The world’s first Passive House Certified cidery completes

Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery, the world’s first Passive House Certified cidery, has completed in Callicoon, N.Y.

The 9,300-sf project sits on 62 acres of land and houses an organic hard cider production facility, a tasting area, a commercial kitchen, and an event space. A translucent entryway will provide visitors with views of the orchard and valley. Large windows, a wraparound patio, and a balcony frame the panorama of the historic seminary and the Delaware River Valley below.

The building was designed to be a modern take on a classic “bank barn” built into the side of a hill. The change in grade was utilized to provide easy access to upper and lower levels. The main entryway pays homage to traditional Hudson Valley barns with filtered light through its gapped wood siding.

The 3,000-sf tasting and event rooms further evoke these barns through heavy timber framing and open, soaring spaces. The tasting room, event space, and support areas are clad inside and out with larch wood reclaimed from the underwater pilings of the original Tappan Zee Bridge.

The cidery was also built with sustainability in mind and is the first-of-its-kind in the fermented beverage industry built to the standards of Passive House. The water to wash the fruit and equipment comes from an on-site greywater management system and site lighting and signage are full-cut-off, dark-sky compliant to help reduce nighttime light pollution. The cidery production space and aging cave are built into the hillside in order to use the natural cooling of the earth to maintain colder temperatures needed for fruit storage and natural yeast fermentation.

River Architects was the architect and Baxter built the project. The cidery is set to open June 25, 2021.