Healey’s new tax relief plan is the apple of local cider makers’ eyes

In Mass., ciders between three percent and six percent alcohol content are taxed a three cents per gallon. Ciders containing more than six percent alcohol are taxed like sparkling wine — at 70 cents a gallon. In Gov. Healey’s new tax relief package, she proposes to promote more locally produced hard cider by allowing higher-alcohol content ciders (up to 8.5 percent) to qualify for lower tax rates typically reserved for low-alcohol content products.