Whether you like beer, wine or cider, there’s about a one mile square on Foggy Bottom Road in Bluemont, VA that has what you want. Bluemont Vineyard, Dirt Farm Brewing and Henway Hard Cider are all owned by the Zurschmeide family and use produce from their nearby Great Country Farms, like Cabernet Franc grapes, hops and Honeycrisp apples in their recipes. I recently had the chance to visit all three, and today I’m going to talk about Henway.
It didn’t take long for Henway Cider to solidify a spot in my heart- their mulled wine came with an apple cider donut. Plus, their name is essentially a dad joke. “What’s a henway? About 5 pounds!”
Their new tasting room is brand-spaking new, only opening this past September. After parking in their large lot and paying our respects to the chickens by the front door, we grabbed a table and started perusing the tasting menu. While my sister, her boyfriend and my mom chose the mulled wine to bring some feeling back into their fingers on this cold day, I couldn’t make up my mind, so naturally I ordered a flight.
My flight came with four samples: the brut, the rose, the Pip, and a Bluemont Vineyards apple wine. Although all were delicious, I have to say my favorite was the Pip, which is their flagship cider with good cause. It was light and crisp, with the perfect amount of sweetness for me. My dad tried a sip and decided on the spot he wanted one for himself! While we didn’t order any food this time, they did offer soups, paninis and an apple and brie board that sounded delicious.
There is a good amount of seating in the refurbished barn, both indoors and out. The space inside is large and can fit about 100 people, with a few table size options. There is also a gorgeous outdoor patio with seating that overlooks a pond. The website says you’re welcome to fish in the pond, but it was far too cold for that while we were there!
One great thing about Henway is that (well-behaved) dogs are welcome inside. While Bluemont Vineyard also allows dogs, Dirt Farm Brewery only permits your furry friend in the outdoor spaces. Luna and Izzy were happy to be warm inside, and one of the girls behind the counter even brought them over a bowl of water (which I promptly tripped over and spilled 🤦♀️).
Great Country Farms grows over 40 different kinds of apples, along with a huge variety of other fruits and vegetables. I can’t wait to see the types of cider they produce in the future! If the sampling I had this trip is any indication, we’ll all be living apple-y ever after. 😉
Henway Hard Cider Company
18780 Foggy Bottom Road
Bluemont, VA 20135
540-837-4000
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