EDITOR'S NOTE: This article originally appeared on May 28, 2024.
When Amy Robson met her husband Chris Haworth in 2005 in England, they spent time exploring the countryside; it was there they discovered the possibilities of apple cider.
“There was so much amazing cider over there. It was almost like the winery thing here,” says Amy, who today owns and operates West Avenue Cider House in Freelton with Chris.
After moving back to Canada, the couple realized that despite Ontario having so many amazing apples, there were few cideries. Chris, a chef by trade, dabbled with recipe creations for several years before launching West Avenue Cider in 2012.
It took three years of searching for the perfect location to plant trees and two more to renovate and get the licensing to open the Cider House in 2017, but buying the 75-acre farm, formerly Butwick Orchards on the 8th Concession East, was a game-changer for the business which, until then, had been renting space from others.
“We’re trying to change people’s minds of what they think cider is from the artificial super-sweet stuff to what an authentic real cider is,” says Amy.
West Avenue Cider is made with heritage apples, and because the fruit is so good, not much sugar is added. Although all of the fruit they grow gets used, they don’t produce enough apples to keep up with the demand and will source fruit from neighbouring farms to help with the flagship ciders, which have been available at the LCBO since March 2020.
From year-round session ciders to limited-edition barrel-aged and cask-conditioned ciders, ice ciders and fruit ciders, Chris uses his culinary instincts to create something new all the time, releasing about 75 ciders a year using only the best ingredients and a slow fermentation process. The amazing results are evidenced in numerous domestic and international awards, including having one of their ice ciders win double gold at last year's Canadian Wine Championships.
A unique family-friendly experience
Amy and Chris have elevated their property from a place where you can come and sip cider to an agri-tourism experience. Cider samples are served during 45-minute orchard tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. Hiking trails have also been recently added to the property. An old migrant worker cottage was renovated into a pretty three-bedroom rental cottage, which has been sold out every weekend since it opened.
West Avenue Cider House also offers a unique setting for weddings, showers, and all types of parties.
“The last piece of the puzzle was the addition of our pizza menu and our outdoor oven. We’re cooking authentic stone-baked pizzas, seasonal salads, Ontario cheeses, and all the yummy stuff you could ever want to eat when you drink cider,” says Amy.
Everything grown in their fields is pickled or used as the toppings for the pizza. It’s all really hyper-local farm-to-table. In addition to cider, the Cider Shop offers an array of goodies from pie and chutney to farm-fresh eggs and grass-fed beef sourced literally from across the road.
“Two years ago, our outdoor zone was still beautiful, but it was a grassy field. We invested a huge amount in making the outdoor space something really fun, really casual, really beautiful, says Amy.
“We’re super family-friendly. Bring your kids, bring your dogs, go for a walk, have some cider, have a pizza. It’s not just a restaurant; it’s more of an experience.”
