Skip to content
City Orchard owners

REAL APPLES - REAL CIDER

City Orchard was founded by the serendipitous meeting of three like-minded Houstonians. Our objective is simple; create the best ciders from the best ingredients in a welcoming environment.

With family-owned farms along the shores of Lake Ontario, City Orchard taps deep into the roots of Great Lakes Apple Country. We bring the heritage of our cider culture and orchards to our favorite city.

We press carefully selected apples on the farm, truck the juice to Houston, and produce traditional ciders in an urban setting – we are an orchard in the city. A little unorthodox – but this is Texas. We manage the process from tree to glass. Real Apples, Real Cider.

Every partner is active in managing the cidery. From left to right:

Clay Watson, Patrick Kwiatkowski, Mat Smith.

FROM OUR ORCHARDS TO YOUR GLASS

City Orchard co-founder Mat Smith’s family orchards – Smith Brother’s Farms – is nearing its century-old status. Founded by Mat’s grandfather, the North Rose, NY orchards are located in one of the country’s most important apple growing regions.

Smith Brothers continues to support craft cider making by planting new groves of traditional cider apples such as European Yarlington Mill and American Golden Russet. Direct access to heritage cider making apples as well as staples such as Fuji, Golden Delicious, and Northern Spy allows City Orchard to make delicious, easy drinking ciders for a hot Texas day and have a little fun experimenting as well.

Apple Orchard View
Pouring a stout

WE MAKE BEER TOO!

City Orchard’s focus is cider but we also love beer!

We wanted to make sure that everyone has something to enjoy at our taproom and Texas law stipulates that we have to make beer to serve so – we make beer.

Brewmaster Clay Watson’s beer making philosophy is simple: “let’s get back to basics.” We hope you enjoy some of our classic styles – they are only available in our taproom.

MEET THE TEAM

CO-FOUNDERS

web_claywatson_staff_600x600

Clay Watson

BREWMASTER, PRODUCTION

smith

Matt Smith

APPLE PROCUREMENT, JUICING OPERATIONS, PRODUCTION

patrick_kwiatkowski_1200x1200

Patrick Kwiatkowski

SALES & MARKETING, ADMINISTRATION

MANAGERS

greg_kusiak_1200x1200

Greg Kusiak

TAPROOM GENERAL MANAGER

paul_tenney_tanks_1200x1200

Paul Tenney

PRODUCTION MANAGER

TEAM

Carissa 600x600

Carissa

TAPROOM TEAM, MARKETING

shannon_allen_1200x1200

Shannon

TAPROOM TEAM

Abiel 600x600

Abiel

TAPROOM TEAM

amala

Amala

TAPROOM TEAM

aj turner website photo

AJ

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

51

Victoria

SALES

CONTACT US:

FOR SPECIFIC INQUIRIES:

WANT TO CARRY OUR CIDERS IN YOUR ESTABLISHMENT?

Write Patrick Kwiatkowski or call at 713-412-5120 or visit our distribution information page.

HOST AN EVENT AT OUR TAPROOM

Write Greg Kusiak or visit our taproom rental information page.

WANT TO HOST A VIRTUAL TASTING?

Write Patrick Kwiatkowski or visit our virtual tasting information page.

REQUESTING A CIDER DONATION?