Cider, regular or hard, is the perfect symbol of autumn—and also a great way to warm up during winter. Find a great cider place in Buffalo Niagara near you.
by Max Fisher
Cider and doughnuts – the ineffable classic cold weather combo
Tried-and-True Tradition
Cider season generally takes place between September and October. During these magical months, who doesn’t enjoy a crisp glass of cider during a frigid night (I don’t know what the word for a Grinch type person during the autumn months would be, but if you don’t like cider during that time, chances are your probably in that category). Cider, both regular and hard, is the perfect symbol of autumn. By definition cider is “raw apple juice that has not undergone a filtration process to remove coarse particles of pulp or sediment. In other words, it’s pure apple juice, no added sugars, and no extra ingredients like you might find in your store-bought juices (I don’t want to ruin your perception of store-bought apple juice, but they put a lot more than just juice in that stuff, namely added sugar. That’s all I’m saying).
Like the purity of the leaves slowly gliding to the ground as they gently whisked off of tree branches by unassuming gusts of wind during the autumn months like nature’s natural cleansing system. In my own weird mind I find a slight correlation between nature’s cleaning system and the certified time of the year for cider. Both use this time where both things are most abundant (in the case of cider, autumn is when the apples are most ripe, and as for autumn itself, the leaves are most prominent). And they use both things in their own way to make something great. The apples become cider, which is the purest form of juice you can find all year (unless you have some special all-year-long fresh juice contact. Which if that’s the case, all I can say is “good for you I’m jealous”). The leaves get shuffled to the ground leaving wonderful piles of color and in interesting shapes wherever they land, freeing up the branches to grow whatever’s necessary for the next season.
Cider is all a part of a beautiful process, so how about we discuss how you can get your hands on some of the best places to buy cider in Buffalo Niagara? Let’s get to it!
Cider chillin’ at Becker Farms
The Great Pumpkin Farm
When you think of The Great Pumpkin Farm, you are liable to think of its incredible selection of pumpkins, its fun family activities, and even some of its homemade food like donuts and fry cakes. But did you know that The Great Pumpkin Farm is a great place to get cider as well? (Is there no end to the seasonal goodies this place provides? I’m convinced they have seasonal elves working there; they’re just too productive. It’s scary).
Yes, indeed whether you’d like it hot or cold, in a cup or a whole gallon (personally I’d go for the gallon. There’s no way you’d be able to make what’s in the cup last longer than a few minutes. At least if you get the gallon it’ll last a few days for sure) the Great Pumpkin Farm will have your cider needs more than taken care of. (The only problem will be that it’s so good like everything else at The Great Pumpkin Farm that you’ll probably think to yourself, “how on earth do they do it?” Which will lead you towards my theory that they secretly have elves working there. It’s the only way!)
Any Way You Like It
Cider is such a tremendous and versatile drink. Cold, it can be such a crisp and fresh drink in the morning that it will instantly wake you up from any residual sleepiness you may have, thus prying you away from the ironclad grasp of the sandman and waking you up enough to start your day (Mr. Sandman’s a great guy, and he knows we all deeply appreciate his service, but he can be so damn needy sometimes.).
And if you choose to drink it hot during a cold Buffalo night, it’s almost like a kind of warmth radiates from inside you with every sip keeping you warm throughout the night no matter how cold it is outside. Yes, regular cider is indeed awesome, but no matter how awesome regular cider is, sometimes it just doesn’t cut it. Sometimes you want a bit of a buzz to go with that warm feeling during a cold winter night. In that case, you want hard cider, and The Buffalo Cider Hall is one of the best places to quench that particular thirst. BlackBird Cider Works (which is the brand carried at The Buffalo Cider Hall) is proud to be Niagara County’s first sole craft, hard cider producer. They produce hard ciders made from apples grown in their own estate orchard. So you know, whenever you taste one of their products, you know that their base always starts from the freshest, most crisp apples around.
Some of their products include Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider, which is a semi-dry hard apple cider aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. Bold flavors include hints of vanilla and cloves. And Gin Barrel-Aged Cider, which is a highly crafted, semi-dry, gin barrel-aged cider. A unique profile with apple and botanical notes. If the regular cider isn’t quite doing it for you and you want that extra kick, trust me, The Buffalo Cider Hall has just the kick you need!
Loganberry Cider at Black Bird Cider Works
A Cold Weather Essential
Whether you prefer regular or hard cider, Buffalo Niagara has many great choices to get both. The establishment that serves this seasonal drink, in fact, is so good that I suggest you stock up for the winter. Because even though the Buffalo winters can be incredibly vicious, nothing is quite as scary as getting through a Buffalo winter without any cider on hand. It surely is the stuff of nightmares. (Enjoy the cider, and if you choose the hard stuff, remember to drink responsibly, or else you’re liable to have an extended stay in slumberland, and believe me, no one wants to be around Mr. Sandman more than they have to.)
Places to Get Cider in Buffalo Niagara
choose any location to view seasonal information, get directions, & more.
Aurora Cider House
East Aurora
Becker Farms
Gasport
Beltline Brewery and Kitchen
Buffalo
Big Ditch Brewing Company
Buffalo
BlackBird Cider Works
Barker
Blackman Cider Company
Lockport
Buffalo Cider Hall
Buffalo
Cherry Bank Farm Cider Mill
Sanborn
Clarksburg Cider
Lancaster
Company B Tasting Room And Market
Buffalo
Farmers & Artisans
Williamsville
Great Pumpkin Farm
Clarence
Lenox Grill
Buffalo
Leonard Oakes
Medina
Mayer Bros Cider Mill
Buffalo
OSB CIDERWORKS
Buffalo
Smith’s Orchard Cider Mill
Lockport
Sanger Farms
Youngstown
Chateau Buffalo
Buffalo
Red Barrel Cider Mill
Boston
What do you think of our guide to places to get cider in Buffalo Niagara? Have a favorite? Know a great one that we missed? Let us know.
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