Ontario Cider on Tap: What We Pour and Why

When we opened in 2019, the plan was always to pour Ontario cider rather than whatever the big distributors were pushing. Ontario has a genuine cider culture, particularly in the apple-growing regions around the Niagara Peninsula and the counties east of Toronto, and the difference between a well-made local cider and a mass-produced one is significant enough to be worth explaining.

What Ontario cider actually is ¶

Ontario cider is made from fermented apple juice, sometimes with pears or other fruit added, and ranges from bone-dry to quite sweet depending on how much residual sugar the maker leaves in. The best Ontario producers use heritage apple varieties that aren't grown for eating, which gives the cider a complexity that dessert apples can't match.

The province has a formal cider category under the Liquor Control Board of Ontario's craft producer framework, which means producers have to meet certain local-content requirements. That matters because it keeps the category honest.

Why we rotate the taps ¶

We run six taps and change them as kegs run out, which means the selection shifts every few weeks. This is intentional. Ontario cider is seasonal in a real way: the apple harvest runs from late August through October, and the ciders made from that harvest come onto the market through the winter and spring. By summer, you're drinking last autumn's apples.

Rotating the taps means we can follow what's actually good right now rather than committing to a fixed list. It also means regulars who come in every week will find something different to try.

How to choose if you're not sure ¶

Ask the bar staff what's currently on and whether it's dry or off-dry. Those two questions will narrow it down quickly. If you're used to sweet cider from a can, start with something off-dry rather than jumping straight to the driest option on the tap. If you like wine, you'll probably enjoy the drier end of the range.

Half-pints are available for $5.50 if you want to try two different ciders across a session without committing to a full pint of each.

The taps change regularly, so the best way to know what's currently pouring is to ask when you arrive. The bar staff can usually tell you the producer and the apple varieties if you want to know more.