Come to Melick’s Town Farm Hard Cider Festival, Saturday, June 3 from 1 to 7 pm, to taste what the culinary cognoscenti hail as the finest hard cider made—not only in New Jersey, but in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region. The festival will be held at at the farm’s base of operations in the village of Oldwick in Tewksbury Township.
And, while at the festival, get a taste of history in action.
Hard cider has a long and revered tradition in New Jersey, a tradition that is being revived by the Melick family. With the 10th generation of Melicks now at the helm of Town Farm, Peter, John and Rebecca Melick are building on the progress of their parents, George and Norma Melick.
Farming has been in the family for almost 300 years. In fact, the classic hard cider made from the family’s fresh-pressed apple cider is a direct reference to their longevity and heritage: the 1728 Traditional.
Festival-goers can taste the classic, as well as four other hard ciders from Town Farm’s cider maker Scott Wyant:
* Jersey Ginger: a slightly dry, refreshing ginger-infused cider, aged with fresh ginger.
* Semi-Dry: traditional and similar in profile to the 1728, with no added cane sugar; more apple forward.
* George’s Tart Cherry: sweet-tart cider made with Balaton and Montmorency cherry juices.
* Lemon Shandy: a sweet summer treat–the traditional hard cider with a hint of lemon.
In addition, the Melicks will be offering samples of three varieties of Town Farm wines, made from wine grapes grown on the farm in Oldwick.
As part of the festival, the Melicks will serve forth barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs and other special-for-the-festival foods. Live music, talks about how Melicks’ hard cider is made, haywagon rides, a scavenger hunt for the kids and displays of antique farm equipment will round out the event.
Festival admission is $12 per person for tickets purchased before the event through Eventbrite or at melickstownfarm.com. Any tickets left unsold will be available at the door the day of the event for $16 per person. There is no charge for children and they do not need tickets. All ticket-holders are required to have a valid ID. Each ticket-holder will receive two glasses of Melick’s hard cider or wine. Additional glasses will be available for purchase.
The event will be held at the farm, located at 19 King Street in Oldwick. For more information, visit the website or call 908-439-2318.
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