During ancient times, Hebrews drank and called the drink “Shekar” and the Greeks drink “Sikera”. Both obtained by cooking apples with fermented juice. The English called it cyder or cider.
Before the Christian era, the various peoples of Europe had succeeded in producing beverage more or less similar to cider from a variety of fruit.
Apple cider had been popular with the people of Great Britain going back to the time of Celts. By the time the English had settled in America, the art of cider brewing was very well known to them due to centuries of consumption of apple cider.
When the Romans arrived in England in 55 BC, they were reported to have found the local villagers drinking a delicious cider-like beverage made from apples.
It was Normans who popularized cider in Britain, cider became a British beverage of ‘patriotic self-sufficiency’ during the Hundred Years War (1337-1453), when France blocked shipments of wine.
By the end of the seventeen century cider was the beverage of choice for men of wealth and taste.
By beginning of the ninth century, cider drinking was well established in Europe and a reference made by Charlemagne clearly confirms its popularity.
Apple cider during ancient times
