Community Cider Pressing 2026
During our kick-off weekend of National Cider Month, we’re gathering at the cider barn for a new Yankee Cider tradition: Bring the apples from your backyard, your family farm, or that old tree at the edge of your property and help us press them into something communal and unique.
Many Apples. One Cider. A More Perfect Union.
Our Community Press is a celebration of New England orchards, neighbors, harvest season, and the simple pleasure of making something together. Throughout the day, you’ll be able to see and take part in the pressing process as apples from across our community are washed, ground, and pressed into fresh juice. That juice will then become a new limited-release cider, “A More Perfect Union 2026”.
We welcome the public to take part by bringing a basket of apples with them, and in turn they will receive something special in 2027: For every 5 pounds of apples you contribute, you’ll receive one 22oz bottle of the finished cider when it’s released (up to 3 bottles per customer).
We also have some limited-edition Community Press apparel available for pre-purchase, receivable during the 2027 Release Party, so you can commemorate the inaugural pressing and wear a little piece of the tradition home with you.
Cider Month Continues All Of October:
Terms of Participation and Agreements
Participating in our Community Press event constitutes agreement with the Terms of Participation below.
Our community press invites members of the public to contribute five (5) pounds of clean and ripe apples ("Contribution") to receive one (1) "bomber" 22-fluid-ounce bottle at a later event. A maximum of three (3) "bomber" 22-fluid-ounce bottles will be issued per person. Contributions of more than fifteen (15) pounds are ineligible for additional bottles. Contributions must consist of apples suitable for human consumption and reasonably free from rot, mold, excessive dirt, foreign objects, chemical contamination, or other conditions that may compromise food safety or cider quality. Contributors are responsible for ensuring that their apples have been handled and stored in a manner appropriate for food production. Staehly Farms may reject any contribution that, in its reasonable judgment, is unsuitable for cider production, presents a food-safety concern, or does not meet the requirements of these Terms. No bottles will be issued for contributions deemed unfit or unsuitable. No bottles will be issued for contributions from individuals under the age of 21 at the time of pressing, even if contributing individual will be 21 at the time of final cider release.
Participants agree to follow all posted instructions and directions from Staehly Farms staff and to remain in designated public areas. Staehly Farms reserves the right to remove any person from the event for unsafe, disruptive, or inappropriate conduct. Staehly Farms further reserves the right to refuse participation or remove any person from the event for unsafe conduct, harassment, intoxication, failure to follow staff instructions, or violation of these Terms of Participation.
We anticipate a release in late May of 2027 for this first "A More Perfect Union" community-press hard cider. This date is tentative and depends on many conditions. We will update all recipients in early 2027 of the exact release date. This date is not guaranteed and non-binding.
The finished cider is an alcoholic product. Participants acknowledge that the flavor, appearance, alcohol content, and other characteristics of the finished cider may vary based on the apples contributed, production methods, fermentation conditions, and other factors. Staehly Farms does not guarantee any particular flavor profile, alcohol content, or other characteristic of the finished product. Bottles will only be provided to legally eligible recipients, and may be subject to applicable identification, packaging, purchase, and distribution requirements. All bottles must be picked up in person by the legally eligible recipient at a stated time and date to be determined, at Yankee Hard Ciders at 23 Petticoat Lane, East Haddam, CT 06423. No shipment of product will be permitted. Bottles not picked up within 30 days of the release event will be forfeited. Participation credits and bottle entitlements may not be sold, transferred, exchanged, or redeemed for cash, unless otherwise permitted by Staehly Farms in its sole discretion and applicable law.
Staehly Farms and Staehly Farm Winery reserve the right to cancel, delay, modify, or discontinue the project if necessary, including if the resulting cider is unsuitable for release. Staehly Farms reserves the right to amend these Terms of Participation when reasonably necessary to address operational, safety, legal, or regulatory considerations. Any material changes will be communicated to participants when practicable. If any provision of these Terms is determined to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect.