Food and Farm Showcase: New Leaf Cider Co
New Leaf Cider Co in Port Crane makes a wide variety of hard ciders, ranging from sweet to dry and including a number of creative flavors.
It's original brew, First Leaf, is still a staple, but its most popular variety is Caramel Apple.
New Leaf was founded by Dustin and Leann Beagell in 2018 and opened its tasting room on Nowlan Road just before the pandemic began.
Dustin says COVID was a blessing in disguise as it gave him more time to work out the business model.
In addition to its year-round flavors, New Leaf produces seasonal varieties as well as some weekly one-offs like Sweet Mango, Pink Lemonade, and Fruity Pebbles.
Beagell says he especially loves turning cider skeptics into cider lovers.
'Cider has changed so much in the last 5 to 10 years. The variety and styles of cider has changed so much that there are a lot more options that people just haven't had a chance to try and have that stereotype in the back of their head. Or maybe think that they don't like it because they had a real sweet one 10 years ago and just decided that's what cider is,' said Beagell.
Beagell says he was interested to learn that hard cider was very popular in the US before Prohibition and that it's been making a comeback over the past decade.
A home brewer of beer, Dustin says he first tried his hand at cider for fun and because Leann didn't care for his beer. He says the food production industry was completely new to him, but he was encouraged by New York State's farm beverage legislation that reduced the cost and paperwork.
'It made it much easier to go out and give it a shot when I wasn't sure, it was more of an experiment. At the time, we just wanted to give it a try, and that made it really easier to get into. I may not have done it if that wasn't an option,' said Beagell.
All of New Leaf's cider comes from New York State grown apples, and the tasting room has become popular with folks interested in agri-tourism.
Beagell says all of the ciders are based on the same juice, which is pressed by the orchard and tested for consistency in terms of sugar content, acidity, and tannins.
New Leaf is a family affair with Dustin's brother Kyle serving as the head cider maker, and his father Greg helps out in a variety of ways.
They've even planted a small orchard on the Beagell farm to produce a special small batch each year.
For more information, visit newleafcider.com.
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