Just as the Olympic Games celebrate the epitome of human athleticism, Five Maidens Cider Company embodies excellence in cider-making. Although this Bethlehem, PA cidery just opened its doors in August 2021, it already boasts an impressive selection of dry and sweet hard ciders. The tasting room has a friendly, sports bar vibe complete with flat screen TV’s and local beers on tap for non-cider drinkers. Bellying up to the bar, we were warmly greeted by Brian, one of the cidery’s owners who guided us on our tasting journey.
First up was the Semi Dry, a tart, slightly acidic hard cider with a smooth finish. Next came the Semi Sweet, which tasted like a slightly sweeter version of one of my favorite ciders, Strongbow. The cherry juice-infused Valance was a delightful combination of tart and sweet, and unlike so many Cherry hard ciders, avoided the pitfall of tasting like Vicks’ cough syrup. The Charlie cider had a pleasant floral aroma and notes of lemon. Ms Jackson is the perfect starter for cider newbies – an easy drinking sweet cider that won’t rot your teeth. The 610 cider smelled like fresh oranges and had a dry, slightly acidic flavor with a surprising tropical fruit finish. Last but not least was my favorite – the Betty. Just like the beloved Betty White from whom it derived its name, this lively cider is a joy to drink – sweet at the forefront with a tart, dry finish that will be regaled by both sweet and dry hard cider aficionados alike. And yes, this was one of those rare occasions where we liked every cider we tried.
Five Maiden Cider Company is open Thursday through Sunday and offers live music and pop-up food vendors on the weekends in its dog-friendly tasting room. And yup, we will be paying them another visit in the not too distant future!