Jersey Cider Works; Bringing Cidermaking Back to NJ
I love New Jersey and I love hard cider, so when the two things come together it’s a beautiful thing. Jersey Cider Works isn’t technically open to the public yet, but I did have an opportunity to visit there myself. Not only does the company produce fantastic cider, but they are doing some amazing things.
Founded in 2015 by Charles Rosen, Jersey Cider Works can be found in the small town of Asbury in beautiful Hunterdon County. Surrounded by farmland, Jersey Cider Works sits on a property of acres of apple orchards and sustainable farming.
The cider is produced in a house that was build in 1810 (which was the birthplace of Jeremiah “liver eating” Johnson), and has a beautiful rustic barn estimated to be built in the late 1700s. They are currently restoring the buildings to their original beauty to hold as their tasting room, which is scheduled to open in the Fall.
On to the cider…
Their first product, Ironbound Cider,first came on the market in June 2016 and is available to purchase in cans at local retailers as well as on draft where you can find it. The inaugural cider celebrates New Jersey’s long history which cider making, especially in Newark (hence the name, Ironbound) where cider was the city’s first industry. With only 2.5% residual sugar, tasting the cider will leave you with clean, fresh apple flavor. Or as they say, it’s cider “infused with the flavor of independence”. Ironbound is made exclusively from fresh-pressed apples from Mid-Atlantic and New England orchards —and NOT concentrated juice which you would find in current multi-national cider company.
Master Cider Maker, Cameron Stark, is an award-winning winemaker who developed the flavor palette of Ironbound Cider. According to Stark, “My favorite childhood outing was our annual family trip to an orchard in northern Vermont where we picked Baldwin apples — a tart, not-too-sweet apple with great texture and lots of bright, fresh flavor. The memory of those apples formed the basis of Ironbound Hard Cider. Like a good wine, I designed Ironbound to have a balance of sweetness, acidity, and tannins. Ironbound has the aroma of fresh-pressed cider with just a hint of funk, which adds a subtle metallic character to the aroma and texture. The satisfying mouth feel comes from the dance of carbonation combined with the richness of tannins and the apples’ natural sweetness — all driven by crisp acidity that leaves a clean, fresh apple flavor as the finish.”
Along with my tour of Jersey Cider Works, I learned the history of cider in New Jersey which is something I was completely clueless about. Newark Cider was very popular throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and George Washington called it the “champagne of ciders”. When you taste the cider…you’ll know what he meant. The flavor of the cider comes from Harrison, Canfield, and Graniwinkle apples—18th century varieties that originated in and around Newark. The apples, though thought by many to be extinct, were brought back to life at Ironbound Farm— at their 108-acre farm in the New Jersey Highlands.
What I loved most about Jersey Cider Works (other than the cider itself, Charles Rosen’s enthusiasm, and the fact that Cameron Stark’s dog hangs out on the farm) was what they’re doing for job creation. Their sister company, New Ark Farms, is an agricultural company that is creating jobs for Newark’s chronically underemployed. Their workers are trained to maintain their orchards using regenerative agricultural practice. Their new skills help them “navigate the economic, social, and physical stressors that they regularly face, both on and off the job.”
Aside from cider, Jersey Cider Works is working towards being a destination for tri-state tourists. One of the ways to bring people in are their farm to table events, where the farm is the table. They recently put on an event called “Rampfest” where they served everything from pulled groundhog sliders with ramp kimchi to pig roasted with Ironbound cider glaze to vegan risotto. Everything was grown on their farm including the morel mushrooms from their woods.
I look forward to when Jersey Cider Works is officially open to the public, but I did feel special walking around the farm, seeing the construction in progress, and tasting the delicious cider which I now have stocked in my fridge at home.
Jersey Cider works is not just another alcohol or cider company, they are Jersey Strong with an emphasis on “Jersey”, creating jobs for New Jerseyans and bringing agriculture to the Garden State.
*Editors Note: With the exception of the pictures of the barn, and the glass of cider, all photos are copyright of Jersey Cider Works.
Additional Information on Jersey Cider Works:
(via their website) Fresh-pressed apples. Not from concentrate.Our fresh-pressed apples are from New Jersey and other nearby states – not China, where many “ciders” get their concentrate. This not only gives Ironbound Hard Cider its bold, fresh taste, but it also supports our local network of family farms. Back in the day, New Jersey was famous for its cider. Even George Washington knew it as the “champagne of ciders.”
