A cider producer is a craftsman specialising in the elaboration of cider, a fermented beverage obtained by the fermentation of apple juice, and sometimes perry, obtained by the fermentation of pear juice. Cider is one of the oldest fermented beverages in Europe, deeply rooted in Norman, Breton, Basque, English, Irish and Spanish cultures. The cider producer is often simultaneously orchardist, presser and cider maker, mastering the entire production chain.
With the global rise of the craft movement and the "buy local" trend, cider has experienced a spectacular renaissance since the 2010s. From Normandy to Brittany, from Asturias to Somerset, from Vermont to Oregon, a new generation of cider makers is producing exceptional artisanal ciders that rival the best natural wines in complexity.
The fermentation of apple juice is documented since Antiquity. The Celts and peoples of northern Europe produced fermented apple-based beverages well before Romanisation. In Normandy and Brittany, the cultivation of cider apple trees intensified from the Middle Ages, particularly under the impetus of monasteries that selected and cultivated specific varieties.
It was in the 16th century that Norman cider acquired an international reputation, being exported to England and the Netherlands. In the 17th century, England developed its own cider-making tradition with the ciders of Herefordshire, Somerset and Devon, based on apple varieties very different from French varieties.
In the 20th century, industrialisation and the rise of beer reduced consumption of traditional cider. But since the 1990s, artisanal cider has experienced a spectacular revival in all producing countries, driven by growing demand for authenticity, terroir and local products.
The cider producer spends a large part of their time maintaining their orchards. Cider apple trees are specific varieties, very different from table varieties: bitter, bittersweet, sweet and acidic. The blending of these varieties determines the aromatic profile of the cider. A good old high-trunk orchard, with its century-old trees, is a cider maker's most precious treasure.
After the autumn harvest, the apples are sorted, washed, milled and pressed to extract the juice. Fermentation, slow and natural for the best artisanal ciders, lasts several weeks to several months. The cider maker carefully monitors fermentation, adjusts temperatures and decides the optimal moment for bottling, often using the traditional method to obtain natural effervescence.
Bottle conditioning, similar to the Champagne method, is the noble technique of artisanal cider: the cider is bottled before fermentation is complete so that carbon dioxide forms naturally. This method gives fine, complex and elegant ciders very different from industrially carbonated ciders.
According to data from the APCV (Association des Producteurs de Cidres et Vins de Fruits) and Brasseurs de France:
Over 3 billion litres of cider produced worldwide each year — APCV
France produces approximately 500 million litres of cider per year — APCV, 2022
Normandy and Brittany represent over 80% of French AOP cider production
Over 400 artisanal cider makers active in France — APCV, 2022
The global cider market is estimated at over $5 billion — IWSR, 2022
AOP Pays d'Auge Cider — Normandy, natural bottle fermentation, fine and complex ciders, clay-limestone terroir
AOP Cornouaille Cider — Brittany, local varieties, fruity and tannic style, natural bottle fermentation
Breton IGP Cider — Brittany, broad production, varied style, sweet to dry ciders
Asturian Sidra — Asturias, Spain, still unfiltered cider poured from height, very strong festive culture
Basque Sagardoa — Spanish Basque Country, wild fermentation cider, txotx in sagardotegi
English Cider — Somerset, Herefordshire, Devon, very tannic bitter varieties, dry and tannic style
Irish Cider — Tipperary, Armagh, local varieties, Magners and Bulmers leading
American Hard Cider — Vermont, New York, Oregon, very dynamic craft movement, varied styles
Perry — pear cider, Normandy and Brittany, floral and delicate style, Domfront AOP
Ice Cider — Canada (Quebec), juice concentrated by freezing, very particular sweet style
Artisanal cider faces competition from industrial ciders that dominate retail shelves with very low prices and massive communication. To differentiate themselves, artisanal cider makers focus on origin designation, heritage apple varieties, traditional methods and direct consumer contact through farm sales and markets.
The preservation of high-trunk orchards is a major environmental and heritage challenge. These old Norman and Breton orchards, genuine biodiversity reservoirs, are threatened by agricultural abandonment and urbanisation. Associations and committed producers are working to protect them and pass them on to future generations.
Finally, quality cider is increasingly exported. The American, Japanese, Australian and Nordic markets are increasingly demanding premium French and English ciders. This internationalisation offers new commercial prospects for the best artisanal producers.
Domaine Dupont — Victot-Pontfol, Pays d'Auge, France
Manoir de Kerveguen — Ploneour-Lanvern, Brittany, France
Eric Bordelet — Charchigne, Mayenne, France
Cidrerie Kermasson — Plougastel-Daoulas, Brittany, France
Thatchers Cider — Sandford, Somerset, England
Herefordshire Cider — Hereford, England
Magners — Clonmel, Tipperary, Ireland
Bulmers — Hereford, England
Sidra Tolinas — Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
Farnum Hill Ciders — Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
Domaine Neige Ice Cider — Hemmingford, Quebec, Canada
West Country Cider — Somerset, England
Newton's Folly Cider — Vermont, USA
La Cette Cidrerie — Rougemont, Quebec, Canada
Blakes Cider — Victoria, Australia
Isobel Cider — Nelson, New Zealand
Les Vergers de Bretagne — Landivisiau, France
Val de Rance — Dinan, Brittany, France
Cidre du Bocage — Saint-Lo, Normandy, France
Etancheteau — Mortagne-sur-Sevre, France
Cidrerie Bretonne — Pleudihen-sur-Rance, France
Saizar Sagardoa — Astigarraga, Basque Country, Spain
Clos de la Croix Morand — Saint-Cyr-du-Ronceray, France
Menez-Brug — Ploneveez-du-Faou, Brittany, France
Cidrerie du Verger — Barenton, Normandy, France
Dunkerque Cidrerie — Dunkirk, France
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