Oct 21 2008
Finger Lakes Wine Has Another Category, Apple Wine
A lovely fall day in the Finger Lakes Wine Region takes us to the Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards in LaFayette, New York. Beak & Skiff are makers of some very popular Apple Wines.
 Beak & Skiff Retail Store |
Typically grapes are used to make wine but wine may also be made from many other fruits and the the excellent apples of the Finger Lakes Wine Region make a very tasty Apple Wine indeed.
 Beak & Skiff Retail Store |
Your trusty correspondent recently interviewed Steve Morris, one of the members of this family run business that started in 1911. Beak & Skiff have been growing apples for the wholesale and retail market for almost a century.
I asked Steve what the difference between Apple Wine and Hard Cider is and he explained that it is described in the State Liquor Laws in regards to the alcohol content.
The Apple Wine made here has won several awards for excellence and though their production sells out every year, they keep enlarging the business in a manageable growth rate.
I asked if Apple Wine improves with age as some grape wines do and Steve answered with a smile, that they seemed to taste just as good to him at any age.
They use only their own apples, and all fermentation and bottling is done on premises.
 Apple Wine Store |
Of the several different types of apple wine available, I was told that the Gala Wine was the most popular, but you should try several different ones to see which you like best.
 Apple Wine Store |
They have a nice retail store on premises that you will want to visit any time you are in the Central New York area. They are located near the intersection of NYS Route 20 and Route 80 closer to Otisco than to LaFayette. Otisco Lake is considered to be the easternmost of the glacially formed Finger Lakes. The view is spectacular any time of the year but in the fall it is absolutely breathtaking!
 Gala Apple Wine |
The day that I visited, Steve had just received a large amount of equipment from Germany that will be used in their newest venture into the spirits world. Beak and Skiff will soon be distilling apples into Apple Vodka, Apple Brandy, Eau de Vie, and Pommeau. There is no date targeted yet for production and sales availability as there are many unknowns in this startup operation.
They have built a whole new building with state of the art technology to operate the new still, but much depends on inspections, approvals and licensing before any products will be ready.
 View from Apple Wine Store - Distillery in the Background |
You may purchase their tasty wines by ordering through the Internet or by telephone order as well.
Prices are generally slightly less than most grape wines and you will want to try several of them for a change of variety.
So when you take a day trip to the Finger Lakes Wine Country make sure you stop and sample some delicious Apple Wine. It is one of the New York State Wine products that you will be hearing about for a long time to come. Tell them you read about them here at NYuncorked.com – New York Wines
http://www.beakandskiff.com/
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Note: They only ship wine to New York State at this time.
ps: This just in… You might have noticed that NYuncorked has a sponsor ad for Dollar Rent-A-Car down at the lower right hand side of this website. We have great news for your Day Trip in the Finger Lakes Wine Country. We have secured a further discount coupon for you to use. Enjoy your day trip in comfort.
(Make sure to use the coupon when ordering your car.)
Save 10% off Time and Mileage only on NEW YORK area location’s standard retail rates. Exp. 03/15/09 Coupon SAV10
