ABOUT US

     I was a home cider maker for 25 years, making hard apple cider and pear cider (perry) in our kitchen, five gallons at a time. Always striving to improve it, I tried different techniques and a variety of apples, pears and yeasts. My ciders quickly became popular with friends and family, and when I supplied my niece's large wedding with a sparkling perry, guests responded with, "Where can I buy more?" and "You should go into the hard cider business!" That's when I realized it was time to expand my operation.

     So, in 2016, my wife and I established Pacific Grove CiderWorks within earshot of the waves of Monterey Bay, where we now craft a variety of ciders and perry.

     Of special interest is our "pear port". We both enjoy Port (a blend of sweet grape wine and brandy) and what the French call Pommeau (a blend of cider and apple brandy), but could never find a similar aperitif made from pears. So we decided to make our own, perhaps the first ever, and gave it the name Brandipera®. A luscious blend of our perry and our custom-distilled pear brandy, it gets even better when aged in French Oak barrels in the cool, moist climate of Pacific Grove, earning a Gold Medal at the 2020 U.S. open Championships.

Enjoy

~ Tim Calvert; Owner, Cider Maker