New England Cider Mills

A fruit synonymous with New England is the apple. Ripe in the fall, this is often thought of as solely a seasonal fruit. Even if not ripe to be picked at other times of the year, the benefit of apple products can be enjoyed all year round. Some farms are open all year, while others are only seasonal. Larger enterprises such as Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Vermont or Lyman Orchards in Connecticut offer something all year round, while smaller orchards are based more on the season. For today’s Backyard Road Trip, we’re investigating New England cider mills. It’s not an exhaustive list, but these three will surely supply apple cider both in season and all year round.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill – Waterbury, VT

For our trip to visit New England cider mills, we’re starting in the Green Mountain State. Cold Hollow is a must-visit in Waterbury, part of the ever-popular Stowe region. It’s a large operation which is open all year round. Visiting in a different season than the fall may be the best bet since in-season it’s teeming with tourists and even tour buses! For good reason though, Cold Hollow not only presses some delicious cider (sample toward the back of the building) but offers Vermont-y goods of all kinds. Their cider donuts are also apple-peeling (“appealing,” get it?) so make sure to pick up a few of those.

C. N. Smith Cider Mill – Bridgewater, MA

South of Boston, THE place for apple picking is C.N. Smith Farm. Of course, the actual apple picking also brings hordes of tourists to the orchard. While at the farm, most folks stop at the store and grab some delicious donuts and cider. Fun fact, the farm store, which includes house-pressed cider in their cider mill, is open all year. On the weekends, even out of season, you can find their excellent donuts and grab a jug of cider (or hard cider) any time of the year.

Clyde’s Cider Mill – Mystic, CT

If the first two are examples of year-round cider mills, Clyde’s though is a New England cider mill that is open only seasonally. This means you can’t escape the October lines! If possible though, a weekday visit is much more manageable. If you are here on an in-season weekend, embrace the pace. Visit the old cider mill on-site, grab some donuts and cider, and maybe a warm cup of cider to go. Ultimately it’s a much smaller operation than the two cider mills above, but it sure feels like fall in New England to me. The Clyde family has been pressing cider since 1881, so next autumn, make sure to plan a visit. 

These three New England cider mills run the gamut from regional enterprises to neighborhood mainstays. In any case, they all make a delicious glass of cider and offer some tasty apple treats. There are other cider mills all through New England, so keep your eyes open for them too!