Willow Oaks Craft Cider and Wine — Attraction in Brunswick

Just visited this beautiful, serene cidery. The ciders on offer are extremely tart, but tasty. If you are expecting something like a traditional store-bought hard cider (Strongbow, Magners, etc), you may be in for a surprise. These ciders are more sippers than thirst quenchers. The dessert wines are sweeter, less tart, and more approachable.

The setting and atmosphere are very relaxing. The owners are exceptionally helpful and friendly. Picturesque views of the rolling hills combined with a distinct lack of road noise makes this an excellent place to visit for folks looking to enjoy a quiet gathering with friends.

Regarding some of the negative reviews I have seen: Ginny the dog is a sweetheart. For those unfamiliar with dogs, they sometimes bark. When I was there, Ginny barked only when greeting new visitors and then quickly resumed her pets/snack patrol amongst the patrons.

The owners are very upfront about what to expect from their ciders and dessert wines. Yes, the ciders are very tart. No, they do not taste like nail polish remover. Those individuals posting reviews complaining about the cider may not have paid attention when the owners described their ciders, and those complaining about Ginny should probably avoid dogs in the future.

I am looking forward to visiting again in the...

Found this hidden gem while in the area for an autumn hike. I love checking out local businesses so I thought I'd give it a try. The ciders and libations here are for the adventurous tastebuds. From the agricultural lesson in describing their product to the scents and tastes of the ciders, it is a full sensory experience. Even one of the ciders I didn't care for evoked memories. My favorite was the Pairing. One sip and I melted into my chair in full relaxation. It was the kind of taste where I could curl up in a blanket in a dusty old library with a book and just sip for hours. As I said - full sensory experience. If you have adventurous tastebuds and a penchant for nostalgia, give...

Willow Oaks is in a beautiful location with friendly staff. There is a gentle, friendly dog who visits with you at your table, which was a highlight. The interior is cozy, the porch is lovely.

The cider, however, was not to our taste. We tried their tasting of 6 ciders, and each one was sour and vinegary. Not dry, sour. It was a little shocking, frankly. We expected to enjoy at least one of them. This type of cider might appeal to people whose palates lean towards sour beers. Their dessert wines were not included in the tasting, so we can’t comment on those.

I would not recommends doing the tasting; try one of their ciders. If you don’t like it, know that they are all going to have that base...