Ironbound Hard Cider, Pinelands Rosè, and Black Tea and Lemon. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Around the time of the Revolutionary War, it was safer to drink hard cider than water — ah, what a time.

But hard cider is a modern term. In the 1700s it was just cider; until refrigeration, the sweet cider of today couldn’t be preserved and colonists fermented the cider to make it last.

Commercial hard cider has made a comeback and New Jersey has three companies fermenting a variety of high-quality products.

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Enjoying hard cider in the apple orchard during the Hard Cider festival at Melick's farm. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Ironbound Hard Cider in Asbury, Melick’s in Oldwick and Tomasello Winery in Hammonton are all using fresh-squeezed New Jersey apples and turning them into, well, the best thing that comes from an apple.

Many home fermenters, myself included, have continued the cider heritage, concocting small batches on our own. But nothing bubbling in my basement compares to what these Garden State cider professionals are producing.

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Artisian Orchard Hard Cider by Tomasello Winery. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Ironbound Hard Cider

Ironbound Hard Cider has been making cider for four years. Ironbound farm in Asbury (Hunterdon County) has indoor taprooms, outdoor tasting areas and you can check out the hard cider fermenting tanks.

The tasting rooms are located in the renovated 18th-century barn with wooden floors and exposed wooden beams.

A kitchen produces cider-friendly food. Burgers, yak chili dog, lamb sausage with peppers, vegan burgers and hot dogs for the kids. All of which are locally produced.

Ironbound Farm is so new that the 40 acres of planted heirloom apple trees will not produce the majority of its cider until 2021.

“100% of our juice comes from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania,” added Rosen “These old apple varieties reintroduce flavors lost during out nation’s half-century-long love affair with sweet apples,” said Charles Rosen founder and CEO of Ironbound hard cider.

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Ironbound Hard Cider, original. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Ironbound’s Ciders

Ironbound Original

The original Ironbound cider is what you expect. Bright flavor and acidity with some bittersweet apple thrown in. Low carbonation.

Pinelands Rosè

Tart red cherry and cranberries are very surprising but wonderful warmth of white pepper. Exceptional. Rose is a big trend in hard cider and this flavor blows the market away. Most commercial rosè ciders are bland and this is anything but bland.

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Outdoor seating with crops in the background at Ironbound Farm. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

“In the orchard, we planted the three most important heirloom varieties of Newark cider apples: Harrison, Canfield, and Graniwinkle,” added Rosen.

“Only fresh-squeezed juice is used, no added sugar, no preservatives, no added sulfites, and no concentrate,” Rosen said proudly.

The tasting room serves the core ciders and limited editions. The full tasting room is open Friday through Sunday year-round.

It is fair to say that they are making cider beyond the commercial market and branching into craft cider. Almost all of their ciders are on the dry side.

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Indoor tap room at Ironbound Farm. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Black Tea and Lemon

Great summer drink. Each batch is a little different year to year and the black tea is more pronounced with the lemon milder this year. The tea flavor feels like you are being a little healthy — and not just drinking cider. Gooseberry Ginger

Very Subtle, very smooth, very drinkable.

Highlands Farmhouse

Almost like an earthy sour craft beer. A variety of hops gives this a citrusy snap but the earthy hints of bittersweet cider balances out the flavor.

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Oldwick 1728 Traditional Cider at Melick's Farm. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Melick's Hard Cider

Melick’s Town Farm is in its tenth generation of family farming.

It has more than more than 25,000 apple trees with 5,000 peach and other fruit trees sprawling across 120 acres in Oldwick.

They have their own cider mill on King Street where they have produced sweet cider for years.

“A few years ago we decided to experiment and make hard cider,” said John Melick, one of three siblings running the farm with their parents George and Norma.

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Melick's farm. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.Com

Recreational hard cider experimentation was then scaled up to commercial production.

“Six years ago, we ordered and planted four acres of hard cider orchards only to harvest for fermentation purposes, ” added Melick, noting the family has had two harvests from there already.

Seven hard cider styles are served on tap during weekends, along with apple picking. Seasonal farm stand foods are also available. The cider is available in a variety of locations.

Millennial groups of friends come out to enjoy drinks, not just apple picking, said Melick.

Their ciders range from classic to semi-dry.

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Semi-Dry, Lemon Shandy and George's Tart Cherry ciders at Melick's Farm.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Melick's Ciders

Oldwick 1728 Traditional Cider. A fantastic blend of old and new-world cider apples that combine for full body taste. Refreshing, full body and smooth after taste. Deep golden color; semi-sweet but not sugary.

Semi-Dry

Crisp and refreshing, light color with a light apple flavor. Very drinkable by itself or with a meal. Champagne yeast gives it an airy feel.

Lemon Shandy

Unfiltered apples with lemons and pure cane sugar. A summer treat that goes perfect on a hot day. Puts beer summer shandy to shame.

Oldwick Jersey Ginger

Semi-dry hard cider with a touch of fresh ginger. Good ginger smell and ginger is a prominent flavor and would be great for ginger ale lovers.

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Melick's hard cider. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

George’s Tart Cherry

Sweet-tart cider made with Balaton and Montmorency cherry juices. Tart is very accurate with mild cherry flavors. Very smooth, with a small pucker factor.

King Street Hops

Hard cider with whole cone hops. Beer lovers will rejoice over this one. Smooth cider with a strong hops profile.

Gold Label Hard Cider

Just heirloom apples Gold Russet and Gold Rush with a little bit of honey. Very mild, tart flavor but very smooth and one of the best finishing ciders.

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Tomasello Winery production area in Hammonton. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Tomasello Winery

Three years ago, fourth-generation winemaker Brian Tomasello of Tomasello winery in Hammonton, Atlantic County, decided to expand and make hard cider.

Tomasello went to school at Cornell University in upstate New York with apple orchards everywhere.

While studying wine making and grape growing he had a class assignment to make hard cider. "Making cider just clicked, it is a little different, but the same basic process," said Tomasello

Alstede Farms in Chester, Morris county, provided the apples and the winemaker was now making cider.

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Tomasello wine bar that also serves cider. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

"Slightly sweeter is our niche," said Charlie Tomasello president of Tomasello winery. "The cider arose from a slightly sweet fruit wine niche," added Charlie Tomasello.

You can try the cider, apple and pineapple at a variety of locations including the winery.

Supplies are limited with more cider in the works.

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Artisian Orchard Pineapple Cider. Mix of apple cider and pineapple juice fermented. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Tomasello Ciders

Artisan Orchard

Very smooth, sweet hard cider. Almost a green apple juice tang. Very Good.

Artisan Orchard Pineapple cider

Blend of apple cider and pineapple juice that has a hint of real pineapple but not overwhelming. Great pineapple aroma but does not overwhelm the apple.

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Chef Gunnar Bentley smokes beets in an outdoor fireplace at Ironbound Farm. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

For the holidays, Ironbound is working on an unnamed cider only available at the farm. Golden Russet apples, wild spicebush and Ironbound Farm honey. For them, it is on the sweet side. It smells like Christmas and tastes like a walk through a Christmas tree farm. I loved it.

Finally, a small history lesson for cider-lovers: Founding father and second President of the United States John Adams was reported as a lover of cider, drinking it with breakfast every day. He lived to be 90. (At the time it was considered good prevention against scurvy.)

George Washington lost the 1755 election to serve in the Virginia House of Burgess.

In 1758, George Washington spent his entire election campaign budget on 160 gallons of cider and beer served to 391 voters on Election Day, according to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. He won the election.

Ed Murray may be reached at emurray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Ed on Twitter at @EdMurrayphoto. Find NJ.COM on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

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Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the proper county for Ironbound Hard Cider in Asbury.

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