New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
8 hard cideries to try this fall
Fall is upon us. Pumpkin carving and leaf crunching are just around the corner. With those iconic fall activities, there are also some fall delicacies, like pumpkin spice lattes, apple cider doughnuts and, of course, apple cider itself.
These eight farms and breweries across Connecticut make hard cider perfect for fall indulgences.
Spoke and Spy Cider — Middletown
Spoke and Spy Cider began in London, according to the brewery’s website. Its founders enjoyed a great variety of dry ciders in the U.K. that they could not find at home in the U.S., so they started their own brewery. Spoke and Spy sells a number of unique ciders with flavors such as chai, and cherry, and names like Quizzical Sisters and Grumpy Wizards. There also is a selection of canned sodas, cold brew coffees and kombucha.
3-6 p.m. Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday; 180 Johnson St., Middletown; 860-834-4751; spokeandspy.square.site
New England Cider Company — Wallingford
New England Cider Co. has operated in Connecticut for seven years and has had an established taproom in Wallingford for five years. Cider flavors include pumpkin, cranberry, blueberry, pineapple, watermelon, beet and a Purple Rain flavor inspired by the musician Prince. This year the cidery will also host its first annual Pumpkin Fest on Oct. 2 and 3 with doughnut-eating contests, food trucks and live music.
2-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 2-8 p.m. Sunday; 110 North Plains Industrial Road, Suite A, Wallingford; 203-6269472; newenglandcider.com
Yankee Cider Co. — East Haddam
Yankee Cider Co. makes what its website calls “New
England-style” cider from apples in East Haddam. The company’s four regular-production ciders include New England dry, honey crisp blend, Captain Coit blueberry and Rochambeau’s March Raspberry. Other flavors include peanut butter, blueberrypeach cobbler and tart cherry. For a full list of current flavors, call the brewery at 860-8732433. Ciders can be purchased canned or bottled online or at farmers markets in Bozrah and Ledyard. Ciders are available on tap at the East Haddam taproom, Hopmeadow Brewing Co. in Avon, Labyrinth Brewing Company in Manchester and Concentric Brewing Company in Portland.
4-7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 23 Petticoat Lane, East Haddam; 860-873-2433; yankeeciders.com
Hogan’s Cider Mill — Burlington
Hogan’s Cider Mill in Burlington has been making cider since 1912 and now brews more than 20 flavors, according to its website. There are plenty of ciders on the menu, along with spiked slushies and mixed drink specials like the “pumpkin spice n’ everything nice” made with pumpkin spice hard cider topped with an apple cider doughnut, whipped cream, pumpkin pie seasoning and a candy pumpkin.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; 860-6757320; hoganscidermill.com
Clyde’s Cider Mill — Mystic
Clyde’s is the oldest steampowered cider mill in the U.S., according to the mill’s website, and has been in operation since 1881. The mill opens every Sept. 1 and stays open through December. Ciders are available in multiple flavors, such as apple raspberry, yellow jacket, lucky lion and boomerang. The mill also makes wines in flavors like Mystic Mango and Spider Cider. All the wines and ciders are 14% alcohol.
9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; 129 N. Stonington Road, Mystic; 860536-3354; clydescidermill.com
Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market & Winery — Guilford
Aside from having a creamery, a winery, a bakery and kitchen, a market and a pick your own orchard, Bishop’s makes its own sweet and hard ciders. The farm offers its ciders in cans, including farmhouse-style hard cider and button-hard cider.
8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; 1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford; 203-453-2338; bishopsorchards.com
Holmberg Orchards — Gales Ferry
Holmberg Orchards is in its fourth generation of Holmberg family members. The farm is family-run and has a market, a pick your own orchard and a winery. It is part of the Connecticut Wine Trail, which include more than 40 wineries across the state.
9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; 12 Orchard Lane, Gales Ferry; 860464-7305; holmbergorchards.com
Hardscrabble Cider — North Salem, N.Y.
Hardscrabble Cider is a micro farm cidery, just a few miles across the New York border from Danbury, run by brothers Alex, Kevin and Ben Covino from Brewster, N.Y.
The cidery serves flavors like Phunky Peach and Black Dirt Beet. On the weekends, there are mixed drinks available like cider mimosas and an orchard bloody mary. Animal lovers will appreciate the chance to visit the goats around the farm.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; 130 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem,
N.Y.; 914-733-6473; hardscrabbleciderny.com