Middlefield, Conn. – Oct. 11, 2018 – As summer fades and the weather turns cooler, Lyman Orchards is excited to announce the release of 1741 Hard Apple Cider and its first varietal: Connecticut Crisp.

Connecticut Crisp Hard Apple Cider is made in small batches, from Connecticut-grown apples. Lyman Orchards’ goal is to produce ciders that pay homage to the land, history and legacy of the Lyman Family, which has lovingly tended to this farm and orchards since 1741.

1741 Connecticut Crisp is not too tart and not too sweet. It’s full-bodied, versatile and deliciously refreshing. The strong apple aroma adds to the orchard-fresh experience.

1741 Connecticut Crisp is gluten-free, unfiltered, and contains no added sugar.

Lyman Orchards will bepouring 1741 Connecticut Crisp at the Apple Barrel every weekend through the harvest season. Folks can also find it in the Lyman Orchard clubhouse, snack bar and Golf Center, and at select special events throughout the season. It’s also available at an ever-growing list of local package stores and restaurants.

Some facts to drink in about hard cider:

• During the 17th century, fermented apple juice was the least expensive and most accessible beverage, and was considered safer to drink than water.
• People drank hard cider in abundance. A 1790 Massachusetts survey of everyone over the age of 15, respondents consumed an average of 34 gallons of hard cider every year.
• John Chapman of Leominster, Mass. — AKA Johnny Appleseed — supplied the western expansion with apple seeds he collected from Pennsylvania cider mills.
• As more European immigrants settled in the U.S. in the 1800s, beer started taking a toll on hard cider's popularity.
• Prohibition eventually snuffed hard cider's dominance: many orchards were destroyed and cider makers stopped producing the beverage.

About Lyman Orchards:
Set on 1,100 acres in the heart of the state, Lyman Orchards (est. 1741) is a popular destination for the whole family in Middlefield, Connecticut. Shop at the Apple Barrel market, filled with fresh farm produce sand Lyman Orchard’s award-winning "Hi Top" Apple Pie; celebrate special events and weddings at the Lyman Homestead; enjoy seasonal Pick Your Own fruits and tours of the orchard; golf on two world-class public 18-hole courses designed by Gary Player and Robert Trent Jones, and improve your skills at the Lyman Orchards’ Golf Center and Apple Nine Course. For more information, call Lyman Orchards at 860-467-4209, or visit lymanorchards.com.