An antique pickup truck, snow-covered saplings and furry(!) piglets greeted us on the chilly March afternoon when we arrived at Ironbound Cider in Asbury, NJ. We shivered up the sloping walkway to the rustic tasting room and were promptly greeted by Ironbound's friendly owner, Charles Rosen, who recommended the chili and grilled cheese.
While we waited for our food and sampled Ironbound's hard ciders (loved the Devil's Harvest), Mr. Rosen shared his plans for the cidery, which include reintroducing several species of extinct apple trees back into New Jersey, live music, food trucks, and the release of Ironbound's first wines.
And then our food arrived: the chili was hot and delicious and complemented perfectly by the yummy goo of the grilled cheese. All in all, a perfect ending to a fantastic experience.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2022: A return visit to NJ's first cidery was long overdue and this time around we finally got to appreciate Ironbound in all its summer glory. The Ironbound Original Cider has won my heart by adding some subtle citrus notes. Other changes include the addition of fortified hard ciders and hard seltzers, an expanded food menu and even more outside spaces to relax with Domino the winery (and cidery) dog.
Want to see even more of Ironbound Farm and Ciderhouse? Check out my youtube channel: