Visit Finger Lakes Cideries

While the Finger Lakes region garners the most acclaim for its award-winning wines, New York is still the Big Apple and ranks second in apple production in the United States. So it makes sense that cideries would find their place among the wineries that line the hills and shores of the Finger Lakes. The apples for these locally produced fermented ciders are harvested from small family orchards, and you can taste the bounty of the earth in each sip. During your stay at Yale Manor, we're happy to point you to a sampling of our favorite cideries, all of which are just a short drive from our restful retreat.

As you head down the western side of Cayuga Lake, make your first stop at Blackduck Cidery (3046 County Road 138, Ovid).  Fruit growers for more than two decades, this family orchard produces unfiltered cider, perry (made from pears) and vinegar in small batches, with minimal manipulation to allow the fruit to speak for itself. One (or more) of these unique, hand-crafted ciders is sure to capture your fancy.

From there, continue south where you'll encounter Finger Lakes Cider House (4017 Hickok Road, Interlaken). This cider house is located on the Good Life Farm, an organic farm and orchard. Not only do they grow the apples for their cider, the ingredients for their small bites and lunch menu also are sourced from their own farm and those nearby. Their house cider is Kite & String, a nod to their playful yet grounded orchard beverages.

Further down Cayuga Lake as you approach Trumansburg, you'll find Bellwether Hard Cider & Wine (9070 NY-89, Trumansburg) and Redbyrd Orchard Cider (4491 Reynolds Road, Trumansburg). Bellwether produces artisanal hard ciders, from dry to semi-sweet, made from European cider variety apples grown in the orchard they planted. Redbyrd is a small cidery that has been making cider for the public since 2010, with a blend of apples from their own orchards, orchards they help manage, and wild trees. For every bottle sold, Redbyrd makes a donation to organizations that support farmers of color and indigenous people in the region.

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.  — Martin Luther