An unanticipated highlight of our trip to Fredericksburg was a visit to the Hye Cider Company on the way home. We had passed their sign on many earlier trips but decided to drop in and check them out this time.
Co-owner Cherry Graham walked us through their award-winning offerings. They specialise in cyser – a drink made by fermenting apples and honey which seems closer to mead or wine than traditional cider. All 5 of the varieties we sampled were deliciously crisp and dry (although the original ingredients are very sweet, long fermentation results in a high ABV in the 7.5-9% range) with hints of various and fascinating accent ingredients such as hops, fig, pepper and bay leaves.
If you happen to be driving route 290 between Johnson City and Fredericksburg, drop in and visit these folks and treat yourself to a glass.
For the technically inclined...