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Matt and Misty Stallard have been making wine for almost the entirety of their 23-year marriage. At first, they’d make small six-gallon batches. But a couple decades later, their third Rowan Asher Winery & Hard Cidery location is lined with barrels of wine, aging until just the right moment.
The Stroudsburg-based winery and hard cidery opened a tasting room in Tatamy back in April, adding to their two locations in the seat of Monroe County government -- one a Main Street taproom and the other the home of their main operation. Rowan Asher Winery, more colloquially known as RAW, hopes the Tatamy location is a successful step in expanding the family business.
The RAW team prides themselves on being an urban winery — there are no stretches of vineyards RAW maintains, just the concrete jungle of their surroundings.
“We’re not farmers,” Matt Stallard said. “Someday would I love to have a farm of vines? Yes. Am I a farmer at heart? No, I’m a winemaker.” They get their grapes imported from across the state and the globe, but the whole wine-making process happens under their roof.
Expanding into Tatamy was a venture that began at the beginning of 2021. They rented out a space at 70 S. Eighth Street in the Northampton County community in February, and by April, they were ready to go. Located in a spruced-up warehouse with indoor and outdoor seating, it’s currently open on Fridays from 3 to 8 p.m., and on the sporadic Saturdays. There are also occasionally food trucks to provide some good eats as well, though when there aren’t, the tasting room is a “bring your own food” establishment.
But in just over two months, they’ve become a popular spot. “We love the community here,” Stallard said. “We get a lot of the same people every Friday night. A lot of them walk. It’s very cool, we feel very supported here.”
RAW’s Tatamy tasting room is located just on the edge of the suburbs with a great variety of drinks, so what’s not to love? Obviously, the wine is the main draw, and the tasting room’s menu boasts a sizable list of reds and whites. Most are dry, as that’s the winery’s specialty, Stallard said, but there are a number of sweeter wines as well. In addition, they have hard ciders. They have three on tap — the flavors include blackberry, hibiscus and toasted marshmallow — and all have a much more unique taste and feel than your run-of-the-mill hard cider.
Those are all RAW-produced drinks, and they have a full bar for cocktails plus Pennsylvania beers, mostly from in and around the Lehigh Valley.
The Stallards like to keep things local; they’re a heavily family oriented operation.
Matt and Misty named the winery after their two sons, whose middle names are Rowan and Asher. Matt, who grew up in Roseto in the Slate Belt, got his love of wine from his family, who always had wine at the dinner table. That’s something that continues today. His grandfathers came to Pennsylvania in the early 20th century from — wait for it — the town of Roseto in Italy’s Abruzzo region, and they were always making wine for their family.
The Stallards’ sons aren’t quite of age yet, but they’ll surely find their way into the family business sooner or later.
In the meantime, RAW’s Tatamy satellite is situated in a nice mid-point between Stroudsburg and the central Lehigh Valley, an area Matt Stallard sees a lot of untapped potential in for wineries, particularly of the urban variety. And they’ve partnered in the past with some of the area’s favorite breweries and bars, like Easton’s Weyerbacher Brewing Co. and Porters’ Pub.
But for now, they’re going to focus on the near future: “July, August and September,” Matt Stallard said, “those are the three busiest months of the year.”
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Raw Urban Winery & Hard Cidery
in Stroudsburg
Raw Urban Winery & Hard Cidery produces wine and hard cider in the Pocono Mountains. It’s family-run, and they take pride in making handcrafted batches using local and global fruit. Wine is offered by the glass, bottles, and through tastings, and their cider on tap.Located at 616 Main Street in Stroudsburg and established in 2015, it’s the Poconos 1st urban winery.
Raw Urban Winery & Hard Cidery is a small wine producer that does not have its own vineyard. They source their fruits from farmers. Their concept is much like that of a microbrewery in that small batches of product are made primarily for local consumption.
RAW Wines are vegan and gluten free: no animal or gluten-based agents are used. They formulate all of their wines without using any animal byproducts in the winemaking process. You can preview all of their wines and ciders on their very good website.
The food line-up includes pizza, Lebanese food, and cheese plates. You’re just steps away from the 1920s performing arts venue The Sherman Theater.
Read our 5 star reviews on Trip Advisor
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g53776-d19274946-Reviews-RAW_Urban_Winery_Hard_Cidery-Stroudsburg_Pocono_Mountains_Region_Pennsylvania.html
Read about our Pocono Mountains location:
https://www.poconomountains.com/listing/raw-urban-winery-%26-hard-cidery/5914/
VOTED Best Winery by RAY PRICE MAZDA
https://www.raypricemazda.com/rowan-asher-winery-stroudsburg-pa.htm
Stroudsburg Neighbors
Enjoy this article from “Psyched for Wine”
Read POCONO RECORDS article... Click Here
RAW urban winery to expand
BUSINESS: Written by Bill Cameron For the Pocono Record - June 15, 2016
Matt and Misty Stallard met locally over 20 years ago and later married. The couple honeymooned in California’s Napa Valley, where both would find another love: wine.
That newfound taste for winemaking became more than hobby. The Stallards decided to set up shop in Stroudsburg. In October, they opened the Poconos’ first urban winery and first cidery — and you won’t find a single vineyard on the property.
Named for the couple’s two children, the Rowan Asher Winery (RAW) brings a modern twist to the wine industry. Unlike conventional winemakers, urban wineries don’t grow the grapes used in production.
“We get a lot of fruit locally,” said Misty Stallard, “but we also source from around the world so you can always have something different to try.” She also said the apples used to make her ciders come from a neighbor’s local century orchard.
“Our wines and ciders are all made on site,” said Misty Stallard. “Ciders are made fresh daily, and we press our wines by hand.”
Misty Stallard said all her ciders are gluten-free and made from juice blends without added sugar. While she makes the ciders, her husband Matt does most of the winemaking.
"We always want to tell a story with our wine," said Misty Stallard. "This moscato is named for its maker, my husband. He grew out his mustache for ‘Movember,’ so we had to put him on the bottle."
She rolled the bottle of “Mr. Matteo” (Italian for “Matthew”) in her hand; the revealed label showed a silhouette with glasses, mustache and a beret.
Another wine called “Gather,” which debuted Thursday, takes its name from the frequent gatherings held at the winery. Furnished with rustic live-edge furniture and reclaimed barn wood décor, the tasting room has become a regular hangout spot.
The winery, at 103 Gypsum Road, hosts live music on an outdoor stage made from wood pallets.
RAW does plan to start growing something: its facility. In comings weeks, the Stallards will begin quadrupling the size of the current 24-by-11-foot tasting room. With the expansion, the business will also need to hire new employees Stallard said.
“We didn’t think we’d have to grow so quickly. But some busy Saturdays it’s hard to get in the door.”
Read the CIDER CULTURE article... Click Here
Tell us: which cider best represents you, and why?
Sweet Gypsy. I love foraging for organic herbs and flowers. I’m a bit of a hippie.
Can you share a story in which your work with cider has enriched your life or the lives of others?
Once a gentleman came to the tasting room with his wife (it seemed she dragged him in), and they had recently become gluten intolerant and had to leave the “beer world” that they loved. He thought hard cider was a “girly drink” and didn’t want to sample any. After explaining the history of cider and the variety of yeasts and infusions that are available, he reluctantly tried it. He smiled after sipping and was surprised that the cider was semi-dry, not “girly.” He went on to try our Pocono Mule gingery cider and his eyes bugged out. After trying our Oaky O’Shea aged in whiskey barrels I believe I witnessed a cider addict being born. They bought three growlers of different varieties on tap and are regulars in the taproom now. He is happy to have a gluten-free option. They often bring friends to try our new releases and do tasting flights together.
Do you have a favorite memory from your time working with cider?
My husband, Matthew, is a wine maker and I am the “hard cideress” at Rowan Asher, and I wanted to blend together our two passions to create a new product.
After helping him press some Pinotage wine skins, I hated to see the waste left over. So I had an idea. Apples aren’t high in tannins, but grapes are, so why not age my cider on the Pinotage wine skins and give them a second life to see what happens to the complexity? Oh my. It was amazing; the wine aroma came alive, the color was gorgeous! Again, my love of flowers came into play. After brewing some dandelion flowers, organic orange rind and local honey, our limited release called “The Field of Zoan” was born, only available in our tap room. It was named after our oldest son.
Part of my passion for cider includes seeing others succeed in the industry. That is why I founded the North East Cider Trail. The trail unites craft cider makers from Virginia to Maine. It went online a few months ago with a “Trail Map” of each state’s craft cider makers. We have new members coming on board weekly.
15 Questions with Pennsylvania’s Rowan Asher Winery & Cidery
By: CIDER CULTUrE MAGAZINE
December 17, 2015 / Ed Williams
The Pocono Mountains have always been a well-loved destination in Pennsylvania. The state also has the distinction of being the 4th largest producer of apples nationwide. Combine these elements with an enthusiastic entrepreneurial couple who have been making wine for more than 17 years and you have the beginning of an incredible cidery story.
About an hour from New York or Philly, this artisan micro-winery/cidery idea of hard cider makers Misty Stallard and husband Matt is beginning to branch into a veritable orchard of complex but oh-so-tasty blends of earthy ciders.
Rowan Asher Winery (RAW) has recently (as in seven weeks ago) opened a wine and cider tasting bar on the earth-friendly property where they produce six flavors of wine and four versions of hard cider only using fruit from sustainable farms within the state.
We asked Misty 15 questions on the cidery aspect of the business. It was obvious that this couple supports a back-to-nature approach and is truly passionate about sharing everything cider (affectionately known as, ahem, “cider culture”) with the community.
Cider Culture: After several years of producing wine, what made you opt into the world of cider?
Misty Stallard: It’s so exciting and different from doing the wines. It has a wonderfully old-fashioned appeal. Early settlers in this country drank cider. It was their water. By using native plants, we can keep the wholesomeness that is important to us. We wanted to continue to tap into utilizing local sustainable farms for our indigenous fruit supply.
How long have you been making cider?
We’ve been making cider for just over a year. We’re very satisfied with the results and can’t wait to experiment with future blends.
You favor using blends with local herbs. Why is that important to you?
It’s a given that herbs, berries and flowers have an inherent medicinal value. We wanted to incorporate and infuse the earth-grown flavor naturally into our ciders. It just makes sense to us.
Can you describe the current ciders on your roster?
Indian Head presents a funky semi-dry infused sip with organic chamomile and is named after a favorite hiking spot of ours in the nearby Delaware Water Gap.
Sweet Gypsy is a semi-sweet blend with cranberry and infused with organic hibiscus for a tart carbonated sip of bliss.
Oakey O’Shea evokes a semi-dry taste that’s been aged a bit in whiskey barrels for an oaky mid-palate treat that’s infused with a kiss of sweetness using Pennsylvania maple syrup.
Pocono Mule, recently added to our lineup tjhree months ago, is our take on the popular Moscow Mule. We use a blend that includes fresh ginger and lime for a refreshing gulp of goodness.
What makes your cider stand out from the competition?
We aren’t national so we don’t have tons of competition. Especially in this location in the Poconos. You’d have to get to the Doylestown area to find our nearest cidery neighbor.
Using our crafted artisan flavors with local fruit, of course, is a standout. No sugar is added and of course the cider’s gluten free element is attractive. Also, using barrels to ferment the ciders is a time-honored way to take the taste to a deeper, richer level.
Who do you see as is the customer of RAW?
Enthusiasts who want a product that is local, sustainable, without the added sugar and that tastes really good! Hence the acronym RAW. People that are into experiencing cider culture and want to be on the cutting edge of this trend. We enjoy sitting down and relishing the company of our customers, whether it’s solving the world’s problems, just hanging out listening to music, watching the kids play or simply discussing the process that is cider. We also get a thrill from watching our customers repeatedly fill their growlers.
The tasting bar opened at the end of October. Tell us how that came about?
Envisioning a place where we could sit and chat with our customers was paramount, but we also wanted to have a location where we could promote the education of cider. We used several poplar trees on our own property to frame out the walls of this cozy 26×14 space. Going for an inviting rustic feel similar to an old barn, we installed a thick pine bar top with some old barn wood for the facing. It was a real family affair to pull this together. We accessorized with succulent plants and created an eating area for snacks. We’ve also incorporated an outdoor “courtyard” with a heater to take advantage of the natural surroundings.
We know your fruit is locally outsourced, but where do you actually process the cider?
We have a separate warehouse on the property. We’re very excited to offer wine club memberships where people can join us in the warehouse and be involved in creating small batches of cider as well as assisting us with blending.
Do you drink other cider makers’ products?
Absolutely. I’ve enjoyed getting down to the Gettysburg area where wonderful cideries are growing at a much quicker pace than here. It’s great for invoking inspiration for us. I love seeing, tasting and most importantly supporting other cideries and the culture, too.
What do you find the most challenging in the production process?
We already have the wine-making fermentation process behind us, so using those skills and having a shorter process for ciders make the challenge seem minimal. It’s interesting to use ciders as a base for others and fermenting at different intervals of time using bottles or barrels. I think it’s easier than the wine process.Cider ferments in a much shorter time frame than wine, which is advantageous to get the product into the hands of the customer more quickly. There’s always some level of struggle in creating successful blends, but we love the creative process that entails.
As a consumer, is there a science to tasting or enjoying hard cider?
Sight. Color. Clarity. Aroma is important as well. That’s where the addition of herbs comes into play with our product. Commercial brands seem to be sweet immediately, unlike ours, which allows for a fuller, richer taste. It doesn’t kill the palate right away.
There are no real cider standards established yet like with wine or even craft beer, so it’s pretty open-ended with regards to taste. The customer just needs to try it. Sometimes, that can be a hurdle unless they just relax and enjoy it.
Any food pairing tips?
Once the weather gets warmer, we’re contemplating a few food truck visits to give our customers some creative food-pairing options. For now, we enjoy breaking out the Indian Head with pulled pork or a pork loin stuffed with bread, pine nuts and cranberry. Chocolate brownies with walnuts go well with our oak-based cider. The possibilities are endless.
Do you have a level of distribution outside of the Cidery itself?
We’re trying a few of our wines and ciders on tap at local restaurants. We’ve created specific blends for them to try. That program seems to be going well.
Do you find cider makers to be a cohesive or more of a competitive group?
Not competitive at all with wineries or cideries. Recently, at the Lehigh Valley Cider and Wine Festival, we met some great enthusiasts. We learned so much and met some great cider experts. Education is essential. It was fun to see the different phases and timelines of others to compare with our own business. We also love sharing the same ideas and passions with other cideries.
Do you see any cider trends regarding demographics or the growth of hard cider in general?
Specifically with RAW, our customers thank us for bringing cider culture to the Pocono area. We are no longer known as just the “honeymoon capital’ from earlier decades. I’m also a believer in the saying, “When times are bad. People drink. When times are good. People drink.” Our demographic here seems to gravitate to the under 30 crowd for now. Again, it’s a matter of getting people to give cider a go. We’re making strides week by week, and we’re really enjoying this experience.
Here at Cider Culture, we can think of bushels of reasons to hang out in the breathtaking Pocono Mountains with the hiking, camping, fishing, skiing, sightseeing and now cider sipping. Enjoy some of this liquid gold with friends at one of RAW’s happy hours or special events on their website
FULL ARTICLE AT "CIDER CULTURE " & "THE TOWN DISH" (CLICK HERE)
