Josh grew up on the border of Virginia and West Virginia in a region of Appalachia called the Allegheny Highlands.  He is fond of telling folks that growing up there: “If you were old enough to chop wood and make hay, it meant that you were old enough to make and drink hard cider.” 

After many travels and ventures he used the GI bill to study Horticulture at WVU, during which time he also went overseas and studied oenology in Europe.  During this time hard cider really started to make a comeback, however, none of what was available resembled those natural barrel aged ciders of his youth.  With a deep desire to get back on the farm, and seeing a hole in the market, Josh put all his effort into what is now Hawk Knob.

At Hawk Knob they hope to provide more than the cider they make; they hope to share a little bit of their culture and Appalachian heritage. Since before, during, and after prohibition, hard cider has been made in their region and throughout much of Appalachia. Many of these ciders were made from heritage apple varieties, wild apples, or a combination of the two. More often than not, these ciders were fermented and aged in used whiskey and bourbon barrels.

While barrel aging and barrel influenced ciders are becoming more common these days, and considered by many to be a modern trend, this style of cider making is part of their cultural heritage. Much of what they do at Hawk Knob is an homage to the old-time cider crafters and their Appalachian roots.