Whether it is Pear, Raspberry, Granny Smith, Local Nectar or Amber, the Woodchuck Cider House in East Middlebury, VT brings a unique cider experience that represents the passion and creativity that is at the root of it all.
This cider house has humble beginnings as it all began in 1991 with a wine maker in a two-car garage. Greg Failing began experimenting with apples and Woodchuck Amber came on the scene. By 1996, Woodchuck was producing 400,000 cases a year and operations were moved to a large cidery in Springfield, VT. Different flavors joined the ranks throughout the years and with consistent growth, they moved again to Middlebury, VT in 2000. After a few ups and downs, the company hit their 1 million case mark in 2007 and in the years following released a seasonal cider lineup and a Private Reserve line.
Using the highest quality ingredients, they handcraft every small batch of Woodchuck Hard Cider. They are not afraid to be innovative and push creative boundaries—did you know that they age their ciders in bourbon, tequila, rum, and wine barrels to get unique natural flavors infused into each batch? They have some great events throughout the year, a tour center where you can learn the history and process of how hard cider is made, a gift shop, and of course an endless supply of samples! They are also proud to be a part of the Middlebury Tasting Trail along with several other local producers of wine, spirits, cider, and beer from the area.
The Woodchuck Cider House also gives back as they sponsor Pick for Your Neighbor, a program run by the Vermont Food Bank that helps to provide fresh fruit for those in need. This year they picked and contributed 7,020 pounds of apples!
Next time you are staying with us at our inn, we encourage you to plan a stop at Woodchuck and be sure to tell us which one is your favorite!
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