Craving A Cider? Check Out Vanishing West Cider Taphouse!
Call it sweater weather, leaf-peeping time, cuffing season—whatever, to me, the crispness in the air means it’s cider season. I recently visited one of my favorite local spots, the cider taphouse Vanishing West Ciders, and chatted with the owner, Central Park local Heather Adams. The cidery is six blocks south of the Stanley Marketplace, in the old Lady Justice Brewing location at 9753 East Colfax in Aurora, and it’s a relatively new spot in the neighborhood, just hitting its one-year anniversary. If you haven’t been yet, you need to check it out!
Heather and her husband and co-owner, Doug, started off brewing beer at home as a hobby, then discovered they had a real knack for making cider. As soon as they moved to Denver a few years ago, they started looking for a way to open their own cidery.
Named after the first-ever Western movie and a nod to the cider industry almost disappearing after Prohibition, Vanishing West serves craft ciders, with a range of dry, semi-sweet, and fruit-forward drinks. They offer seven core ciders plus additional small-batch seasonal offerings that are made one keg at a time by Doug. (Check out the cheeky drink names in the video.) They also have cider slushies and Jello shots!
Beyond the drinks, the place just has great vibes and a warm, community feel. They host trivia nights, live music, and sip and paint events. Go with friends or even solo; they have a community table designated for mingling.
Bonus if you or someone in your group is gluten-free: All the cider is naturally GF, and most of the cider-centric tasting menu is too!
And cider superfans, they have a VIP membership option: $250 lands you discounts, four free crowler cans, behind the scenes access, Vanishing West merch, and more.
Check it out and get a crowler to go—as Heather says, perfect for a picnic or a hike!
