Rockland Cider Works is owned and operated by Elisabeth and Darin Van Houten. The Van Houtens have always run a charming garden center, offering annual and perennial bedding plants, local produce, cage-free eggs, herbs, and Christmas trees among many other products. One day, while enjoying a cold beer at one of their beautiful garden centers, they had a delightful idea: why not serve adult beverages in their picturesque garden? With Darin already homebrewing beer and a friend discovering an old apple press, they decided to try their luck at making cider.

They perfected a hard cider recipe using dessert apples that they coined Dry Run! It is a dry, unsweetened cider, unlike anything they had ever tasted before. The rest, as they say, is history. Five years ago, leveraging their existing farm and garden center, they ventured into the cider industry—an entirely new endeavor for their local region. It’s been a rollercoaster journey, but the Van Houtens have reaped the benefits of their hard work through the strong relationships they’ve forged. They cherish the friendships they’ve made with customers, many of whom they might not have met otherwise.

Due to some unfortunate ongoing litigations from their neighbors Rockland Cider Works was forced to closed their Pear River location. They opened a new location in the Catskills on Elisabeth's family farm to continue keep their dream alive. They hope to one day run both locations successfully.

They hope to raise awareness about cider among adult beverage consumers. They continue to face challenges regarding urban farming, agrotourism and disgruntled neighbors but they continue to fight For the cider and craft beverage industry as well as farming rights.   You can find more about their history on the Van Houten Farms website. The Van Houtens have strategically crafted certain ciders with the dream of seeing them in specific beloved locations. They aspire to see their Plantation Keys (pineapple cider) selling in the Florida Keys and their Crush It (orange cider) in Maryland.

Rockland Cider Works’ trademark slogan has always been “Growing Good Times,” a mission they live by and hope to continue contributing to our growing industry.

Cheers to Elisabeth and Darin!