Fireside Orchard & Gardens — Local services in Minnesota

I needed 5 gallons of cider to make a hard cider and wanted to compare it with Musselman's cheapo cider from Walmart. Cider doesn't ferment if you put preservatives in it because it kills the yeast. I asked the guy several times if it had preservatives in it and he promised it didn't. There was nothing on the label indicating a preservative so i believed him. The Walmart cider aggressively fermented while sitting next to the Fireside cider that did nothing. Pretty sure I just paid $50 to be lied to and get five gallons of cider with dead yeast.

Update: I had my cider replaced with the correct cider. Darren was very nice about it. I also found out I can bring in kegs and buy it for much cheaper. That is a major plus considering how much large batches of hard cider cost to make.

I figured I should share the results. Withoiy going into too many technical details... The Walmart cider actually was pretty good. It was a bit on the dry side but I like that. The cider with presevatives did eventually ferment but it was disgusting and we threw it out. The Fireside cider with no preservatives was by far the best and definitely worth it. It kept the apple flavor in such a pleasant way more than any commercial hard cider...

We absolutely love coming here every fall season. Beautiful atmosphere. Fresh donuts, fudge, apples, caramel apples, popcorn as well. It has a bouncy house area for kids! It has a small store area. You can choose to get a bag of apples inside or go out and pick apples yourself. Has a nice flower garden, has a beautiful fish pound area. Has a outdoor seating area. It also has string lights to make the atmosphere better. Some small games you can play in the grass (tic tac toe, and corn hole). Two different sections of different pumpkins to choose from. Two different sizes and color trackers for looks. Overall a great fun cute place to come to each and every year. We've been coming here for YEARS! it's a...

It was a beautiful, crisp fall day to visit the orchard again! We returned to pick up some of their delicious apple cider and apple cider donuts and picked out another selection of #2 apples to taste test. It was a busy place due to the beautiful weather and it being a Saturday but they kept the check out line moving quickly. My mother and I took some pictures together in the rose garden and then enjoyed the view of the orchard while eating a fresh grilled hot dog with a cup of cold cider on the back patio while other families' kids played giant outdoor games (Jenga, Connect Four, Ping Pong, Bag Toss). It's a very family friendly place to visit and...