Maine is home to over 15 makers of cider and all fall into the southern portion of the state. In the physical middle of the pack, Norumbega Cidery sits on a family farmstead — complete with pigs and crops — in New Gloucester, about 35 minutes north of Portland. The Fralich family got their first apple trees in the ground in 2014, following the growing orchard with a farm-style ciderhouse and the resulting ciders. Until the orchard is ready to deliver fruit like its plantings of Esopus Spitzenburg, Dabinett, Black Oxford and more cider apples, the family supplements with fruit from other likeminded rural Maine sources.
Established on historic Maine cider, the current offering from the cidery include the Norumbega Spice, a seasoned version of the base cider built on dessert and cider apples. The cider was produced with Maine winters in mind, complementing and combating the biting February air with dry, refreshing apple and classic mulling spices like allspice, clove and citrus peel. Pork is an obvious pairing here, to match the apple and the spice, but challenge your senses by sipping it next to a platter of mole enchiladas instead.
