FAQ


How do you make your cider?

Our cider is a traditional, fermented beverage. It is made as wine is made. Juice is extracted from the fruit and put into large tanks. Yeast there converts the sugars in the juice to alcohol and CO2. When the yeast converts all of the sugar, it dies and settles to the bottom of the tank and is removed. What remains is cider which is then filtered to varying degrees. From apple to bottle, it can take from 2 months to nearly a year, depending on the type of cider we are making.


Where do you get your apples from?

We have three main sources of apples:

  • Our 6-acre organic orchard near Victoria, BC, where our Ciderhouse is located. We mainly use these apples for our four estate ciders: Wild English, Bittersweet, Plimsoll and Pomona.

  • All around Greater Victoria, from where dozens of local residents provide us with their apples each harvest season. We use these apples to make Kings & Spies, our special “crowd sourced” dry cider.

  • Heart Acher Farm, where we lease a certified organic cider apple orchard. Heart Acher Farm is located in BC’s Similkameen Valley. We have been using apples from Heart Acher Farm over the last two decades to make our certified organic ciders such as Flagship, Pippins and Rumrunner.


Where do your pears come from?

To make our Perry, we use perry pears from a perry orchard in North Saanich. To make our Ginger Perry, we use pears from Heart Acher Farm.


Why aren’t all of your ciders certified organic?

Because we use crowdsourced apples from the community, the apples can’t always get organic certification because of their mysterious lineage - even if the growers sign off on their apples having not been sprayed or fertilized. However, we still maintain the best organic practices when producing the ciders. 


What is the shelf life of your ciders?

Similar to a sparkling white wine, it’s best to drink our ciders within a year. However, our high ABV ciders age very well and can be consumed after several years. They develop more wine character with age. Unopened Sea Cider bottles can last for years because of the crown cap closure, the tannins and the high level of alcohol.


How long does the cider last after you open the bottle?

If you keep the stopper closed in the fridge, they will last approximately two weeks. After that, they can begin to lose their effervescence. 


Where do you get your bottles?

Our bottles are champagne bottles from France. The flip-top stopper is also from France.


How can I try your cider?

Come for a tasting! Our beautiful 10-acre property overlooks our orchard, forest, and the Salish Sea; there is no better way to experience our ciders than right here where it's made. Make a reservation to join us here.

If you sadly cannot get to Sea Cider in person, we have many retail partners who carry our products throughout Canada and the US northwest — find the closest shop to you here. For online sales, we ship throughout Canada (except Quebec), or if you are a USA customer, you can order through Press then Press . 


Can I bring my dog to the Ciderhouse?

Dogs are welcome in any outdoor area, but are not allowed indoors with the exception of service animals.


I noticed the beautiful pavilion! Can I book an event/wedding here?

Absolutely! We would love to help make your event magical. Find more information here.