Sinclair Orchards & Sixknot Cider

John and Beth Sinclair allow the natural processes of fermentation to gently shape and guide their SixKnot ciders to fermentation, using just organic fruit and yeast.

“It’s a different approach. It’s respecting the fruit and the miracle that happens to the fermentation process—versus adding toxic sulfites, sorbates and mallic acid. It’s having respect for the natural elements that you’re working with and working with them versus working against them in constant battle. You come up with an entirely different tasting product.”

Sold throughout the Methow Valley and all over Washington, SixKnot ciders are clean, light and have no aftertaste. Available in bottles or on tap, Goldilocks is refreshing, elegant and balanced while High Desert Dry is medium-bodied and dry, with “fragrant perfumes of butterscotch, anise, vanilla and almost a squash note.”

RESPECTING THE LAND
John is an attorney by training, and Beth is a marine biologist. They moved to the Methow Valley in 2001, and after a number of years of experimenting, started making commercial ciders in 2009. Their first commercial sale of hard cider was in 2013.

“It was a steep learning curve. We’re not farmers. But we believe in respecting the land and the interconnectedness of all things and that goes to the heart of what we try do here. We make our cider here. This is our farm. Our kids live here and grew up here.”

Like the SixKnot Ciders’ logo, which symbolizes the interconnectedness of life, John and Beth believe in respecting the land and all the natural elements—both seen and unseen—that are involved.

“Organic cider making is time-intensive and not a process that lends itself to industrial production. It takes a lot of fussing; you can’t use sulfites, preservatives or any chemical tools to stabilize or pasteurize the cider. Most cider houses in the United States add back cane sugar and use fruit concentrates. We use temperature to cold-shock our ciders to preserve sugars and all local and organic Washington apples, sorted and pressed by hand. It’s not difficult. You just have to be more thoughtful about what you do.”

In keeping with their philosophy, Sinclair Orchards and Ciderhouse is solar-powered and is currently the only solar-powered cidery in Washington.
In keeping with their philosophy, Sinclair Orchards and Ciderhouse is solar-powered and is currently the only solar-powered cidery in Washington.

Sixknot cider is available at Methow Valley Goods on the TwispWorks campus as well as other Valley retailers. You can experience Sixknot ciders straight from the tap at their new taphouse in downtown Winthrop!