New Frontiers at Locust Cider

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Indulge in old-school video games while you imbibe locally made cider at Locust.

Photo by Twig Capra

New Frontiers at Locust Cider

Fort Worth-born brothers are poised to become local pioneers.

BY SUSIE GEISSLER

The next time you take a swig of a crisp, cold, hard apple cider, pour a little out for John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed. This 1800s-era nurseryman’s penchant for orchard planting did pave the way economically for early settlers to expand into the Western frontier. What most storytellers forget about the legend is that the apples that came from Johnny’s trees were wholly inedible and proved suitable only for fermentation. Thus cider –– easier to make than wine or beer and safer to drink than water –– became the hooch that quenched the thirst of our perpetually intoxicated American forefathers.

Fast-forward to today, and craft producers like new local denizen Locust Cider have started popping up again across the states. For brothers Jason and Patrick Spears, North Texas proved a tempting place to set up an offshoot of their successful Washington-state cidery business.

The spirit of the Fort Worth natives’ historically significant new endeavor is evident in the production facility and taproom. Tucked into the corner space of an old but recently updated building on the Near Southside, large doors open toward South

Main Street, beckoning visitors. The vibe here is no-frills chill, with plain, utilitarian seating, vibrant murals, and a rough-hewn bar splitting the production and visitor spaces. Toward the back of the room, small flat-screen TVs glow with old-school video game platforms like Nintendo instead of the cacophony of cable sports chatter.

Manager Lou Littlefield and co-owner Patrick Spears have created a no-frills, comfy vibe at Locust.

Photo by Twig Capra

Make no mistake, though. The point of the room is for guests to imbibe fermented fruit concoctions. At the bar, five taps are dedicated to the core lineup of Original Dry, Dark Cherry, Sweet Aged Apple, Honey Pear, and Vanilla Bean. The remaining five taps feature rotating selections like Blueberry Lavender, Apricot Habanero, and New England Amber. All pours are naturally gluten-free. If you tend to find some mass-produced variet- ies of cider a sugar shock or aggressively tart, the antidote is Locust’s smooth, citrusy session-style Original Dry. Beyond that excellent entry-level selection, the staff proved adept at guiding newcomers according to their tasting preferences. Toss a few parameters their way, conveying your love or hate of bitter, sweet, sour, heavy, or light, and wait for their palate prescription.

For an annual fee or a lifetime membership, anyone can become members of The Swarm Locust Cider Club, which includes some exclusive perks, free pints and flights, and access to new releases. Tugging gently at your heartstrings and not just the purse strings, a $25 donation from each membership goes to support awareness of and research on hydrocephalus, an incurable lifelong brain condition that afflicts children around the world, including Lucy, the daughter of co-owner Jason and his wife, Rebecca Spears.

Though the brothers Spears originally hail from Fort Worth, they entered the cider business by way of the apple-heavy lands of the Pacific Northwest. Much like the enterprising Appleseed, their return to become local pioneers and support their community is also helping people get a little tipsy –– just like our forefathers.

Locust Cider

WHERE 710

S Main St, FW, 817-344-7035.

VIBE

Relaxed, hip, and festive.

PRICES

$5-$10

WHEN

3-9pm Wed- Thu, 3-10pm Fri, noon-10pm Sat, noon-8pm Sun.

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