How Do You Like Them Apples: Sowam’s Cider Works lets nature take the reins

Warren has quietly become a destination for the forward-thinking foodie. Staples like Square Peg, Chomp and Eli’s Kitchen have put Warren on the map for curious cuisine — and Sowam’s Cider Works doesn’t fall far from the tree.

At the corner of Child and Adams Streets sits a cider tasting room like no other. Beautiful greenery — including two authentic apple trees — adorn the restful patio at Sowam’s Cider Works. Inside, the space has an industrial but inspired feel, with two large functional apple presses and stacks of apple crates from Long Lane Orchard. 

Long Lane Orchard is a three-acre orchard in Touisset where owner Spencer Morris tends to his 800 apple trees. Forty-plus varieties of apples are grown there and offer a vast variety of rotating cider throughout the year. Patience plays a huge role in the process from start to finish. The growing and harvesting alone brings its challenges, and Morris relies on nature to do essentially everything it can, which means the cider produced is 100% natural with no added sulfur and no forced carbonation.

After going in for a tasting I can assure you, this is not your average cider. Commercial ciders pale in comparison to the earthy, almost ethereal taste of this homegrown delicacy. The consistency is closer to wine than some of the more effervescent ciders you may be used to. I had a tasting of their current selection, which included their Wickson, Orchard Blend, Major and Winesap. Each had a unique taste. The Wickson stood out to me with its acidic sweetness, cut with a tart finish. The wickson apple variety originated in Northern California, and it’s a result of the crossbreeding of a crab apple and a table apple, which makes for the perfect cider. 

At any given time, four varieties of cider are available for tastings and to be purchased in bottles. The selections rotate frequently for the prime cider experience at each time of year. Cider batches are numbered and already have surpassed 100 in a short two-year span of business. Morris is grateful to have opened in a pre-COVID world to get his footing, but has also managed to keep things rolling in “the new normal.” The outside patio is comfortably spaced, offering a prime location to get together with a few friends. He encourages guests to bring food from some of the nearby businesses like The Taco Box Trailer and Tom’s Market to make the most out of their experience. He hopes to bring back live music and food collaborations whenever it is possible again. 

In addition to cider, guests can purchase Long Lane Orchard apples from mid-September to January. Follow along on Instagram @sowamsciderworks.