Cider is a refreshing bit of fall — tangy and sweet apples in a drink.
New York is filled with places to buy cider, whether it’s a grocery store, farm market, farmstand or straight from the orchard.
James Allen, president and chief executive officer of the New York Apple Association, said apple cider is big business in the state, as people pick up gallons or half-gallons when they visit the scores of orchards across New York.
It’s also a fun fall family activity to pick fresh apples and buy cider.
But New York orchards are much more than cider.
For adults, many apple growers are expanding into hard cider and apple spirits — a variety of alcoholic beverages made from apples.
“Distilled apple beverages and apple wine have really taken off,” Allen said.
David DeFisher, a fourth-generation fruit farmer in Williamson, Wayne County, began Apple Country Spirits at his farm in 2012. He makes vodka and other spirits from apples and other fruits grown at his farm.
“We sold (our fruits) to processors for years,” DeFisher said. “Then in 2010-2011, I started thinking about what sort of value-added product could we begin producing that would bring in a better return.”
He and his wife took a course about distilling at Cornell University and then bought a still and built a 7,000-square-foot facility at the farm. Today they make a variety of distilled spirits — vodka, a cherry cordial, and bourbon- and whiskey-like products — from apples and other fruits.
DeFisher is quick to point out that he does not make apple vodka, which he said is regular, grain-distilled vodka flavored with apple.
“Our product, our vodka, is made from apples,” he said.
Anyone interested in testing these spirits can visit his farm’s tasting room from noon to 5 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. And throughout October, there is a cocktail party at the farm each Friday and Saturday night. (Visit applecountryspirits.com/events for more information.)
DeFisher said his farm also recently has moved into the hard-cider business. He welcomes consumers to visit the farm, ask questions about the distilling process, and try some of the beverages.
“Sales are beginning to pick up,” he said.
For more information on New York cider, visit www.nycider.com, a webiste run by the New York Apple Association.
Here is a list of several farms and orchards that sell their cider or spirits during the season:
SOUTHERN TIER
Hemlock Grove Farm, 180 Walding Lane, West Danby, Tompkins County, (607) 564-3346
Littletree Orchards, 345 Shaffer Road, Newfield, Tompkins County, (607) 592-8177
South Hill Cider, 560 W. King Road, Ithaca, Tompkins County, (607) 279-7563; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Redbyrd Orchard Cider, 4115 Newtown Road, Burdett, Schuyler County, (607) 546-4340; also has hard cider and apple spirits
CENTRAL NEW YORK
Second Chance Orchard, 7319 Kirkville Road, East Syracuse, Onondaga County, (315) 656-0005
C&M Farms, 7645 Myers Road, Kirkville, Onondaga County, (315) 656-7173
Abbott Farms Inc., 3275 Cold Springs Road, Lysander, Onondaga County, (315) 638-7783
Rocking Horse Farm, 3736 Apulia Road, Jamesville, Onondaga County, (315) 492-1100
Beak & Skiff Apple Hill Campus, 2708 Lords Hill Road, LaFayette, Onondaga County, (315) 696-6085
1911 Spirits by Beak & Skiff, 2708 Lords Hill Road, LaFayette, Onondaga County; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Navarino Orchard, 3655 Cherry Valley Turnpike, Syracuse, Onondaga County, (315) 673-9181
Critz Farms, 3232 Rippleton Road, Cazenovia, Madison County, (315) 662-3355
Harvest Moon Cidery at Critz Farms, 3232 Rippleton Road, Cazenovia, Madison County, (315) 662-3355
Owen Orchards Inc., 8174 Grant Ave. Road, Weedsport, Cayuga County, (315) 252-4097
Elderbery Pond, 3728 Center Street Road, Auburn, Cayuga County, (315) 252-3977
Twin Orchards Farm Inc., 4695 Middle Settlement Road, New Hartford, Oneida County, (315) 736-5883
Clinton Cider Mill, 17 Fair Meadow Lane, Clinton, Oneida County, (315) 853-5756
Parker’s Cider Mill, 437 Otsego St., Ilion, Herkimer County, (315) 894-4660
North Star Orchards LLC, 4741 State Route 233, Westmoreland, Oneida County, (315) 853-1024
Windy Hill Orchard & Farm Market, 577 East St., Cassville, Oneida County, (315) 822-0046
Hollenbeck’s Cider Mill, 1265 Route 392, Cortland, Cortland County, (607) 835-6455
NORTH COUNTRY
Burrville Cider Mill, Inc., 18176 County Route 156, Watertown, Jefferson County, (315) 788-7292
Kaneb Orchards, 182 Highland Road, Massena, St. Lawrence County, (315) 769-2880; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Everett Orchards Farm Market & Cidery, 1945 Military Turnpike, Plattsburgh, Clinton County, (518) 643-6824; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Rulfs Orchard, 531 Bear Swamp Road, Peru, Clinton County, (518) 643-8636
HUDSON VALLEY
Hardeman Orchards, 194 West Market St., Red Hook, Dutchess County, (845) 758-5154
Migliorelli Farms, 46 Freeborn Lane, Tivoli, Dutchess County, (845) 757-3276
Stone Ridge Orchard, 3012 Stone Ridge Road, Stone Ridge, Ulster County, (845) 687-2587
Mead Orchards LLC, 15 Scism Road, Tivoli, Dutchess County, (845) 756-5641
Stone Ridge Orchard, 828 Centre Road, Staatsburg, Dutchess County, (845) 687-2587; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Breezy Hill Orchards, 828 Centre Road, Staatsburg, Dutchess County, (845) 266-3979
Clermont Cider House, 21 Gronwoldt Lane, Germantown, Columbia County, (518) 537-4437
Wilklow Orchards, 341 Pancake Hollow Road, Highland, Ulster County, (845) 691-8325
Hudson Valley Fruit Juice, 33 White St., Highland, Ulster County
Jenkins & Lueken Orchard, 69 Yankee Folly Road, New Paltz, Ulster County, (845) 255-0999
Yankee Folly Cider, 69 Yankee Folly Road, New Paltz, Ulster County, (845) 255-1155; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Saunderskill Farm, 100 Route 209 Accord, Ulster County, (845) 626-7103
Dressel Farms, LLC, 271 Route 208, New Paltz, Ulster County, (845) 255-0693; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Kettleborough Cider House, 277 State Route 208, New Paltz, Ulster County, (845) 419-3774
Minard Farms Beverage Co., 59 Hurds Road, Clintondale, Ulster County, (845) 883-7102
W.H. Walker & Son, 1153 Route 44, Clintondale, Ulster County, (845) 883-7457
Bad Seed Cider Co. LLC, 43 Baileys Gap Road, Highland, Ulster County, (845) 389-3087; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Mark Eger & Bros. Inc., 33 Eger Road, Hudson, Columbia County, (518) 828-3510
Thompson-Finch Farm, 750 Wiltsie Bridge Road, Ancram, Columbia County, (518) 329-7578
LONG ISLAND
Hicks Nurseries Inc., 100 Jericho Turnpike, Box 648, Westbury, Nassau County, (516) 334-0066
Martin Viette Nurseries Inc., 6050 Northern Blvd., East Norwich, Nassau County, (516) 922-5530
Jericho Cider Mill Inc., 213 Route 106, Jericho, Nassau County, (516) 433-3360
CAPITAL DISTRICT
Nine Pin Cider Works LLC, 929 Broadway, Albany, Albany County, (518) 449-9999; also has hard cider and apple spirits
The Farm at Kristy’s Barn, 2385 Brookview Road, Schodack, Rensselaer County, (518) 477-6250
Cronk Farm Products, 553 Old Best Road, West Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, (518) 326-2238
Goold Orchards Inc., 1297 Brookview Station Road, Castleton-on-Hudson, Rensselaer County, (518) 732-7317
Goold Orchards — Brookview Station Winery, 1297 Brookview Station Road, Castleton-on-Hudson, Rensselaer County, (518) 732-7317; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Indian Ladder Farms Inc., 342 Altamont-Voorheesville Road, Altamont, Albany County, (518) 765-2956; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Bowman Orchards LLC, 141 Sugar Hill Road, Rexford, Saratoga County, (518) 371-2042
Lindsey’s Idyllwood Orchard, 267 Sugarhill Road, Rexford, Saratoga County, (518) 371-5785
Altamont Orchards, Inc., 6654 Dunnsville Road, Altamont, Albany County, (518) 861-6515
Golden Harvest Farms, Inc., 3074 Route 9, Valatie, Columbia County, (518) 758-7683
Harvest Spirits Distillery, 3074 US Route 9, Valatie, Columbia County, (518) 758-7683; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Samascott Orchards, 5 Sunset Ave., Kinderhook, Columbia County, (518) 758-7224
Lakeside Cider Mill Farms, 336 Schauber Road, Ballston Lake, Saratoga County, (518) 399-8359
Knight Orchard of Saratoga Inc., 325 Goode St., Burnt Hills, Saratoga County, (518) 399-5174
Borden’s Orchard, 2841 Valley Falls Road, Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, (518) 692-2370
Sundog Cider, 343 State Route 395, Chatham, Columbia County, (518) 392-4000; also has hard cider and apple spirits
WESTERN NEW YORK
Chateau Buffalo Ciderhouse & Winery, 175 Niagara Frontier Food Terminal, 1500 Clinton St., Buffalo, Erie County, (716) 704-4671; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Mayer Bros. Apple Products, 3300 Transit Road, West Seneca, Erie County, (716) 668-1787
Saville Farms Inc., 4020 N Buffalo Road, Orchard Park, Erie County, (716) 662-4485
McKenzie’s Beverages, Inc., 4475 Transit Road, Orchard Park, Erie County, (716) 912-5020; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Smith’s Orchard Cider Mill, 4960 Mapleton Road, Pendleton, Niagara County, (716) 625-4316
Cherry Bank Farm, 5140 Townline Road, Sanborn, Niagara County, (716) 731-5749
Red Barrel Cider Mill Inc., 8978 Boston State Road, Boston, Erie County, (716) 941-5959
Hall Apple Farm, 6100 Ruhlmann Road, Lockport, Niagara County, (716) 434-0838
Blackman Homestead Farm, 4472 Thrall Road, Lockport, Niagara County, (716) 434-7116
Cummins Cider Mill, 159 Portville Ceres Road, Portville, Cattaraugus County, (716) 933-8890
Pumpkinville LLC, 4844 Sugartown Road, Great Valley, Cattaraugus County, (716) 699-2994
FINGER LAKES
DeFisher Fruit Farms, 3274 Eddy Road, Williamson, Wayne County, (315) 589-8416; also has hard cider and spirits through its Apple Country Spirits at the same site
Finger Lakes Cider House, 4017 Hickok Road, Interlaken, Seneca County, (315) 351-3313
Blackduck Cidery, 3046 County Road 138, Ovid, Seneca County, (607) 532-4956; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Dadson’s Farm Market, 361 Route 318, Phelps, Ontario County, (315) 539-3643
Red Jacket Orchards, 957 Routes 5 & 20 West, Geneva, Ontario County, (315) 781-2749
Daring Drake Farm, 7726 Rock River Road, Interlaken, Seneca County, (607) 532-4956; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Bellwether Hard Cider, 9070 Route 89, Trumansburg, Tompkins County, (607) 387-9464; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Grisamore Farms, 4069 Goose St., Locke, Cayuga County, (315) 497-1347
Wager’s Cider Mill, 256 E. Main St., Penn Yan, Yates County, (315) 536-6640
Gansz Farms Cider Mill, 1697 Gansz Road, Lyons, Wayne County, (315) 946-4425
Kingtown Orchard, 9469 Kingtown Road, Trumansburg, Tompkins County, (607) 387-5958
Black Diamond Farm, 4675 Seneca Road, Trumansburg, Tompkins County, (607) 227-7960; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, State Route 414, Hector, Seneca County, (607) 546-9463; also has hard cider and apple spirits
West Haven Farm, 114 Rachel Carson Way, Ithaca, Tompkins County, (607) 279-9483
South Hill Cider, 560 W. King Road, Ithaca, Tompkins County, (607) 279-7563; also has hard cider and apple spirits
MOHAWK VALLEY
Middlefield Orchard, 2274 State Route 166 Cooperstown, Otsego County, (607) 547-8212
Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard, Inc., 288 Goose St., Fly Creek, Otsego County, (607) 547-9692; also has hard cider and apple spirits
Dyn’s Cider Mill, 7915 State Route 28, Richfield Springs, Otsego County, (315) 858-2078
Sharon Orchards, 573 Chestnut St., Sharon Springs, Schoharie County, (518) 284-2510
Annutto’s Farm Stand, 5396 State Route 7, Oneonta, Otsego County, (607) 432-7905
Cornell Orchards, 709 Dryden Road, Ithaca, Tompkins County, (607) 255-4542
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