Cider And Fire Pits

We took a trip to the Ironbound Farm and Ciderhouse this weekend and enjoyed some amazing cider in the most perfect and rustic setting.  Ordered a flight and food at the bar and then moved outside to a nice fire and enjoyed some drinks.  Will definitely be heading back soon.

Some of their neater offerings:

DEVIL’S HARVEST 

TART. JUICY. SUBLIME.

Infused with dry-harvested Pine Barrens cranberries and tart cherries, with a hint of white pepper in the finish.

JUNIPER HARD CIDER 

Juniper berries impart aromas of rosemary, lime peel, lemon, and subtle green apple in this rich, dry, intensely aromatic cider.

CAPE MAY ROSÉ 

A sweet-yet-dry summer infusion of Cape May beach plums and Ironbound farm-harvested aronia berries.

Their menu here.

And here's their IG.

Willow Oaks Cider: Black Twig

In June, we had the great pleasure of visiting the Willow Oaks Cidery in Maryland.  Their process for making cider is more like the process for creating wine.  Typically, cideries make cider in three to four weeks, but Willow Oaks goes a full two years.  The result is a wine-like noncarbonated cider.  There's a dark sweetness there, but it's dry, and balanced with a powerful amount of tannin and acid.  This is definitely not the cider that you're thinking of if you buy the occasional six pack.  The owner warned us of this fact, and we assured him we did our homework and were ready for that unique flavor and tartness.  

The setting is really perfect as well...  rolling fields and meadows, and a friendly old dog named Ginny.

  

Unfortunately, they don't ship their ciders, but they take online orders for local pickups at their cidery.  

Here's a bottle of Black Twig back when it had some cider in there...