In a town called the “Capitol of Craft” and known by many as “the Craft Beer Capitol of the World,” San Diego also has a cider scene.
Here is a rundown of where to find the best ciders in San Diego and the surrounding areas. Of course, several of the 150 craft breweries also pour some excellent ciders.
Bivouac Ciderworks
Situated smack in the middle of 30th Street, known as San Diego’s Beer Boulevard, is Bivouac Ciderworks, dedicated to the art and craft of cidermaking. As one of the most visible, convenient and top cideries in San Diego, Bivouac offers an array of entry-level ciders as well as more complex offerings — especially at their experimental cider lounge and workspace next door called the Adventure Lodge.
3986 30th St., North Park
Newtopia Cyder
Newtopia Cyder’s portfolio of ciders range from traditional to innovative, with tons of fruit flavor in each one. Using only West Coast-grown apples, this family-friendly cidery in San Diego is conveniently situated a few minutes off Interstate 15, with plenty of parking and lots of events like live music, trivia and more.
10045 Carroll Canyon Road, Suite A, Scripps Ranch
Raging Cider & Mead Co.
Some of San Diego’s best ciders are technically outside the city, like Raging Cider in the North County city of San Marcos. Owner and cidermaker Dave Carr is making some of the most interesting ciders in San Diego, including styles like English scrumpy, co-ferments with grapes and apples, single varietals and more. Not sure what any of that means? Carr is always happy to talk shop with curious cider newcomers.
177 Newport Drive, Suite B, San Marcos
Oddish Wine
It’s not a cidery, and it’s not a winery. Oddish Wine exists in its own space at the collaborative outdoor venue The Gärten near University of San Diego. Operated by the same folks behind Lost Cause Meadery, Oddish is an experimental beverage company that blurs the lines between cider, wine, co-ferments and pretty much any drink you can imagine.
5322 Banks St., Linda Vista
Coronado Brewing Company
Okay, technically Coronado Brewing Company isn’t a cider company. But the acclaimed brewery launched a cider line in 2021, and for a beer company dabbling in the San Diego hard cider scene, it’s pretty darn good. The vegan, gluten-free, dry ciders come in original and a fruit-infused version at 6.0% ABV (or below).
Coronado location: 170 Orange Ave.; Bay Park location: 1205 Knoxville St.
Twisted Horn Mead & Cider
This Viking-inspired beverage hall in Vista feels like a trip back in time. Vvaulted ceilings and plenty of long wooden tables give people a sense of what an authentic Scandinavian mead hall must have been like centuries ago. With San Diego mead and cider on the menu, Twisted Horn offers sweet to dry ciders and everything in between, making it easy to try all sorts of different takes on both beverages.
1042 La Mirada Court, Vista
Cider in Julian, San Diego’s Apple Country
Calico Cidery
It would make sense that in a small one-time gold rush town known for apples and apple pie that you would find good cider there. Sure enough, there is Calico Cidery. Its tasting room sits on the orchard from where they get their fruit and it has a rotating menu of four different ciders that change with the season. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the experience.
4200 CA-78, Julian
Storum Ranch Cider & Wine
Storum makes cider, vinegar, shrubs and other interesting concoctions for the aspiring cider aficionado. Only open on weekends, it’s a picturesque destination with plenty of traditional ciders and wines, all exclusively made with fruit from San Diego County. If you want to try authentic San Diego cider, Storum is the right place. Julian about an hour’s drive northeast of downtown San Diego.
1878 Wynola Road, Julian
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