Redfield Cider Bar & Bottle Shop

The editorial take

Redfield is named for the very thing it pours: a nearly-forgotten American heritage apple that, by the bar's own telling, was passed over because it was too tart and astringent to eat but 'best expresses itself in a glass, as cider.' The shop credits West County Cider of Western Massachusetts — and the late Terry Maloney, who rediscovered the apple at Cornell's reference orchard — for first showing what a Redfield-dominant cider could be. That apple's cider is described as boldly flavored but elegantly balanced, with lively aromatics and a rosé hue. It is that artisanal, small-producer thesis that shapes everything else here: a petite Oakland bar, bottle shop, and eatery whose mission is to let guests 'experience all that cider and natural wine has to offer.' The cider list spans bottles and cans from around the world, and the natural-wine arm is curated on the same low-intervention wavelength, joined by a craft beer selection. A full retail inventory runs to go through an online store, so the shop works as much as a destination for cellaring as for sitting down. Regular producer tastings keep the room current with the growers behind the bottles, and the kid-friendly space with its small outdoor parklet gives the whole thing a neighborhood-casual, unpretentious feel that matches the drinks.

What should I order?

Start with a Redfield-dominant or heritage-apple cider to taste the bar's namesake argument, then compare a low-intervention natural wine to see the same philosophy applied to grapes. Take bottles to go from the full retail inventory when you want to continue the tasting at home.

Who will enjoy this place?

Cider lovers who want world-spanning, small-producer bottles rather than the mass-market standard, and natural-wine drinkers drawn to low-intervention pours. The kid-friendly, parklet-equipped room also suits anyone who wants a casual family-leaning stop rather than a formal tasting.

When should I go?

Weekend afternoons when the bar starts at midday offer the longest daylight window to taste. Because producer tastings rotate through the calendar, checking the current event lineup before visiting is the reliable way to catch a specific maker.

What should I expect to spend?

Exact by-the-glass and bottle figures are not published item-by-item on official sources, so settle the current prices on the in-house list or in the online store before ordering. Expect boutique bottle-shop pricing on a cider-and-natural-wine program.

What makes the beverage program distinctive?

The bar is literally named for a nearly-forgotten American heritage apple that it argues shines best as cider, and that small-producer thesis carries through a world-spanning cider list, low-intervention natural wine, craft beer, retail-to-go inventory, and rotating producer tastings in a petite Oakland room.

Beverage categories

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