Not everyone is a beer drinker, or can even drink beer. Perhaps taking a break from hops and barley sounds good. What’s the alternative, somewhat low-alcohol option?

Hard cider may be the answer. The drink borrows from both wine and beer customs and has enjoyed a craft renaissance in recent years.

The cider tradition in America is as old as the early English colonies, and during the 18th and early 19th centuries, the beverage reigned supreme. What happened? The influx of Eastern European immigrants in the mid-19th century, popularizing lager brewing, and Prohibition in the early 20th century caused the hard cider industry to wane and collapse.

Cider never completely disappeared, but the commercial market is tiny compared to other alcoholic beverages. And much of the mass-produced cider found on supermarket shelves includes sugar, artificial flavorings and other additives, moving the needle away from traditional cider and into the realm of flavored alcopops. It has only been in the last several decades that a new generation of cider makers has returned to crafting the libation from 100 percent apple juice. One of the top-selling cider makers, Woodchuck Hard Cider, was founded in 1991; Angry Orchard, from Boston Beer Company, was launched in 2011 after years of tinkering with recipes.

Here in Central Oregon, Atlas Cider has been leading the local cider boom, the largest of five cider makers. And it’s not limited to the cideries: Both Deschutes Brewery and 10 Barrel Brewing produce an in-house cider of their own, and McMenamins brews several ciders at its Edgefield facility in Troutdale.

Here is what you should know:

Atlas Cider, only 3 years old, has become the top-selling cider maker in Oregon, according to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. It specializes in sweeter ciders, with varieties including blackberry, apricot, pom-cherry and dragonfruit. It also produces session cider (apple without additions) and a seasonal cinnamon pear cider. All of its offerings can be found at its tasting room on SW Industrial Way, and it features beer on tap as well — don’t miss the opportunity to sample a Snakebite (half cider, half beer).

Red Tank Cider also opened in 2013, and it was first in Central Oregon to offer cider in cans. In addition to Happy Cider and Roughneck Cider (both in cans), it offers two variations on hopped ciders (425 Cider and Chops), a mixed-berry cider, Pear Bear (made from pears) and several fruit-infused seasonals. The tasting room on SE Woodland Boulevard is open Friday afternoons.

Rimrock Cider sold its first cider in May 2014 and leads with its Fudacious cider — a blend of Fuji, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples. It’s located east of Bend but does not have a public tasting room.

Tumalo Cider Co. launched this June with two ciders, dry and semisweet. It is headquartered in its Cider House in the heart of Tumalo, a unique “green” structure constructed of pumice-crete.

Doc Fields Cider is the newest new kid on the block, debuting at the Fermentation Celebration in June with its strawberry kiwi cider. Based in Redmond, it will be canning, and this month it plans to release a passionfruit mango cider.

(Unfortunately, Far Afield Cider, which opened in 2014 as Bend’s third cider maker, recently closed. It had specialized in aged, complex ciders influenced by European traditions.)

All of the ciders can be found in rotation at any of the region’s growler fill stations, as well as on tap at a number of local restaurants. You also can find all but Tumalo Cider at the upcoming Bend Brewfest taking place Aug. 18-20.

As for the breweries, McMenamins has been crafting cider to serve in its pubs since 1992, according to its website. The Edgefield Winery in Troutdale produces its standard cider year-round from a blend of Columbia Gorge-sourced apples, and seasonal varieties often incorporate other fruits. The Old St. Francis School is offering the house Edgefield Cider right now along with a blackberry cider.

Deschutes Brewery introduced its Wayfarer Sour Cider in February, on tap exclusively at its downtown pub. It uses five varieties of apples from Salem’s E.Z. Orchards and allows it to ferment spontaneously, yielding a mellow cider with sour and earthy notes that finishes dry.

10 Barrel Brewing flirted with a cider-beer hybrid, Cider Weisse, in 2014 before releasing Bubbly Hard Apple Cider at the end of last year. Bubbly is on the shelves in 12-ounce bottles. It’s a subtly sweet cider that finishes dry and reminiscent of apple skins.

With ample choices to pick from, there has never been a better time to start sampling cider. The next time you see one on tap, take a chance on this worthy alternative to beer.

— Jon Abernathy is a local beer blogger and brew aficionado. His column appears in GO! every other week.