The Cidery
Authentic Cider, Rooted in the County
We’re technically considered an estate winery, but we’ve been specializing in authentic hard ciders since 1995. Now in our 31st year of operation, we’re proud to be Ontario’s first licensed cidery. Our award-winning ciders are carefully crafted from the very best apples grown on our family farm and nearby orchards, made with love and 100% pure apple juice.
It Takes a Magical Place to Make a Magical Cider
The family farm overlooking the shores of Prince Edward Bay, in the heart of Prince Edward County, has been producing apples since the 1850's.
It was purchased by William and Berva Howes in 1970. Their son, Grant, took over the orchard in the early 1990s with the dream of making cider. One year later, Grant produced a cider good enough to impress the LCBO. Two years later, Grant’s Cider was on store shelves across Ontario.
Today, we grow over 18 varieties of apples. All told, that’s over 30 acres of apple trees producing roughly 1,600 tonnes of apples, which in turn produces about 160,000 litres of the good stuff each year.
— Grant Howes“These ciders, the truly magnificent ones, were all made by people who grow their own apples, tend their orchards, pick, select, blend and make their ciders where they live. It is a commitment bordering on religious zeal.
Greatness can only be achieved by knowing the characteristics and nuances of the underlying apple varieties, how these apples are affected by yearly changes in weather patterns and if you are very lucky perhaps 30 years of trying to get it right.”
Our beloved gentle bear of a man passed away suddenly in 2017 at the age of 60. In the blink of an eye we lost a father, friend, and founder. The loss has been enormous, but Grant’s dream, passion, and dedication live on in every member of the tight-knit County Cider team he left behind.
Honouring Grant’s Legacy
To honour Grant’s legacy and love for his craft, the Grant Howes Memorial Scholarship Fund was created with Niagara College, granting funds to students pursuing excellence in the Winery and Viticulture Technician, Brewmaster, and Brewery Operations Management programs.
A Legacy That Lives On
