New Leaf Cider Co. has been about family from the beginning. The decision to make hard cider was prompted by family, the dream that became New Leaf was supported by family, and the production facility and tasting room were built by family, who also run the place.
New Leaf was conceived and established by Dustin and Leann Beagell. Like most craft beverage producers, Dustin started out homebrewing beer in his basement and garage.
“My wife didn’t like beer – or maybe just the beer I was making – So, I decided I’d try to make a cider sometime,” Dustin said. “I decided to make a cider that I thought I could enjoy and she could enjoy and the first one I made, we both really liked it.”
That would be First Leaf, a core cider so good that they still make today. It proved to be the gateway to turning a hobby into a business. The Beagells decided to take it on the road for a taste test and get some feedback from seasoned cider makers and drinkers at a gathering of farm cideries in Albany.
“So, we showcased his cider that he was making. It was called First Leaf and it was the first one he ever did and it went amazing,” Leann said. “It was the first time his cider was really tried by people that weren’t family and friends.”
This was just before the COVID pandemic in 2020, so the operation started small – real small. Despite the social shutdown, they managed to maintain some momentum.
“He started bottling his cider and he would sell it door-to-door. I had old coworkers that would buy cider, and he would deliver it and drop it off,” Leann said. “Bars weren’t really open at the time, so that was really the only thing that we could do in that moment.”
They joined the farmers market and did samples of what was now a wide variety of ciders. Buzz started growing and local bars took notice, gradually adding New Leaf taps across the area. The popularity grew along with the dream and eventually the Beagells were ready to build.
Dustin, his brothers and father shaped the space, doing all the infrastructure and details for the tasting room themselves. They opened in 2023 with no idea what to expect. Over the course of two days, more than 2,000 people came to celebrate their special achievement.
“There are almost no words for it, I don’t even know how to explain what that was like,” Leann said. “You see so many people that you know and you love. They’re here and they’re supporting us and they like this place – they like this dream that we’ve been on for so long. So, that was really incredible.”
The local support is reciprocal, as the Beagells use 100 percent New York State-grown apples and as many ingredients from nearby as possible. Even the charcuterie boards they use are crafted locally.
“Local is important to us because of our background. We’re both from right here in Port Crane. We want to support local as best as we can. We want to be involved in this community,” Leann said. “That’s something he’s always wanted for him and for our kids and for our family. So, that’s why we do what we do.”
Dustin has entrusted most of production to his brother these days, though he’ll always remain enamored with the cider-making process that he essentially taught himself.
“I like drinking beer and I like drinking cider, but the creativity side of it is what I really enjoy,” he said. “I really like coming up with the flavors and I like that the process of making cider is almost an art.
“Every apple is different and every fermentation can be different,” Dustin said. “It’s almost listening to what the apple saying and what the and the fermentation is telling us and then working with it.”
The vibe here is just as important as the product. He’s found his core values of family, community and integrity really resonate with his patrons. He wanted it to be the kind of place you can bring your kids and feel comfortable hanging out.
There are plenty of games to play on the patio and some type of entertainment – music, trivia, standup comedy – pretty much nightly. This all goes with the beautiful views of the countryside just outside of Binghamton, New York, which is something the Beagells wanted to share when they envisioned this place. The menu of food and cider changes almost weekly, so there’s always something new to try.
One thing you can always count on, though, is that they’ll treat you like family. Because that’s just who they are.
