Cambridge, Mass. — The Station by Artifact Cider Project is opening this weekend at 438 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. With up to 14 ciders on tap, ranging from fan favorites like Wild Thing and Feels Like Home to small-batch cellar projects, the taproom will offer Greater Boston a new experience with great regional craft cider.
“We think a lot in the cellar about how to make ciders that feel representative of our time and place, and we are super excited to share them with a broader audience,” says cidermaker and co-founder Soham Bhatt. “We had planned to open this spring and then life threw us all this huge curveball. So when it came time to consider opening, especially during this crazy and trying time, we went back to basics—at the end of the day, cider is easy-going and enjoyable. We all could use a little bit of that right now, socially distanced of course.”
Alongside Bhatt’s innovative ciders, which are made from apples thoughtfully sourced from orchards throughout the northeast, beer made in collaboration with other local producers is available. Additionally, a small kitchen in-house is producing a menu of bold toasts and platters with options for everyone, whether you are gluten-free, vegan, or want all the bread, meat and cheese. Artifact is also offering a selection of packaged snack-time favorites from around the world—think: colorful single-serve bags of fiery Takis, tasty shrimp crackers, the northeast OG (Cape Cod chips), and more. A small cidery and pilot brewery production space on site allow Bhatt to make limited-release projects in the space, and give visitors a glimpse of his process.
“We want to change how people think about cider,” Bhatt says. “Cider comes from the orchard, but it is also casual, diverse, and always connected to great food, which is why we chose Central Square as our outpost in the city.” By opening this taproom, Artifact will bridge its home state, having opened a production cellar and taproom in western Massachusetts in 2019.
The Cambridge taproom is led by general manager Adam Silsby. Formerly of Row 34 and Prairie Fire, Silsby brings exceptional hospitality, along with best practices under COVID-19, to the latest Artifact experience. Silsby is leading a small team in Cambridge, and overseeing the service-included menu; Artifact is committed to fair and full compensation for all employees.
The 3,000-square foot taproom—the former Economy Hardware store—is furnished with 13 socially distanced tables and boasts 14-foot ceilings, which give the room a spacious airiness. The space also features a 32-foot bar and an updated take on a New England roadside snack shack. Planning for the project was done by Austin Design and construction was managed by Tremont Construction Management.
Opening day for The Station is taking place on Friday, October 23 from 4-10 pm. It will be open throughout the weekend on Saturday, October 24 from 12-10 pm and Sunday, October 25 from 12-10 pm Learn more about Artifact Cider Project and the taproom by following @artifactcider on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
About Artifact Cider Project:Artifact Cider Project makes cider for the new Northeast. We produce craft cider in a variety of styles by respecting tradition, but refusing to let it limit us. Using local apples and innovative cidermaking practices, we create ciders that are as authentic, eclectic, and forward-looking as the region they come from. Artifact was founded in 2014 by Jake Mazar and Soham Bhatt and is based in Florence, Massachusetts.The Station by Artifact Cider Project438 Massachusetts AvenueCambridge, MA 02139Opening Hours: Thursdays, 4 – 10 pmFriday, 4 – 10 pmSaturday, Noon – 10 pmSunday, Noon – 10 pmClosed Monday – Wednesday
For more information, please contact Rachel Bennett at rachel@artifactcider.com or (207) 400-7408. Contact:Rachel BennettHead StorytellerArtifact Cider Project207-400-7408rachel@artifactcider.com
For more information: https://www.artifactcider.com/