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Categories: Local Flavor, Fruits & Veggies, Donuts [Edit]
3600 Waterbury-Stowe Road
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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.
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!
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.
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Great apple cider, good apple cider donuts, good parking attendants, and great apple cider. If you want some great apple cider, come here. It gets pretty crazy but don't let that daunt you. The cider is totally worth it.
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."
So I came here in 2005 or so and I loved this place. I got all kinds of goodies to bring back to California and those donuts damn you have to try those. Being from Cali I thought Vermont was going to be boring but it wasn't. I love apple anything and this place seemed like it had a lot of history behind it. You have to come here and check it out.
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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.
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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?!)
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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?
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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.
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If you make your way up to the Ben and Jerry's factory, it is definitely worth the trip to come down the rode a bit to this cider mill. They have free cider and a little video that tells you how the cider is made. They also have cider donuts which, according to the guide book, is a must-eat and we quite enjoyed them. They've got all kinds of apple products and of course, lots of cider!
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
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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.
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This is more of a gift shop/tourist attraction than anything else. We weren't quite certain what the hype is all about. The cider donut was mediocre. The cider was pretty good- they should stick to what they know best.
It seemed in comparison to a beach vacation - seen one t-shirt shop, you've seen them all.
To me, fall isn't fall without a trip to the Stowe, VT, area, and it definitely isn't fall without taking a trip to the Cold Hollow Cider Mill on Route 100 in nearby Waterbury Center. This place is almost like a country store, with all kinds of maple products, jams and jellies, balsam pillows, cookbooks, stuffed animals, etc., and of course, apple cider and related products. During the fall, you can sample the apple cider in the back of the place, and it is definitely some of the best I've had in New England. The views of fields and mountains in the back of the parking lot is memorable, and the village of Waterbury Center itself is quaint and charming. A must for anyone going to Stowe, be it in the fall or any other time of year.
oh wow, the fresh baked bread does Vermont proud. just like I remember every ski trip to Vermont as a kid. Nothing hits the spot like fragrant fresh homemade Vermont bread. when you first walk in, the smell of wood and cinnamon hits you. the cider donuts are good too, butter oozes out when you pick em up like Auntie Anne's Pretzels. they have lots of fun knick knacks for the kitchen and a whole collection of John Deere paraphernelia. everyone was able to find at least one souvenir in this place.
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?
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.
OK, I grew up in Vermont and Massachusetts and have had my share of cider and cider donuts...this place has the BEST, by far. Grab a 1/2 (or whole) dozen and a cider slush...best value ever. Lots of Vermonty stuff for purchase, as well as a view of an apple cider press. Great place for a pit stop (along w/ the Cabot Tasting Room, Lake Champlain store, and Ben & Jerry's...come on an empty stomach!). Don't miss the giant tank of apple cider all the way in the back, past the jams...you can try a Dixie Cup's worth of cold fresh cider!
Cute little cider mill - delicious cider, of course. Tasty donuts, too. We came right before closing so I don't know how it is during the day... but it was nice enough. Friendly-ish staff. Darned tasty cider. ;)
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DELICIOUS cider donuts that you can watch being made. Excellent cider (the best I've ever tasted), both hot and cold. Huge store filled with maple syrup, candy, kitchen doodads, jellies and spreads, souvenirs, etc. Definitely worth a trip. I went twice in two days :)
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so there really isn't that much to see other than a couple of guys arranging layers of apple mash on layers of trays via a huge vacuum hose, but the gift shop has tons of that vermont paraphernalia we've all come to love, and the people who work there are very helpful. also, cider donuts are delicious.
i stopped in here only because i wanted to a wine tasting next door, and i really liked both the layout and offerings of the cider mill. okay okay there's tons of "crap" that desperate tourists launch themselves onto right before heading home on their bus tour of new england, but there were some genuine vermont made products like jellies, fruit butters, mustards and of course cider (free samples!) and cider donuts. the donuts are made fresh while you watch and the staff was friendly in that delightful non-pushy "buy our crap" way.
Waterbury, VT
Category: Southern
Waterbury, VT
Category: American (Traditional)
Waterbury, VT
Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
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