"The apples John Chapman brought to the frontier were very different than today's apples—and they weren't meant to be eaten."

Photo credit and story: Louisville Courier-Journal.

Recalling that New Albany businessman will soon be opening a cider bar, and hopes to produce his own cider at some point, it's always a good idea to rewind and see where it all started.

The Real Johnny Appleseed Brought Apples—and Booze—to the American Frontier, by Natasha Geiling (Smithsonian)

The apples John Chapman brought to the frontier were very different than today's apples—and they weren't meant to be eaten

On a family farm in Nova, Ohio, grows a very special apple tree; by some claims, the 175 year old tree is the last physical evidence of John Chapman, a prolific nurseryman who, throughout the early 1800s, planted acres upon acres of apple orchards along America's western frontier, which at the time was anything on the other side of Pennsylvania.

Today, Chapman is known by another name—Johnny Appleseed—and his story has been imbued with the saccharine tint of a fairytale. If we think of Johnny Appleseed as a barefoot wanderer whose apples were uniform, crimson orbs, it's thanks in large part to the popularity a segment of the 1948 Disney feature, Melody Time, which depicts Johnny Appleseed in Cinderella fashion, surrounded by blue songbirds and a jolly guardian angel.

But this contemporary notion is flawed, tainted by our modern perception of the apple as a sweet, edible fruit. The apples that Chapman brought to the frontier were completely distinct from the apples available at any modern grocery store or farmers' market, and they weren't primarily used for eating—they were used to make America's beverage-of-choice at the time, hard apple cider.

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Cider in Poland, where "drinking is a national duty."

Why has it been 13 years since I've visited Poland?

When last there in 2002 for the ostensible purpose of drinking Polish-brewed Porters, my tour group often became sidetracked by the excellence of Polish mead.

Why not cider?

Cider in Poland: Apples, apples everywhere ... When drinking is a national duty (The Economist)

TOMASZ SOLIS dreams of the day when the countryside round Lublin, on the eastern edge of Poland, turns into another Tuscany: a place where motorists or cyclists make leisurely tours, stopping to refine their palates by sipping a delicate drink which only the local terroir could produce. But the beverage would be cider, not wine.

The next Office Hours with the Publican is Monday, January 9.

The next scheduled Office Hours with the Publican is in the Prost Room (Pizzeria & Public House) at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 9.

Office Hours is an informal tasting that occurs on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month.

On the 9th, we will be sampling the back catalog of the Public House's ciders, mostly French (sorry, no Woodmuck), to determine quite frankly whether they're still drinkable.

Varietal, bottle-conditioned scrumpies from Thomas Family Winery.

The Thomas Family Winery in Madison, Indiana, is offering a series of classic scrumpies. Here is Steve's description.

We’ve released a long-awaited series of varietal, bottle-conditioned ciders. These are classic scrumpies, with incredible focus on varietal apple flavor. These cider cultivars are distinct and easily appreciated! Gale’s Hard Cider Chieftan’s Blend Varietal Series comes in 22 oz bottles, hand-crafted, barrel-fermented, aged 5 years.

King David - Light yeast, tart apple flavors with a spicy, floral palate, lively astringence

Golden Russet - Pear skin, ripe fruit, orange/lemon flavors, strong tannins and good acidity

Hudson’s Golden Gem - Light yeast, pear & tree aromas, spicy talc, butterscotch

Goldrush - Lemony, yeasty, minerals and sweet perfume, tart & edgy

Winter Banana - Fruity, bark & flower, ripe bananas, rich earthy tannins

$7.99 each, or $34.99 per set!