Cider Rules

Seattle’s craft beverage scene extends far beyond beer, spirits, and coffee. Don’t believe us?
Hop on the cider bandwagon to celebrate Washington’s state fruit and, of course, great flavors.

Cider’s resurgence in this apple-growing state has been swift and strong. Plenty of Seattle bars have a local cider on tap, while others make it the main event, showcasing a new generation of local cider.

Capitol Cider (*818 E Pike St; capitolcider.com) dedicates most of its 30 taps to various cider styles by smaller producers from the Pacific Northwest to Spain. Drafts are usually a mix of everything from the friendly and accessible—say a cherry cider from Yakima’s Tieton Cider Works—to more acquired tastes like Britain’s dry scrumpy—a carbonated type of cider.

In the heart of Fremont, Schilling Cider House (708 N 34th St; schillingcider.com) is both a tap room for its own cider brand (the ginger version is a favorite) and a 32-tap cider bar, where you can create your own flights.

Another local cidermaker, Seattle Cider Company (4700 Ohio Ave S; seattlecidercompany.com) recently opened a tasting room in SoDo (shared with brewery Two Beers). It has games, like pool and foosball, and pours its classic dry and semi-sweet flagships, plus seasonal offerings like oaked maple cider or versions made with basil and mint.

At the new Number 6 Cider (945 Elliott Ave W, Ste 203; 6cider.com) in an industrial pocket of Interbay, groups sit around tables resembling massive log crosscuts and play Jenga while sipping a variety of in-house cider styles, from classic and apple-forward to creative versions flavored with black cherry or even cold-brew coffee.

Some of the city’s best beer bars have also become cider destinations: Chuck’s Hop Shop (656 NW 85th St and 2001 E Union St; chuckshopshop.com/greenwood) in Greenwood and the Central District, The Pine Box (*1600 Melrose Ave; pineboxbar.com) in Capitol Hill, The Noble Fir (5316 Ballard Ave NW; thenoblefir.com) in Ballard, The Sixgill (3417 Evanston Ave N; thesixgill.com) in Fremont, and Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California Ave SW; beveridgeplacepub.com) in West Seattle. These spots offer plenty for both hop heads and apple lovers.

Visit Northwest Cider Association for more about local cidermakers and events in the Pacific Northwest. *nwcider.com

 *Visit Seattle Partner