Sometimes it takes someone asking you to look backward to see how far a story has traveled. The September-December 2026 issue of Uniquely Quabbin magazine includes an article I wrote about the cider history of western Massachusetts, and how my own path through cider began here before leading to Cider Chat®, eCiderNews™ and Totally Cider … Read more
Ben Watson, the writer, apple advocate and longtime cider educator whose book Cider, Hard and Sweet helped introduce a generation of Americans to traditional cider and the apples behind it, died Saturday, August 15, 2026, at his home in New Hampshire. He was 64. Update, September 2026: Following the publication of this remembrance, Ben’s friend … Read more
What is Pommeau? Pommeau is a: fortified blend of fresh apple must (unfermented) and apple brandy (typically Calvados in Normandy or Lambig in Brittany). The unfermented apple juice and brandy are combined before fermentation, which halts the process entirely and preserves natural sweetness. By law in France, Pommeau must be aged a minimum of 18 … Read more
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