Minerva spot joins Ohio Hard Cider Trail

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control launched the Ohio Hard Cider Trail on May 22 as part of the state’s America 250 programming, and Tipsy Teller Urban Winery in Minerva is one of the participating stops. The statewide trail runs through Dec. 1, 2026, and invites adults 21 and older to visit cideries, collect passport stamps and redeem them for prizes, according to the state’s trail materials. Tipsy Teller, at 123 N. Main St. in downtown Minerva, gives the trail a stop in eastern Ohio and adds a newer small-business venue to the list of participating sites. State materials and local coverage identify the Minerva business as part of the Paynters’ winery operations, alongside Tipsy Farmer Winery in Hanoverton. ### How does the Ohio Hard Cider Trail work if you stop in Minerva? Adults 21 and older can pick up a free Ohio Hard Cider Trail passport at participating locations or download and print one, according to the Department of Commerce and the trail passport. Visitors receive a stamp by asking their server at each stop, and the state says no purchase is required to collect a stamp. (com.ohio.gov) The passport program sets two reward thresholds. Visitors who reach at least one stamped stop can submit a photo of the passport through the QR code on the back for a drawing for cider-themed swag, while those who visit six cideries can qualify for a limited-edition commemorative bottle-opener coin, while supplies last. The state says passports can be redeemed through 2026. (com.ohio.gov) ### Why is Tipsy Teller part of this trail and not just a winery listing? Tipsy Teller Urban Winery opened in late February in a former bank building in downtown Minerva, according to local coverage. The business is operated by Don and Jen Paynter, who also run Tipsy Farmer Winery in Hanoverton, giving the family two locations tied to Ohio’s wine and cider tourism circuit. (dam.assets.ohio.gov) The Ohio Department of Commerce lists Tipsy Teller among the official Hard Cider Trail stops, alongside cideries and winery locations in Columbus, Delaware, Wooster, Napoleon, McConnelsville, Grove City, Wilmington, Hanoverton, Jackson, West Geneva, Columbiana and Athens. Cleveland.com reported the trail opened with 13 cideries, while the state’s event page includes Tipsy Teller on the participating list. (bluewaterhealthyliving.com) ### What is the state trying to highlight with the trail? The Ohio Department of Commerce said the trail is meant to connect residents and visitors with a drink that “helped shape daily life” in Ohio and early America. Division Superintendent Jackie DeGenova said in the state announcement that hard cider has “deep roots” in the state’s history, from Johnny Appleseed-era orchards to current craft producers. (com.ohio.gov) America 250-Ohio branding is built into the passport and trail materials. The passport describes the route as a way to explore Ohio’s cider tradition from present-day cideries back to the orchards associated with Johnny Appleseed, tying the tourism program to the broader 250th-anniversary observance. (com.ohio.gov) ### What does this mean for a place like Minerva? Minerva gains a named stop on a statewide tourism map that is being promoted by the Department of Commerce and regional media. For a newer downtown venue such as Tipsy Teller, inclusion means travelers using the passport have a reason to stop, ask for a stamp and potentially stay for a tasting or event, even though the passport itself does not require a purchase. (dam.assets.ohio.gov) The Minerva location also broadens the trail’s geography beyond Ohio’s largest cities. State and media listings show stops spread across multiple regions, which gives smaller communities a place in the program rather than concentrating it in one metro area. ### Where do visitors go next if they want to take part? (com.ohio.gov) The Ohio Department of Commerce says the trail remains open through Dec. 1, 2026, and passports are available at participating cideries or as a printable download from the state’s Hard Cider Trail page. Tipsy Teller Urban Winery’s listed stop is 123 N. Main St., Minerva, Ohio 44657, and the next step for visitors is to bring or print a passport and ask for a stamp at the counter. (com.ohio.gov)