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Cute cider house on the side of the road that you may find yourself passing if you're heading to the West Bay from Southern California or vice versa. I finally stopped in today after seeing it on past trips and was greeted by this handsome man in a fun Hawaiian shirt. They're open for tastings indoors but you're welcome to enjoy your drinks outside. The tasting room is to the right of the restaurant and they are two separate businesses, so don't be discouraged by a "closed" sign in the window of the restaurant. I believe the tasting room is open Fridays-Sundays. Handsome Hawaiian shirt guy told me they're doing complimentary tastings of the ciders, but that for $10 they offer a flight of the meads and a taste of their cherry wine. I'd never had cherry wine and I wanted to try all of the meads they were offering, so that was perfect for me. I really loved the cherry wine and the mead called "Cantaloupe Wars," and I thought both were rich and complex in flavor. I also tried the Kiwifornia cider, but I was taken by the cherry wine and cantaloupe mead. Of everything I tried, I was not a fan of only one mead, the one with pineapple. For some reason it tasted salty to me...but I realized later that I had burned my tongue yesterday and maybe my tastebuds were reacting oddly to the acidity of that mead. Not only were the drinks enjoyable, but the conversation was, too. Other than a small family who went outside with their drinks, it was just me and handsome Hawaiian shirt guy for a bit. He talked about how he and his brother co-own the Mission-Trail cider company, where they grow their fruit, and more about the honey they use in their meads. We also talked about topics very different from ciders and meads, and I was impressed by his knowledge and ability to hold a genuine conversation. It was quite nice until this guy with absolutely no filter came in, interrupting us, and demanded alcohol to-go. Handsome Hawaiian shirt guy took it in stride and helped the guy out. Only a few minutes later did the no filter guy, who made it known he is from Carmel, notice that I was there and blurted out, "Are you two dating?" Well, perhaps we soon could have been, Carmel guy, if you hadn't made me feel too awkward to ask for his number. Handsome Hawaiian shirt guy was still polite to him, as I'm sure he's polite to everyone, because he seems like a good person. So to everyone who likes cider or mead or who is interested in trying it, this is a great place to spontaneously stop if you have time on your road trip. Tasty cider, handsome guy in a fun Hawaiian shirt pouring tasty cider, cute interior.
Any trip we take, I'm always on the lookout on yelp for great craft cider, and this... wasn't one of those finds. Funny enough, we were driving home yesterday from northern California, just trying to get home as quickly as possible, not trying to sightsee at all, and Google Maps sent us this direction for the first time in the interest of time - we were mostly just looking for a restroom, when we saw a sign on the side of the highway advertising "beer! cider! mead!", and turned around and stopped to check it out. We had no idea at all what to expect - certainly not one of the most interesting cider tasting we'd ever had (and I've had a lot of interesting cider). Funny enough, a few minutes earlier, we'd just veto'd doing a $20 wine tasting, but we *happily* agreed to a $20 cider tasting (each tasting is $10, but there are two tasting lists. They said we could mix and match as long as we didn't pick all the most expensive ones from both lists, but everything looked so good, and we really needed a break from all the stress of 2020 (and from driving), so we couldn't resist just trying all of them between the two of us. (Extra benefit for me personally: my wife was driving, so I got the majority of it.) The guy working there was super friendly, and super knowledgeable about both their own stuff and the craft cider scene in general (I never got around to asking if he was one of the owners or just knew a lot about the operation, but either way). We tried all ten ciders on their current tasting menu, ranging from pretty tasty traditional dry/off-dry apple and/or pear ciders that showed off the fruit, to more interesting barrel-aged stuff, to *really* interesting ciders made from fruits you wouldn't normally expect to see ciders made from (Asian pears, peach, plum, nectarine), to our absolute favorite, which was both: a cider made from blueberries and pluots, first aged for a year in french oak, then aged for another year on ex-port barrels!) Then, because we were so excited about everything (and he could probably tell we were going to leave with a bunch of cider!), we ended up trying two more ciders, and a mead, that weren't on the official list. Of all 13, and keeping in mind I'm a total snob, I gave 5 of them a full 5/5 on untappd, 9 of them at least 4.5/5, and 12/13 at least 4/5 stars. That's pretty high praise! (Was just funny, I loved all but one of them... couldn't stand the nectarine. I like weird cider, but that one was... really weird. Everything else was delicious, though.) Only major complaint was their handling of coronavirus - starting with the fact that we were surprised their indoor tasting room was even open to begin with? I suppose they can get away with that because they're so out in the middle of nowhere, but still, people coming in are tourists from all over, and we were there a while tasting, so I was a little nervous given the current situation. The guy doing the tasting was fine - there was only one employee, *he* was always wearing a mask and staying away from us like you'd expect, so when we were the only ones there (which was most of the time, with how out of the way it is), it felt safe enough. However, it felt a little cramped when it was at current capacity (three small groups - it's not a very large space) - and especially when the couple next to us for a few minutes at one point, were absolutely NOT wearing their masks, not even a little bit, and they weren't called out. (Man, these reviews are going to look *so* weird next year, when things are hopefully normal again...) They also waive each tasting fee with a purchase of four bottles or cans, so obviously, we left with four bottles and a four-pack (much easier to do when bottles of the not-as-aged stuff start as low as $11). Would've been nice if they'd sold individual cans of everything - the 4-pack was $35, which isn't too crazy per can for something that was double-barrel-aged in two different barrels for multiple years, just would've been nice to mix and match more (but I didn't mind the excuse *too* badly to have to buy four of them, either!) Just funny, we ended up here after not wanting to spend $20 wine tasting or take too long delayed from getting back home, then we ended up buying $90 worth of cider and stopping here for like an hour and a half... but totally worth it (assuming we didn't get coronavirus.) Just funny how completely hidden this place is! The exact definition of a hidden gem, for sure.
Hands down, our favorite cider on the central coast! Victor, the one owner that runs the hand crafted cider house is incredibly welcoming, kind, knowledgable, and generous, and is a very talented cider maker. We've had the pleasure of speaking with him about the central coast originally when we relocated to Paso Robles and he gave us local recommendations. Over the years we've continued to be avid fans of his unique and delicious assortments of ciders and keep coming back for more. We recommend the ciders often to others and make it a point to order when we see them out at local restaurants jn Paso. No one else seems to use these fruits and has this flavor profile. The first time we came in about three years ago, we did tasters of every cider they make and brought plenty home to hold us over. Our favorites are the Perry pear cider and the plum jerkum. Recently we popped in again to say hello and restock our home fridge. We greatly enjoyed their new nectarine cider as well. Super refreshing and crisp flavors for a hot summer day. If you're passing through, stop in, or if you're a central coast local, this place is a must! Say hi to Victor and enjoy his hospitality and a tasting. (Ps: I haven't been in two years since I was expecting and when I recently visited, even with my mask on due to covid, he recognized me and even recalled my unique name. Thank you!) if that isn't telling about the character of the owner and the cider house, I don't know what is. Cheers!
I was driving back to Santa Barbara after a road trip to Yosemite and stumbled upon this gem!! If you're in the area, GO, just do it. Do you know what jerkum is? What about perry? Well I certainly didn't but I got a boozy education here and good lord was it worth it. Personally the perry ( aka a cider made of primary pear) was my absolute favorite: sweet, crisp, and delicious. They have a variety of ciders and I can honestly say never have I ever loved every single drink in a flight, but this place made that happen!! There's a ton of variety here and I wish I could've bought a bottle of each. They also have some cans from other local breweries in the area that are great. Big thumbs up.
Showed up today when the gentleman was doing inventory. They weren't open yet but the ciderman let me in to purchase some of these fine beverages. I just cracked a can of Pera del sol and hot damn is it some tasty shit! Can't wait to try my other purchases.
BEST CIDER EVER! I've always wanted to make the stop but either didn't have time or wasn't able to due to too many cars on the road. The owner was so friendly and helpful over which cider is what and how it's made! Everything was absolutely delicious and had my tastebuds wanting more! I stocked up enough to keep me happy until my next trip down!
This place is a little bit out there, but well worth the drive from Paso Robles. The tasting room is a small bar, and a few tables. Shelves line one of the walls and coolers another with bottles. If you are unfamiliar with them I would suggest a tasting . The menu in the picture shows the draft samples I was given. The highlights for me were the Shinko Perry and Kiwifornia. Having already had the Don't Hang the Nectarine it was a big part of why I visited. Believe the tasting was $8, was a great price to try everything. After the tasting I got a glass of the Jam Jerkum, which was a blend of different stone fruits. After that I picked out a couple bottles to take home the Shinko Perry and Porto en Paris which has the following notes. "Williams Pears, aged in Roxo Port Barrels on Port lees. One of a kind, exceptionally light, fruity, and playful with robust Port tannins and citrus notes. Comes through with a floral blast, with blackberry, pineapple, guava and tropical spice (tropical port poached pears). Last thing I want to mention is the gentleman working, I apologize for not remembering his name, he was extremely kind, was knowledgeable about each of the drinks, and gave advice on places to check out in town and the area. Highly suggest stopping in and giving some drinks a try, you will not be disappointed. Luckily back home in the South Bay there is a couple places that carry their products, or they do ship to your door in certain states. One of my favorite cider and now my first and only Jerkum producers that I've ever had.
Spur of the moment stop. Well worth it and super cute spot. We did a tasting and left with 4 bottles. The guy who did the tasting (so sad I didn't get his name) was full of knowledge and made the tasting really fun. I actually learn stuff I didn't know about ciders. Well worth the stop. I love supporting local businesses especially when they are as awesome this gem. I 100% recommend stopping here if you can. Also (although it's not the actual site of the accident) but they do have the James Dean memorial in the parking lot.
Finally was able to try Mission Trail on our way back up north and wow!! One word: fantastic. Our host and server was Victor, he explained all the ciders and what mead meant all that jazz. We eventually picked a list to try for a tasting event. We were able to try 6 different ciders plus 2 extra that we were curious about! My absolute favorite from the tasting list was Lockwood Reserve and the extra one I loved and would probably come back for was the Shinko de Mango! An absolute great experience for mine and my boyfriend's two year anniversary :) Thank you Victor for such a great time and for the celebratory champagne to make our day even more special! read more
3 years ago
This is one of the best finds off the beaten path in the central coast wine country. We tried the "mead and rare library" tasting ($14 each), which turned out to be an awesome selection of deliciously, refreshing meads and jerkum. Our favorite was Jim's Mead...it has notes of blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and Newton Pippin apple mead aged in bourbon barrels for 5 years. It was such a tasty surprise that we ended up taking a growler of it back with us. But you can't go wrong with any of the drinks they offer. Service was friendly and the taproom offered cider, craft beer, honey, snacks, etc. It seemed like most folks stopped by for a rest break but it is so much more. I would absolutely recommend this taproom and hope to return in the future. read more
Cute cider house on the side of the road that you may find yourself passing if you're heading to the West Bay from Southern California or vice versa. I finally stopped in today after seeing it on past trips and was greeted by this handsome man in a fun Hawaiian shirt. They're open for tastings indoors but you're welcome to enjoy your drinks outside. The tasting room is to the right of the restaurant and they are two separate businesses, so don't be discouraged by a "closed" sign in the window of the restaurant. I believe the tasting room is open Fridays-Sundays. Handsome Hawaiian shirt guy told me they're doing complimentary tastings of the ciders, but that for $10 they offer a flight of the meads and a taste of their cherry wine. I'd never had cherry wine and I wanted to try all of the meads they were offering, so that was perfect for me. I really loved the cherry wine and the mead called "Cantaloupe Wars," and I thought both were rich and complex in flavor. I also tried the Kiwifornia cider, but I was taken by the cherry wine and cantaloupe mead. Of everything I tried, I was not a fan of only one mead, the one with pineapple. For some reason it tasted salty to me...but I realized later that I had burned my tongue yesterday and maybe my tastebuds were reacting oddly to the acidity of that mead. Not only were the drinks enjoyable, but the conversation was, too. Other than a small family who went outside with their drinks, it was just me and handsome Hawaiian shirt guy for a bit. He talked about how he and his brother co-own the Mission-Trail cider company, where they grow their fruit, and more about the honey they use in their meads. We also talked about topics very different from ciders and meads, and I was impressed by his knowledge and ability to hold a genuine conversation. It was quite nice until this guy with absolutely no filter came in, interrupting us, and demanded alcohol to-go. Handsome Hawaiian shirt guy took it in stride and helped the guy out. Only a few minutes later did the no filter guy, who made it known he is from Carmel, notice that I was there and blurted out, "Are you two dating?" Well, perhaps we soon could have been, Carmel guy, if you hadn't made me feel too awkward to ask for his number. Handsome Hawaiian shirt guy was still polite to him, as I'm sure he's polite to everyone, because he seems like a good person. So to everyone who likes cider or mead or who is interested in trying it, this is a great place to spontaneously stop if you have time on your road trip. Tasty cider, handsome guy in a fun Hawaiian shirt pouring tasty cider, cute interior. read more
Any trip we take, I'm always on the lookout on yelp for great craft cider, and this... wasn't one of those finds. Funny enough, we were driving home yesterday from northern California, just trying to get home as quickly as possible, not trying to sightsee at all, and Google Maps sent us this direction for the first time in the interest of time - we were mostly just looking for a restroom, when we saw a sign on the side of the highway advertising "beer! cider! mead!", and turned around and stopped to check it out. We had no idea at all what to expect - certainly not one of the most interesting cider tasting we'd ever had (and I've had a lot of interesting cider). Funny enough, a few minutes earlier, we'd just veto'd doing a $20 wine tasting, but we *happily* agreed to a $20 cider tasting (each tasting is $10, but there are two tasting lists. They said we could mix and match as long as we didn't pick all the most expensive ones from both lists, but everything looked so good, and we really needed a break from all the stress of 2020 (and from driving), so we couldn't resist just trying all of them between the two of us. (Extra benefit for me personally: my wife was driving, so I got the majority of it.) The guy working there was super friendly, and super knowledgeable about both their own stuff and the craft cider scene in general (I never got around to asking if he was one of the owners or just knew a lot about the operation, but either way). We tried all ten ciders on their current tasting menu, ranging from pretty tasty traditional dry/off-dry apple and/or pear ciders that showed off the fruit, to more interesting barrel-aged stuff, to *really* interesting ciders made from fruits you wouldn't normally expect to see ciders made from (Asian pears, peach, plum, nectarine), to our absolute favorite, which was both: a cider made from blueberries and pluots, first aged for a year in french oak, then aged for another year on ex-port barrels!) Then, because we were so excited about everything (and he could probably tell we were going to leave with a bunch of cider!), we ended up trying two more ciders, and a mead, that weren't on the official list. Of all 13, and keeping in mind I'm a total snob, I gave 5 of them a full 5/5 on untappd, 9 of them at least 4.5/5, and 12/13 at least 4/5 stars. That's pretty high praise! (Was just funny, I loved all but one of them... couldn't stand the nectarine. I like weird cider, but that one was... really weird. Everything else was delicious, though.) Only major complaint was their handling of coronavirus - starting with the fact that we were surprised their indoor tasting room was even open to begin with? I suppose they can get away with that because they're so out in the middle of nowhere, but still, people coming in are tourists from all over, and we were there a while tasting, so I was a little nervous given the current situation. The guy doing the tasting was fine - there was only one employee, *he* was always wearing a mask and staying away from us like you'd expect, so when we were the only ones there (which was most of the time, with how out of the way it is), it felt safe enough. However, it felt a little cramped when it was at current capacity (three small groups - it's not a very large space) - and especially when the couple next to us for a few minutes at one point, were absolutely NOT wearing their masks, not even a little bit, and they weren't called out. (Man, these reviews are going to look *so* weird next year, when things are hopefully normal again...) They also waive each tasting fee with a purchase of four bottles or cans, so obviously, we left with four bottles and a four-pack (much easier to do when bottles of the not-as-aged stuff start as low as $11). Would've been nice if they'd sold individual cans of everything - the 4-pack was $35, which isn't too crazy per can for something that was double-barrel-aged in two different barrels for multiple years, just would've been nice to mix and match more (but I didn't mind the excuse *too* badly to have to buy four of them, either!) Just funny, we ended up here after not wanting to spend $20 wine tasting or take too long delayed from getting back home, then we ended up buying $90 worth of cider and stopping here for like an hour and a half... but totally worth it (assuming we didn't get coronavirus.) Just funny how completely hidden this place is! The exact definition of a hidden gem, for sure. read more
Hands down, our favorite cider on the central coast! Victor, the one owner that runs the hand crafted cider house is incredibly welcoming, kind, knowledgable, and generous, and is a very talented cider maker. We've had the pleasure of speaking with him about the central coast originally when we relocated to Paso Robles and he gave us local recommendations. Over the years we've continued to be avid fans of his unique and delicious assortments of ciders and keep coming back for more. We recommend the ciders often to others and make it a point to order when we see them out at local restaurants jn Paso. No one else seems to use these fruits and has this flavor profile. The first time we came in about three years ago, we did tasters of every cider they make and brought plenty home to hold us over. Our favorites are the Perry pear cider and the plum jerkum. Recently we popped in again to say hello and restock our home fridge. We greatly enjoyed their new nectarine cider as well. Super refreshing and crisp flavors for a hot summer day. If you're passing through, stop in, or if you're a central coast local, this place is a must! Say hi to Victor and enjoy his hospitality and a tasting. (Ps: I haven't been in two years since I was expecting and when I recently visited, even with my mask on due to covid, he recognized me and even recalled my unique name. Thank you!) if that isn't telling about the character of the owner and the cider house, I don't know what is. Cheers! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
I was driving back to Santa Barbara after a road trip to Yosemite and stumbled upon this gem!! If you're in the area, GO, just do it. Do you know what jerkum is? What about perry? Well I certainly didn't but I got a boozy education here and good lord was it worth it. Personally the perry ( aka a cider made of primary pear) was my absolute favorite: sweet, crisp, and delicious. They have a variety of ciders and I can honestly say never have I ever loved every single drink in a flight, but this place made that happen!! There's a ton of variety here and I wish I could've bought a bottle of each. They also have some cans from other local breweries in the area that are great. Big thumbs up. read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
Showed up today when the gentleman was doing inventory. They weren't open yet but the ciderman let me in to purchase some of these fine beverages. I just cracked a can of Pera del sol and hot damn is it some tasty shit! Can't wait to try my other purchases. read more
6 years ago
BEST CIDER EVER! I've always wanted to make the stop but either didn't have time or wasn't able to due to too many cars on the road. The owner was so friendly and helpful over which cider is what and how it's made! Everything was absolutely delicious and had my tastebuds wanting more! I stocked up enough to keep me happy until my next trip down! read more
6 years ago
This place is a little bit out there, but well worth the drive from Paso Robles. The tasting room is a small bar, and a few tables. Shelves line one of the walls and coolers another with bottles. If you are unfamiliar with them I would suggest a tasting . The menu in the picture shows the draft samples I was given. The highlights for me were the Shinko Perry and Kiwifornia. Having already had the Don't Hang the Nectarine it was a big part of why I visited. Believe the tasting was $8, was a great price to try everything. After the tasting I got a glass of the Jam Jerkum, which was a blend of different stone fruits. After that I picked out a couple bottles to take home the Shinko Perry and Porto en Paris which has the following notes. "Williams Pears, aged in Roxo Port Barrels on Port lees. One of a kind, exceptionally light, fruity, and playful with robust Port tannins and citrus notes. Comes through with a floral blast, with blackberry, pineapple, guava and tropical spice (tropical port poached pears). Last thing I want to mention is the gentleman working, I apologize for not remembering his name, he was extremely kind, was knowledgeable about each of the drinks, and gave advice on places to check out in town and the area. Highly suggest stopping in and giving some drinks a try, you will not be disappointed. Luckily back home in the South Bay there is a couple places that carry their products, or they do ship to your door in certain states. One of my favorite cider and now my first and only Jerkum producers that I've ever had. read more
8 years ago
Spur of the moment stop. Well worth it and super cute spot. We did a tasting and left with 4 bottles. The guy who did the tasting (so sad I didn't get his name) was full of knowledge and made the tasting really fun. I actually learn stuff I didn't know about ciders. Well worth the stop. I love supporting local businesses especially when they are as awesome this gem. I 100% recommend stopping here if you can. Also (although it's not the actual site of the accident) but they do have the James Dean memorial in the parking lot. read more
4 years ago
8 years ago
Stopped in on the way across the 46, right next to the James Dean monument. Nice little tasting room with a unique flavors of cider. Good value and range of flavors. Pick up a bottle or case of your favorite and take it with you. Staff was super friendly, knowledge, and helpful. Even for some local sights. Definitely worth a stop! read more
6 years ago
8 years ago
Cute little place. Nice place to try cider and sit down and talk about life. The scenery is pretty. When we went, it wasn't very crowded. Will definitely stop by next time we are in town. read more
6 years ago
AMAZING!! I am usually not a fan of cider due to the sweetness, but Mission Trail cider is on another level! Their unique fruit selection of plum, pear, nectarine, kiwi, and more make these ciders like nothing else I've ever had. They also never use artificial ingredients and it's apparent in how fresh, crisp, and natural these ciders are. If you're looking for something unique, this is your place!! read more
7 years ago
Heard about Mission Trail Brewery in a bar in San Francisco, where we tried the Lawyers, Plums and Money cider. We were heading down to Paso for Labor Day weekend and it so happened that Mission Trail Cider House is in the vicinity of Paso Robles. The tasting room is connected to a diner, so we were really confused when we walked in, but we quickly found our way! Taylor was an amazing host! We had a great time and an awesome tasting. Totally worth the drive/ detour/ stop! read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
8 years ago
8 years ago
8 years ago
Visited the cider house in our way to Oregon, Taylor was the bar tenders and she was super nice and friendly. For the beers we tasted, every single one was very delicious. And to top it off the location was beautiful. My husband and I recommend this place. Oh and let's not forget the pies, so delicious! read more
8 years ago
7 years ago
8 years ago
More info about Mission Trail Cider House
19215 CA-46
Shandon, CA 93461
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(805) 556-5233
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http://www.missiontrailranches.com
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