A Whole Pig Roast, a Bluegrass Concert and 8 More Philly Cider Week Events You Shouldn’t Miss
Our picks (heh) to get the most out of each night of the first-ever Philly Cider Week.
Eden Specialty Ciders | Facebook
The first-ever Philly Cider Week officially starts tonight — and while its calendar is tame compared to the blowout bacchanalia that is Beer Week, we thought we’d highlight some of the week’s best events. From lessons on pouring Basque sidra to Estonian cider and pie pairings, here are our top picks for Philly Cider Week 2018.
Frecon’s Cidery | Facebook
Tuesday, October 23rd
History After Hours: Tricked Out with Jay Duckworth and the Pennsylvania Cider Guild
Museum of the American Revolution, Old City
5 p.m.
As much as we love drinking cider, the history behind it is just as delicious. See a presentation on Revolutionary War-era spy tactics and tricks from Jay Duckworth, props master for Hamilton, plus a cider making demonstration and sips from PA Cider Guild members like Stone & Key Cellars, Hale & True, and Frecon Cidery. Tickets are $10, and you can get them here. Afterward, head to Prohibition Taproom for Philly Cider Week’s official kickoff party.
Wednesday, October 24th
Cooks’ Canvas X Dinner with Eden Specialty Ciders
Lost Bread Co., Kensington
6 p.m.
Cheese and cider go beautifully together, and there are several free sampling sessions going on at Di Bruno Bros. Rittenhouse during Cider Week. But this seven-course, cheese-centric cider pairing dinner is the one not to miss: Ari Miller and Dana Pellicore are teaming up with Vermont-based Eden founder Eleanor Leger. That’s right — seven dishes, seven cheeses, and seven ciders, plus a welcome aperitif — for $100. Get your tickets here.
Thursday, October 25th
Cave À Manger: Cidre and Seafood from Normandy, Brittany, and Loire
Good King Tavern, Bella Vista
5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Good King’s usual Cave À Manger nights pair hard-to-find wines with cheeses. This time, their live cheese counter will double as a raw bar, with Norman cheeses and shucked-to-order oysters paired with ciders from these coastal regions of France, plus a la carte seafood-centric dishes on the chalkboard.
Friday, October 26th
PA Cider Takeover and Special Release
Hale & True, Bella Vista
5 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Broaden your palate and meet some new Pennsylvania-made ciders you’ve never tried before at this tap takeover at Hale & True’s sunny tasting room at 7th and Kater Streets. They’ll be pouring bottles and drafts from makers like Dressler Estate, Stone & Key, Kurant, Original 13, and Arsenal Cider House (that last one comes all the way from Pittsburgh), plus limited release Easy/Wild/Free, a Spanish-inspired, wild-fermented sour cider from Hale & True.
Ploughman Cider | Facebook
Saturday, October 27th
Bluegrass Happy Hour with Ploughman Farm Cider
Hungry Pigeon, Queen Village
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
If you follow the Philly farmers’ market scene, there’s a good chance you know Ben Wenk, the smiling face behind Three Springs Fruit Farm’s apples and peaches. He’s also the farmer behind Ploughman Cider. As if that’s not enough talent for one person, Ben’s an excellent musician and bandleader, too. Head to Hungry Pigeon to hear him sing and play guitar and mandolin with his band, Chuck Darwin & the Knuckle Draggers, while sipping on Ploughman’s excellent 2018 releases (Distelfunk, their sessionable, wild-fermented peach wine, just might be our favorite).
Stone & Key Pennsylvania Farm Dinner
Together, Stone & Key’s Jason Harris and chef-around-town Palmer Marinelli will host a five-course all-local cider dinner at Kensington’s Balboa Supper Club showcasing Stone & Key’s funky, sweet, and dry ciders. Two seatings are available at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Menu here.
Sunday, October 28th
Spanish Sidra Pouring and Whole Roasted Pig Party
Oloroso, Washington Square West
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Pennsylvania has some amazing local cideries, but did you know that Spain makes great cider, too? Taste some of the best at Oloroso alongside chef Tod Wentz’s whole-roasted pig and get a lesson on Basque-style cider throwing (it’s traditionally poured from several feet above the glass, then gulped down). They’ll have barrel-aged sidra from Basque cidery Isastegi on tap for $5 and 50-50 blends of sidra and Manzanilla sherry for $3, too. Make a reservation by calling 267-324-3014.
Monday, October 29th
Cider and Pie with Jaanihanso
Fishtown Social, Fishtown
7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Get a lesson in Estonian ciders and in how to pair them with desserts at the same time. Lili Shariati of Vine Street Imports will be on hand to pour and present on Estonian estate cidery Jaanihanso, which Fishtown Social sells by the glass or bottle. Or order up a flight of three Jaanihanso ciders to pair with your choice of house-made pie in favors pumpkin, pecan, or (of course) apple.
Shacksbury Cider | Facebook
Tuesday, October 30th
Vegetable Harvest Dinner with Shacksbury
Vedge, Midtown Village
7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
If you don’t eat cheese, pork, or fish but still want to sip cider alongside some amazing dishes (or if you just really love veggies), this is the pairing dinner for you. Vedge is serving four vegan courses featuring locally sourced fall produce, which will be paired with varieties from Vermont-based cider house Shacksbury. It’ll run you $85 not including tax and gratuity, and you can email keren@vedgerestaurant.com to make you reservations.
Wednesday, October 31st
Night of the Living Cider II: Bone Dry
Kensington Quarters, Fishtown
7 p.m. until 12 a.m.
Revisit the event that started it all — this time featuring ciders that are truly the driest of the dry. To go out with a bang, Philly Cider Week will take over KQ with ciders from 14 different producers from California to Vermont to Estonia with not one but two cider bars. Food-wise, guest chefs like Nathan Winkler-Rhodes of Pitruco, Saté Kampar’s Ange Branca, and Mike Ferrari of Res Ipsa will be selling $5 a la carte snacks. Costumes are encouraged.
