LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB) – How about these apples – Lancaster’s Clarksburg Cider is challenging the idea of what hard cider can be with the opening of their new taproom on Walden Avenue.
Guests to the taproom (4493 Walden Ave.) can try cider made on-site, with some flavors exclusively available there. The cocktail menu includes cocktails made with Clarksburg cider, and cider is used in the recipes for about 60 percent of the food menu.
“All along, we’ve been trying to expand people’s definition of what cider is – it’s not just this one-note beverage, we have the ability to do so many things with it, and it comes right from our own backyard,” said Bryan LeFauve, vice president and owner of Clarksburg Cider.
The taproom is connected to the cidermaking operation, and guests can get a bird’s eye view of the tanks on the second-story mezzanine.
It’s situated on a 17-acre parcel of land, and lawn games and fire pits are available on the patio.
“We’ve always gone for that “upscale but approachable” atmosphere – bring your dog, your kids – you don’t have to drive 45 minutes to an hour to get to it, but it takes you outside of the hustle and bustle of the city,” LeFauve added.
The taproom opened about six weeks ago.
“It’s been a tremendous response,” general manager Jon Robare said. “Everyone is surprised with what we created here – the majority of these places are downtown, but we wanted to create an oasis outside of the area.”
Clarksburg Cider hit store shelves in March.
It’s a New York Cider Association Brewery, meaning it’s made from New York State apples – and that commitment to keeping it local is reflected in the taproom.
“We try to do the same thing with our food,” Robare explained. “A good amount is sourced locally and from over New York State – it’s important for us to support New York and support local where we can, and make sure we’re doing it with our menu as well.”
Clarksburg Cider CEO and owner Michael Robb says that they hired all local craftsmen to build the taproom out.
“We had a local guy from the Southtowns custom build all the tabletops for us,” Robb said. “We had one of our people build our cabinets for us, our copper bar top was locally sourced from a Buffalo company.”
The taproom’s current hours of operation are 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and noon to 10 p.m. on Saturdays.
Reservations are highly recommended. You can find more information here.
Kaley Lynch is a digital reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2016. See more of her work here.