How an abandoned orchard in Milton unleashed a thirst for cider

When the Newfoundland Cider Company started selling its product earlier this year, owners Chris Adams and Mark Poirier thought they might sell up to 2,000litres of cider.

"Some of the craft brewery people said, 'You guys are going to be sold out in no time,'" said Adams.

"We didn't believe it. We just thought it was them being nice."

So far, Adams and Poirier have sold nearly 8,000litres of their locally foraged and fermented apple cider.

"We were really shocked," said Adams.

No cider, lots of apples

Adams lived and worked for several years in Ireland, where he developed a fondness for local ciders.

"When we moved back to Newfoundland eight years ago, there were no ciders, but lots of apples," said Adams.

Adams and his buddy Poirier got permission to pick and forage apples from an overgrown abandoned orchard known as the Old Tilt, near Adams's childhood home in Milton, Trinity Bay.

The two spent a few years working on their cider recipes, then started developing a business plan for the Newfoundland Cider Company in 2016.

Runaway demand

Their first small batch of cider hit Newfoundland Liquor Corporation store shelves in February 2018, and customers quickly snapped it up.

Since then, Adams and Poirier have been flat out trying to keep up with the demand.

In Milton, the two men and their wives forage for the apples and other local ingredients, such as elderberries and raspberries. Then they press the fruit. The fruit is fermentedand bottled, carbonated and capped by hand at their small production facility in Shoal Harbour.

That`s in addition to juggling full-time day jobs and young families.

"Honestly, one of the ingredients on our bottles should be time," said Adams.

Expansion plans

Small batches make it to the NLC outlets in Clarenville and at Howley Estates in St. John's, and the rest gets sold at the Newfoundland Cider Company's small on-site shop.

The runaway success of their first year has convinced Adams and Poirier to expand theoperation. Their company has acquired 26 acres of land near the Old Tilt site.

Honestly, one of the ingredients on our bottles should be time.- Chris Adams

They have a plan to establish a larger apple and pear orchard, and an expanded production and visitor facility and hire more staff.

But before any of that can happen, Adams has to work more to keep up with the immediate demand.

"Now we have to pick tens of thousands of apples."

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