We were three hours into the merriment of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire when a colossal rainstorm sent us scampering to our car. Since the storm didn’t look to abate anytime soon, we sought out indoor entertainment alternatives on google maps and stumbled upon Under the Bridge Hard Cider, a mere 18 minutes away in Lebanon County. Perfect. Our timing was impeccable as Under the Bridge’s owner, Kevin Smith (not the movie director), had just returned from a festival and was more than happy to guide us through our tastings. We were very impressed by his large selection of hard ciders, all small batch with no sulfites, artificial flavors, or artificial colors added. Sinking down into one of the comfy couches we embarked on our flavor journey.
While Under the Bridge’s hard ciders are technically classified as dry, their fruity flavors give them just the right amount of all-natural sugar to satisfy my sweet tooth. What I love best about Under the Bridge’s ciders is that the fruit flavors are subtle – from the blueberries of Behind Blue Eyes and the cranberries of Cranberry Dreams to the strawberries of Strawberry Fields. Under the Bridge isn’t afraid to think outside the box, offering up unique flavors such as Pink Cadillac’s pink guava or Rising Sun’s glorious blend of hibiscus, cherry and lime. My personal favorite was Aloha Hola, a sweet and spicy mix of pineapple and cayenne that just seems wrong yet tastes so right! The Bittersweet Symphony, a citrus-hopped cider also rocked my world.
While the promise of hard cider is what drew us to Under the Bridge, what really made our visit special was hanging out with Kevin. This is a man who truly loves his craft and it shows. His tasting room is designed as a place not only for people to enjoy his product but also to have fun. Plush leather sofas, a large screen TV with gaming console and arcade and table games abound. There is also live music the first Friday of every month. So thank you, Kevin for turning what could have been a disappointing day into a memorable afternoon filled with lively discussion and excellent hard cider.