Such a cute cider stand! Gowan's Ciders are award winning and you can find them in supermarkets across SF but we stumbled upon this stop on our way to Mendocino. They specialize in local cider and were kind enough to give us a couple of complimentary tastings. We ended up getting a bottle of the Gravenstein as a souvenir. We heard it's their best selling variety and I can see why. The cider is medium-dry, crisp and refreshing and at 6% abv it's a pretty light drink. I can see it being perfect for a summer day! They also have tasting flights that you can enjoy in their covered tent. Definitely worth a stop along the highway. The staff were super nice and friendly as well! read more

Gowan’s Cider - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

This was a fun little pit stop on our way to go camping! Plenty of overhang on a drizzly day, but your teeth might chatter throughout the tasting (heaters are only in the covered seated area). We saw a few people "in the know" simply drive up and grab a few ciders to take home. The tasting was pretty good, and you get a lot of bang for your buck (especially if you split one!). Our favorites were the Gravenstein and the non-commercial, wild-fermented cider that was a bonus tasting. I'm still sad I couldn't take that one home since it wasn't bottled! I appreciated knowing where I could purchase Gowan's in the Bay Area. It would be great if they had a little postcard or printed note that I could take home with me! read more

The best hard cider there is! Recently stumbled upon this GEM of a tasting spot after settling in to our campsite at Hendy Woods. Such a sweet spot and the best tasting cider ever! Great value and service! read more

Gowan’s Cider - Perfect place to taste among the apple trees - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

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They were closed even though they scheduled my reservation. They did call me a couple hours before hand to let me know....which was nice I guess. read more

Great cider tasting experience for the money. Beautiful atmosphere in a very beautiful area. Came here on a rainy day and it was the most perfect setting to unwind and relax. Would definitely come here again if in the area. read more

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Beautiful cider tasting sitting among heirloom apple trees. Plenty of options for seating, grab your tasting at the bar top and enjoy. It was about 8 or 9 tastes total for $20. Definitely a must-stop in Anderson Valley! read more

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If you are a cider fan, you obviously know Gowan's, most due to large grocery chains carrying their goods. I was excited to finally stop in at their actual location and try their cider. While not the most aesthetically pleasing tasting, the cider lives up the hype. You can also sample basically every cider they have available, so that was a huge plus with it being a affordable tasting. Pricing is pretty much on par with what you'd see at the grocery stores, but with the caveat of having some more limited additions to choose from, so definitely keep that in mind. Staff was nice and not overbearing in the least, so no complaints on that front. We were in and out in just under 45 minutes or so. Would love to revisit soon! read more

A "must stop" for me on hwy 128 through Philo is Gowan's. I haven't done the cider tasting, I just stop at the little barn that sells fresh fruit (mostly apples, of course) and the best apple juice ever. I buy several qts. or gallons of frozen juice to take home. The older gentleman always offers to help load my juice in the car! Great stop in the middle of apple trees . read more

Boutique cider making a *stand* in wine country! (Pun intended) Popped over to Gowan's for a refresher on a hot fall afternoon. Ordered a glass of their frozen rose (blend of their cider and local Pinot noir) and sat in their shaded orchard admiring all the ripe apples. What a great space to relax and stretch my legs after a long drive! read more

Gowan’s Cider - Glass of frozé with a bottle of spiced apple cider - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

Marketing signage along the highway 100% worked on us. We had a lovely experience. The gal helping us was super sweet and let us taste a few samples before making our purchases. The froze was refreshing on a warm summer afternoon. We enjoyed our ciders under an apple tree on site. All the ciders we tasted were unique and delightful. Definitely would stop here again if we're in the area! read more

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A wonderful place to stop! Their cider is some of the best I've ever had. Suuuuper fresh. Their tasting menu was yummy and it's a beautiful chill spot to hang out with wooden Adirondack chairs and beautiful country side around it. Support this great local business! read more

Gowan’s Cider - To the right is the bar - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

Stopped by on our driven from Mendocino back to the Bay Area. Never stopped by a farm stand before so this was an especially exciting experience for me. They apparently have two locations - one that mainly sells the alcoholic ciders and the other one that sells non-alcoholic Apple Cider/Juice. - Apple Cider - What's the difference between apple cider and apple juice? I feel like cider flavors are typically stronger which I appreciate, and this one was no exception. Definitely recommend shaking it up before trying it so that the flavors come through. - Dried Apples (Sweet) - I was kind of curious about the difference between tart dried apples and sweet, but I was glad I tried the sweet version and in general just got these because it literally just tasted like a fresh apple. When I was at the farm stand, I noticed that their apples were on the smaller side which led to the smaller size of the dried apples. Some could view this as a turn off maybe. Overall, great pit stop and would definitely recommend. Do be prepared as the products are a bit expensive, definitely more pricey than at a grocery store. read more

Stopped by here for a quick cider tasting. And they offered 9 different flavors, minus one which sold out very quick!!! We ended up buying the spiced apple cider - perfect for the holidays. They had chairs to lounge or you can walk around the area to look at the apple trees available. Great service as well! Can get busy read more

Gowan’s Cider - Cider stand - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

Ive been stopping there on my way steelhead fishing since late sixties and by far the best apple cider on earth. I have fond memories of me and my 3 sons stopping there for dried fruit and fresh apples. We use to buy a bundle of firewood there for one dollar. I believe there cider tastes like biting into a crisp ripe sweet apple. By far the best ever. I am 75 years old now and due to health reasons cannot fish for steelhead wading. MEMORIES are forever. read more

On a whim we pulled into the gravel parking lot of Gowan's Cider, where we shared a hard apple cider flight. We knew we'd be driving off with a case, so this flight helped us decide which bottles we wanted to take home. We enjoyed our cider flight relaxing in adirondack chairs in the middle of a 100+ year old apple orchard. The sun was at its peak that afternoon and let me tell you, what was so refreshing? Hard apple cider frose. Yes! Slushies for adults! Amazing.... We had the pleasure of meeting Sharon Gowan, who let us know that once we were finished with our case, we can refill our stock at our local grocery. Off the top of her head she knew that Raley's in Benicia had Gowan's in stock. read more

Gowan’s Cider - a selection of good food awards - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

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On the way to Mendocino we stopped here for a tasting. I have enjoyed Gowan's Cider for the past 5 years at home, restaurants and bars across the state. The taste is crisp, has a nice fizz and is not overly sweet. Classic Dry Sierra Beauty 1876 Heirloom Cuvee Gravenstein Rosé Spiced Apple Loved the Heirloom Cuvee! If you are able to purchase bottles of this limited production, do it. The flavor is bold, less carbonation than the Gravenstein but just as crisp. My go to is the Gavenstein, it is literally spiked apples in a bottle. I wanted to pass on the Rosé but my host insisted it be tried. I was right to pass on it. I am sorry but if you have ever been to Provence, yeah, that Provence the Rosé anywhere else is simply rubbish. Don't @ me about it. Tis true. The Spiced Apple was the perfect tasting closer. I sampled it fresh, then warmed. I purchased two bottles of this to bring to a holiday party, along with the Gravenstein. Located along highway 128 just past Boonville, Gowan's Cider orchard encompasses 300 acres of land with over 100 varieties of apples, Macintosh and Gravenstien being the stars. The orchard has been cared for by the Gowan family since purchasing the land in 1876. All apples are harvested and processed at the orchard. It has an incredible history of producing and delivering apples to San Francisco in its early years as an established city. Perhaps because it was winter, the tasting was underwhelming. The restrooms were porta potty's, although they did have running water to wash hands after. The serving glasses were cloudy, likely because of the material. I do not believe it was glass but some sort of composite that resembles glass. I'm not sure. The person pouring the cider was friendly and informative. Dogs are welcome to roam the orchard, on leash of course. Free parking available off of hwy 128. I will return in the Spring and check out one of their warmer weather events when the orchard is in bloom. read more

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Great place to chill out in the orchard and drink some interesting ciders. I was amazed how refreshing they were, Service was great and knowledgeable, We learned about a few different apples . This was a good stop before we headed home from a weekend trip. read more

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They've got a charming little setup with friendly folks that will peddle a hard cider tasting flight of six ciders* (or an apple slushie for the kiddos and an apple wine slushie for the adults!) under their apple trees that is sure to win you over. *We liked their Sierra Beauty and Spiced Apple the best (also took home a bottle of the Macintosh). read more

Enjoy the fresh apple cider under apple trees is a wonderful experience! The environment is so relaxing and beautiful! People here are so friendly and helpful! You must stop by Gowan's Cider when you're in this area. read more

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Stopped her because my friend favors the Sparkling Cider in which she claims I'd my fault ‍ I'm assuming it was many many moons ago and I preferred the fun of yelling something with Bubbles! Still a fan :) This time I just wanted to stop to possibly have cell service. Thats when panic sets in like "How can I check in??" The atmosphere were beautiful and very delicious, the sites, sounds and just the living in that moment feeling could not be captured by my phone. We bought almost a case to give as Holiday gifts to share the aroma of the cider with hints of the spice without it being overpowering. Hope all have as wonderful time in this place when you go! read more

Gowan’s Cider - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

In the same spirit of Gowan's farm stand, this is a nice, low key and genuine pit stop on the road between Mendocino and Sonoma. Paul was very friendly and enthusiastic. The Cider itself was so good, and there is quite a variety of it. There is something for everyone (even apple juice for those who don't want anything alcoholic!). Can't wait to stop here again. read more

Gowan’s Cider - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

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Wonderful outdoor COVID-safety friendly hard apple cider tasting experience here at Gowans. This is a very, very casual setting, but lovely. Sit at a private picnic table in an apple orchard and sip at a paid tasting. We didn't have or need a reservation, and most probably know these days its near impossible to taste, even outdoors, given safety protocols and capacity issues, without a reservation in Anderson Valley, so this is good stop for those who didn't plan ahead. (Sheepishly, I have to admit we made this mistake.) We were fortunately rewarded for our lack of planning with a nice simple tasting at Gowans, which made for a near perfect surprise. There are so many different varieties of hard apple cider, from very sweet to sour, barnyard flavors, but with so many types of apples, there are many flavor profiles to enjoy. read more

Lovely place to stop along hwy 128 on the way to the coast. Relaxing dog friendly ambiance with delicious and refreshing cider tasting. We will be b read more

Gowan’s Cider - Cider tasting at Gowan's - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

This was an amazing surprise! Me and my friends saw signs for Cider Tasting when we were on our way to Lula Vineyards so we decided to stop on the way. This place was friggin awesome man! The tastings are cheap and you get anywhere from about 5-10 tastings pure person. Me and my friends honestly thought it was just gonna be one cider that you would be tasting in like a plastic cup or something. I was shocked when I saw the selection and they gave us actual wine glasses. The staff all wore masks as they gave out samples to everyone. If you did need to use the bathroom, there is a porta potty which also has an outside sink with soap and sanitizer. All in all I was super impressed and this was probably one of my favorite activities yesterday in Anderson Valley. Just the fact that we were tasting in what felt like the orchard themselves and just the fact that there was so much selection maybe this visit quite the treat. If you see signs for Cider Tasting you definitely gotta hit this place up...Did I mention they also have hard cider slushies? You're welcome~ read more

Very nice atmosphere. The people were very nice and helpful. They let me try out some samples and I bought two bottles. They also have a booth at the fair but I feel they were very rude . They didn't want to give out samples. Just go to the facility it's much better and nicer . I hope to visit them next year. read more

A fantastic place for a cider tasting. It's a great option when you want an alternative to wine tasting. It's very nice to sit among the apple orchard. Make sure you get some for the road. Dog friendly too. read more

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My family and I went on the most beautiful day right before Christmas. After wine tasting we ended at this wonderful location. Aside from the best quality ciders in the nation the service was the best part. If you have the luck to be welcomed by Chad you will enjoy your experience 10x more and will maybe end up buying all 7 ciders just like we did!! read more

Gowan’s Cider - All 7 ciders - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

We stopped at the tasting room by accident. It looks almost like a regular fruit stand by the highway. But we had a good experience sampling the cider and wandering in the orchard. The sixth generation owner Sharon Gowan walked around and greeted guests. She told us a lot about the farm and local history. We revisited the tasting bar on our way back from Fort Bragg and bought a box of their ciders as gifts. read more

I LOVE Gowan's cider, I have for years. On a trip a few years ago, I happened to try their Gravenstein cider at a restaurant in the Napa area, and it was hands-down the best hard cider I've ever had. I saw it was made in the Anderson Valley, so when I drove back home to WA, I took a detour along the twisty CA 128, northwest through the valley toward the tiny town of Philo. I was hoping to find the farm or a place to purchase some bottles, but sadly, there was nothing but apple trees at their address. Thankfully, in Philo proper, there was a little mini-mart/grocery store that did have some of their cider, so I bought them out and went on my way. Fast forward to 2020, I was SO happy to see Gowan's started offering cider tastings in their 100+ year old apple orchard. I HAD to go, and you should, too! It is SO lovely, omg. The trees are interesting and the scenery so peaceful, but even better are the cider and the people who make it and serve it. My DH & I spent quite a lot of time chatting with Sharon Gowan, one of the proprietors, who was so friendly and helpful. We tried at least 6 - 7 ciders for a modest $15/pp, which was totally worth it. And of course, we walked away with a case and then some. I really recommend their Rose cider, it is so refreshing! If you can't get over to Philo to try the ciders in person, definitely pick them up if you are lucky enough to live where they sell them. But if you can go, do it! The drive is beautiful and there are other wineries and a brewery along the way. From a practical view, there is a port-o-potty and handwashing station with water on site, but everything takes place outside. They don't have a physical building. It didn't matter to us, the afternoon was perfect! read more

Gowan’s Cider - Cideries Near Me - Philo, California

Five stars easily! We showed up to Gowan's for a hard cider tasting with no appointment during Pinot Fest and they had no problem accommodating us! We sat at an outdoor table among the trees and sampled 6 delicious hard ciders plus a bonus slushy cider! Everyone was so friendly and the tasting was at a great price! We purchased 5 bottles to take home and enjoy! read more

The best ciders in CA. We had tried a bottle of their cider in SF at a wine shop and loved it and so we were so happy to drive by the cidery and see that they do tastings. We booked our tasting a day in advance, but they were taking walk-ups no problem. The tasting was pretty cheap and we got to try 6 different ciders, all while at our own table in the orchard under an apple tree, far from other patrons. We ended up joining their 6 bottle a quarter club and buying 6 bottles right there! read more

Staff was super nice and welcoming Cider not so good- can't get the taste out of my mouth ugh read more

Wonder in a lot of way. This rating is only because there isn't potable water available and it was just portapotties. It's really cute! Truly. I just had an inconvenience because of it and it's not their fault I just wouldn't feel right giving it read more

Stopped at this roadside tasting in Philo on the way to Mendocino. We did tastings inside the barn which was huge and had awesome orchard vibes. Friendly staff, COVID safe, and very causal. Leave the polo at home, grab the dog, and pick up a case of amazing cider from this family owned and operated gem! read more

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Exquisite cider. First in class. Beautiful Orchard in the Anderson Valley. What's not to Love. read more

We drove up to Gowan's Cider from SF for the day (2nd time now) and every minute was worth it! Delicious beverages in a beautiful setting. We brought a light lunch to enjoy the drinks with. The staff and the owner Sharon are wonderful, caring and attentive. We could stay as long as we wanted! We were literally in the orchard just enjoying the peaceful surroundings. We did the tasting which was worthwhile and delicious, and brought back some bottles to enjoy at home. We used to think Mendo was a far drive, but with a destination like this and the gorgeous views along the way, it is not that far after all! Can't wait to come back. read more

I visited the cidery today right before lunch with two other people, and I was really impressed with both the product and the set up! Each party gets their own table, and for $15 you got to try each of their 6 ciders. We really enjoyed all of them, but one thing I wish is that if you purchased 6 bottles like we did, they would waive one or two of the tastings but I also understand that that may not be their business model. Ciders are currently priced at $10 a bottle, so it's still very reasonable! I would definitely recommend stopping here when you're driving the 128 if they're open! read more

Omg! This place is a Diamond in the rough! You all have to try their ciders! I don't drink beer so ciders are my go too when at brewery's and bars, needless to say I've tried many. And these are some of the best ciders I've ever had. They were so tasty all of us became members. They charge reasonable prices. Offer picnic benches to relax at while you drink and the workers are beyond informational and helpful. I know Philo is not a tourist town but if you are heading that way to somewhere else it is a great stop to make and totally worth it! read more

Fun causal stop to try unique ciders - booze and booze free. I would have been more comfortable if the staff kept their masks on and didn't touch my tasting glass with the same bottle that was touching other guests' glasses for the pours. read more

The service is impeccable, the quality of cider was quite delicious and very generous pores. The staff was very nice and very knowledgeable. read more