Bold Rock Hard Cider

One of my favorite places to go now. The tasting room is simply gorgeous! Great staff and great cider!

Bold rock was absolutely beautiful! the lodge itself was gorgeous and homey, and we got really lucky that it was 60 degrees so close to new years. The backyard has a stream/​river, has a nice deck to sit on and plenty of seating on the deck and near the water.
We got the free tasting of the Virginia draft and the Virginia apple — They were both crisp and refreshing. We ended up getting the Virginia draft which was slightly sweeter. The virginia apple was a little more tart but was a little more crisp and cleaner because of it.
We also got the $ 5 tasting menu which gives you a taste of 4 ciders. The pear was a little disappointing because I felt like I couldn’t taste the pear. The Vat #1 you could definitely tell it was much more dry than the others. BF and I loved the orchard frost — we could really taste the cinnamon/​nutmeg. It was something very refreshing and different. The india pressed apple was much more bitter as the description mentioned it had a lot more hops.
The Orchard Frost was seasonal, and you could only buy it in a growler, so boyfriend and I couldn’t help taking a growler of it home! (Unfortunately though, we feel like drinking it at home, we couldn’t taste the cinnamon/​nutmeg flavors :/​but the cider is still really good.
Loved the ciders here and the location is beautiful! They also have some bar food-​esque items to order if you so wish.
Note: Boyfriend and I have at&t and verizon and we couldn’t get reception in the parking lot and in the lodge, although I think verizon had a little bit of service on the deck.

LOVE this place. I’ve definitely jumped on the cider train and am so excited that there were a few cideries to visit on my visit to Nellyford, VA. Bold Rock is beautiful and oh-​so family and large group friendly — it has a great outdoor area on multiple patios to sit with friends — even fire pits to warm up by. Down the beautiful back lawn, you see the creek rushing by with picnic tables and cornhole boards to play by… It really makes you want to go do cartwheels and skip down the way… all with some REALLY delicious cider to sip on. I’m a fan of all the tastings (even the IPA and I’m not an IPA person)… Buy a growler and get re-​fills — it’s totally the way to go. I would come back to visit any day… and the first thing I picked up at the grocery store on trip home was a six pack of Carolina Draft Bold Rock — YUMS!

TJ, dad and I visited Bold Rock Brewery about a month ago. The place was beautiful. It has gorgeous exposed wood vaulted ceilings, large outdoor seating area, a brewery walk through tour and views of the river and mountains. What more could you ask for. we had a couple of flights and really enjoyed them. I think we had three apple and a pear cider beer. My favorite was the pear… It was really good. The service was excellent. We took a self guided tour of the place and love it. It was so interesting to see the bottling process from the huge picture windows. I especially like to see how the machine sorted and aligned the bottle tops prior to sealing the bottle shut for freshness. To give it five stars I’m gonna have to try the food. I’ll be back.

I was a fan of Bold Rock cider before I came here — but coming for a visit made me an even bigger fan. Yes, the place was packed but we still had a wonderful time. The dog ran around and played outside, we took in the great view, and of course there’s the cider. If you haven’t had their cider, it’s a must. Yes, you can get the bottles all over now, but it’s so much better getting it here. We’re already planning another trip to come down and buy a few more growlers.

*if you are coming from Crabtree and lose reception, it’s a right out of the parking lot then a left on 151. You’ll see it in 10 miles!
Was a little confused at the lack of signage at the top of the ramp, but figured it out! There’s a nice little deck around back and a hill that some happy dogs were exercising on. You can sample 2 ciders for free and the other 4 come in a tray for $ 5. We came on Saturday around lunch and it was easy to find a place to sit. Layout of the space makes it easy to get around. Lines were reasonable and our food came out within 10 – 15 minutes. Good food, good cider, and good people (both staff and guests). IPA and pear were my favorites.
My one complaint– the doors are way too hard to open when you’ve got food and drinks in hand! Requires teamwork ;)

Had the cheese plate, charcuterie, turkey sammy, pretzel and taste flight. Beautiful weather and the outside area is pretty awesome!

Decent venue, but the staff is completely rude. Ordered an IPA, but was given a cider. After I said something, one of the tellers got an attitude straight off the bat. Was planning to purchase a bunch more, but had a change of heart. Who gets an attitude with a customer… after it was their mistake in the first place!!!

Only 4 stars because they ARE NOT prepared to handle the massive crowds the Nelson 151 trail is bringing in these days. We live a little less than an hour away and love this area for all it has to offer, the wineries, the breweries, the orchards and of course Bold Rock Cider.
We usually avoid the area like the plague on a beautiful October Saturday when the leaves are just starting to turn. This is God’s country and EVERYONE wants to be here. We usually do a weekday… because we can.
Our hand was forced because Saunders Orchards told us on the phone they were almost out of Piney River Gold apples… some of the finest on the planet. We simply had to go and I naively thought, «hey, I have two empty growlers, we’ll swing by and get them filled with that amazing India Pale Apple cider we love». Oh man, if you like beer somewhat and cider a lot, the IPA cider will blow your mind. You have NEVER tasted anything like it until you do.
On this beautiful day there were several festivals going on in the area and the wine/​brew tourism business is booming. There are literally bus and limo-​fulls of people assaulting this area during the weekends.
We were lucky to get a parking space in the primary parking lot… lucky. I made my way up to the wrong side, the tasting side of the bar and waited only to realize I was in the wrong line. The line from hell on the other side was where you purchase and get growlers filled… and guess what, growlers are the lowest priority for them! Yep, all growlers, including their own branded ones are for off-​site consumption only (another stupid Virginia ABC law… one of many. I am Virginian and love the state, but the ABC situation is moronic), so people ordering glasses get served first.
After a very long wait for me, holding two big heavy growlers (heavier than the ones they sell) and my wife simply trying to use the bathroom, we were very happy to get the heck away from that place. I would never be hanging out there like so many people were, waiting in line for a half hour just for some cider, but most are from out of town, places where packed restaurants and bars are the norm so it was probably just another day for those folks. Oh and there were NO tables available, standing room only, and yet people were perfectly happy with it… amazing. I left Northern Virgina to get away from that type of stuff… I will NOT be herded like livestock… if I can avoid it…
Not for us. I wont even be back for a simple growler fill like I was this day on a busy weekend. There may be less offered at these places during the week, but we do our trips here on weekdays. The weekends all over this area are terrible with all the out of the area tourists flooding in. Great for Nelson County though, they really have a thing going to be proud of.
Also, watch out for the cops on the weekends. they know full well people are drinking and driving. Be safe, have a designated driver (those bus and limo services are an option) or be sure you are below legal limits because it is obvious what people are here for.
Bold Rock’s facility is probably the best in the area. If they had a great restaurant it would be even better but I don’t know how they would serve any more people, they are not capable of sanely handling the crowds they get now.

Free tasting and dogs friendly (outside). The facility is very spacious with a lot of seating both inside and outside. The ciders tasted great. They also have a viewing room to show you how the ciders are bottled.

I can’t say enough about this place! The facility itself is beautiful. You could spend the afternoon on the beautiful deck, play corn hole, get a tour. In side their are several fireplaces with lots of seating. The people who work there are absolutely halarious! We went with another couple and had a blast! I don’t want to give too much away. They do have events in the evenings as well.
Oh yah, the cider is Delicous! My whole life, I never liked apple juice but this stuff is good! They also have a food menu with sandwiches and appetizers. If you are visiting the area, don’t leave without stopping by. It is definitely worth it!

Excellent cider. Went when they first opened, in the old barn. At that time you could taste all of the ciders they produced which was 3. Returned some time later, then tasted the premium and dry vintage ciders. These again were excellent. Returned lately to their new taproom and cider making facility. It is a gorgeous building. This time you had your choice of only 2 free samples out the selection for the day. We sat on the patio overlooking the Rockfish River. Great scenery. Purchased several cases to take home. Will be returning soon.

Everyone is very inviting and laid back. This is a great place to have some fun and just hang out with friends. They offer complimentary tastings of their cider and have great prices for when you choose your favorites. There is a small food menu to browse but it’s mainly all about the cider.

Fun, friendly staff. Excellent service, gorgeous views, and tasty ciders. They give you complimentary tastes of two ciders and it is only $ 5 to try four more. Everyone working seemed to genuinely seemed to love their jobs and they went out of their way to ensure we all enjoyed our experience.

Nellysford, Virginia – Road Trip #7
When I was researching online for my trip, I found Bold Rock Hard Cider (BRHC), and knew I wanted to check it out. While dark beers are my favorite, hard cider is a close second. Looking at the reviews, BRHC seemed like a great place to visit, and since it was a rainy day, I figured it was a good choice. I hit the road and went off for exploring.
«When a southern guy with a farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains met a top international cider maker from New Zealand, these two unlikely partners set out to change the landscape of craft cider.» This is the story of John Washburn and Brian Shanks in their own words on their website (
). In 1985, Washburn purchased the land where BRHC now stands. Then he found Shanks for his partner in 2010. The rest was history when their first bottle was sold in June 2012.
When you arrive at the parking lot, you end up walking up a long ramp to the building. In fact, at the end, there is a sign that says, «Congratulations! You have conquered the summit. Mount Bold Rock Elev. 801.5 ft.» The building is absolutely gorgeous – a Shenandoah-​style barn overlooking Bold Rock Meadow. I went inside and immediately walked up to the bar to order a flight ($ 5) and a snack – I needed something to soak up that alcohol! I received five different samples of cider, and my top two favorites were Virginia Apple (#1) and Pear – slightly sweet, clean and refreshing. I also ordered a Small Cheese Plate ($ 8), and that was a wonderful compliment to the ciders. It came with local bread, different types of cheese, brown spicy mustard, olives, and quince paste.
While I didn’t do the tour that day, I did check out the small museum on the second floor. While I was taking a picture in the gallery looking down below, one of the co-​owners, John, stopped to talk to me. He said 30 years ago, he was imagining this building, and he thought people might stand here in this same spot admiring the building. The huge exposed wooden beams throughout leaves a wonderful aroma combined with the apples. There is something about BRHC that is magical: the warm wood interior; breathtaking views; wonderful staff; and delicious food and cider. If I lived nearby, I would stop by on a regular basis.
I would highly recommend you stop by to visit BRHC when you’re in the area – heck…I suggest you plan a road trip to this area anyway! If I come back, I will take my cider and snack and go outside to the picnic tables beside the brook – that’s my tip to you. Make sure you pick up some cider to take home, too.

I grew up down the street before we had breweries or cider. I love that Nelson has become such an epicenter for booze.
We enjoyed the free tasting (2 of their on top ciders) but most of all enjoyed our pints of cider on the porch with an amazing view. The building itself is beautiful. I hope someone is utilizing this place for events, rehearsal dinners, concerts etc. The patio is built on place of what used to be one of my favorite views off 151 and still measures up. Below is a big open field with picnic tables over looking the creek.
Go because it’s delicious even if you’re not typically into cider. Go because it’s beautiful.

Bold Rock Hard Cider is the BEST! I have been drinking it locally in Richmond, and just had my first visit over the weekend.
I loved the location! It was warm and cozy and reminded me of a cabin in Colorado. They had a fire burning. I met one of the lovely owners and the free cider tastings were much appreciated.
My family was visiting from Ft. Lauderdale and they loved the atmosphere as well. We each had a flight and a glass of hard cider, looked out at the water, took a growler of Virginia Draft to go, and headed to Shenandoah National Park. It was a great time!
I see big things in store for this cidery and am excited to visit again.
Tip: keep a look out for the «mouse hole».

Still five stars, but with the addition of their new Pear Cider they’ve changed their free tasting around. As of writing, you receive a tasting of the Virginia Draft and Pear Cider for free — if you want to taste the other three ciders, you can purchase a flight for $ 5 (you get more than a tasting, less than a full glass). Still totally worth it my friends.

Bold rock is a fairly new cider company but they’ve definitely made a name for themselves. I’ve had them a few times at restaurants as well as festivals in the DC/​Virginia/​Maryland area, but I finally took a trip to their place near Charlottesville.
The most striking thing about the place is that the tastings are totally free! No gimmicks, no pressure to buy anything. We learned a lot at our tasting and it was run by one of the owners of Bold Rock! Her story about how it had come about was fascinating and she made us feel really welcome.
Although the ciderie itself is still up and coming (they don’t have a lot of places for people to sit and hang out), they offer reasonably priced drafts on site. I’d definitely go back and I predict that Bold Rock isn’t done stunning us yet.

Warning: A tour here will make you a brand loyalist to Bold Rock. I promise you that!
Three friends and I went on a weekend camping trip and decided to go to two distilleries, a winery, and Bold Rock. Even though I’m the only cider fan out of my friends, we all agreed the Bold Rock experience was the best one.
First of all, the location of Bold Rock is beautiful (with Black Rock just behind the cidery). The tour and tastings are FREE and the people who work there obviously love their jobs and are people you’d want to be friends with. They have tables to sit at and even have a bean bag game for people to enjoy. They are building a new facilities to open in August 2014 and it is gorgeous (I will be coming back in August!).
The cider is the best I’ve had. If you are not a cider fan and love beer instead, start with the Virginia Apple draft (It’s not sweet). I love sweeter drinks and love the Virginia Draft.
Honestly, everyone needs to make a trip to Nellysford for Bold Rock. They will easily make you a cider advocate.