recommendations on Seattle/Vancover cider houses?

[CvilleKevin]

Hi Folks - SWMBO and I are going to be in Seattle & Vancouver in a few weeks. I'm planning to check out the Washington State Brewers Festival and a few of the nearby cider houses. Any suggestions?

I've got a few on the list already, thanks to Old Timey Dave's cider map: Vashon Winery, Wescott Bay Orchards in San Juan, Sea Cider in Sidney and
Merridale Ciderworks, up the road from Victoria. I didnt see much listed in Vancouver city, other than a distributer that carries ciders.

Has anyone been to these places? Any other good cider houses and/or pubs that I should check out while in the area?

Thanks - Kevin

 

[CandleWineProject]

Kevin, write Old Timey Dave. He might be able to tell you about Vancouver (I live in the other one, 6 hrs south).

Also, if you follow his blog (or is it Facebook?), there is a new bar opening in Ballard (Seattle) that is supposedly going to serve cider. I know that Brouwers in Fremont (next neighborhood over from Ballard) has some good local craft ciders on tap at the moment.

The best collection of WA craft cider I've seen is in South Seattle, not far off of I-5 called "Full Throttle Bottle." Buy some and have a tasting party in your hotel or with whoever you are staying with. You won't see the cider houses, but it saves you from running all over the state.

If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest! Be prepared for rain - it doesn't turn summer until July 4.

 

[Mcduff]

Kevin, Welcome to the PNW, I can think of a couple.

Lake Chelan Winery
www.lakechelanwinery.com
3519 SR 150
Chelan, WA 98816
(509) 687-9463

&

Fish Brewing Company
www.fishbrewing.com
515 Jefferson Street Southeast
Olympia, WA 98501-1467
(360) 943-6480
This one makes the brand name "Spires" If you don't want to go to Olympia you may be able to find it in a pub or supermarket. I think the "Dark & Dry" is pretty good. They have a perry as well, but it seemed pretty flavorless after the Dark and Dry.

 

[CandleWineProject]

No, don't go all the way to Olympia for Spire. It is 1 hr 15 minutes south from Seattle for a six pack cider. Granted, it is good for a six pack cider (I served it at my wedding), but you can pick it up in grocery stores and it isn't worth your time, especially since there isn't really any other ciders in that direction.

I don't know anything about Lake Chelan Winery, but it would take you through Wenatchee where there are other cideries, and Lake Chelan is a good tourist destination, so it might be worth the trip.

All the ciders are going to be a few hours away, but you can group them, and they are craft ciders. I liked your first list of places to go.

 

[jjwineaux]

First off, are you going to Vancouver WA or BC? That can make a huge difference in your travel plans. Vancouver WA is practically Portland so you have more options there. What is your real itenirary (location and time frame) and we can help you a little more.

Lake Chelan is a beautiful place to visit with several worthwhile wineries to stop and taste at, but you better have at least a full day for the drive. Several of the larger ones have ciders and fruit wines.

Sounds like you may have theIislands in your plans...there are a bunch of options there too if you want to do some Island hopping

Check out www.experiencewa.com for a full list of wine, cider, brew and mead -eries...they group them by region too so you can get a better idea of the geography and time commitment you are looking at. happy to give further recommendation if needed

 

[CandleWineProject]

First off, are you going to Vancouver WA or BC? That can make a huge difference in your travel plans. Vancouver WA is practically Portland so you have more options there. What is your real itenirary (location and time frame) and we can help you a little more.

Haha, I live in Vancouver, WA, and I took this to be BC. Nobody knows about us, especially cross country. When I travel, I say I'm from Portland, not Vancouver, because it is much simpler, and I'm sure the writer would have been going to Portland instead of stopping here. Honestly, the only ciders we have here is from Oregon as we are part of their distribution. All 2 of them.

 

[jjwineaux]

Haha, I live in Vancouver, WA, and I took this to be BC. Nobody knows about us, especially cross country. When I travel, I say I'm from Portland, not Vancouver, because it is much simpler, and I'm sure the writer would have been going to Portland instead of stopping here. Honestly, the only ciders we have here is from Oregon as we are part of their distribution. All 2 of them.

Yep exactly....I am in FW, but saying Seattle is easier. You never know though...

 

[CandleWineProject]

Yep exactly....I am in FW, but saying Seattle is easier. You never know though...

Well, FW is not going to be easy as two letters, and I went to school at the University of Washington in Seattle and the inlaws live in Everett, so it's not like I don't know Seattle geography. FW is so not ringing a bell(town)...

 

[jjwineaux]

Federal Way...sorry , closer to Tacoma than Seattle, but for the masses Seattle is easiest