Good Intent Cider
Good Intent Cider, located just a short walk from downtown Bellefonte, gives visitors a cozy space to try and taste a plethora of ciders made with Pennsylvania apples. Offerings range from Happy Valley Gold, a rich and complex cider made using more than 30 varieties of Happy Valley-grown apples, to the award-winning Wickson, with its candy-esque tart appeal.
But when COVID cases began to rise in early 2020, the Good Intent Cider team had to admit; their cozy tasting room was perhaps a bit too cozy for safety’s sake. So, they shifted their focus and adapted, with new offerings and experiences for customers as a result.
“We are so short on physical space that we don't want to be open inside,” says cidermaker Matt Simon. “We have had to shift most of our business to to-go or outside service when the weather permits… Our building is so small, even at half capacity and with social distancing, we just didn’t feel it was responsible to have indoor service.”
Good Intent Cider’s to-go options were somewhat limited when the pandemic began, but that soon changed, thanks to the addition of a “crowler” machine, which seals up individual cans of cider as it’s ordered, and the renovation of the tasting rooms’ tap system.
“We purchased a can-sealing machine, so that we can fill patrons [orders with] whatever [cider] they would like and sell it to them to go. This has drastically increased the amount of to-go options,” explains Simon. “We used the shut down to renovate our tap system so that we now have 12 different ciders at any given time, all available to go in crowlers. We have also ramped up production of bottles to keep up with demand for to-go options and for the North Atherton Farmers Market.”
Crowler purchases come in 500mL tall boy-type cans, for $9 to $10 each. Ciders available for to-go purchases at any given time can be found on the Good Intent Cider website, as well as on the Good Intent Cider Instagram page. And for those who can’t swing by the cidery to pick up their purchases in person, the team has you covered there as well.
“We’ve also been offering delivery via our website since the beginning of the pandemic,” Simon assures. Shoppers can order bottles, crowlers, growlers, merchandise, gift cards and more, all on the cidery’s website, for delivery (do note: some delivery is limited to State College, Bellefonte, Pleasant Gap, Milesburg, Julian, Boalsburg and Lemont; limited deliveries are clearly marked).
Simon says looking into making a purchase of any of the above, whether for pick-up or delivery, is an excellent way to support Good Intent Cider this season, and hints at new merchandise available now, including shirts, hoodies and baseball tees. He also says to look out for wintertime and spring promotions.
While Good Intent Cider did open its patio to customers over the summer months, with social-distanced seating under a large tent, it switched to take-out service only in December, with plans to remain thus until weather permits outdoor seating in Spring 2021. Regardless of when you visit Happy Valley and, more specifically, Bellefonte, though, Simon says you can’t go wrong with trying some of Good Intent’s wares.
“It is some of the best cider available in the state, if not on the entire East Coast,” he claims. “Everything is truly handmade and small-batch. We have one cidermaker — that’s me — who crafts all of our ciders. With a dozen ciders available at once, there is such a large variety. Traditional ciders, single-varieties, hopped ciders and spiced-infusions — these are truly special to the area.”
Visit the Good Intent Cider website at www.goodintentcider.com.
