Cider Lab — Fauquier County

5344 Summerduck Rd, Summerduck, VA 22742





        I first found out about Cider Lab from a brewery I went to called Harvest Gap brewery. They feature cider from Cider Lab and Winchester Ciderworks. I remember trying a cider lab cider and thinking that I had to visit their location because it was one of the best ciders I’d ever had.

    I’ve only ever been to Cider Lab’s location one time, but I can say without a doubt that it is my favorite cider made in Virginia. Their location is pretty small and easy to miss. They also have pretty limited seating, but at least when I was there, it was not crowded. I did note that a lot of people came in and purchased cider to go while I was there, so it certainly is a popular commodity. 

    In fact, I had attended a cider fest in Fredericksburg in 2022 and Cider Lab was there. They had the longest line of any cidery by far. Now, they were offering 4 different cider options while most places only offered one or 2, but despite having at least 2 lines, the lines were at least 4-8 times longer than the next longest line. 

    As of Jan 2023, I’ve tried the following ciders from them:

  • Spicy Manga Mellon – 4.75/5
  • Blueberry Peach Jerk’m – 4.25-5
  • Cherry Prosecco Jerk’m – 4/5
  • Lambrusco Jerk’m – 3.5/5
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Perry 3.75/5
  • Sumerduck Sangria – 4.75/5
  • Dandelion Cider – 4/5
  • Mango Niagra – 4.25/5
  • Sumerduck – 4.5/5
  • Raspberry Cider – 3.75-5
  • Mango Habanero Cider – 4.75-5

    Their ciders are very across the board with some being really sweet and others being particularly spicy. Personally, I gravitate toward their spicy ciders and would recommend trying their Mango Habanero, which is one of their staples. 

    I found the staff to be very energetic and welcoming. They were happy to talk cider and were very curious to know my favorites. They told me about Jerk'm, which is fairly unique, with very few cideries making it. They would also recommend ciders based on my preferences, and even let me try one of their experimental ciders that they don’t offer in flights or by the glass. 

All in all, it was a great experience and while it is a pretty far drive, I certainly intend to do it again. FYI, if you live close enough, they also have a cider club which seems like it’s a really good deal if you happen to live within a commutable distance of their location. Definitely check them out!

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