- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
Category: Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
2487 Mt. St. Michael RdSaanichton, BC V8M 1T7
(250) 544-4824
- Hours:
Wed-Sun 11 am - 4 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
5 reviews for Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
5 reviews in English
-
Review from Tina H.
7/23/2010 9 photos
Let me start by saying OMG this place is AMAZING! My experience with cider is quite nonexistent other than when sipping on lukewarm Strongbow while camping.
This place definitely puts cider on the liquor store map!... if that makes any sense! I didn't even really know what cider was before this place... Yeah, I remember those 'dontcha put it in your mouth' commercials, but I figured Strongbow was kosher. This place kicks it up a few notches in quality and flavour using organic cider. All of the cider contains apples from the farm/orchard though isn't always solely made of these. Some people bring in apples to the farm and they make cider out of those.
Make a purchase and go on a free ciderhouse tour to learn about the farm and the process of making cider.
Now, onto the good stuff! When I went there were 9 types of cider. You can sample them all in the 1.5-2 oz. pours cider sampler. Among my favourites are 'kings & spies' for a lighter, more affordable bottle, and 'pommeau' for a once-in-a-while, full of complexity bevy (at $25 for a smaller, fancier bottle)... but don't let me persuade you! You must try them all to make your own decision! Tastes in cider are as complex as wine and beer, so give it a go!
If you come here for the cider you will definitely need something tasty to sop it up with! Or "pair" with, which is the language used in such establishments. Get the tasty food platter for 2! It's not called that, and it could easily be for 1 because it's so delicious, but let's not get greedy! There is an amazing combination of savoury and sweet, toasted nuts, homemade jams/jellies with cider, flavourful cheeses and meats... So delicious.
Recap: try ALL the cider and the platter for 2. Then get the farm tour to learn about everything!
Definitely not to be missed if you're a foodie in the Victoria area! If you have no car it's bikeable, but it'll be a long but gradual climb uphill. -
Review from Jason S.
6/9/2009 1 photo
I had some time to kill before checking into my hotel when I arrived in Victoria so took a trip up the Saanich Peninsula and saw some signs for local wineries so thought it would be wise of me to check them out. I am glad I did but not for the wineries but for the cider. I have always enjoyed a good glass of apple juice.
You drive past their organic orchard on the way up to the A frame tasting room. It sits at the top of a hill overlooking the sea. A great spot to kick back, sip some cider, nibble on some cheese and watch the sailboats drift past.
My girlfriend and I both ordered a flight which consisted of three ciders starting with a dry and progressing to a sweet cider. Pumpkin seeds accompanied our flight to clean our palate in between our sips.
The three we tried were Pippins which is 9.7% abv ($12 per 1/2 liter bottle) and is a dry sparkling cider, Rumrunner which is 14.2% abv ($17 per 750 ml bottle) aged in rum barrels and is a semi-dry sparkling cider, and Cyser which is 16% abv which is blended with fermented organic honey and is more of a dessert cider.
All of them were appley goodness. Crisp and refreshing However, my favorite out of the three was the Rumrunner. It was like rum laced apple pie in a glass but not as sweet. I got some hints of brown sugar and some dark rum spiciness. I would bob for those apples.
I wasted no time immediately after trying it. I got up and grabbed two bottles. One for me and one for my friend back home. I still regret giving it to him because they don't ship to the United States but hey kudos to me for being a good friend.
Definitely a place not to be missed.Listed in: How do you like these apples?
-
Review from nita m.
7/20/2010 4 photos
Wonderful, wonderful place. We did the tasting flight of their 9 ciders paired with the tasting platter for two, all outdoors on their lovely deck overlooking an apple orchard & the ocean. They took the time to explain how each cider is made, its history, its taste, & comparisons to other similar cider brands in similar styles. The tasting platter for two was quite fun - the menu suggests pairings for each cider that are included on the platter, and truly the taste of each cider noticeably changed with the different foods. As a cider lover, and I do indulge in cider quite often, I was surprised to find that I didn't love their ciders as expected, but the entire experience was still very enjoyable. My favorite was the Ginger Perry, which has a taste evocative of the holidays but isn't a cider since it's not made from apples, and my friend's favorite was the Rumrunner.
For those who need some transportation help to Sea Cider: We took bus #75 from Butchart Gardens to the Saanich Exchange. From there you can take #82 to the Amity stop, or call a cab (approx $10 fare each way), or walk (about 20 minutes, seemed very easy & it was an enjoyable walk through the countryside). -
Review from Matthew P.
2/12/2010
This is, by far, the best cider house I have ever visited . . . it's also the only cider house I've ever visited, but let's not split hairs.
If you are anywhere in the vicinity of Buchart Gardens, make sure to stop in here. The grounds are small, but the view over the water is amazing, but the reason to visit is the cider.
YUM, CIDER!
I've never been much of a cider fan, but this place has a cider for every taste, and for a very reasonable fee they will give you a taste of every cider they have (plus one cider cocktail). After eight very generous tastes, you'll be well advised to sit and enjoy the view for a bit before tottering off. I hate sweet, and they had a number of great dry ciders, while my girlfriend loves sweet, and they had plenty of that, too. Oh, and then there is the one with a hint of rum in it: HEAVEN!
Oh, and many extra points for being open on a weekday during the off-season--especially when every winery in the areay was closed. -
Review from Jessica L.
Edmonton, AB
9/19/2009
I have visted the island many times and even spent two months of a summer out here. Somehow I failed to notice how many wineries there are in the area until I read something in a foodie magazine about Vancouver Island Cider from Sea Cider Farms. We were out for a drive for the day and decided to check it out on our way back down the Saanich Peninsula.
We stopped at the beautiful farmhouse overlooking a hill with beautiful views of the ocean. I was the DD, so Heath decided on a full tasting of all 9 ciders plus a cheese plate. The server brought out the ciders in order of dryness/sweetness starting with two bruts and eventually working to a sweeter more dessert type cider. All were incredibly crisp with beautiful hints of various herbs and yeast. Heath's favorites were the Rumrunner which is aged in Rum Barrels, as well as the Cyser which is a mead blend and also the pear based cider. We grabbed a couple bottles which were just over 15$ each for 750mls and went back to the hotel so Heath could sleep it off before dinner. What a beautiful afternoon on the island!
Specialties
We handcraft traditional styles of certified organic hard apple cider, found in stores and restaurants throughout Western Canada. Our ciders may also be purchased directly from the Ciderhouse, where we welcome visitors year round for tours and tastings. After hours, the Ciderhouse is available for group reservations and catered events.
