Yea phished, you are right. If you go to a local cider mill, or buy "apple cider" from the grocery store, it is made with a blend of dessert apples, hence "sweet cider". Local mills will blend more for taste than grocery store brands, but in the end, its still sweet cider.
Before prohibition, there were all kinds of varieties of apples specifically grown for making hard cider. Actually, the US is the only country in the world where you have to specify "hard cider". Everywhere else, cider means fermented apple juice. Just like wine grapes, if you were to eat a cider apple, it probably wouldn't taste very good. They have considerably higher tannin levels (think crab apples) and varying levels of acidity.
Phish - the best you can do is call around. Maybe someone here from the area will know too. I'm on the same quest down here. Some mills have a limit on how much juice they will do a custom pressing for. If you can find some people in the area, you might be able to convince one (providing they have the right kinds of apples) to do a custom pressing. Also, there are some commercial varieties that make good hard ciders. Off hand, I know Liberty and Northern Spy are good.
btw, love the name!
