The Cider Press

               If you want a piece of early machinery that really defined the way people lived for centuries, take a look at this one. The cider press has had a special place in American history from the first day that Europeans settled here all the way into the 20^th century and even today. Pictured here is the cider press at the Farm House Museum. This particular press was manufactured by the Whitman Americus Agricultural Company, patented in July 1874. How could you not want to buy a heavy duty piece of machinery from a company with “Americus” in their name? If that doesn’t sell it for you, look at the materials it’s made from. Oak is a very durable type of wood so you know they mean business using it here. Then there’s the dark and tough cast iron that makes up the moving parts. The cider press sort of reminds me of the early Americans: they focused on function and hard work…and alcohol.

               Before I get into the history, let’s talk about how it actually works. Apples go into the opening at the top while someone is constantly turning the crank. The crank turns a wheel that has teeth and edges cast into it so it mashes up the apples into chunks smaller than a golf ball. This process continues until the mash fills up the cloth-lined barrel underneath it. At that point, the barrel is slid over, underneath the corkscrewed press. A top is placed on the apples and the wheel is turned, like tightening a screw, to slowly crush all of the juice out of the apples. The juice seeps out through the cloth, onto the bottom tray and then it pours out and people collect it in whatever container they’re using. That cider is then loaded into barrels to ferment. Here’s the link to a YouTube video of someone doing it! CLICK HERE They took the easy way out and used a motor to turn the crank.

               Since I mentioned alcohol before, I should give it the attention that is due. The cider made with a press like this in the 19^th century and earlier was not meant to just be apple cider. Hard cider (alcoholic) was the main drink for Americans since they settled here in the 16^th century. The grains and barley used for beer could not easily grow in the tough climate and soil of the east coast and the distillation process for liquor was too much work to be doing in what was considered the frontier. Apple trees were the perfect candidate and so it was common to see orchards on everyone’s farms and apple cider in every meal. (The picture to the left is from an 1880 issue of the magazine “American Agriculturist”) The average person in 1750’s Massachusetts drank over 35 gallons of cider per year, even the kids! As I’m sure you know, it’s not because people were bad alcoholics back then but water could not be trusted. The likelihood of there being some disease or bacteria in water was extremely high. Apparently, John Adams (second president) drank a tankard of cider with his breakfast every day! 

               The sharp decline of popularity for cider came in the 20^th century for two main reasons. Many German and Eastern European immigrants flooded into the country and they preferred beer. That, combined with better refrigeration technology, allowed beer and liquor to become the choice drinks. On top of that, cider did not recover as well as beer and liquor after Prohibition ended in 1933. Any orchards that survived the sudden drop in demand began cultivating sweeter apples for cooking and snacking and sweeter, non-alcoholic cider. In a way, we can thank Prohibition for the mass popularity of sweet apples, apple pie that actually tastes good, and good old apple cider. 

               Hard cider took a tumble in popularity in the first 30 years of the 20^th century: will it ever make a comeback? Yes, arguably it’s happening right now. Think of the commercials you see and how many new ciders there are popping up. It’s really strange how fads will come and go and then come back without people even intending it. It makes me think of that phrase that no one can quite figure out who said it: history doesn’t repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme.