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Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Categories: Local Flavor Food Specialty Food Fruits & Veggies Food Donuts Local Flavor, Fruits & Veggies, Donuts [Edit]
3600 Waterbury-Stowe RdWaterbury Center, VT 05677
(802) 244-8771
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
58 reviews for Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Review Highlights
"Everything from maple syrup to maple spice to maple bbq..."
(in 11 reviews)
"and cider steamed hot dogs, and more."
(in 4 reviews)
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away."
(in 28 reviews)
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58 reviews in English
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Review from Blair A.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Holy Cider Goddess of my loins...please follow me back to Austin, Texas where I can devour your sweet nectar of deliciousness for all the rest of my days.
Too much? Well then you've never been here.
The mill is overrun with perishable goodies made from apples and maple. When you first walk in you're greeted by a long table with oyster crackers and four different open jars of yumminess to sample. My two favorites were the Spiced Apple Butter and the Apple Cider Jelly.
If it were socially acceptable to rub these spreads all over my body and walk around daily I'd probably be everyone's favorite person. Hell, I'd at least be my own favorite person.
Sticky sweetness all over my hands lead me to the cider mill where you can watch apples being butchered for all the delectable treats inside the shop, the best being the hot apple cider and fresh apple donuts. Never had a fresh apple donut? FIND ONE IMMEDIATELY. And when I say immediately, I mean IMMEDIATELY. A true cake donut with a hint of apple sweetness will turn that frown upside down. Eat an apple donut a day and it'll surely keep the doctor away. If not I'd eat those things on my death bed and tell the doctor to turn right around because I could die happy.
The Cold Hollow Cider Mill is worth a trip from anywhere. I'm pretty sure I'm even going to have them ship me some goodies to Texas because I need this sustenance year round--it's just too good to pass up!
If I could give them 15,000 stars I still don't think it'd be enough! -
Review from Bill E.
1/16/2012
Stopped here a few times when I lived in Vermont, as every other Yelp review says some awesome cider. I really liked browsing around the store and checking out the selection of Jams, Jellies, butters and more. It was neat watching the apple cider donuts being made and fried to order and served piping hot. The prices for the donuts were very reasonable also.
Don't forget to pick up a fresh gallon of awesome apple cider before you leave.
Also there are self guided tours seeing how the cider is made and such. -
Review from Michael D.
Boston, MA
1/12/2012 2 photos
Stopped here on a string of tour factories...
Cute little shop with all kinds of samples and FRESHLY FRIED APPLE CIDER DONUTS (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
BEST APPLE CIDER DONUT OF MY LIFE. Soft, moist, delicate. DEFINITELY come try it if you get a chance. ALSO, they make a good honey mustard that contains something that tastes like horseradish.. so you get a nice kick to it!
OH, and it's a CIDER MILL so don't forget to try the FREE cider in the wayy back.. there's a giant tank of it! -
Review from Shibs K.
1/22/2012
The cider mill has a great variety of local jams, spreads, marinades, teas, spices, etc...definitely the place to go for gifts to take home!
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Review from Tiffany L.
New York, NY
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
What's not to like? You get to watch them making fresh cider which is directly siphoned to a giant steel cannister where you can help yourself! The apple cider donuts were the best I've had anywhere - moist and slightly crispy on the outside. Hubby also got an apple cider steamed hotdog which was kind of just a standard hotdog, but all the relishes you can use make it yummy. It's fun to wander around the inside of the store looking at the knicknacks they sell while sampling different preserves/pickles.
When you're done, go across the street and experience the $1 hard cider and wine tasting! -
Review from Catherine H.
South Bend, IN
9/16/2011
They were out of cider for the season when we were there in early August. We tried the donuts, which were OK. A little dry, but they had a good apple flavor. Lots of "country kitsch" in the gift shop, and they also had a wide variety of samples of jams & jellies for us to try.
Just down the highway from Ben & Jerry's, so worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood. -
Review from Jen Q.
Brewster, OH
10/9/2011
The cider here is 5 stars. Absolutely excellent and you can watch them make it. The cider donuts, eh...not so good, the crabby employees-not so nice, and the sheer number of tourists swarming this place make you not want to return. Ever. But the cider...oh the cider...I will return for you.
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Review from carrie s.
Casselberry, FL
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Truly a surprise. I am not a cider fan at all and I loved this.
The store was fun and easy to look around. -
Review from Joanne G.
5/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bees, samples, small heavy sticky buns.
Still eerily unfriendly people.
Lots of this and thats for gifts and such but the donuts were like small and for a dozen to cost $5 surely they could make them a wee bit larger?
the coffee (green mountain) was divine and those sticky buns i mentioned earlier - well they were better than those peanut donuts by a mile -
Review from Sox g.
Arlington, MA
7/27/2011 1 photo
I have to say that I wasn't terribly impressed with the donuts. They were very dry and they weren't that tasty. I didn't even finish the rest of mine.
They have a huge store that sells everything from jelly and jam to John Deere stuff. It's interesting.
They were out of cider when we went. That was a bummer. -
Review from Kimberlee M.
Burlington, VT
10/9/2011
BEST cider there is!!! I'm actually going to send some to my family in Wisconsin!!!
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Review from Jae L.
Jericho, VT
10/13/2010
Donuts: 5 stars. Cider: 4 1/2 stars. Store: 2 1/2 stars, Tourist attraction: 2 stars.
The best cider donuts I've ever had, no question. Good apple flavor (doesn't need icing or sugar-cinamon coating), not greasy, crispy on the outside, and tender and steamy on the inside. We bought a half dozen and inhaled them in less than 5 minutes as we walked around the store.
There are some tables outside where you can eat your donuts and sip your cider and enjoy the Vermont air.
The store has a wide variety of vermont-made jams, preserves, sauces, maple syrup, etc -- but, as another reviewer noted, you can get these for cheaper at local stores, if you have the time. They had a tasting station with crackers and about half a dozen jars of apple butter, apple jam, apple mustard, relish, etc. All were excellent and helped us stop craving more donuts, which we otherwise would have surely bought and consumed right there.
They also have some kitschy crafts, basket-weaving kits, books of local interest, and cookbooks. And then they have random humor books and other tourist items for you to bring back to your friends at home.
To the right and in the back, they also have a cross-section of a bee hive, where you can watch the little, busy guys go about their work (there is a tunnel that leads to the outside, allowing the bees to come ingress and egress). The have sheets of information on the bees, their lives, their work, their honey. Also for sale are several books, cookbooks, and other bee paraphernalia.
To the left of the main store, they have a viewing room where you can watch them make the cider on an old-fashioned press. Sadly, they were not making any when we came at the end of the day, but they had a rather interesting and informative video that explained the process and showed how they make their cider.
In the same room, they had a place where you could sample fresh-pressed cider. The cider, like the donuts, is addictive. I must have filled my teeny weeny cup 6 or 7 times. Not too sweet, not too tart, and intensely apple-y, it had a nicely complex flavor that has your mouth begging for more.
All in all, if you are going to be in the Waterbury/Stowe area anyway (to ski, go to Ben and Jerry's, or have an excellent beer at The Alchemist), it is worth the stop for about, oh, 30 minutes or so. Really, if you are driving by, it is worth the 5 minutes just to get the donuts, which are best eaten fresh. (I am guessing, here. Ours did not last 5 minutes)
I actually do not think it is a great tourist attraction for younger kids unless the apple press is actually in action. But if you are the kind of person who, like me, enjoys reading every little information card under every exhibit at any museum, then you may find you will learn a lot about apples and bees here.Listed in: When in Vermont..., Localvore Love
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Review from Pamela C.
9/30/2010
Its all about the cider doughnuts.
So awesome. The doughnuts are fantastic when hot or warm! Perfectly crisp on the outside, soft and cakey on the inside. Also not too sweet. Getting at least a half dozen will NOT be ridiculous. They are worth it (the calories...not the expense). The price is way reasonable...about $2.50 for 6.
There are other prepared foodstuffs for sale: hot & cold cider (obvs), cider steamed hot dogs, pies, pastries and coffee. The fiance says the hot cider is pretty awesome or rather "cider's kick ass" as he just proclaimed (he grew up in New England, so I deem him my "cider" expert). I thought the hot cider tasted like liquid apple pie...I was not a big fan...I think its an acquired taste.
If not for the dough-nuts, I'd give this place only 2 or 3 stars. There isn't much else to do here. There is a room where you can watch people making cider but that is only as exciting as the people doing it. The time I was here most recently, the 2 dudes making cider looked like they'd rather be in jail...not that I blame them but it might make sense from a managerial/marketing perspective to put your most cheery-looking cider makers in the viewing room. These dudes looked pained. The other time I was here about two years ago, they happened to not be making cider the day we stopped in.
You can also watch pies being made which is cool and all but not particularly "Vermont" or "rural" or "farm" to me. The other main activity is shopping for Vermont foodstuffs and gifts. Obviously there is all manner of apple or apple cider flavored stuff...bbq sauce, mustards, crackers, jams, etc. There is a really cool old blue track in the field adjacent to the building. It is cool to take photos of....yeah!
The prices for the food "souvenirs" are normal for gift shop fare BUT high for just being food. My tip for those tourists looking to bring home Vermont foodstuffs (maple syrup, cheeses, Green Mountain coffee, etc): head to some of the local grocery stores away from the tourist centers to save a few bucks. The co-op in Montpelier or even the local Shaw's supermarkets carry a good deal of the "Vermont food" stuff being sold here, with the only exception being the packaged apple cider.
Basically, doughnuts are the main reason to go here. But they are fabulous!
Pros: Open in winter, cider doughnuts, pastries, cool Adirondack chairs on the front porch, prepared food located near the entrance enabling people to just come in and get the doughnuts without dealing with the rest of their tourist situation.
Cons: Can get crowded in winter when Stowe is full of wintersport enthusiasts, potential for cold doughnuts if you're timing is unlucky (not as tasty).Listed in: Random New England
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Review from M T.
New York, NY
9/6/2010 2 photos
HOT & FRIED Apple cider doughnuts! This doughnut symbolizes my by-line, Delicious on the lips, Lifetime on the hips! This is a great pit stop on my adventure in Vermont. I would have not stop here if it was for dear old Mom, "buy some apple cider doughnuts".
Found this place by reading about it a travel brochure found in the Vermont welcome center in I-91. At first, I was like maybe I'll stop there. My first days in Vermont were spent in Burlington. Loved that town, but could not find one apple cider doughnut that exists there. I was on the hunt. I dragged the mister to make a stop here as this is the home of legendary doughnuts.
As soon as you walk in, the aroma of deep fried apples makes your mouth water. There was a line just to buy doughnuts. The mister got on line right away as I wanted to shop the store of local goods. I just end up buying d-nuts and apple cider. I was so annoyed that I had to wait for my doughnuts coming out of the fryers. I had no patience that time. $5.00 for that dozen that will add more junk to your trunk!
This store has walls of homemade jams, tomato sauces, maple syrups and I Love Vermont souveniers! There is free samples of apple cider in the back. There were lots of people here of this Labor Day weekend.
The mister and I munched on the doughnuts and drank cider on their outside area of picnic tables. We were really happy that we stopped here. This is worth the pit stop. This cider mill is next to the Grand View Winery Tasting Room and The Apple Core Store. FYI - down the road is Ben & Jerry Ice Cream Plant and Cabot's Store. -
Review from David M.
11/22/2010
Great cider donuts, free tasting of cider and a cut-away live bee colony. This was a ton of fun to poke around (think New England gift shop... then make it huge). You can even see there huge cider press in action.
The guy manning the cider press brought out the apple solids (left over after the press). Its amazing tasteless, (all the flavor goes into the cider). You have to try it to believe it. -
Review from N F.
El Segundo, CA
Updated - 8/11/2011
Love this place! I enjoy the cider steamed hot dogs and buy jams and jellies for friends and family back home. I've been coming here every year for 6 years and have never been disappointed. There's a good size parking lot, but it can get busy on the weekends. Ohhhh please make sure you get a donut.
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Review from Ben B.
Acton, MA
1/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
All I need to say is Cider Donut Heaven...
That is all... -
Review from David T.
7/4/2010 3 photos
The cider donuts (and the actual cider itself) ARE amazing here. Donuts fresh out of the fryer are always the best way to eat them and Cold Hollow churns them out like nobody's business!! Get at a dozen to go...you won't be sorry. (btw, my dozen were packed fresh, not in a bag that was sitting out as another reviewer mentioned...maybe i was lucky today?)
The only disappointment was that there is not much else to do here. Maybe my hopes were too high but I expected more of an actual factory tour and less of a gift shop. All the food stuff was delicious but I would have liked more of a behind-the-scenes experience. Still, it is worth a stop to grab some donuts and cider on your way to Ben and Jerry's down the street; makes for one fat-filled afternoon! -
Review from Emma L.
3/7/2010 1 photo
I am a sucker for extremely overstocked local country stores. WOW. This place has it all!!!
Shelves and shelves of Vermont local items at very non-premium prices and a separate section with over the counter food kiosk that sells apple cider (local and fresh of course), apple cider donuts (of course!), and cider steamed hot dogs, and more!
It is stores like this that makes the state of Vermont the quaint charasmatic place it is. LOVE IT! -
Review from Sarah G.
1/10/2010
Cider Donuts.....Will you be my boyfriend? No offense to you Matt J., but those donuts dipped into that cider that is pretty much perfect! Especially when it is a little brisk outside! Hot cider and those donuts could be anyone's cure for at least temporary happiness!
But other than those donuts and the cider, there really isnt' much else here. It is basically a giant store with all kinds of apple and cider related stuff to buy. Books, aprons, sauces, jams, pancake mix....the list goes on and on, and this place is so packed that they actually have parking attendants that are there just to direct traffic in and out of the parking lot! I honestly don't know why so many people go here, but here I am writing a review about it, so obviously I went! But there really isn't much else to do here, other than drink cider, eat donuts, and get some samples of their jam on some of their kind of dry crackers they have out. Their apple pumpkin butter is the best, but everything is kind of pricey to buy here.
And if you are really desperate for something to do, you can do what we did and take pictures in one of those awkward head cut out boards, where your face becomes one of the apples in a basket! Hey, we made it through the parking mess and the huge crowd of people inside the store, so we needed to do something else to make it worth while while we wished we had bought another donut....ha -
Review from Quinn S.
1/2/2009
Cold, tart cider and sweet, hot cider donuts are like heaven.
Somehow they isolate the most amazing moment in the life of a Macintosh apple and trap it in a bottle. -
Review from Debbie W.
New York, NY
7/14/2009
Dude...seriously....if you're into checking out local specialties...if you're into fresh treats...if you're into unique experiences...if you're into tasting different parts of the country...if you're into things that taste amazing...GO TO COLD HOLLOW CIDER MILL!
When you walk in, feel free to skip the touristy gift shop that has grown around this first rate cider mill (unless you're into that, and sometimes, i have to admit, i am) and go straight to the bakery where you will watch their cider donuts being made right in front of you. Order at least half a dozen, and then swoon a little when you're handed a bag thats almost too hot to hold. Take a deep breath and wait for them to cool just a tiny bit -- after all, you dont want a tummy ache. Besides, this will give you a chance to just breathe in the smell and realize how wonderful it feels to hold a truly fresh baked donut in the palm of your hand, knowing that in a few moments, you'll be tasting heaven.
Ok-- now go ahead and eat it. Un-BELIEVABLE! I know i've said it before, but THIS is why its still worth it to travel. Oh and while you're there, if you've wandered over to their well stocked book section, grab Jan and Michael Stern's 500 places to Eat Before Its Too Late. Thats how I found this place to begin with and they did a great job of finding little wonderful local unique places.
I didnt try their cider because cider and summer just dont mix for me, but I have no doubt that its as outrageous as their donuts. Mental note-- plan fall trip to vermont.Listed in: W3, A Taste of New England
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Review from marissa p.
San Jose, CA
10/28/2011
Love the fresh hot apple cider! A cute country store that really plays up the Vermont local food products.
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Review from Jerome W.
San Francisco, CA
10/18/2010 7 photos
I was going to write some long winded review but it looks like the great Yelpers who preceded me have said it all. I say go here! I had the pleasure of watching them press the apple cider and also making the donuts. Got some nice video of everything. The manager explained to me the difference between apple cider and apple juice. Make a long story short: Apple juice is more filtered than cider. In other countries cider is considered "hard" but not here. However, hard cider can be found in another establishment accross the parking lot.
1. don't miss the actual making of the donuts
2. don't miss the actual pressing of the apples
3. tast the apple cider from tiny little cups for free
4. check out the wide variety of local food goods in jars
5. I liked this better than Ben and Jerry's just up the road, as here there was manufacturing going on during the weekend. -
Review from Emily B.
Napa, CA
11/19/2008
I never thought I'd have a cider donut , I didn't know there was such a thing. But it's a must if you come to Cold Hollow. You have to try it of course with some cider too of course. I wish I could have brought back some in my suitcase they are soo good. I wasn't hungry enough yet but I did see that they also had Cider hot dogs. Interesting... my friend had been there before and had one last time . She said it was pretty good.
Cold Hollow has an amazing shop, mustards, jellies, donut mix, maple syrup and gifts to bring home to the Family. ( I picked up some maple mustard and it's damn good)
The basket of apples outside is filled to the brim of perfect shiny juicy apples and for 10 cents a piece you have to try one.
Visiting Cold Hollow will warm your tummy and give you that comforting country feeling almost like you at grandma's or something along that line. -
Review from Jennifer L.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2009
Hands down the best apple cider I have ever had in my life. I can't even go on enough about how amazing the cider (straight out of the press) is. I mean. . . just wow.
The apple cider donuts were awesome too, even though I was thinking how much I'd like them to be covered in cinnamon and sugar until I had a bite and realized they were perfect just as they were. And you can watch them getting made!
Look out for the mustard samples if you're not a horseradish fan - ick.
I'm online right now to find out what I can buy and have shipped from here.
Seriously amazing.
(And I have to beg to differ in regards to Jen R.'s review - not only is there a mural diagram painted on the wall showing the step by step process of pressing the apples, they show a video - how much more show and tell could you want?!) -
Review from Bob C.
Dracut, MA
2/22/2010
We stopped in the Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, VT recently.
This is a country store with plenty of unique gifts as well as typical nick knacks. They offer free samples of certain jellies/spreads and cider. There is no tour per-Se during the winter but they have a video running of how they make the cider. Not sure if they offer a tour during the peak season (but they do offer bus parking -- so the place must be popular). Not too far from Stowe Mt. ski resort
I'm not a big apple cider guy but I can certainly say this was REALLY good! Even went back for a second sample and bought a 1/2 gallon for later on. Packaging claims that it is 100% apple cider with a note stating that all apples come from the Champlain Valley - NO imports. The only ingredients are Apples and Potassium Sorbate. Also bought some unsweetened Apple Butter - which contains "Whole Vermont Apples and Fresh Cold Hollow Cider". - Very good.
The fresh home made cider donuts (made on sight) are OUT OF THIS WORLD! We got a 1/2 dozen and fought over the last one.
It is an easy drive right off of I89 off the Waterbury exit. Worth the trip if you are in the area. -
Review from Dan P.
Somerville, MA
8/6/2009
What a let down! I come to the Cold Hollow Cider Mill because the advertising pamphlet at the highway rest stop makes it look pretty awesome. I show up about an hour and a half after the place opens and its a ghost town. I go inside to what is one giant tourist trap store, very dark inside. I make my way to the back where the tours are...
Tours? There are no tours! The tour is you stand at a counter that once had a person working there but is now closed with fiber glass and you watch a video on the tv at ceiling height. I've done fun tours of breweries, orchards, chocolate places, and other mills, but never a cider mill. Then we decide to get a sample of the cider from the giant tank and turned the nozzle and a dozen flies come swarming out! Obviously it wasn't cleaned at the end of the day before.
If you are looking for a one stop to buy all your Vermont souvenirs (maple syrup, t-shirts, country cooking ware, etc.) then this is the place to come to. Just don't get your hopes up about the "tour." -
Review from rachel h.
3/1/2011
how many donuts do you think four people can eat in 12 hours? 10? 12? guess again, capitan. 19. that's right. we stopped by after a day of skiing and picked up the LAST 13 donuts in the place. (got a number of scowls from angry customers, too.) then the next morning, we made a second run for another half dozen. preeeettttyyy, preettyy impressive. huh?
i think the sheer volume we ate speaks for itself. the donuts were awesome. (not the best cider donuts i've had, but definitely in the top 2. wait, that makes them the second best.) i also got a couple hot apple ciders, which i thought were even better than the donuts. go ahead and splurge for the large.
the place is chock-full of touristy crap -- maple candies, maple bacon, maple whatevers, cutting boards shaped like barn yard animals. the usual. it's a good pit stop if you're in the stowe area and need to bring back something to the office to share. -
Review from Jen R.
Oakland, CA
10/27/2008 5 photos
I loved the cider (hot and cold) and cider donuts here. I discovered this place on a New England road trip and immediately fell in love with Vermont cider and got a few more hot cups to go along our trip (perfect to balance the crisp wind in our convertible). I'm used to farmer market cider in California but this was something different and definitely worth tasting.
Only four stars because there's not much of a show-and-tell of how they make the cider. I would have loved more on that.
Cider = awesome -
Review from Tricia L.
2/2/2009 2 photos
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Cold Hollow's bakery area had fresh cider donuts (dies of happiness), cookies, and pies. The store part sold flavorful jams, sauces, and maple syrup, and waaay in the back, was a gigantic tank where you could pump out dixie cup samples of cold apple cider.
I will forever now associate apple cider with my trip to Vermont. What a cute, cozy litlte place! Why aren't there any places like this in the Midwest?!
... And is it okay if my serving of daily apple comes in the form of cider donuts? -
Review from Bailey Z.
Cold Hollow Cider Mill is a great stop to get a nice refreshing sip of cold cider or a nice cup of hot cider for a cold winter day. As soon as you enter, you get a big whiff of delicious baked goods and soon realize that there are fresh donuts. The donuts were a bit of a letdown because although we could see them getting freshly made, the ones we bought were completely cold. If you don't want to buy an entire cup of cider and just want a taste, there is also a sample barrel in the back.
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Review from Tatiana D.
San Francisco, CA
9/15/2010 4 photos
My boyfriend and I were in town just for the weekend (1st stop in our All You Can Jet pass from Jet Blue tour) so we had to maximize our time. This place is a good one stop shop for your souvenir needs. They have cheesy tsotchke stuff and they have cool only in Vermont stuff. Everything from maple syrup to maple spice to maple bbq sauce! They have hot dogs there, hot cider, cold cider, and the cider donuts (which were just aight to me). If you're low on time, put this place on your list to visit!
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Review from Rowena D.
8/13/2008
Their cider donuts are the best! I'd never had a cider donut before and the donuts here did not disappoint. Of course, the donuts taste the best when they are piping hot. I quickly ate 3 mini donuts so I could enjoy them while they were hot. Afterwards, I washed the donuts down with some of their cold cider. The cider was great. It had the right balance of sweetness which I really liked.
The gift shop here is really cute. They sold everything from cider jellys to maple syrup to scone mix. Check this place out if you are in the area. -
Review from Mark T.
9/27/2009 2 photos
Despite coming to Vermont many times, this was my first trip to Cold Hollow - and it was worth it. The company has a big facilitity that serves as a store and a museum. Today was very busy with a tour bus stopping by, which I imagine is common on the weekends. Inside there were many things to purchase and samples to be tasted. I tried some of the mustards and spreads for crackers. Yeah to the pumpkin butter!
At first I was disappointed because it appeared you had to pay for a cup to taste the cider. That is just the hot apple cider - continue around the back for free cold cider samples. You can peek into the window and see how it is pressed. Cool.
Being a fan of hot dogs, I had to spend the $2 to try what they proclaim as the world only cider boiled hot dog. The bun was the same type used at Fenway Park for the Fenway Franks. I used the horseradish mustard spread and I must admit, it was dang tasty. The hot dog was pale in comparison to a fried or grilled dog, but I would definitely go back for another.
If you want to try something that is truly Vermont, give Cold Hollow a try! -
Review from Albert D.
Boston, MA
10/14/2007
Good cider:
hot has a more tart taste, but is perfect for a cold day
cold has a sweeter taste, and of course, is good for a hot day.
I got two large drinks and a half-dozen cider donuts for $5.50. Talk about value! There is a lot of souviners here as well, so when you finally decide to get some vermont maple syrup, it will be here, waiting for you.
The apple press in back of the store looks pretty nifty. Who would've thought that you squish a bunch of apples to get the juices out? Logical, no? -
Review from Liz P.
Shirley, MA
10/25/2009 1 Check-in Here
Nobody does apple cider like Cold Hollow. It is hands down the best anywhere. In addition, Cold Hollow sells all kinds of cider-related goods, for example jams and jellies, pancake mixes, and of course, cider doughnuts. There's also plenty of maple syrup, all grades, available for purchase. They have definitely expanded their business of the last 30 years, which is clear by the large amount of products they sell.
Pop into the cider room when you arrive, and watch the cider being pressed right before your eyes. Then, pour yourself a free sample from the huge vat and savor the taste. After that, poke around in the shop, making sure to grab some of the free samples of the Cold Hollow brand jellies, salsas, and spreads. Stop and take a look at "Ernie", the automated doughnut machine. Before you leave, at the very least buy yourself of gallon of the cider and some doughnuts - no trip is complete without these two staples.
This is a great place for kids, especially watching the cider being made and being able to handle the pomace, which is the leftover mashed up apple. I always loved visiting and still do today. -
Review from Jesse M.
Austin, TX
10/28/2007
What is synonymous with Fall in Vermont? Cider!
Fun fall stop for the family or visitor. You'll get a glimpse of all the processes, trappings and products associated with cider production. The tour/press room window is a lot of fun for the kids as a prelude to getting amped up on cider and doughnuts - that's right - "dough" nuts, the real deal.
You can expect bus loads of leaf peepers during the peak of fall foliage. The gift shop has a variety of Vermont made products for purchase. -
Review from Tim F.
7/13/2010
This is good place to stop for a variety of Vermont snacks, maple syrup, candies etc. However, when a business has the word "cider" in it, one would expect their cider to exceptional. The hot cider I ordered was okay and the donut was not as good as the ones from Jana's Cupboard, located on the other side of the Notch. However, if you happen to be driving by and are need of a cider donut fix and need some souvenirs for the ride home, it is a decent place. I don't know if I would travel out of my way to get here.
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Review from Suckonballsack S.
Santa Clara, CA
11/24/2009
For some reason, I thought Cold Hollow was an experience, not a stop along the road. My mistake.
The cider was excellent and cheap! And the apple cider donuts were pretty good too. I liked that you could get cider, hot OR cold. The gift shop area sucked a bit, in my opinion, though. it was kind of random...
This Vermont "attraction" took us about ten minutes. It's more of a refreshment stop IMO.
And I found out you can order cider from them online. For about $20 (including shipping), you can enjoy fresh Vermont apple cider at home! That's pretty impressive. I have to pay close to $10 at my local Safeway here in California and it's not "apple cider", it's an impostor! So I was super excited to find out I can order direct from Cold Hollow! What more can you ask for? (getting thirsty thinking about it!)
