A Family Business

  • Tim Smith

    FOUNDER

  • Doug Smith

    FOUNDER

  • Daron Ford

    HEAD CIDERMAKER

  • Amelia Maccubbin

    PHOEBUS TAPROOM MANAGER

About Sly Clyde

Tim and Doug Smith have been conspiring to do something big since Tim (then 17) leveraged his little brother Doug (then 8) to chat up the ladies at Das Weiner Werks in Hampton. The schtick worked great for them both, laying the foundation for a life-long partnership that culminated in the idea of Sly Clyde Ciderworks over a 2016 Christmas dinner. By 2018, the two were ready to launch Virginia’s only coastal cidery.

Doug and Tim's family has been in business in Phoebus for more than 100 years. There have been florists, carpenters, and funeral homes for generations right there on Mellen Street. Today, they are crafting the best hard cider in Hampton Roads just a block from the Chesapeake Bay at one of Virginia's only urban farm cideries. In 2023 the two expanded to a second Taproom in Williamsburg, VA at the Kingsgate resort, Sly Clyde Poolside.

So you might be wondering, "Who is Clyde?"

Clyde was Tim and Doug's grandfather, H. Clyde Smith. He was a mortician whose calm demeanor and wicked sense of humor kept them laughing as kids. He loved a good story and had a sly smile that made you realize that he had a few secrets about life that he was waiting for you to learn. He had seen some things over his lifetime but he never lost his smile. Clyde was ever-present in the community and believed in the human capacity to thrive. 

Today, Sly Clyde is two brothers who believe that the keep-it-local movement is more important than ever. They will be the first to admit that they aren't nearly as funny as Clyde, but they are just as dedicated to helping to bring the community together. Today, they create amazing ciders that inspire neighbors to share a pint and a funny story while leaving the hardship of the day behind.

Be sure to say hello when you see them. If you ask nicely, they might share a story about H. Clyde as well!