Bad Seed Cider is among my favorite cider producers on the east coast. Located in the Hudson Valley it's two beer guys gone cider. And it's amazing. I first discovered them a the Union Square Greenmarket in NYC. Then hosted them at a Hudson Valley Wine Country event a few years later for a valley cider tasting. they are among the most impressive of producers. And their success is showing. I recently, whille on a trip to visit a winemaking friend down in the Shawangunk Trail, decide to finally stop in and pay them a visit at the source. I stopped n totally unannounced, and they were terrific!
According to the website, this is how they started:
It’s the kind of idea you get after a few drinks at the local pub. "Hey, let's start a cider company!" – and then forget about it the next day. But Albert and Devin, two guys up in Highland, New York, actually followed through with it.
It didn't hurt that Albert was a 6th generation apple farmer and Devin enjoyed brewing and fermenting anything that sounded like it had promise to make a tasty beverage. But
ever since the summer of 2011 when these two childhood friends banded together with meager savings and a love of cider, they have been crafting, selling and talking everything cider. It's their past time, their passion, their life. Since the beginning, they have always had a single minded goal to bring hand crafted, truly dry cider to the world.
We seek to advance the craft cider industry through mixing both old and new cider techniques and craft beer influences. Making ciders from 100% fresh pressed apples grown by us on a 6th generation family farm with no alchemy used. After all, this is cider not science. You won't find the endless list of chemicals, artificial sweeteners, and excuses on our label because we don't use them.
After our first few years, no matter what we did, we could not keep up with the demands of our cider. So we built a bigger and better cider house complete with big shiny tanks and a Tap room all so we can now invite you to our house and show you how cider should be.
Albert Wilklow and his wife, Kortney.
Bad Seed now comes in cans! But that's not what's really new. What's amazing i the rate at which they are growing! Bad Seed is expanding it's line up, canning, bottling, and opened up a fantastic new tap room! They are making large quantity ciders, and they are making small batch high-end specialty ciders as well! They are growing by leaps and bounds!
Devin Britton and Albert Wilklow
A beautiful row of shiny new tanks!
Cider aging in barrels!
And of course, they have specialty ciders on tap, not available in stores! You gotta come to the source to get 'em!
Loved this bigly! Bad Seed Ginga Roots is their cider made with ginger. Now, I've had a number of ginger ciders, but I loved this. There was a good dose of ginger here. enough to make your mouth go pop! A nice, black and white peppery finish! So impressive. Begging for food!
To me, these are the Holy Grail right here. These are the ciders that truly set Bad Seed apart from everybody else!
Apple Pie Dry Hard cider has oak and cinnamon come through as promised, This unique cider is made with carmelized belgian candy sugar and is bottle aged! It explodes with tart tart apple, caramel sweet, and has 6.9% ABV!
The Belgian Abbey is made like a Belgian Abbey beer with Belgian yeast, but made from apples grown in the Hudson Valley! I LOVE THIS CIDER! Unfiltered, cloudy, tart, tangy, and dry, this big boy comes in at 6.3% ABV. An amazing cider!
The Farmer is their take on a traditional Saison beer. AGAIN, I LOVE THIS CIDER!!!! It's made using French Saison yeast. Super easy to drink because it's light and crisp, and kind of heathery. It's Farmhouse-y! And it's deceptive because for as light as it tastes, it packs a who wallop at 6.9% ABV.
Fantastic!
Reserve Bourbon Barrel? Need I say more? I loved it when they release this concept from the beginning. I keep meaning to rest a bottle or two in my wine cellar, but no use in storing empty bottles!
I had the Raspberry Reserve which is their cider blended with real raspberries. Incredible. Nice flavor without being cloying in anyway. And of course, the Ginga Roots, which was absolutely mouthwatering.
Get on over to Bad Seed immediately! You are missing out on something special if you haven't been!
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