Autumn is officially here and a trip to Twin Star Orchards in New Paltz, New York is a true pleasure. The sprawling picturesque grounds are home to a huge apple orchard, their spacious, rustic tasting room with a shop that sells local items, and a state of the art cidery. Bring the whole family to pick apples and while you’re there, enjoy tasting the finest ciders that are made right on premises. Relax at the picnic grounds by the pond to savor the items they serve like homemade donuts, delicious burgers and wood fired pizzas. With the beautiful fall foliage, there will be plenty of picture-taking moments. Make Twin Star Orchards a day trip or part of an extended visit to the Hudson Valley.
Brooklyn Cider House Founders Cidermaker Peter Yi and Co-Founder sister Susan Yi
Woman Around Town recently visited Twin Star Orchards and met Founder and Cidermaker Peter Yi to learn about the process of crafting and perfecting the ciders. Peter’s impressive background in the wine industry made him a natural for launching Brooklyn Cider House and developing the Twin Star Orchards venue for guests. His object is to make the very best cider and lift the aesthetic of the beverage for the public. Brooklyn Cider House uses apples that are intended for cider making such as Kingston Black and Chisel Jersey. The 210-acre property has 100 acres that have been planted with 60 percent cider apples. The orchard has a terroir of black slate and granite that has proven ideal for growing apples. It is a dry farm, meaning that it is not irrigated and relies completely on Mother Nature.
Twin Star Orchards Apple Cider Donuts by Twin Star Orchards
A tasting of the ciders is an unexpected experience. While many people identify apple cider beverages as a sweet drink, Brooklyn Cider House presents an array of options for all palates. All of Brooklyn Cider House ciders are made from freshly harvested apples, fermented in stainless steel tanks, and aged between two to eighteen months depending on the kind.
Brooklyn Cider House glass cider pouring
Their Pet-Nat is a completely natural fermented cider. The Half Sour is slightly dry and pairs beautifully with foods as you would a dry wine. Other signature varieties include their Raw, Bone Dry and Kinda Dry. Brooklyn Cider House also has limited release ciders. Two Terroirs is made with heirloom cider apples and it is the result of collaboration between Peter Yi and Indian Ladder Farms. Brooklyn Cider House’s own Little Wild is a wild-fermented cider that is aged on the lees for six to eight months and blended with fresh-pressed cider. Eternal Autumn is a small batch cider that aged on lees for six months.
Brooklyn Cider House selections are available for tasting, drinking on site, and to go. The bottling and labeling of the ciders is beautiful making them great for bringing along when you dine BYOB or for gifting.
Twin Star Orchards Apple Harvest
Gather your group! Twin Star Orchards is only a pleasant 90-minute drive from NYC and while you’re there, take a scenic stroll on the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park just a few miles away and visit the historic city of Poughkeepsie. Go to Twin Star Orchards events page to learn about special events.
For hours and more information, visit www.twinstarorchards.com or call 845.633.8657. Follow them on Instagram @twinstarorchards.
Photos courtesy of Twin Star Orchards
Top: Brooklyn Cider House Tasting Room Entrance at Twin Star Orchards
