No self-respecting hard cider blog would be complete without a visit to the Angry Orchard Cider House located in Walden, NY. This was our third trip to this awe-inspiring cidery and as always, it was a memorable experience. This time around Domino the Winery/Cidery Dog tagged along and had a blast strolling the trails through the orchards as well as sharing lunch with mommy and daddy out in the sprawling picnic area. It's surprising to see how much Angry Orchard has evolved since our first visit in 2016. Back then the tastings and tours were free but legal issues prohibited Angry Orchard from selling cider by the glass so it was a strictly tour, taste, buy and go experience. Nowadays there is a charge for the tastings and tours (I recommend the Treehouse Experience) but at least afterwards you can kick back and relax with a glass of their famous hard cider and even enjoy food and live music.
Since Angry Orchard can be found pretty much anywhere in the U.S. (I call it the “default cider” because almost every bar carries it, at least in bottle form), you’d expect their property to be nothing short of amazing. And guess what? It is! From the moment we drove through the gates we were astounded by the vast acreage of apple trees set against the backdrop of the Shawangunk Mountain Range. Along the way photo ops abound – from the classic flatbed truck, to the oversized Angry Orchard chair to the whimsical treehouse. At last we arrived at our intended destination – the famous cider house and all its magical libations. I think pretty much all of you dear readers out there have tasted Angry Orchard’s flagship cider – the Crisp Apple which is quite simply the standard by which all other sweet ciders are judged. So for our tasting, we opted for the Hardcore Dark Cherry Apple with its perfect tart to sweet ratio, the semisweet, lightly carbonated Rubyfrost and the bourbon infused Wooden Sleeper, which rocked my husband’s taste buds. While I loved all three ciders, my absolute favorite will always be the Pear, which alas, was not available on tap at this time.
Whether or not you are a fan of hard cider, the Angry Orchard Cider House is a must-stop for anyone visiting the Hudson Valley area. And tell your doggy pals that Domino personally gives it 4 paws up!
Want to see even more of the famous Angry Orchard Cider House? Check out my Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/SrMkfsnGQrw?feature=shared
