Merridale Estate Cidery owners Janet Docherty and Rick Pipes are local culinary tourism icons, tireless wine industry supporters and highly respected entrepreneurs, based in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley. In addition to the Cider House, where they handcraft a lineup of traditional ciders, they have the Artisan Distillery (the site of their distillery and a stunning showcase of production), Bistro (locally-based cookhouse focused on their impressive brick oven) and Farmhouse Deli and Bakery (full of great take-away items). Knowing little about cider when they purchased the business in 2000, they were quick learners and forward thinkers, quickly mastering the techniques and creating packaging to make cider appealing to the uninitiated (packaged in recyclable plastic bottles). Their 13 acres are planted with approximately 18 varieties of apples. Scrumpy, named for an English cider made by farm workers who stole or “scrumped” apples from orchards, is sharp, strong and very dry, with a clean apple finish. If you’re a whiskey drinker, give this cider a go.
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