TREASURY CIDER

Established 2016; Fishkill Farms Established 1913

TREASURY CIDER IS A TREE-TO-BOTTLE hard cider produced by Fishkill Farms at their century-old family orchard. They use a mix of heirloom, bittersweet and dessert apples that are cultivated, pressed and wild-fermented with care to produce each batch of hard cider. Every ingredient is grown or wild-foraged on the farm and fermented traditionally to produce delicate ciders akin to dry and sparkling white wines.

In 2015, after over 100 years of growing apples, family-owned Fishkill Farms began producing hard cider called Treasury to invoke the spirit of the farm’s founder, Henry Morgenthau Jr., who served as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under Roosevelt. It is also a nod to the historic American cider cellars which, like treasuries, served as year-round sources of comfort and vitality for the families and communities in their area.

Today, Henry’s grandson, Josh Morgenthau, carries on this tradition as a thirdgeneration orchardist and the cidermaker behind Treasury Cider. Starting with the belief that outstanding cider is made in the orchard, the apples used in Treasury Cider are chosen for the character they add to cider, grown with minimal intervention, eco-certified, and harvested at peak ripeness. The Hudson Valley climate and rich glacial soils yield unique, site-specific flavors to their cider. After pressing through a rack-and-cloth press, the apples are fermented slowly at cool temperatures and aged for 6-10 months before bottling, yielding a dryer and less carbonated cider that pairs wonderfully with a variety of foods.

Treasury’s newest releases were made with the 2021 crops. They are a mix of eco-certified apples like Jonamac and Golden Delicious which grow on 60-year old trees, and newer plantings of heirloom and cider varieties, including Roxbury Russet, Esopus Spitzenberg, Ashmead’s Kernel, Northern Spy and Goldrush, all eco-certified and some certified organic. Each variety showcases a unique blend of fruit and a particular cider-making process.

Treasury’s ciders can be enjoyed on their cider bar porch in the late spring, summer, and fall months, and in the indoor tasting room in the winter and early spring months, both offering scenic views of the farm, orchards and Catskill mountains beyond. Cider is available in tasting flights and by the glass, as well as in specially crafted cider cocktails! Check the website for current hours, live music, workshops, and food offerings.

MEET THE OWNER/ CIDER MAKER

Josh Morgenthau

Josh Morgenthau moved back to his family’s farm in 2006 and set about pruning, renovating and replanting the historic family orchard. In 2008, he partnered with Farm Manager Mark Doyle, and together, they put 100 acres of fallow land back into production. By embracing sustainable farming, planting diverse crops, and focusing on marketing their produce to the local community through CSA, a farm store, and pick-your-own, Fishkill Farms grew to be one of the Hudson Valley’s premier destinations for sustainably-grown fruits and vegetables.

Josh has been fermenting hard cider using the farm’s apples for as long as he can remember. Continuing to produce a new batch each year, he began to incorporate some of the unique varieties of heirloom and cider apples he was growing. Over time, the importance of orchard site, variety, and harvest timing in producing quality cider became central to his cider-making philosophy.

In 2015, Treasury Cider was born. The ciders produced each vintage, like each season of farming, have their own unique story to tell. Josh is accompanied by Chris Jackson (Head Cidermaker), Matia Hayden (Assistant Cidermaker), and Rohan Chamberlain (Orchard Production Lead and Cider Pressing Specialist) along with the farm and production crew who aid in the harvesting and pressing of the apples.