Illustration: Jeff Rogers

Seriously, people, now’s the time. Cideries in the Midwest are at the top of their game, using locally harvested apples to make grown-up ciders that are the very essence of fall. Get started with Virtue Cider’s Maple Dave ($25 for a 750-milliliter bottle; virtuecider.com), a limited-release cider from Fennville, Michigan, that has maple syrup added to the juice before it’s fermented, aged in bourbon barrels, and finished with more syrup; it’s a rich drink for chilly nights. Uncle John’s Cranberry Apple ($10.99 for a four-pack; Binny’s), a seasonal cider also from Michigan, is a shoo-in for the Thanksgiving table: It’s got a robust dose of cranberry juice, which brings a welcome tartness. Not autumnal enough for you? Try Right Bee Cider’s Clementine ($12.99 for a six-pack; Binny’s). It’s infused with the warm-sweet-tart flavors of clementine, cinnamon, rose hips, and honey.

Photograph: Right Bee Cider