Our History

The story began in 1956, when four determined Allen brothers purchased a piece of land in the Connecticut River Valley.  The brothers were following their dream to produce the finest apple crop in all of New England. Later that same year, Tim Allen was born.

Tim naturally grew up exploring and working at the farm and in the orchards.  In 1986, Tim followed in his father and uncles footsteps and took over ownership of the farm.

In the meantime, a law was passed in multiple states, including Vermont, that prohibited resellers to sell unpasteurized apple cider.  Not willing to abandon tradition and compromise the taste and authenticity of his cider, Tim decided it was in the businesses best interest to part with the apple press in 1986. 

In 1988, Matt was born.  Harrison followed three years later in 1991.  Following Allen family culture, they spent their childhood and teenage years helping out at the farm. 

Amidst a busy season at the farm stand, something fascinating happened.  Tim, Matt, and Harrison all admittedly had a feeling that they needed to get back into apple cider production.  As they were searching for an apple press, they came across the same rack and cloth hydraulic press that Tim had sold 25 years earlier.  In the fall of 2011,  the press was returned to its home in Westminster Vermont.

For two years, delicious, pure, unpasteurized Vermont apple cider was hand pressed and sold at the farm stand.  With the resumed production becoming a fast success, discussions started to develop regarding the possibility of becoming involved in the hard cider category.  It was then that the seed was planted and the research began.

Tim, Matt, and Harrison knew that if they were going to produce their own hard cider, it had to be one that was uncompromised and that they were proud of.  After much consideration, it was decided that they wanted their cider to follow the style of a crisp, old English pub cider.  During the next two years, they were able to find an abundant selection of locally grown heirloom apple tree varieties.  Their plan was to press the heirloom apples and add just a touch of traditional style apples to the cider.

In 2013,  after years of experimenting with the locally grown apple crop, the first apples were pressed for Matt and Harry's Hard Cider. Following suit, in 2014 and 2015, plans were made as more apples were pressed and tucked away to age and ferment.

In 2016, they gingerly opened their first barrel of apple blends.  Anxiously they took a sip...and they fell in love. 

So go ahead ... pop the top and take a long, cold drink; because when you taste our hard cider, you're tapping into our family legacy. Cheers.