The Origins of Cider
Do you know where cider originated? According to Julius Caesar’s account of Brittania, or modern-day England, the ancient Celts fermented crab-apples into a cider-like brew. This explains the modern-day popularity of cider in the United Kingdom, with companies like Strongbow and Thatchers leading the global cider market. But where else is cider popular today?
Cider Today
In Poland, the cider market experienced a major boom in the mid 2010s.
Cydr Green Mill and Cydr Lubelski are the two most popular brands there, with hard-earned popularity. Cider was closely associated with the soviet-era “apple wine”, a makeshift and low-quality alcohol that individuals would brew when beer or other spirits were unaffordable or not available. These modern cider, or cydr companies had to undergo the gargantuan task of removing this negative association with Poland’s soviet-occupied history.
So How Popular is it?
Cider is not among the 100 most popular alcoholic beverages. But as anyone who has tried cider knows well, the beverage can be extremely pleasant to drink, more so than many beers are. It is refreshing, has balanced carbonation without a foamy head, smooth and fruity. Most of these are qualities you look for in a good beer. But why scour through dozens of beer brands when these characteristics can be readily found in most ciders?
The United Kingdom, South Africa, France, Ireland, Germany and Spain are the top 6 producers of cider. North America is lagging far behind these nations, though craft cideries continue to pop up across the continent as more and more people grow to love this delicious beverage.