Page 52 - Valley Table - Fall 2022
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                                 LEFT BANK CIDERS
Catskill \ leftbankciders.com
Left Bank Ciders has quite the badass backstory: It began when two out of three co-owners gathered castoff apples, foraged some more, and then used
a food processor and pillowcases to grind and squeeze out and ultimately ferment their cider. Today, Left Bank still uses apples from abandoned orchards, donated fruit, and pounds and pounds of apples from growers within 100 miles of their Catskill home base. They describe their ciders as “dry and complex,”
and you can taste a rotating selection
at their tap room, accompanied by
pizza thanks to a new partnership with BeGolden farms.
Season’s sip: Bell Hill, a hyperlocal star. “It’s made exclusively from foraged wild apples from Greene County and created with native yeast, so the whole process is just what we’re getting from nature,” says co-owner Tim Graham.
LITTLE APPLE CIDERY
Hillsdale \ little-apple-cider.business.site Tucked off a winding road in Hillsdale, Little Apple Cidery has an expansive lawn where you can sit and contemplate the clouds. But it isn’t just a beautiful location—the orchard is certified organic, and the ciders are spectacular.
TREASURY CIDER
In fact, Floraison, a seasonal, naturally carbonated sparkling cider, was
recently awarded a gold medal at Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition, the largest in the world. Stop by to sip some of owner and cidermaker Ron Bixby’s creations, and why not have a cheese plate as well? Mark your calendars for Ciderfest on October 9. It’s a free event with music, a barrel-rolling contest, and Aloha Tacos food truck—oh, and plenty of cider. Season’s sip: Little Apple Cidery is one of the very few locations where you
can find Quince Cider—see if you can snag some.
NINE PIN CIDER WORKS
Albany \ ninepincider.com
If you’re looking for a different vibe
than a pastoral paradise—something a little more downtown—check out Nine Pin. It’s a Granny Smith-green building sporting a mural of an orchard in the Broadway warehouse district. There are straightforward apple-centric ciders, plus inventive ones like Hunny Pear
and Adirondack Maple. For more fun: join the 26er challenge and try all of
the limited draft cider released over the course of a year (you’ll be rewarded with swag, discounts, and a special party). What goes great with Nine Pin’s ciders? Their sourdough pizzas, Bavarian pretzels, and house-made pickles. Season’s sip: Ginger cider, made with Samascott Orchards’ dessert apples. It’s infused with ginger and orange peel and tells your tastebuds that fall is truly here.
ORCHARD HILL CIDER MILL
New Hampton \ orchardhillcidermill.com This compact, absolute charmer of a taproom is set inside a white-trimmed, barn-red building at Soons Orchards. They make two styles of Pommeau: the Ten66 (named for year the Normans invaded England) and the richer, barrel- aged Ten66 Reserve. Reservations are recommended for the cozy, wood- paneled space which offers six ciders. Drink up and dive into a charcuterie board or cider-donut bread pudding.
   NINE PIN CIDER WORKS
50 THE VALLEY TABLE SEPT – OCT 2022
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