Yankee Cider Barn Opens in East Haddam
Updated 9/2020: Check Yankee Cider Barn’s Instagram for updates on special events (yoga!) and food truck appearances.
Here’s a spirited idea to while away a fall weekend afternoon: head to the new Yankee Cider Barn in East Haddam. Staehly’s Farm and Winery has expanded down the street, with a renovated 100-year-old barn dedicated to tasting their wide variety of hard ciders. It’s the first hard cider tasting room in the state, and while I’m no pro, hard cider is a delicious thing to sip. The day we visited, we ordered a flight of all the ciders on offer. We took our seats at the rustic wood tables and sipped on Pink Lady (slightly sweet), Honey-Crisp (my absolute favorite) and New England Dry, which could be a match for Prosecco; tart and tasty, served up in plastic cups (hoping they rethink that one) on a hand-hewn plank. Mixed fruit varieties are available, too, and we all liked the raspberry and blueberry blends adding a sweet note to the apple ciders. City-dwellers and visitors will love the rustic feel of the place, and you’re welcome to bring a picnic (no food on offer yet, but cheese plates are in the works). The massive slab tables make a good base for board games; ask at the bar for Uno, Risk or Dominion. And don’t forget to fill a growler to take home.
23 Petticoat Lane in East Haddam
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