The Cider Rules!

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The English apple season is now in full swing, and the residents of Hereford are raising their glasses in tribute to the noble fruit. Herefordshire, 220 km west of London, has a 350-year-old tradition of cidermaking and is renowned for its blossom-filled orchards. Out of the 5 million hectoliters of cider produced in Britain each year, more than 65% comes from Herefordshire. "If you take the apple out of Herefordshire, you take away its economy, its character, its heart," says Margaret Thompson, director of the Hereford Cider Museum. On Oct. 15-16, over 1,000 people are expected to descend on the museum, a kilometer west of the city center (tel: [44-1432] 354207; www.cidermuseum.co.uk), for a festival at which visitors can taste up to 40 varieties of the alcoholic drink, ranging from finer, bottle-fermented sparkling cider to the rougher, cloudy and nonfiltered "scrumpy." The festival also provides a chance to learn a little bit about cider history: for example, orchards were once blessed with cider and decorated with corn dollies—ancient fertility figures that were supposed to ensure a plentiful crop. There's also a cider tour on offer, which stops at farms, mills and orchards around the county, where you can take part in tastings (www.ciderroute.co.uk). But take it easy on the tipple—Herefordshire is full of winding country roads.