'Cider, Hard and Sweet'History, Traditions, and Making your own. Cider is the new thing in todays drinking world, even though its been around for centuries. In spite of its long and colorful history, cider has remained relatively underappreciated by the American public. The purchase in 2012 of a Vermont based cidermaker for over $300 million signaled that this is all likely to change very soon. Richly informative and entertaining, Cider, Hard and Sweet is your go to source