Nine Pin Cider, Albany

Back when Nine Pin Cider was a small tasting room on Broadway to this year when I become a gold card-carrying 26er, I’ve always been a fan. Expect my surprise when I find out that I’ve never formerly featured them.

All it took was one taste of their ginger cider and I was hooked. All of the other hard ciders were too sweet or the flavor just didn’t do it for me, and then there was Nine Pin Cider. Don’t get me wrong, this is my third year as a 26er and not all of them are amazing (everyone has different tastes) but I know if Nine Pin made it, I have to try it.

I’ve written about Nine Pin Cider and being a 26er before, but never took the time to focus on where they came from and where they are.

Owner 28-year-old Alejandro del Peral started Nine Pin Cider in 2013 and it became New York State’s first Farm Cidery in February 2014. All of Nine Pin Cider’s apples are from New York, within 20 miles of the Albany location. According to their website, Nine Pin Cider’s mission is simple “We support New York agriculture by producing quality craft ciders using 100% local New York apples and fruit.”

They have a few signature flavors to choose from (Signature, Ginger, or Belgian) but they’re always working on expanding their flavors. That’s one thing I love about the brand is that they’re always trying a new kind of apple mix or flavor to add to the apple to make a different cider. Some of my recent favorites are the Apple Pie-secco, Peach Tea, and you can’t miss the Blueberry Peach Cobbler because it’s too good.

My boyfriend took advantage of their yearly Black Friday tour of the facilities and learned a lot about the process and saw how the ciders were made and canned. I’d tell you what I learned but I know 100% I would get some part of the process wrong. It’s fascinating to learn about, though. They don’t have tours all of the time but you can visit the tasting room to see what flavor they’re working on as well as order a sourdough pizza or small plate. See what’s on tap now.

It’s the perfect spot for a meet-up with friends, date night, or rent a campfire and s’mores! If you’re joining the 26ers this year, maybe I’ll see you at some point every two weeks!