Cidermakers across Maine are leading the way when it comes to foraged cider, sourcing forgotten fruit along the rocky coast, through longstanding farmlands, and along neighbors’ fences. Here are three places in the country’s northeasternmost state to find hyper-regional ciders.
Sip Small-Batch Blends in Pownal
Heirloom orchardist and cidermaker David Buchanan literally wrote the book on too -often-overlooked apples, so it’s far from surprising his ciderhouse, Portersfield Cider in Pownal, Maine, celebrates foraged fruit in a series of small-batch productions featuring produce found from Cumberland to China (yes, still in Maine). These special blends are only available onsite, so make a tasting room reservation.
Forage for Apples on Portland’s Washington Avenue
Bustling Washington Avenue, pride of Portland’s lower East End, lined with cider spots for thirsty travelers in search of foraged drinks. Whaleback Cider’s tart and tannic Forager’s Blend might appear on the menu at Basque-inspired cider bar Anoche. Low-intervention wine shop and bar Maine & Loire may house bottles of wild yeast–fermented, oak-conditioned Rocky Ground Cider. And The Cheese Shop of Portland sometimes stocks Cornish Cider Company’s Common Fruit, a gorgeous rustic cider featuring fruit sourced from wild seedlings in Cornish, Maine. Hunt and see what treasures will be found!
Pair Wild Ferments and Tacos in Montville
High Ridge Farm Cider’s sibling ciders — effervescent Head in the Sky and still Feet on the Ground — are both unfiltered, wild-fermented and evocative of the ruggedly beautiful Downeast landscape. They are practical and dreamy, too, just like the effort it might take to visit the Montville, Maine-based cidery for their seasonal Friday taco nights on your way to or from Acadia National Park.
