Hey hard cider fans, if you happen to be road tripping near Richmond, Virginia and are feeling thirsty, you’re in luck. There are 3 established cideries located within the city of Richmond itself – and they all begin with the letter “B”.
Buskey Cider
My overall pick for best hard cider and atmosphere goes to Buskey Cider. Located in the historic Scott's Addition in downtown Richmond, Buskey’s tasting room has a friendly, fun feel and most of all, great hard cider. My favorites included RVA, a standard semi-sweet cider that is anything but ordinary. Both bright and fruity, the RVA makes for the perfect summer sipper. Other standouts were the aptly-named Tart Cherry, the 2022 Heritage Blend with its citrusy notes, and the effervescent Gold Rush. What I also liked about Buskey Cider was that it had so much to offer. Food trucks. Live music. Comedy nights. This is a definite, can’t miss stop on any cidery tour.
Bryant’s Hard Cider
The tasting room of Bryant’s Hard Cider might be smaller than its competitors but it has a unique, quirky vibe. Since it’s located in Carytown, parking can be tricky as the tasting room has no lot of its own. The atmosphere inside of Bryant’s varies depending on the floor. Feeling social? Then the downstairs bar area is the place to be. Want a quiet place to read while you enjoy a glass of cider? Check out the tables upstairs which also has board games. Regardless of where you choose to imbibe, I will say that if sweets are your thing, then you’ll be in heaven at Bryant’s Hard Cider. The Basic Blackberry had a nice fizzy feel, while the Basic Strawberry and Trail Blazer were both a sweet cider lover’s dream come true. In addition to these fruity delights, Bryant’s also offers dry and hopped ciders as well.
Blue Bee Cider
Unfortunately on the day of our visit to Blue Bee Cider it was quite crowded and noisy. After finally securing a table in the back of the facility, we ordered our tasting flights. As always, I opted for the semi-drys to sweets while my husband tasted the dry ciders. While none of my tasting choices were awful, they didn’t blow me away either. If I had to choose a top two, they would be the slightly carbonated, fruit-forward Harvest Party and the Mill Race Bramble with its notes of blueberry and raspberry. When I asked my husband if he would recommend any of the dry ciders in his flight, he responded, “Not really.” On the plus side, Blue Bee has a nice, dog-friendly tasting room that hosts events and food trucks.
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