Huguenot Cider: European Heritage in a Glass

On November 18, Historic Huguenot Street will host a talk and hard cider tasting with Tim Dressel of New Paltz’s Dressel Farms and founder of Kettleborough Cider House. The Dressel family has been growing apples in New Paltz for four generations, beginning with Tim's great grandfather Fred Dressel in 1923. In 2017, Kettleborough Cider House released Huguenot Cider, its first cider made exclusively from heirloom apple varieties. More than 20 Old World and American apple varieties are blended together to create the rustic, farmhouse-style cider.

Made in a French style, Huguenot Cider is created using a long, slow fermentation employing only natural wild yeast. The distinctive cider is non-sparkling, unfiltered, and hand-bottled. The tannic Old World fruit impart a complex flavor and body that is impossible to accomplish with modern "dessert" apples.

As Dressel explains, “When most people think of French agriculture, the obvious association is grapes and wine; but if you travel to the Normandy region in the northwest part of the country you won't find grapes - you'll find apples. While French cider doesn't command the pomp and grandeur that French wine enjoys, its traditions and quality are just as impressive.”

When French settlers found their way to the Hudson Valley, they brought their cider-making traditions with them - Huguenot Cider celebrates this heritage. The lecture will present a detailed explanation of the cider-marking technique and show how the recent hard cider resurgence is reviving these ancient practices.

The talk and tasting will take place on November 18 at 4 pm in Deyo Hall (6 Broadhead Avenue, New Paltz). Guests must be 21 and over with ID to participate in the tasting. General admission is $15 (10% off for seniors, active military members, veterans, and Friends of Historic Huguenot Street). Registration is available at huguenotstreet.org/calendar-of-events.