Guided tasting of Cider

Small farms can tell big stories. This evening tasting near Unterkirnach brings you close to house-made cider and sparkling wines, with plenty of background about how the drinks are made and why the producers care about them. When the weather behaves, the visit also includes a walk through one of the orchards.

I like the private format, since only your group takes part, and I like the chance to meet Peter and Wendy at their home and production site. The setting, surrounded by apple and pear trees plus fruit and herb gardens, gives the tasting a real sense of place. The main consideration is the limited schedule: visits are offered Monday through Friday at 6:00 PM, and the experience lasts about two hours.

Key points to know before booking

• Taste several house-made sparkling drinks: The tasting focuses on cider and sparkling wines from 1785 Cider’s own production.
• Meet Peter and Wendy: The hosts bring personal enthusiasm and plenty of background information to the evening.
• Walk through the orchard in good weather: The outdoor portion depends on conditions, so it is not guaranteed every time.
• Enjoy a private two-hour visit: Your group participates on its own rather than joining a large public tour.
• Plan for an evening in Unterkirnach: The fixed start time is 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
• Bring anyone aged 16 or older: The minimum age is 16, and service animals are allowed.

Arriving at Mooslochweg in Unterkirnach

The tasting starts at Mooslochweg, 78089 Unterkirnach, in Baden-Württemberg. This places the experience in the Black Forest area, away from the feel of a city-center tasting room. That matters because the orchard and home setting are part of the appeal, not just a backdrop for drinking.

You finish at the same meeting point. Since the activity is private, you do not need to worry about finding a group at a busy square or identifying the right coach among several similar vehicles. You should still allow enough time to arrive calmly, since no transport from another town is included in the details provided.

The meeting point is especially useful for visitors already exploring the surrounding Black Forest area. If you are staying nearby, this can fit neatly into an evening plan. If you are coming from farther away, check your route carefully before booking, as the experience has a firm evening start and no stated transportation service.

The setting also shapes the mood. You are not simply seated at a bar while someone pours drinks from bottles. You are visiting a producer at home, with orchards and gardens nearby. That gives you a clearer connection between the fruit, the place, and the finished drink.

The first pours: cider and sparkling wine from one producer

The tasting includes a number of sparkling wines from the hosts’ own production. The experience is presented as a guided tasting, so you can expect more than a quick sample and a short description. The stated plan includes background information and a light, enjoyable approach.

The word sparkling is worth noting. Although the experience is described as a cider tasting, the drinks are presented as sparkling wines made by the producer. This may appeal to you if you enjoy fruit-based drinks but want something beyond standard commercial cider. It also means the evening is likely to include variety within the producer’s work, rather than one single house pour.

The exact number and selection of drinks are not specified. That is useful to remember when setting expectations. You will taste several products, but you should not book this expecting a fixed, published flight with named vintages or a formal technical tasting sheet.

Instead, the value comes from context. As Peter and Wendy explain their work, each drink can become part of a larger story about ingredients, ideas, and local production. The available comments about the experience point to a varied tasting, including creative approaches that encouraged further interest in cider.

I like this format for two reasons. First, you can ask questions while the producers are present. Second, you can compare the drinks with a better sense of where they came from. A bottle on a shop shelf gives you a label. A tasting at the source gives you the people and place behind it.

The hosts’ enthusiasm is an important part of the experience. Peter and Wendy are described as passionate about cider, and that energy seems to guide the evening. This does not mean the tasting is a stiff lecture. The tone is intended to be fun, with useful information woven into the conversation.

Peter and Wendy bring the orchard into the conversation

A producer-led tasting works best when the hosts are happy to explain their choices. Here, Peter and Wendy host the visit at their home in the Black Forest setting. Their connection to the land is visible through apple and pear orchards, along with fruit and herb gardens.

That is a stronger experience than tasting an anonymous product in a room with no connection to production. You get a chance to understand that cider is not only about the final bottle. It begins with fruit, growing conditions, harvest decisions, and the producer’s ideas about what that fruit can become.

The available response from the hosts also suggests that the range of drinks changes over time. They indicate there is always something new to taste. For you, that means the visit may feel less like a fixed museum display and more like an introduction to an active small producer.

Do not expect a polished corporate presentation. The appeal here is personal contact. You are meeting the people who make the drinks and hearing their explanations directly. That can make the evening feel warm and informal, though visitors who prefer a strict timetable or highly technical tasting may find the format less structured.

The private setup helps. Since only your group participates, you can ask questions without worrying about holding up a large party. You can also spend more time on the drinks or topics that interest you. A cider enthusiast may want to discuss production ideas, while a casual drinker can simply enjoy the flavors and the setting.

The orchard walk when the weather cooperates

If conditions are good, the tasting includes a walk through one of the orchards. This is a simple feature, but it adds real value. You get to see the fruit-growing environment instead of hearing about it only indoors.

The apple and pear trees are especially relevant to the drinks. Even without a detailed agricultural tour, walking among the trees can help you connect the finished cider with its source. The surrounding fruit and herb gardens add another layer to the visit and make the experience feel tied to a working home property.

Weather controls this part of the itinerary. If rain or poor conditions make a walk unpleasant, the outdoor portion may not happen. You should treat it as a bonus rather than the main reason to book. The tasting and conversation remain the core of the two-hour activity.

Wear footwear suited to an orchard rather than a formal tasting room. That is practical advice based on the setting, not a promise about the exact walking route. The supplied details do not state how long the walk lasts or how difficult it is, so you should not expect a marked hike or a full farm tour.

Still, the outdoor visit can be one of the most memorable parts of the evening. A short walk among the trees changes the pace, gives you fresh air, and makes the drinks feel rooted in a real place. On a pleasant evening, this may be the feature that separates the experience from a standard indoor tasting.

Two hours that favor conversation over speed

The visit lasts about two hours. That is enough time for a relaxed tasting and conversation without taking up an entire day of sightseeing. The 6:00 PM start also makes sense for a stop after daytime activities in the region.

You should plan around the fixed schedule. The experience is offered Monday through Friday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM during the stated operating period, which runs from June 2, 2024, through July 12, 2026. The activity itself is about two hours, so the listed opening window gives some flexibility around the evening, but the start time is clearly set at 6:00 PM.

The timing may not suit everyone. If you are traveling with young children, the minimum age of 16 rules out younger family members. If your day includes a late dinner reservation or a long evening drive, the fixed start and two-hour duration require careful planning.

For the right schedule, the length is well judged. A shorter visit could feel rushed, especially if you want both tasting and orchard time. A much longer event might feel repetitive unless you are deeply interested in cider production. Two hours gives you space to talk, taste, and enjoy the property without turning the evening into a full course.

Because the group is private, the pace may be more flexible than on a large tour. The exact structure is not published, so you should not assume that every minute follows a formal timetable. That is usually an advantage for a small producer visit, though you may want to ask about the expected tasting sequence when you receive confirmation.

Is the $30.77 price good value?

At $30.77 per person, this is priced above a basic drink sample but below many full food-and-drink experiences. The value depends on what you want from the evening.

If you only want a quick glass of cider, the price may feel high. You are paying for roughly two hours, several house-made sparkling drinks, explanations from the producers, a private group format, and the possibility of an orchard walk. That is a much fuller experience than buying one bottle at a shop.

The private format improves the value for couples, families with older children, or small groups of friends. Your money supports an experience built around your group rather than a large room of unrelated people. You also have a better chance to ask questions and focus on the drinks that interest you.

I would see the price as fair for someone who values local production and personal contact. The setting adds something you cannot get from a standard tasting counter. You are not just sampling a beverage. You are spending an evening with the people who make it, in the place connected to the fruit and gardens.

There are limits. No meal is listed, and no transportation is included. The exact drinks are not named, and the orchard walk depends on weather. If you need a guaranteed outdoor tour, a food pairing, or a detailed technical class, confirm those points before booking.

Who will enjoy this tasting most?

This experience suits you if you enjoy small producers, regional drinks, and direct conversation. It is a good choice for couples and small private groups looking for a quieter evening in the Black Forest area.

You do not need to be a cider expert. The hosts provide background information, and the format is described as fun as well as informative. A beginner can taste different products without needing to know technical terms in advance.

It also fits people who like seeing how a place shapes what they drink. The apple and pear trees, fruit garden, and herb garden give the tasting a stronger local connection than a generic bar visit.

The minimum age is 16. That makes it possible for older teenagers to join, though the activity remains centered on tasting sparkling alcoholic drinks. Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate.

This may not be your best choice if you want a busy social event with a large crowd, a full meal, or a broad tour of several producers. It is one producer, one private group, and one home setting. Its strength is focus.

Booking, confirmation, and cancellation details

Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Since the activity requires a minimum number of participants, it can be canceled if that minimum is not reached. In that case, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not refunded or accepted. The cutoff follows local time in Germany, so check the clock carefully if you are booking from another time zone.

The mobile ticket makes access simple. Keep it available on your phone when you arrive at Mooslochweg. Since the visit ends at the meeting point, you do not need to arrange a separate pickup location afterward.

Should you book 1785 Cider?

Book this tasting if you want a personal, two-hour introduction to cider and sparkling wine in a real orchard setting. The strongest reasons are the private format, the chance to meet Peter and Wendy, and the connection between the drinks and the apple and pear trees around their home.

I would especially recommend it for small groups already staying in the Black Forest area. The $30.77 price is sensible when you count the several tastings, local stories, producer contact, and possible orchard walk.

Skip it if you need a guaranteed outdoor tour, a meal, or a large selection from several cider makers. The schedule is also narrow, with evening visits Monday through Friday only. For everyone else, this looks like a friendly and grounded way to spend an evening, with enough substance to satisfy curious drinkers and enough warmth to keep the tasting from feeling like a class.

FAQ

Where does the cider tasting take place?

The tasting begins at Mooslochweg, 78089 Unterkirnach, Germany, in Baden-Württemberg.

How long does the experience last?

The activity lasts approximately two hours.

What time does the experience start?

The listed start time is 6:00 PM, with visits offered Monday through Friday.

What drinks are included?

You taste several sparkling wines from the producer’s own production. The experience is presented as a cider tasting, but the exact drink list is not provided.

Is the orchard walk guaranteed?

No. The walk through one of the orchards takes place when the weather is nice.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age is 16.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted or refunded.