“Fruit intended specifically for cider is being planted on an exponential scale, so as the trees come to bearing and the raw materials change, local cider stands to have an entirely new profile and character.”
– Craig Cavallo, Cider Expert
These are exuberant times for lovers of Hudson Valley cider. Our beverage is BACK, baby. Bigtime. Experts Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo took a deep dive into the cider cultures to be found across the US, spending three years traveling, talking, and tasting before publishing American Cider, A Modern Guide to a Historic Beverage in 2021, and in the Hudson Valley, they found an agri-culinary art form poised for whole new levels of excellence.
“Fruit intended specifically for cider is being planted on an exponential scale, so as the trees come to bearing and the raw materials change, (Hudson Valley) cider stands to have an entirely new profile and character,” Cavallo told Hudson Valley Wine Magazine last year.
“That said, there will continue to be a bounty of heirloom apples, and as cider makers continue to hone their craft, cider in general will continue to improve…The know-how, experience, and practical information being made increasingly available from Cornell and other researchers–coupled with an incredible climate for apples–stands to make New York cider some of the best in the world.”
Taste some of the best of the best. Our orchards are rooted in history and surrounded by some of the most stunning views in the neighborhood, and in fall, those views will be lit by Nature’s own paintbrush. Come wander among boughs heavy with fragrant fruit and pick a bag, then let the masters of cidery and associated treats delight your taste buds.
Treasury Cider at Fishkill Farms
Fishkill Farms has been growing apples for a century; they’ve named their tree-to-bottle Treasury Cider with a double meaning: a nod to the farm’s founder, who served as FDR’s Secretary of the Treasury, and to the cider cellar of yore, where orchard families kept liquid assets. Reserve a table at the Treasury Cider Bar for a tasting (walk-ins are welcome to sip a glass in the courtyard) or sign up for an hour of sunset yoga chased with a crisp glass of Treasury.
9 Fishkill Farm Road, Hopewell Junction 845-897-4377 fishkillfarms.com
Locust Grove Brewing Co
Locust Grove Brewing Company is hand-crafted by a seven-generation farm family in Milton. Three generations currently work there, growing 100 kinds of apples plus peaches, berries, cherries, and quince; when the restaurant shutdown hit, they had way too much deliciousness in the pipeline, so they made a Brewery Barn for fermentation operations, decorated with reclaimed farm everything and a stunning barnwood bar, complete with a rotating cast of food trucks. Things just don’t get any more Hudson Valley than this.
199 North Road, Milton 845-795-5194 locustgrovefruitfarm.com
Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery
Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery is a sustainable family-run operation on a glorious Catskills hill overlooking the Delaware; the current owner’s great-grandfather made cider here. They’ve holistically planted 1,500 new trees on 12 acres once farmed by neighboring friars, and they’d absolutely love to have you come for a tour and a tasting in their energy-efficient cidery building. You can even stay over; they’ve revived the family tradition of running a boarding house.
43 Wagner Lane, Callicoon 845-887-4056 seminaryhill.co
Shawangunk Wine Trail
The Shawangunk Wine Trail has evolved organically into the Shawangunk Wine, Cider and Distillery Trail, but changing the name would be a bother. Don’t miss out on the reality, though; at their diverse and lovely member-farms, you’ll find fine wines as well as mead, cider, and spirits. Consider kicking off the holidays with a tour; there are lots of transportation options that free you to relax and enjoy.
P.O. Box 526, Marlboro 845-256-8456 shawangunkwinetrail.com
Stone Ridge Orchard
Stone Ridge Orchard is one of six orchards owned by Elizabeth Ryan, a farmer’s farmer and a passionate pomologist with a degree from Cornell. Elizabeth’s activism and vision for farming have been helping build and network our ag scene for decades now, and she just keeps on growin’. Come see what she has created here on a 200-year-old working farm, including U-pick, farm stand with produce, baked goods, cider with and without a kick, and the Farm Bar, open on weekends and pairing fabulous views and wood-fired pizza with your beverage.
3012 State Route 213, Stone Ridge 845-687-2587 stoneridgeorchard.com
Twin Star Orchards | Brooklyn Cider House
Twin Star Orchards is the home of Brooklyn Cider House ciders crafted with fresh heirloom apples, wild yeasts, and minimal intervention, served up with joy. Fifty acres of trees are in full production, and 8,000 more trees have been planted. Alongside the cider are woodfired pizza, burgers, and a BBQ menu from their hardwood smoker; enjoy on the pavilion or beside the pond, often accompanied by live music and family farm fun of all sorts; these folks will bring in a band and roast up a pig for just about any reason you can imagine.
155 N Ohioville Road, New Paltz 845-633-8657 twinstarorchards.com
