Our Story
Pony Shack Cider began as an accidental hobby that quickly grew into my obsession. One autumn day during a neighborhood party, myself and some of the other dads were pressing fresh apple cider for our kids with an antique apple press. Naturally, someone in the group suggested that some of the juice be turned into homemade hard cider. I already made maple syrup, jams, and salsas so I figured hard cider wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to tackle. I mean how hard could it be? Well, the result was terrible!! Drinkable...but barely. I knew if I kept at it, though, I bet I could make something pretty good!
For the next few years I visited all of the local apple orchards creating dozens of home-brewed batches of cider. I worked late into the night grinding and pressing apples with a small hand press in my kitchen. I was hooked. In January of 2015, I incorporated Pony Shack Cider operating on a fringe budget. I converted my two-car garage into a makeshift cidery and began production.
After a year of operations it was clear Pony Shack needed more space. In November of 2017 the cidery was moved to its current location and was afforded much needed space. I decided to take a leap of faith and left my corporate career of 18 years to completely devote myself to the world of cider making! From that point on, Pony Shack has taken on a life of its own! We’ve made beautiful memories, built relationships with amazing people, and have experienced life beyond our wildest dreams.