HAWLEY — Franklin County’s cider scene is rising from prohibition ashes, when apple groves were clear cut to stem the golden flow of hard cider pouring from New England orchards. And as the American pallet further matures, Headwater Cider Co. owner Peter Mitchell predicts cider connoisseurs will seek out specific orchards for their flavor like wine lovers flock to renown vineyards.
“It’s more akin to wine making than beer making. But we’re still recovering from prohibition,” Mitchell said recently, standing in his orchard on Forget Road in Hawley. “Now, we’re getting into more industrialized mass produced ‘six pack ciders.’ However, America’s pallet is slowly learning there’s a great difference between something you can put out in six weeks, and something that’s crafted and takes more than a year.”
Around him, apple trees stretched across a grassy meadow and a sweet appley taste lingered in the air. Before the temperate movement took an axe to the industry, cider was one of the most prevelant beverages in the region, and colonial farmers took pride in local flavor. In many ways, cider fueled the American Revolution — quaffed by rebels, produced by Founding Fathers including George Washington.
In the early 1900s, though, many farmers replaced apple varieties used to make cider with pick-your-own variety, low acidity sweet fruit like Macintosh and Cortlands. Now, modern orchardists like Mitchell are returning to the soil, replanting those species lost to history, and in the process resetting New England’s taste buds.
Ironically, Hawley is an alcohol free town and didn’t repeal prohibition-era laws. Despite that, Mitchell can sell from his orchard or host tasting events because of other laws. He’s working to change that bylaw and sees a future when cider is as prevalent on the dinner table as is wine.
Mitchell, an aquatic biologist by trade working at the Department of Environmental Protection as an environmental analyst, purchased the land in 2005 from Apex Orchard. At the time, it had three types of apples — MacIntosh, Cortland and Empire. He soon planted 500 new cider variety trees and grafted in others.
“We get a lot of sun up here, but it’s cold. We’re higher in elevation than Berkshire East Ski area — so the apples don’t get to a large size, but they get a lot of color, sugar and maturity. So, you don’t have that big apple you’re going to sell at a supermarket, but they’re ideal for cider,” he continued. “The best product you can get from these apples is cider.”
The orchard, on the eastern edge of the Berkshires and at the headwaters of Clesson Brook in the Deerfield watershed, currently covers about 20 acres, with 2,000 trees and about 40 apple varieties. Different species, when carefully blended, contribute unique attributes to a hard cider’s flavor.
“The most significant difference in apples is the amount of tannins which are in them — tannins wick your mouth dry, it’s like you make a strong cup of black tea, forget about and it goes dry but you drink it anyways, you toss it back and there’s this dryness in your mouth. You say, ‘I know there’s liquid there, but it still feels dry’ — that’s what tannins are,” Mitchell explained.
“Macintosh, Cortland, Empire, have very little tannins in them. Some of the bittersweet and bitter sharp apples have higher tannins in them — and by sweet and sharp I mean high acidity and low acidity. Each apple imparts something special to cider. The Macintosh is an aromatic, so when you pop the top on a bottle of cider you’re going to smell that, it’s going to hit your nose beautifully,” he continued.
Headwater Cider’s New England Dry is a good introduction for someone who’s never tried craft hard cider before. With high tannin apples, Ashton Bitter and Ellis Bitter, fermented to 8 percent alcohol, it’s robust in flavor and not too sweet or sour — paired with a steaming gourmet dish or plain American burger, it’s heavenly. Among other flavor options available this year, the Quercus is more of a sipper, with appley overtones and a strong orchard aroma.
“You can’t rush a good cider. It’s going to take a full year to make a good cider. It’s low and slow,” Mitchell said.
The local cidery’s efforts to revive the industry is getting noticed. Just recently, the Hawley orchard took home a gold medal in this year’s Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition in the “modern cider, dry” category, competing against cidery’s in Vermont, Quebec and beyond. Last year, Headwater Cider won silver, and the year before, bronze.
Headwater Cider can be purchased throughout the state as distributed by Berkshire Brewing Co. In Franklin County, it’s available at Cold River Package in Charlemont; Deja Brew and Wendell Country Store, both in Wendell; Hagers Farm Market in Shelburne; Muffins General Market in Whately; New Salem General Store in New Salem; and Ryan and Casey Liquors in Greenfield.