30 things to do before Cider Season is over
There’s a certain point every year when New Hampshire stops being summer and starts being fall. You smell woodsmoke. The mornings get chilly. The mountains turn red and gold. And suddenly everyone is talking about apples. Which means there’s only one thing to do:
Make a Cider Season bucket list.
We’ve put together 30 things every apple-and-cider-loving New Englander should experience. You don’t have to do all 30. But we’re not saying you shouldn’t try.
How many can you check off this fall?
🍎 THE APPLE LIST
☐ 1. Pick an apple straight from the tree
Don’t buy it. Pick it. There is something completely different about eating an apple you just pulled from a New Hampshire tree.
Find a local orchard through the New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association.
☐ 2. Try an apple you’ve never eaten before
Honeycrisp is great. But New Hampshire has dozens of other varieties. Try something you’ve never heard of. Macoun. Northern Spy. GoldRush. William’s Pride. Sansa. Zestar.
Ask the farmer what they recommend.
☐ 3. Taste three apples side by side
Here’s your first Cider Season experiment. Pick three varieties. Take a bite of each. Which is sweetest? Which is tartest? Which is most aromatic? Which would you want to bake with? Which one would you want to turn into cider?
Now you’re thinking like a cidermaker.
☐ 4. Visit a working orchard
Don’t just buy apples at the grocery store. Go see where they grow. Walk between the trees. Look at the fruit. Talk to the growers.
And appreciate how much work goes into producing something as simple as an apple.
☐ 5. Eat a cider donut while standing in an orchard
This is not optional.
It may be one of the laws of Cider Season.
☐ 6. Find a new favorite apple
Every New Hampshire apple season should produce at least one discovery. Maybe this is the year you fall in love with Macoun. Or Northern Spy. Or GoldRush.
Or something you’ve never heard of.
🍺 THE CIDER LIST
☐ 7. Drink a cider made in New Hampshire
Obviously.
But don’t stop there.
☐ 8. Try a dry cider
If you think cider is always sweet, this could be a revelation.
Look for words such as:
Dry. Crisp. Tannic. Brut.
You may discover that cider can be every bit as sophisticated as wine.
☐ 9. Try a sweet cider
Because sometimes you just want something delicious.
No explanation necessary.
☐ 10. Drink a single-variety cider
If you find one, try it. Then ask which apple was used.
Now you’ve officially entered the cider rabbit hole.
☐ 11. Try a barrel-aged cider
Oak can completely change the personality of cider. Bourbon barrels can add vanilla, caramel and spice. Wine barrels can bring acidity, fruit and tannin.
Try one and see what you think.
☐ 12. Try a cider you’ve never heard of
This is the easiest item on the list. Walk into a cider tasting room. Point at something you’ve never seen before.
Say:
“I’ll try that.”
☐ 13. Order a cider flight
Don’t choose one. Choose several. Flights are one of the best ways to figure out what kind of cider you actually like.
☐ 14. Visit two different New Hampshire cideries
And compare them. Same apples? Different apples? Dry versus sweet? Traditional versus experimental?
You might be surprised by how different they can be.
☐ 15. Ask a cidermaker what apple is in your glass
This may be our favorite item on the list. Because once you start asking that question, cider gets much more interesting.
🌳 THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LIST
☐ 16. Visit a New Hampshire orchard you’ve never visited
There are orchards all over the state. And they aren’t all alike. Find a new one.
☐ 17. Take the Cider Trail
Pick two or three cider destinations and make a road trip out of it.
Start with our New Hampshire Cider Trail.
☐ 18. Take a scenic fall drive
The best cider adventures don’t necessarily follow the fastest route. Take the back road. Drive through the mountains. Stop when something looks interesting.
☐ 19. Drink cider with a mountain view
We might be a little biased here. But cider and the White Mountains are a pretty spectacular combination.
☐ 20. Visit a farm stand
Buy apples. Buy cider. Buy something you weren’t planning to buy. That’s how farm stands work.
☐ 21. Go to an apple or harvest festival
New Hampshire has a wonderful tradition of fall fairs, harvest celebrations and community festivals. Find one and go. Eat something. Listen to some music. Buy something handmade. Celebrate the harvest.
☐ 22. Buy something made with New Hampshire apples
Pie counts. Apple butter counts. Donuts definitely count. Cider counts.
🍽️ THE FOOD LIST
☐ 23. Pair cider with cheese
Start with cheddar. Then experiment. You’ll quickly discover that cider and cheese were practically designed for each other.
☐ 24. Pair cider with pork
Pork + apples is one of the oldest combinations in the book. Add a dry cider. You’ll understand why.
☐ 25. Cook something with apples
Apple crisp. Apple pie. Apple cake. Apple sauce. Apple chutney. Pick one.
☐ 26. Cook something with cider
Now we’re getting serious. Use cider in a sauce. A braise. A soup. A glaze. Or even a dessert.
☐ 27. Pair cider with Thanksgiving dinner
Turkey. Stuffing. Cranberries. Sweet potatoes. Roasted vegetables. Cheese. Pie. What doesn’t go with cider?
Try several styles and see which one belongs on your Thanksgiving table.
🍂 THE EXPERIENCE LIST
☐ 28. Visit a cidery during peak foliage
Find some color. Find some cider. Put the two together. You’re welcome.
☐ 29. Drink cider outside on a crisp fall afternoon
Patio. Fire pit. Orchard. Mountain view. It doesn’t really matter.
Just make sure the weather is cool enough for a sweater.
☐ 30. End Cider Season with one last cider
Thanksgiving is approaching. The leaves are mostly gone. The apples are in storage. The cider is ready. Pour one more glass. And toast to another New Hampshire fall.
BONUS ROUND: Can you do all 30?
Here’s a challenge for the truly committed.
Start Labor Day weekend.
Pick an apple.
Visit an orchard.
Try a cider.
Try another cider.
Take a road trip.
Eat a cider donut.
Go to a fall festival.
Try a dry cider.
Try a sweet cider.
Pair cider with dinner.
Watch the leaves change.
And keep going until Thanksgiving.
Because that’s what Cider Season is all about.
Your Cider Season Scorecard
🍎 1–10
Apple Curious
You’ve discovered the beginning of Cider Season.
🍺 11–20
Cider Explorer
You’re officially getting into this.
🍂 21–29
Cider Season Pro
You know your apples. You know your cider. You probably have a favorite cidery.
🏆 30
Cider Season Legend
You have officially embraced the season.
Ready to start?
You don’t need to drive across the entire state. You don’t need to become an apple expert. You don’t even have to know what kind of cider you like. Just start exploring. Visit an orchard. Try an unfamiliar apple. Walk into a cidery. Order a flight. Ask a question. Take a sip. Then take another.
That’s the whole idea behind Cider Season.
There’s always something else to discover.
🍎 Your Cider Season Starts Here
If you’re exploring the White Mountains, come visit Rhythm Cider in Lincoln and start your list with a cider flight, a tour, or a glass of your new favorite cider.
And when you’re ready for your next adventure, check out The New Hampshire Cider Trail and keep exploring.
30 things. One season. How many will you check off?