Burnt Mills Cider Company: A Review of the Cidery

On the journey to find the most satisfyingly sweet cider, you’ll notice there are only a handful residing in New Jersey. Despite being a short drive from the 2nd largest apple producing state in the US, cideries lie far and few. While the focus on wineries and breweries seems to take more precedence, it doesn’t stop us from finding something new to try out. This makes The Burnt Mills Cider Company our next lucky winner for a grand ‘ol cider review.

Burnt Mills Cider Location

Burnt Mills Cider Co. is located in Northern New Jersey right off Route 206. The property has a farm feel to it with the typical red barn and grassland façade.

The cidery has ample room surrounding its Cider barn. Although weekends are their busiest days, you should still be able to find parking and room to sit and enjoy your cider.

Cider Preferences

Since this was our first time going to this cidery, naturally we had to sample all the ciders they offered. We bought a few cider flights and were able to taste all 11 flavors. These are the few that stood out to us the most.

Orange Pearadise

Orange Pearadise is a very refreshing blend of orange and pear. This is more of a dry cider with a hoppier taste. The notes of pear are subtle but present while the orange seems to be sitting on the sidelines. If you are looking for something similar to a regular, semi-dry cider with a tad more fruit flavor, this is the one to choose.

Blackberry

The Blackberry is a very delicious cider with a sweet and smooth finish. Although it is categorized as more of a dry cider, the taste definitely leans toward sweet. This cider almost tastes like sipping on apple juice. If you tend to favor sweeter things, we encourage you to try this one. While we enjoyed it, we could only have one or two of these due to the sweetness.

Sour Cherry

The Sour Cherry cider lays in the middle between sweet and dry. As cherries are, the cider balances sweet and tart but with a very smooth finish and a pleasant after taste. As a bonus, this cider also pairs brilliantly with a slice of brie.

Strawberry Lemonade

The Strawberry Lemonade cider is the sweetest cider they offer. It is definitely very sweet, but it is also refreshing to sip on a hot day. This cider is much sweeter than the blackberry due to the lemon and tastes like a Strawberry Lemonade Truly Seltzer, but in cider form.

Mojito

The Mojito cider is the most fun option they offer. This cider also leans towards the sweet side but it is more subtle about it. It almost tastes like you are drinking an actual mojito and not a cider. This is a great cider to sip on by the pool or on the beach.

The Burnt Mills Experience

Choosing a perfect summer day for our cider voyage was an ideal option for this cidery. The spacious farmland allows groups to sit at the patio tables or set up camp in the grass. Due to the weekend crowd, we brought chairs and a mini table with us which made for a great setup. As the flight glasses hang through the flight holder, be aware that it does pose a challenge to hold your flight with no table in front of you. We used one of the long wood-crafted benches as well as one of our own tables which we strongly advise bringing as well. Otherwise, be careful placing yours on the grass for spillages are a bit more common with this method. Overall, we had a great time outdoors at this cidery. For newcomers, check out what we recommend you bring along!

Must Bring List

• Outdoor Chairs / Table
• Food
• Personal Growler
• Music
• Outdoor games

As they have a smaller indoor area, it is best to plan your trip with the intention of being outside. Items such as canopies, camping chairs, and tables are of great use! If you choose otherwise, there is some seating available first come first serve. In the fall and colder months, the cidery does have two fireplaces to cozy up to. Whenever you plan to go, don’t forget to grab some brie on the way!

Want to check out other local breweries or cideries? Not sure what to expect? Check out our other weekend trip reviews:

Wineries

Laurita Winery – New Egypt, New Jersey

Four Sister’s Winery – Belvidere, NJ

Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery – Warwick, NJ

Breweries

Glenbrook Brewery – Morristown, NJ

Untied Brewering Co – New Providence, NJ