Stefano Enjem and Joe Farrier, long-time neighbors and friends, used to climb a ladder bridging their backyards to meet in Enjem’s garage. The two spent all night, thoughtfully crafting a cider they could enjoy together.
“One night we were joking around, ‘Oh we should open a winery,’” Enjem said. “And we thought about it for like a day, and then we said ‘Yeah, let’s do this.’ It all unfolded from there.”
So they sat in that garage for hours, creating what would later become the taste of Long Beach’s first cidery.
Ficklewood Ciderworks, Long Beach’s first and only cidery, is owned and operated by Enjem and Farrier who have called Long Beach home for over 10 years. They opened their cidery with the intention to not only provide the city with great tasting cider but to also become “Long Beach’s living room.”
With Enjem being diabetic and Farrier having celiac disease, the two had trouble looking for a quality cider that also accommodated both of their health conditions. Unhappy with the sugary ciders available at local grocery stores, the two turned their frustrations into motivation to produce the perfect beverage.
“Our first … goal was to drink,” Enjem said while laughing, “…making a cider we could both enjoy together.”
After 100 different yeast trials and 87 flavor ideas, the cider aficionados walked out of Enjem’s garage with about 40 flavored ciders. Shortly after, Ficklewood Ciderworks became a reality.
According to Enjem and Farrier, the end goal was to open a cidery in Long Beach that not only served quality ciders, but also served as a place that highlights Long Beach artistry.
“Everything [in our cidery] has been touched by someone in Long Beach,” Enjem said. “Our mural outside was by local muralist Nat Losbaker, our mural inside was by Bodeck [Luna Hernandez], our tap handles are by local artists as well. The community, their support, has just been incredible.”
The menu at Ficklewood consists of six different ciders that have been thoughtfully brought into this world by Enjem and Farrier.
When asked about which of their crafted ciders is their favorite, Farrier replied, “It’s like who’s your favorite child? [It] depends on what mood I’m in and what mood they’re in.”
Enjem and Farrier create their blends from three different steel tanks sitting directly behind the register, infusing natural flavor to create the different flavor profiles in their six unique ciders.
Wanting to expand her knowledge of the craft industry, bartender and Long Beach native Keri Schwabe discovered Ficklewood Ciderworks through Instagram and said she found her dream job.
“Getting the opportunity to work with them, have them teach me the cellar work, how to make the cider … I’m just so beyond blessed to be here,” Schwabe said. “They’re amazing people. It’s an amazing product.”
Ficklewood Ciderworks is located at 720 E. Broadway.