On the rocky slopes overlooking the Connecticut River Valley in Lebanon, New Hampshire, is an apple growing operation with a fascinating history: Farnum Hill Ciders at Poverty Lane Orchards. During the late 20th century, a time when many Northeastern apple growers had to sell their orchards to developers, the owners of Poverty Lane Orchards saved their business by looking backward at pre-prohibition style uses for their apples. The result? A flourishing business in traditional hard cider using otherwise unwanted heirloom apples.

During the 1980’s Farnum Hill tested scores of heirloom edible apples, plus bittersweet and bittersharp cider apples which are not palatable off the tree. Back in the day, consumers were used to many more apple varieties than we are now - some of them, like macs and cortlands, are stunningly delicious, and grow to prime quality on Farnum Hill.  The apples grown for fermentation into cider usually didn’t taste good right off the tree–like wine grapes, they were grown for making alcoholic beverages. On Farnum Hill, testing apple varieties entails grafting twigs from unfamiliar varieties onto mature trees. In three years or so the twigs become fruiting branches, producing enough apples to evaluate. After trial and error, it eventually became possible to choose which apples deserved the time and effort to harvest. 

By the 1990’s, the orchards on Farnum Hill transitioned mostly away from standard 20th-century market apples and towards a range of heirloom apples delicious for eating and valuable for fermentation. Farnum Hill learned that by blending a range of different apple varieties, they could make superior fermented ciders with a more unique flavor. 

Today, Farnum Hill creates three cider styles that are extremely dry compared to mainstream American ciders. The‘Extra Drys,’which are both sparkling and still contain no added sugar or other sweeteners. The second, ‘Farmhouse’ style, contains a few grams of returned sugar per liter–about what you’d find in most brut champagnes. Just as wines don’t taste strongly of grape juice, Farnum Hill ciders don’t shout “apple.” They offer refreshing acidity, a range of tropical fruit with herbal and mineral notes, and a clean, food-friendly finish. Much like wine making, the cider draws its character from the land that produces the base fruit.

Despite being more common in recent years, heirloom apple varieties are still a rising commodity. Many more cider orchards have launched since the farm opened, but Farnum Hill Ciders will always be able to boast their trailblazing concept with their past being the original ingredient.