Cider Collection

AGED ON WOOD. Available in medium  and still, this blend is aged on Minnesota oak. A high acidity and tang with background wood notes, perfect with food of all types, especially barbecue.

AURA. Our champagne style cider. Aged on lees then disgorged and corked, this cider is high acid, high tannin and high bubble.  Perfect for celebrating life’s small and big moments.

CHESTNUT & FRIENDS.  This blend showcases the Minnesota classic little crab apple—chestnut crab—with other varieties. We lean toward the bittersweets of English origin. As of now we have a grippy Chisel Jersey and subtle fruitier, tea-like Ellis Bitter. Both Pet Nat Dry.

CHESTNUT CRAB APPLE SINGLE VARIETAL. Hints of toffee, rose, leather, and pears—medium body with kicking acidity. Think of the perfect cider for weathering a storm at a pub on the Scottish highlands. Great with a single malt. Spontaneous ferment of the unique chestnut crab apples from Gilchrist Orchard. Pet Nat Dry.

DABINETT. One of our favorite Engllish bittersweets, this single varietal cider comes from one orchard: the wonderful Hoch Orchard and Garden in southeast Minnesota. A medium sweet cider with big flavors of black tea, butterscotch, and ripe apples. Charmat method and very unique.

DRIFTLESS. This series is born from a love of place. We live on the edge of the famed Driftless Area, and we love exploring the creeks and valleys of this beautiful place. Plus, amazing apples grow there. We have been using fruit from here for our whole existence. In fact Nate’s first trial cider was made from wild foraged apples from Driftless. Years later, we started the Driftless Series, selecting one orchard with the input of the farmer, and picking only the best and most unique apples to reflect the year and place as best we can. Currently we are offering three ciders from 2022-23 harvest Hoch Orchard And Gardens. A dry Pet Nat, a semi dry Charmat method, and a dry Pet Nat aged on plums and wine grapes.

ICE. We leave a blend of unfermented cider out in the Minnesota winter, where it freezes solid. When the temperatures warm in the spring, we bring it into the cidery and collect the richest of the juice. We take that treasure and ferment and barrel-age to create our ice cider—a sweeet, strong treat.

JEWEL AGED ON CHERRIES. A field blend of apples form the base for a cider aged on special cherries grown not far from our farm at Welch Woods Farm. This cider bridges two seasons and two farms. Expect a natural sweetness and bubbled with the Charmat method. 

KINGSTON BLACK. A single varietal considered by many as the ultimate cider apple. Originating in Western England, Kingston Black has it all: acid, tannin, and phenolics. This version keeved to keep some of its residual sugars, so it has sweetness too. This vintage is delightful and very complex—one of those ciders that appeals to the casual sipper and the connoisseur. Sourced from our orcahrd and our friend’s orchard on the St Croix river.

ORCHARD RESERVE. This blend highlights tropical fruit acidity paired with soft background tannins. The majority of the blend consists of apples like Golden Russet, Grimes Golden, Arkansas Black, Gold Rush, Keepsake, and Chestnut, blended with a low percentage of bittersweet apples like Dabinet and Ellis Bitter. Currently, we have a tangy medium blend bottled with the Charmat method and a thoughtful dry version bottled Pétillant Naturel. Both spontaneous ferments with no filtration or sulfites. 

ORGANIC FARMHOUSE DRY. A field blend of organic apples from our home, Woodskeep Orchard. Pet Nat Dry. Tropical fruit mix with prairie flowers and savory herbs.  One of our two farmhouse ciders. 

ORGANIC FARMHOUSE SEMI SWEET. A diverse blend of local apples fermented with native yeast and bubbled with the Charmat method. We taste stone fruit, honey, and apples! This cider is our crowd favorite—complex but not intimidating. The current offering is an organic version exclusively from our Woodskeep Orchard, which is just steps from our tasting room. One of our two table/farmhouse ciders. 

RIVER VALLEY RESERVE. This blend is the cidermakers ideal. 60-70% bittersweets with a few bittersharps and 20%-30% Keespake. So, in addition to that Minnesota classic apple, you will taste Dabinett, Chisel Jersey, Ellis Bitter, Bulmers Norman, Major, Kingston Black. The exact blend changes with harvest year but we are searching for a certain balance of flavors each year. Pet Nat Dry and Medium styles available depending on the vintage.

WOOD & SPIRITS. Available in both dry and semi dry styles, this is a dessert apple blend aged on whiskey staves from our friends at Loon Liquors. The Pet Nat dry version from 2016 and 2017 harvest is a mixed culture ferment with French white wine yeast and our native yeast. The semidry version is fermented with native yeast only. Rich sour fruit and floral notes abound with an undercurrent of whiskey and oak, this cider rewards the bold and adventurous.