Orchard image by Gerry Michaels, Glasswork Media Arts
We all love a mug of hot apple cider, a fluffy cider donut or even cider candy. But right now, we are not talking sugar, spice and everything nice. We are talking hard cider. Once considered just a branch of the beer industry, hard cider has made a name for itself throughout every American region. According to Beverage Industry’s 2016 Beer Report, the cider industry grew 15 percent in 2015, with dollar sales increasing to more than $436 million. The fourth largest apple-producer in the U.S. is none other than our very own Keystone State. With almost 19,000 apple-bearing acres and 125 orchards, Pennsylvania produces over 11 million bushels each year, growing apples in all 67 counties, including York and Adams as two of the leaders.
This might be why Steve Groff calls our region “the Napa Valley of apples.” Owner of Wyndridge Farm, Groff is a self-proclaimed farm boy turned surgeon (wyndridge.com). In 2011, having practiced medicine for much of his life, Groff sustained a neck injury in a bike crash and retired from healthcare. He pondered the next step at his family’s 120-year-old renovated farmhouse in Dallastown. Tucked away into 77 acres of plush hills and rambling fields, the farm estate is the type of place where the sun loves to set. It came to Groff that this place was meant to be shared. Marrying the farm’s natural regality with the local apple abundance, and marrying his ideas with the knowledge of cider master Scott Topel, Groff opened Wyndridge Farm in November 2013. Since then, Wyndridge has expanded into a restaurant, brewery, and event venue, which also distributes hard cider, craft beer and soda to ten states from New Hampshire to Alabama.
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Wyndridge images by Seth Nensthiel
Groff explains that there are multiple reasons why cider has become popular both nationally and locally—it is a healthier option being gluten-free and lower in sugar, there are many flavor profiles to experiment with, and people have rediscovered the delicious quality of fresh fruit. But perhaps most significantly, the entire production can be done locally. Wyndridge has mastered this. In describing the brewing process, Topel noted that the first step is to acquire apples from one of every Yorker’s most beloved destinations: Brown’s Orchard. Topel heads to Brown’s pressing house and uses an accordion style box press to squeeze the juice from a blend of apple types, such as Stayman and York Imperial. The leftover apple parts are delivered to a local farm for cows to munch on. After testing the sugar and pH levels, the juice is trucked to the Wyndridge brewery and pumped into tanks. Topel then pitches in the yeast and allows it to ferment to his desired dryness. Then, he allows the mixture to cool for about two and a half weeks until it reaches the coldest temperature permitted by the yeast. Cold-pressing allows the yeast to settle so Topel can then drain it and let the liquid age for about three weeks. Next, Topel adds flavor or dry hops, depending on the batch he is crafting. This entire process takes between three weeks and one month.
From that, Topel might create one of Wyndridge’s three flagship ciders—original, cranberry, or dry hopped—or he might create whatever seasonal flavor is in the works. Over the summer, Topel made a pineapple cider aged in a tequila barrel and a mojito cider aged in oak tips that had been soaking in white rum. Typically, cider sales are at their peak during the fall and early winter. Creating unique seasonal flavors has helped Wyndridge make cider a year-round beverage. This fall, Topel will be crafting a maple pumpkin cider. He roasts pumpkins until they are caramelized, mashes them and adds the pumpkin to the cider during the fermentation stage. Once the cider ferments, he adds Grade A maple syrup for an earthy, sweet taste. Also this fall, Topel will be cooking up cider and beer that he ages in wine barrels. The final step is to package the brew in charmingly rustic bottles designed by York-based Holbert Design.
One challenge that Topel faces is a law regulating ABV (alcohol by volume) levels on distributed cider. Under federal law, cider that has an alcohol content greater than 7% is taxed at a very high rate that makes distribution for small businesses nearly impossible. If the cider has a higher level of carbonation, taxes are even greater. Hard cider naturally ferments to an alcohol content of at least 6 to 8 percent, according to Topel. This means that Topel must add extra apple juice from the beginning pressing stages at the end of the brewing process in order to meet legal ABV levels. Topel is placing hope in the Pennsylvania CIDER Act, which PA congressmen are pushing for because it would increase the legal ABV level from 7 to 8.5 percent and nearly double the allowed concentration. With this law, Topel would be able to craft cider in its purer form as well as have more freedom to experiment with different flavors. One he is looking forward to creating is a dry cider.
From Pilgrims and Presidents to Prohibition and PA Today
Another local spot that tapped into cider making before it was a trend is Hauser Estate Winery (hauserestate.com). Hauser’s cider history dates back to 2008, several years before the industry gained momentum. Polly Patrono-Carlson, owner of Hauser, says that the drink is trending because “it’s just good.” She cites the multiple health benefits, such as that cider is naturally gluten-free, has less sugar and fewer calories, and contains antioxidants from the apples. Also, she describes the cider taste as a sweet/tart balance that is fresher and crisper than other alcohols. But possibly most importantly, cider is nostalgic. Hard cider was introduced to America by the Pilgrims, who took advantage of the apple abundance of their new land. The beverage could be found in the hands of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and other prominent Americans. Later, it was banned during Prohibition and was not produced on a large scale for many years. Eventually, brands like Angry Orchard and Woodchuck began re-introducing hard cider through mass distribution, and Americans were hooked once again. As we have done with all alcohols, Americans quickly began concocting their own hard cider using local ingredients and distributing it to their friends and family. Then, the industry changed from a specific sector of mass beer production to a homegrown, small-batch art form. This allows cider to have that nostalgic, farm-to-table essence that Carlson believes adds greater permanence to the cider industry. “Cider is here to stay,” she says.
Image Courtesy Gerry Michaels
Like Wyndridge, Hauser relies on an orchard within walking distance. Carlson says they use apples three miles down the road from their winery site in Biglerville. They craft five different flagship ciders under the name Jack’s that include original, Helen’s blend, dry hopped, pear and peach. Hauser also produces seasonal flavors like Connewago Orchard that is served in spring and Fireside, a spiced blend of cinnamon, cloves and ginger that is served in fall and winter. Carlson notes that Fireside is always a crowd favorite along with Helen’s blend, but Hauser distributes the most of their original, a semi-dry cider with notes of honey.
This fall, check out Hauser’s Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour every Thursday through November. From 6 to 9 p.m. Hauser will host an evening with music, cider, wine and seasonal specials at their Biglerville winery. The winery also hosts Hauser After Hours every Friday and Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. After Hours invites guests to breathe in the stunning views surrounding Hauser’s property while they listen to live music, sip wine and cider, and nosh on a catered dinner. If you would prefer to be the performer, visit the estate for Open Mic on the Hill each Tuesday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., or Open Mic on the Square each Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m. at their Lincoln Square location in Gettysburg.
Although the Wyndridge staff keeps busy planning weddings and other events at their venue, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Groff teamed up with award-winning chefs who are preparing brick-fired pizzas like margherita and Italian Sensation, sandwiches like pastrami smoked salmon, entrees such as seafood mac and cheese and baked vegetable strudel, and more. Plus, every Sunday the restaurant is serving brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with options such as steak and eggs and cornflake crusted French toast. Besides the food and drink, what draws guests back to Wyndridge is the gorgeous property. One step in the door and your heart is stolen by Wyndridge’s enamoring rustic elegance. Outside on the patio, guests are smitten by the views of the lavish York County hillside and the Groffs’ stone farmhouse in the distance. Although Wyndridge and Hauser profit from their cider, guests profit from the experience.
As we unwind into the splendor of our region’s autumn, with early sunsets over red and orange tree lines and breezes through the wheat fields, we will be savoring it with cider. And we know we will not be the only ones.
