Cider in the Making

Words by Abby L. Johnson Photos By Will Bowling

The American tradition of cider making was cut short by prohibition. Now, at the helm of an American cider renaissance, Moontower Cider brings this storied libation to East Austin.

As a key ingredient in many traditional dishes and drinks, it’s easy to take the apple for granted. Before prohibition, cider was a staple in many American households. During the prohibition era, however, apple orchards were cut down. And due to the time it takes for apples to blossom, the craft of cider making didn’t bounce back as quickly as other beverages after prohibition’s end. About a century later, cider is taking back its rightful place.

Moontower Cider began as a small production space in East Austin in 2017. From there, Moontower moved into its current home on Tillery Street, where a charming outdoor area invites locals to sit at the picnic tables and enjoy a refreshing drink with friends.

Benjamin Weaver, owner and cider maker, created a community space where people could come together while he also experiments with small batch cider. The point of having a tasting room in addition to distributing cider blended into one space is that guests get to see their craft. With so many variations of apples, when Benjamin gets access to a new strain, he immediately gets to work, making a one-of-a-kind batch, oftentimes knowing that he won’t be able to recreate that blend quite the same after that variety sells out.

Several common misconceptions surround cider, one being that it is a cousin to beer. Benjamin clarifies, “Cider making is akin to making an aromatic white wine.” In fact, white wine yeast is an important element in cider fermentation. “And just like wine, a big part of cider is the aroma,” he continues. There is also an assumption that cider leans on the sweet side. That is not true of traditional ciders, of which Benjamin is quite fond. “All of our ciders are dry to off-dry,” he adds.

Benjamin, a Washington state native, brought with him an appreciation for the art of cider, drawing inspiration from his home state as well as his experiences traveling in major cider regions of France, England, and Spain. Some of the apples Benjamin uses come from Washington. However, Moontower’s cider is uniquely Texan, with many of the apples coming from the Texas high plains region.

Moontower’s flagship cider is a traditional, semi-dry cider made with a blend of bittersweet and culinary apples. In addition to classic ciders, they have also introduced several blends such as Moontower’s Miel, a blend of cider and mead, also known as a ‘cyser,’ while the refreshing Pomme Blush blends cider and wine. Perry is also among Moontower’s unique offerings, a drink identical to cider though made with pears instead of apples.

Moontower’s tasting room has quite the variety. Stop by, and order a flight to figure out which one suits your palate.

Black is Beautiful.
Moontower Cider is currently serving up a special small-batch of Blackberry Cider, available only in their tasting room. The proceeds benefit the African American Youth Harvest Fund, an organization that fights for equity in the classroom. Stop by Moontower soon to try this deliciously unique blend and support the cause.

Contact:
1916 Tillery St.
moontowercider.com
@moontowercider