Wise Bird Cider Co. has opened in Lexington

Wise Bird is a new cidery located in the Distillery District next to the Break Room. What can patrons expect from this new cider bar?

What started as a hobby for owners Greta Pittard and Tim Wright has turned into a vision to build community around one of America’s most traditional American beverages: cider. They left their corporate jobs, moved to Lexington, and found a community of support around creating and serving their own cider — all while Greta was pregnant with their second son.

Wise Bird Cider Co. offers three new products with five more in production. Their cider is produced much like a wine, with close attention paid to the apple varietal and to blending those varietals together to achieve specific tastes. Cider is fermented and aged, then carbonated to produce a lively, thoroughly refreshing beverage. All Wise Bird Cider Co. ciders are made from heirloom and modern apples grown in Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The ciders range in residual sweetness from bone dry to semi-dry and semi-sweet. Customers can also enjoy single varietal ciders, which are made using only one apple type.

The 4,000-square foot space features a patio that overlooks the creek and garage-style doors that roll up during the warmer months. There’s a large production facility that can be viewed from the taproom along with an expansive bar, taproom area, and two cozy lounge areas. The space is decorated by local architects and artists with wood shelving made from an old Jim Beam plant and original murals created by Often Seen Rarely Spoken. The spacious patio has shaded areas and plenty of seating that overlooks Town Branch Creek, and the city’s planned Town Branch Trail.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held yesterday, June 6 with Mary Quinn Ramer, president of VisitLEX and Robert L. Quick, president & CEO of Commerce Lexington Inc.

Martine’s Pastries and Wine + Market helped curate the menu which includes Martine’s roasted chicken salad sandwich and a charcuterie board from Wine + Market. There’s a warming kitchen in the back where the food is prepared and plated. A kids menu is also available, and food trucks will make appearances on the weekends.

Their tap menu features several house ciders, as well as guest selections from Pivot, Mirror Twin and Ethereal.

Wise Bird Cider is open Wednesday through Sunday, with afternoon and evening hours. There will be a Grand Opening Party on Saturday, June 29 at 11 am.

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