Four cider producers worth the ferry ride
The Sunshine Coast’s rugged shoreline and working farmland create the ideal setting for a cider scene. Just a ferry ride from Metro Vancouver, the Coast offers a compelling cider trail where orchard fruit and thoughtful production converge. From estate-grown heritage apples to experimental co-ferments and dry-hopped releases, these four producers make a dedicated Sunshine Coast cider tour well worth planning.
Banditry Cider: Farm-Driven and Food-Forward
Banditry Cider in Gibsons operates as a true working farm. Heritage apples and perry pears grow onsite and sustainability is top of mind with irrigation ponds and rainwater collection. While roughly 2,000 litres come from estate fruit, additional juice is sourced through land-leased orchards in Keremeos and Surrey, blending cider and culinary varieties such as Spartan for balance and structure.
The production approach is clean and consistent: minimal sulfites, no oak aging, and stable, filtered cider packaged primarily in cans and kegs. Rosa, a small-batch wild-fermented heritage cider, represents the cidery’s more experimental side and has built a following on tap.
Visiting Banditry is as much about food and community as it is cider. A new culinary program features pit-smoked pigs, brined and candied pink salmon bellies, fry bread and whole roasted chicken dinners. A cedar stage was built from trees cleared on the property for live music and events, reinforcing Banditry’s role as both agricultural operation and gathering place.
Bricker’s Cider: Orchard Roots, Playful Spirit
Bricker’s Cider traces its origins to a two-acre heritage orchard on family land near its current site. After early pressing experiments in 2010 sparked serious interest, the family purchased a five-acre property in 2015 and committed to building a cidery from the ground up.
Today, Bricker’s works with a mix of estate fruit and apples sourced from East Kelowna, North Kelowna and Abbotsford. A replanted two-acre block is maturing, strengthening their Coast-grown program. Their Suncoaster Cider is pressed from three tonnes of crowd-sourced Sunshine Coast apples and stands out for both flavour and impact, with proceeds supporting the local food bank.
House style leans drier than most, with no back-sweetening and a thoughtful balance between cultured yeast core ciders and specialty wild ferments. Seasonals often push creative boundaries: Cidre de Mayo with salt and lime, barrel-aged pear, and rum-barrel guava and lemongrass reflect a willingness to experiment while staying orchard-driven.
Open nearly year-round, Bricker’s offers pizza from the shed, rotating releases and a relaxed, community-focused atmosphere.
Persephone Brewing Company: Regenerative Farming and Accessible Cider
Persephone began producing cider alongside its farm-based brewery in 2014, building a program rooted in regenerative agriculture and community engagement. A visit to the Gibsons farm includes more than a tasting bar, expect live music, seasonal events, Pride celebrations and currently there’s even a sauna onsite.
The cider lineup varies, Dry-Hopped Cider is consistently available in cans, while seasonal releases such as First Frost and spring Rhubarb-Ginger add variety. Organic and estate cider are poured on tap at the farm, and distribution extends beyond the Coast through private retailers and a new BCLDB listing. Persephone’s Spare Room Pub and Bowling Alley in Powell River further is worth a visit.
Fruit comes partly from their Gibsons acreage, supplemented by Southern Okanagan growers. Using cultured yeast, the house style is clean, balanced and versatile. As a certified B Corp, Salmon-Safe and bee-friendly operation, Persephone integrates sustainability and inclusive employment into its farm and cidery practices.
Sunday Cider: Estate Ambition and Modern Expression
Sunday Cider evolved from small collaborative batches into a 20-acre property with 450 young apple trees now growing onsite. The estate orchard is supplemented with organic fruit from the Similkameen, combining Gala, Fuji and Honeycrisp for bright, sessionable cans with cider apples for more structured releases like Elfie Wild.
Sustainability underpins the orchard program: low spray, low water and nutrient-dense apples intended to express local terroir. Production splits between cultured yeast for tropical, easy drinking “Sesh” ciders and wild fermentations for drier, more complex bottled releases.
Standouts include Twice as Nice, a co-ferment with Fraser Valley wine grapes that adds tannin and colour, and Bay Noir, blending local blackberries with black cherry and Pinot Noir. Visitors can expect rotating food trucks, vegan fare, coffee, markets and regular live music nights.
New this season, Sunday Soda introduces a zero-alcohol line in 250 ml cans, reflecting a broader shift toward lower-alcohol, inclusive sparkling alternatives.
