On August 1st, when Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery opens at 207 Washington Street in Middleburg, Virginia, founder Marc Chretien's dream of owning an ancient craft business will be realized.

Marc's beautiful renovation of the long-vacant service station across from The Community Center is worthy of applause from every design magazine and will certainly intrigue patrons and visitors. From the beautifully paneled tasting room to the glint of copper and stainless steel stills, to the quarter-sawn mill oak from the area, every aspect of the Mt. Defiance Cidery speaks of quality and respect for the ancient brewing form.

Cider has a long legacy in human history and legions of enthusiasts all over the world. Normans are rumored to have brought their drink to England during their 1066 Conquest, but every European country enjoys cider in one form or another. Pakistan, Mexico, Argentina and South Africa all produce their own blends and today, in addition to the growing number of boutique cider breweries, large brewers like Sam Adams and Anheuser-Busch are marketing ciders.

Water simply was not safe to drink in early times, so beer, ale and cider were preferred for their sanitary properties. In 1634, Lord Baltimore instructed settlers of the new colony of Maryland to carry across the sea "kernalls of peares and apples, especially of Pipins, Pearemains, and Deesons for making thereafter of Cider and Perry." Perry is the name of pear cider.

John Winthrop's tenants in the Massachusetts Bay Colony paid their rent on Governor's Island in bushels of apples a year.

But apples grown for eating are not the ideal fruit for hard cider.

"One needs some bitter, sometimes called "spitter" apples that are very tannic and bitter to make really tasty hard cider," Marc explains. "These are often difficult to find because old orchards have not been maintained. Mt. Defiance Cider will be made with local apples and we are buying as many as we can find." "Mt. Defiance is a commercial cidery, so we can press an unlimited quantity of product. I'd welcome contact from any local orchardists who would like us to purchase their crops." A first taste of Mt. Defiance Cider leaves a dry, light tingle on the tongue, with a delicious fruity aftertaste. In no way sweet, it is a pale gold liquid that would be scrumptious with grilled pork or Sunday afternoon brunch.

Marc, who was Senior Counsel to the Government Reform Committee in the U.S. Congress until 9/11 when he decided to go to Iraq and Afghanistan as the State Department's Political Advisor to Four-Star General John Allen, clearly knows how to apply his deep knowledge about cider to the process he uses to produce an excellent beverage.

"My favorite cider is named for General Allen," he says smiling. "I call it 'The General's Reserve,' and it is delicious."

He grew up in Arlington, graduated from Georgetown and finished Law School in New Hampshire before he joined the Federal Government.

"There were many welcome home parties when he returned from this last seven-year stint in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Marc's wife. "We worried about him every day, but he was determined to contribute what he could and everyone in the family respected that."

"The Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery fulfills a dream of mine," Marc explained. "My partners and I began with a cidery in Stowe, Vermont that is doing exceptionally well, but I have always loved the Middleburg area. This is where I wanted to locate and we are all delighted to be here."

Already committed to support next year's Middleburg Film Festival, Marc has promotional postcards on the bar before he has formally opened the Mt. Defiance Cidery.

"We want to play our part in this wonderful community," he emphasized. "We love the warmth and welcoming nature of this Village."

Committed to creating a truly local Virginia cider, Marc believes he can make up to 2,000 gallons of cider per month when he's fully operational.

"It's going to be absolutely delicious," he says. "Everyone in Virginia will be able to be very proud of Mt. Defiance Cider."

For more information about Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery, please contact Marc Chretien at marc-chretien@msn.com