It’s good to be back

By Jeff Zeitler on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

The taproom has felt so empty these past few months, even with our brief attempt at reopening in July.  We’re looking forward to opening the doors again to the general public and getting the cider pouring again!

If you haven’t yet heard we are opening Thursdays 4-9, Fridays 4-9, Saturdays 1-9 and Sundays 1-5 from the 24th of September and into the foreseeable future.  Of course, the year has been full of things that have been impossible to foresee, so be sure to check our website and/or Facebook page before stopping in if there’s ever any question.

A few things to keep in mind:  You must wear a mask when you enter.  We won’t serve you without one.  When you’ve ordered and picked up your drinks and found a table, then feel free to unmask (because nobody really expects you to slurp wine through a mask, though I guess it’s technically possible).  When you get up to use the bathroom or order another round- mask again!  It’s not only our policy, but it’s mandated by the state and by the city of Minneapolis.  So please do.

While this beautiful early fall weather lasts we’ll have the windows open and the patio available for seating.  You may have to share the patio with our cider press and a few bees, but we think you’ll enjoy being outside in a bit of sunshine with a glass of cider.

Winery tours will be back sometime soon as well, as will trivia.  We are going to go to a ticketed format for trivia nights (I know, I know) but hope you’ll be OK with it- the ticket price will be about equal to the price of a glass of wine- and- comes with a glass of wine- or cider- or non-alcoholic beverage.  So it’s not so bad.  And the max crowd size will be half our fire-rated capacity, so with taproom staff taken into account, we’ll sell no more than 32 tickets at any time, increasing your team’s chance of winning.

We’re learning as we’re going, so we’re bound to make some mistakes.  So far, we may have been overly cautious about reopening, but we’ve also avoided having any of our staff or customers (as far as we know) catch the virus.  We hope to keep it that way, so please mask up and use the hand sanitizer we provide when you’re here.

As for what we’re serving?  Some new things!  We’ve bottled a new melomel (it’s really good!) and if you haven’t tried our new grape wines yet- namely the Frontenac Gris and Edelweiss- you should.  They are IMHO, truly fantastic.  The carrot wine isn’t too shabby either.  There is a new, minty-er herbed cider on deck, a new batch of pear cider, and a few others we’ve been playing around with, such as a very small batch of dandelion-lilac wine available only to those in the know, or I suppose, those who read to the seventh paragraph of this newsletter.

Food trucks?  Yes, if we can get them to come.  Butterbeer and Three Broomsticks week?  You bet!  Colorful lights in midwinter?  Of course!  We’re bringing it all back, and barring an order from the mayor or governor, keeping it all open.  Fall is cider season, and a gorgeous season to boot, so we’ll be here for you.

Cheers.