Where can hard cider connoisseurs roam the countryside, traveling from estate to estate and sampling the artisan crafts of local producers? Western Washington will be the venue for such activity, if Washington State University researchers have their way. First, researchers need to evaluate the characteristics of apples and their juice to determine their suitability for cider making in the Pacific Northwest. Second, they need to automate harvest with machinery in order to make cidering economically feasible.

Their goal is not just improvement of production and harvest techniques, but creation of a "hard cider culture,” with thriving producers and ardent consumers. What? A hard cider culture? Here’s Bob Hoffmann, who is with WSU Marketing, News and Educational Communications department.“The thought is that this can be developed. In England, Great Britain, Scotland, Ireland and France there is a bit of a hard cider culture there. The culture, the history of it, the quality of the product.  Hard cider, does it have a bit of a kick to it? Some more than others.” Okay that explains the craze and the culture thing a little bit more clearly.