Ice cider was created in Quebec when Christian Barthomeuf, a winemaker now considered the "father of ice cider", created a recipe in 1989 inspired by the ice wines of Germany. The first bottle sold under the official designation ice cider, from La Cidrerie St-Nicholas, appeared in a Quebec government-run liquor store, the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) in 1999. This has inspired producers elsewhere, and ice cider production can now be found in the Western Canada, Europe, and the United States. In 2008, a provincial regulation by the Quebec government defined the conditions of production, and in December 2014, Quebec ice cider obtained a protected appellation (IGP), which establishes international rules and requirements on production. The Quebec winter allows apples to freeze in a natural manner that could then be used for ice cider. Currently, there are around 50 producers of ice cider in Quebec. The U.S. state of Vermont is one area in particular where cider production is increasing. #cider #icecider #Canada #Québec