484: Rethinking American Cider History with Patrick McCauley

Meet Patrick McCauley, a Michigan-based cider maker and researcher, who is questioning some of the most common myths about American cider history.What Patrick uncovers is a far more regional, farm-based, and resilient cider story than the usual “cider died because of Prohibition” narrative.

Cider Chat Episode 484 Patrick McCauley in the Cider Cellar on American Cider History

Cider Didn’t Decline When We Think It Did

One of the biggest takeaways: cider peaked later than most people assume.

National farm census data first tracked cider in 1899
That year likely marks peak U.S. cider production
States like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan dominated output
Many Midwestern cider regions were later forgotten simply because they stopped growing apples at scale

Cider didn’t fade in the 1830s. In many regions, it was booming well into the late 19th century.

Why Prohibition Isn’t the Whole Story

Prohibition gets blamed, but the data tells a different story:

Cider production dropped sharply before 1920
The Volstead Act didn’t even ban cider outright
Beer, wine, and spirits all rebounded after Prohibition—cider didn’t

The real drivers were:

Urbanization and the loss of farm life
Refrigeration and new preservation methods
Cheap grain fueling massive beer production
Cider’s decentralized, home-based nature

Sweet Cider Was Normal

Another surprise: historical cider was often sweet.

“Sweet cider” ranged from 0.2% to nearly 4% ABV
“Hard cider” often retained residual sugar
Producers actively stopped fermentation using racking, cold cellars, and (unfortunately) chemicals

Dry cider wasn’t the default—it was one option.