Last month, Jeff Alworth’s “The Beer Bible” was released. His newest book takes a look at another part of the craft beverage industry that has made a meteoric rise over the past few years.
Cider, especially here in the state of Washington, has become a major player because of a number of factors, including the gluten-free craze. Tap and shelf space for cider in restaurants and grocery stores has mushroomed. So much so that its market share has doubled every three years over the past decade.
In that space steps Alworth to make sense of it all. His newest book, “Cider Made Simple,” does a good job demystifying the subject of cider. Alworth breaks down the different flavor profiles of cider, from sweet to tart and floral to earthy. He also writes about the styles of cider, deftly illustrating the differences between sparkling cider and still cider.
Besides conducting research in American cider hotbeds like Washington and Michigan, Alworth, who lives in Portland, Oregon, traveled to Europe and Canada to discover what makes cider so special. In one of the most interesting parts of the book, Alworth writes about the burgeoning cider industry in Quebec.
“Cider Made Simple” (Chronicle Books, $19.95) is a great tool and a fascinating read for anyone who is curious about the trendy beverage.
Alworth started writing about beer and cider in the late 1990s at Willamette Week. Since then he’s written “The Beer Tasting Toolkit,” and articles for magazines like Draft and All About Beer. He currently helms his own popular beer blog, Beervana, at www.beervana.com.
Aaron Swaney: 425-339-3430; aswaney@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @swaney_aaron79. Follow the Hops and Sips blog at www.heraldnet.com/hopsandsips.
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