If you’re a connoisseur of hard cider, you’ve probably seen One Tree Hard Cider on the shelves at your local grocery store by now. It comes in big, pretty bottles, with bright labels that boldly declare each flavor. It can seem a little pricey, but you get a lot of cider in those bottles, and all of it is delicious, so it’s certainly worth the price. But now you don’t have to enjoy One Tree Hard Cider just in bottles from the store (or at their tasting room in Spokane Valley). You can head downtown to the (relatively) newly opened One Tree Cider House to drink tasty cider on tap (in flights or by the glass), grab a bite to eat, and socialize with other cider aficionados.
One Tree Cider House is located in downtown Spokane on Madison, between First and Second Avenue. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday 2pm until 9pm, Friday and Saturday from 2pm until 11pm, and Sunday from 2pm til 7pm (closed Mondays). There are 20 ciders on tap – four from One Tree Hard Cider and the rest from other cideries. The menu changes, so it’s worthwhile to go on a regular basis and see what is currently available (One Tree Hard Cider’s Huckleberry was added between the opening on the 8th of September and the second Working Women’s Wednesday event on September 20th, to give an idea of how fast things can be changed up). They also have a small but excellent selection of beers (such as Friem Family Pilsner and Avery White Rascal Belgian-style wheat ale) and house wines (including Red, Chardonnay, and Pinot).
One Tree Hard Cider exists because of a mix-up with a Father’s Day gift and a partnership that began in an AT&T store. I won’t tell you the whole story here (you should definitely ask about it if you get a chance to chat with the owners though cause it’s quite a fun story), but I will say that the cider world would be very different if one of the owner’s had gotten a beer-making kit instead of a cider-making kit once upon a time.
Some of their best flavors (in my opinion) are seasonal and won’t be around for long. Though Lemon Basil is delicious and the first flavor I was able to try (on tap in Coeur d’Alene at Seasons), Dark Cherry became my favorite from the first moment I found it in the store and tried it. Unfortunately, Dark Cherry is a seasonal flavor, and once it was gone from the shelves (I bought as many bottles as I could find) it was no longer available. Cranberry is another super tasty cider that is only around part of the year. It’s light – though not as light as Raspberry – and sweet – though not as sweet as Dark Cherry – and totally worth trying out if you can find it.
Their cider is available in four states (Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Illinois), dozens of cities (including Spokane, Yakima, Pullman, Seattle, Bellevue, Coeur d’Alene, Hayden, Moscow, Post Falls, Billings, Bozeman, Helena, and Kalispell), and a long list of grocery stores, restaurants, bars, and cafes (Growler Guys, Total Wine and More, Fred Meyer, Rosauers, Yokes, Huckleberries, Manito Taphouse, The Arena, Tomato Street, Nudo Ramen, Lost Boys Garage, and Ferrante just to name a few) – with distribution still growing.
The Cider House has more than cider on the menu, and more than drinking on its mind. While their food menu isn’t extensive, it makes up for the lack of quantity by being made up of great quality food items. The tater tots are hot and crisp and come with house-concocted curry ketchup (so yummy) and Lemon Basil mustard. The pizzas have fresh cheese, ripe veggies, and delicate but flavorful sauces (I tried the Rico with mozzarella, tomatoes, and pesto and I couldn’t get enough of it). And if everything seems like it’s made to be shared, well that’s part of the plan. Because One Tree Cider House was designed for social interactions. It’s full of big couches, cozy booths, long benches, and bar seating. It’s just the place to meet up with friends, co-workers, or complete strangers who may end up being friends. There is even a little nook full of board games and comfy chairs if you want to spend an hour or two getting competitive (in a friendly way) with your friends.
Their cider is something you’ll want to experience again and again (and again). And not just because the flavors on tap rotate so you can find different ones to try almost every time you visit the cider house. One Tree Hard Cider is made with fresh fruits and spices (like ginger and basil). It’s sweet, spicy, delicate, robust, dry, or crisp, depending on what flavor you’re trying. It pairs well with meals (check out their site to see what kinds of food pairings work best with each cider!) and social gatherings. And it works great combined together to make new flavors (such as Cranberry with Caramel Cinnamon for a holiday pie tasting experience)!
Will One Tree Hard Cider change the face of cider as we know it? Maybe, maybe not. Will One Tree Cider House change the way we drink cider in Spokane? Definitely. Because they are providing not only a delicious drink made with the best ingredients, they are also providing a great place to experience that drink with the community.
One Tree Cider House is located in Spokane at 111 Madison St, Spokane WA 99201. They are open Tuesday through Thursday from 2-9pm, Friday and Saturday from 2-11pm, and Sunday from 12-7pm. You can check them out on Facebook, Instagram, or the web.
