have at the dinner table with friends and family then I’d highly recommend you give Farnum a whirl.

Check out Farnum’s website at: www.farnumhillciders.com