Good Cider, Good Company, and Old Trees
If you find yourself traveling through Tacoma, or if you live near the South Sound and are craving a crisp, slow cider, then do we have the cider bar for you– Cider and Cedar, located on Market St. in downtown Tacoma and kitty corner to Antique Row!
Next on our list of out-cider musts, Cider and Cedar taproom and bottle shop has a special place in our hearts and currently have our golden Rivets cider and our ever popular Mainline cider on tap! We had the absolute pleasure of meeting C & C owners, Sterling and Mia in Gig Harbor at the Cider Swig festival in 2019. Not long after, they asked us to be a part of their first cider line-up! We’ve partnered with them since their day one and we love to brag about their business.
She loved the cider, and he was all about the cedar.
This dovetail duo opened shop in July of 2020. Their mission was to celebrate their PNW community by providing a space that displayed their passion for craft, small-batch cider, conversation and local community, and repurposed old growth trees from the Hoh Rainforest. And despite their recent move of location and difficulties due to the pandemic, they’ve done just that.
The overall atmosphere of the bar is elevated, welcoming, and cozy. The interior feels industrial, but is reminiscent of the Olympic National Forest— with dark green walls, ferns and vine plants draping from the ceiling, and all of the salvaged wood that Sterling built into the structure, tables, bar, light fixtures, and their remarkable tap wall. When checking out C & C’s cider selection, there may be brands you don’t recognize., and that’s because Mia and Sterling seized the opportunity to open a cider bar that supports and helps to further promote smaller cider producers in the PNW (like us!). Many of the smaller producers that they represent don't work with distributers, so these ciders are harder to access and most likely won’t be found on a grocery store shelf. According to Mia, these often overlooked cideries create some of the best cider in the world and deserve to have a spotlight.
Burly Beauties
You might be wondering, why the emphasis on “cedar?” Well, did you know that the old growth cedar they utilize was made from wood that ranges from 350 years old to more than a thousand years old? Their youngest piece in their collection is older than the U.S.A! Sterling, a woodworking artist, salvaged old growth cedar from the Olympic Peninsula that was discarded in the 1960’s because of it’s lack of straight grain. He saw the beauty and potential in its curly, burly appearance. Every piece in C & C was cut and reshaped by Sterling, himself!
Did you know that old growth cedar is a tree that still stumps scientists (pun intended) to this day? It is a tree that is slow to rot, even after it has fallen, and its burling process still has some mystery around it. The way arborists understand it, a burl is an overgrowth that occurs when the tree has undergone some kind of stress, and the result is always unique and beautiful. Why cedar burls the way it does, scientists are still guessing. From our point of view, a burl could be a tree’s way of adapting and persevering during its lifetime, it could be a reflection of it’s strength, and in a way, serves as symbol for the cider bar itself.
We know first-hand how hard it is to keep a small business alive during a pandemic, and they have done an amazing job at overcoming any obstacles thrown their way. They continue to bring good cider, good company, and a little bit of natural history to Tacoma. Their space is truly one of a kind. Plus, they are just the nicest, most interesting people you’ll meet. Outside of serving great cider, C & C serves as an upbeat venue for delicious food pop-ups and live music! Live music is every Friday and Saturday from 6-9pm, and will soon, they will be serving Bao cuisine from their own kitchen!
If you are unable to visit Cider and Cedar anytime soon as an out-cider, for a pint with friends and some live tunes, then be sure to follow their inspiring story on social media. Along with their business journey, They share the most fascinating facts on apples, small-batch cider, trees, and history.
Here’s what Mia and Sterling had to say about partnering with us– “As a small batch maker using heirloom apples from their own orchard, Wheel Line ciders typify what we offer at Cider & Cedar. The family behind the brand is lovely, and the ciders are fantastic- the Mainline is a house favorite! We love being able to introduce people to their ciders in our Tacoma taproom! Wheel Line Cider is a gem that we are lucky to have here in Washington.”
And we are lucky to know you, Cider and Cedar!
Visit their website to check out their current tap line-up!