CLEVELAND, Ohio - It’s apple season. With Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving celebrations on the horizon, “orchard-born” apple-centric drinks are a perfect match for the cozy autumn meals.

Whether you prefer your apples straight-up as fresh local cider or transformed into something stronger, there’s a long tradition to sip from.

Some of these drinks, like calvados and applejack, trace their roots deep into history — from early distillers in 7th-century China and Arab rosewater makers who inspired European brandy, to American pioneers distilling cider apples into bold new beverages.

Today, Ohio makers are getting into the spirit — literally — crafting their own takes on the apple. They make hard cider, apple brandy, applejack, Pommeau, and more. Each bottle tells a story of fall, fermentatio

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