There is no shortage of weird and wonderful ciders out there, and our love for them is well documented. As we’re scrolling through the Instagram cidersphere, perusing VinoShipper and delving into cidery’s websites, we often come across many eccentric ciders that make us smile: hazy pét-nats, plum jerkum, wild-fermented sidra, wine-cider hybrids, and so much more.

However, there are still some cider surprises waiting out there — unexpected delights that even reading their description makes us feel like, “Ok, we have to try that immediately.” That’s the feeling we got when learning about Greenpoint Cidery, an experimental project founded in 2015 by Nika Carlson. Drawing inspiration from natural wine, farmhouse practices, and the history of apples in America, Carlson’s production stands on a triangle of principles: local ingredients (she uses New York apples and fruit), traditional methods, and minimal intervention. Her ciders are joyful, inspired fermentations, and often incorporate foraged ingredients, like dandelions, wild grapes and mugwort.

Nika Carlson of Greenpoint Cidery

A Washington State native, she currently splits her time between Brooklyn and Hudson, New York. After hearing her on an episode of the podcast Disgorgeous, we were curious to learn more. And now you can learn more too, through this Cidermaker Q&A:

Cider Culture: Where did your fermentation journey begin?

Nika Carlson: I co-owned a bar in Brooklyn called The Drink, and an importer brought me some Spanish cider to try. I was blown away, and fell down the rabbit hole of what cider was and could be. A former partner and I subsequently planned to open a cider-focused bar, and a mead-making friend was like, “You should just make cider! It’s easy; I’ll teach you.” Ha. It proved to be a little more complicated, but here I am.

What were some of the people or influences who guided you along the way?

Big shoutout to Raphael Lyon at Enlightenment Wines, said mead maker who introduced me to fermenting. I learned a ton from him. When I started, I also looked to places like Farnum Hill, which really paved the way for the resurgence of heirloom apples and craft American cider; Aaron Burr Cidery and Andy Brennan’s emphasis on place and foraged fruit; and organic growers like Michael Phillips. I’m also curious about natural wine, but even more so in folk traditions in wine and cider making, and even beer. What were farm wives making? What are native beverages? What does history, written or otherwise, tell us about what people used to drink, and how where they lived influenced them? What does the land I inhabit look like through the seasons, and how can that be incorporated into what I make? Also just my palate, like, what excites me and tastes good to me?

What was one of the moments along your journey that made you feel like, “Yes, this is working, I can do this”?

A few years ago, I moved my trees onto a new property that some friends bought. It was … a big task, and I’m still getting those trees to produce at commercial volume. But once I was there, I think I came into my own as a cidermaker. I finally had some space to breath, literally and metaphorically. It’s a beautiful space that I feel incredibly lucky to explore, and I try to share that through my work. And I think people have really responded to that. I remember one day walking through the fields with a friend, picking mugwort, crushing it in my hands, and inhaling this incredible scent while talking about how this feathery, weed-y herb used to be a bittering agent for beer before hops where common. And thinking, “Oh man, I should try this with cider!” That’s a pretty common refrain for me. A smell or a sight or a story catches me and makes me wonder what could be.

What are some of the challenges you faced (are facing?) as a business owner? As a cidermaker?

Oh man. Money. Space. Time. Working alone. And those are all connected. I’m the sole employee of my business, so it’s a lot of work. I get help here and there, but I’m working the orchard and making the cider. And packaging it. And selling it. I’m a jack-of-all-trades, and I really enjoy the physical work and the creative freedom, but there are some things I enjoy more than others. Real talk? I am terrible at sales, and wish it came more naturally. I’ve also done everything on a really small budget, and I love a DIY, but being suddenly magically rich certainly wouldn’t hurt, ha.

Can you tell us a bit about your production facility? It’s in upstate NY, right? What is it like?

It’s in Hudson, NY, just outside of town. It’s a small space with limited equipment, and it involves a lot of tetris-ing of things. I’m working on getting more space, which will really allow me to increase my production volume. That’s a big goal for this year.

So many of your ciders include interesting ingredients and technique-driven experimentation. How did you develop this style? What do you think it allows the ciders to do or say, as opposed to more conventional ciders?

I think a lot of it has to do with my exploration of my own space, internally and externally. I’m a curious person, and I like to experiment. I like beautiful things, and I like to share. And I want to make people happy! So how do I convey to people the joy I feel at catching sight of secret wild apple blossoms in the spring? Or of walking down to the creek through a field of goldenrod and asters at the end of a warm fall day? How does that connect to our shared past? What does that make me want for our collective future? And how can we all look at our own spaces differently, and re-imagine how we want to inhabit them? I mean, none of that matters if it’s not delicious. Most of the time it is! And sometimes it’s not, so you figure out how to use it differently than you planned. Nature doesn’t really care about our plans or timeline. Anyway, I think it comes across in my ciders. Every bottle is a piece of that story.

Which of your ciders do you open on a special occasion?

I open one of the experimental bottles sometimes, but I’m also just as happy to drink my flagship cider, First Edition, which is the first style I ever made. I try to make sure each bottle feels like a unique experience, from the cider itself, to the bottle containing it, to the very experience of opening it. It should all be fun!

What kind of reaction do you hope for when someone tries your ciders for the first time?

I hope they’re surprised, I hope they’re satisfied, I hope they want to reach for more, and I hope they’re inspired to share it with people they care about.

What do you wish to do with Greenpoint Cidery that you haven’t been able to do yet? Do you have any future plans to share?

I’m just really excited to see what the future holds. This is a big planning year, and I’m laying the groundwork for expanding in a big way while also trying very hard to staying open to possibilities.

For more on Greenpoint Cidery, check out its Instagram and shop online (including its Mail CSA) via its website! While you’re there, check out the list of stockists where Carlson’s ciders are sold (mostly in NY State), and learn about Sail Freight, a delivery system via schooner (!) that’s available during the warmer weather months to communities situated along the Hudson River.

• Photos: Greenpoint Cidery

The post Cidermaker Q&A: Greenpoint Cidery appeared first on Cider Culture.

In anticipation of the upcoming CiderCon 2023 in Chicago (it’s so soon, y’all! January 31 through February 3), we wanted to introduce you to four folks from The Windy City’s local cider community. Each of them have, in their own ways, been working for years to establish Chicago as an amazing cider city. 

We’re excited to share more of their stories with you, and pass along some insider’s tips about things to do and places to go while you’re visiting Chicago!

Brian Rutzen

Brian Rutzen practicing his Basque-style long pour

Around Chicago, Brian Rutzen is affectionately known as “Cider Brian” — for the past 12 years, he’s been one of craft cider’s biggest champions and hype men. 

But where he first encountered cider, interestingly enough, was hanging with craft beer people. In the early 2010s, Rutzen would visit friends in Madison, Wisconsin, to volunteer at The Great Taste of the Midwest (a huge and long-standing beer festival), and a few months later, he would travel back to go to a thank-you party for all the volunteers held on a farm. 

“The local homebrew club would have a truck of apples, and we’d spend the whole day crushing apples and making raw juice to ferment at home,” he remembers. “We’d take the juice home, ferment it and then bring our ciders back the next year and trade.” 

Those homemade ciders were Rutzen’s first eye-opening experiences with ciders. 

“The first time I made cider it was the best one I’d ever had. I wondered why there was no bottle of this on shelves or in bars?” he says.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Cider Brian (@chicagocider)

He began entering his DIY ciders into competitions, like GLINTCAP, and began to meet and interact with other people in the Midwest and Michigan cidermaking industry and communities. 

“I saw an opportunity to connect these guys on their farms with people who didn’t know that cider like that existed,” Rutzen notes. “At first, it was the product, then it was the people, then it was the farms and cideries … all of it was right there under the surface waiting to be explored and shared.”

In 2011, he began doing some ad hoc sales and brand-repping in Chicago for Michigan cideries, as well as hosting an ongoing cider salon. He developed a reputation as being a huge cider cheerleader, and that’s when the “Cider Brian” nickname started to stick. After dabbling with the idea of starting a cider distribution company, he switched gears after connecting with a local restaurateur at a holiday party.

“I told him: ‘Chicago needs a cider bar, why don’t we have that in the city?’” Rutzen recalls. “A week later, he called me up and told me that they’d just bought an empty space and wanted to talk about it with me.” 

That empty space is what became The Northman, Chicago’s first cider bar, which opened in 2016. Rutzen was hired as the bar’s cider and beverage director, and that’s where he met Ambrosia Borowski (who we’ll meet in a moment). 

Though The Northman’s main location closed in 2020, its Chicago Riverwalk beer and cider garden is still going strong (seasonally). Rutzen is still lightly involved, though he’s turned his focus to another cider venture, which is hosting private cider tastings around the city. Usually, he meets with groups of 15 to 30 people, opens a bunch of ciders and talks about the history and science behind them. 

“It puts me right back where I started, educating and getting people excited about cider,” he says. “My whole job is to hype cider!”

Brian’s Chicago Recos:

• Clark Street Ale House for late-night drinks: “It’s a 5-minute cab ride from the hotel, and is open until 4 a.m. It’s mostly beer, but they do have a sensible cider collection, with regional and national brands.”
• Reggie’s Music Lounge for live music: “They always have 1 or 2 good ciders on tap. It’s a solid blues bar — nothing fancy — but a legendary music space.”
• Sleeping Village for a great cider selection: “This is another music venue that has probably 10 ciders on tap; expensive, imported fancy ciders like Etienne Dupont and different Basque ciders. But it’s not a fancy joint; it’s more of a hipster lounge.”

Ambrosia Borowski

Ambrosia Borowski is a Chicago native, who started their cider journey as a reluctant restaurant wine professional. “The wine culture is definitely not the cider culture,” they laugh. “It can be pretentious and classist, and as someone that grew up blue collar, the pretentious just wasn’t for me.” 

When they discovered cider, which shares so much with wine — a focus on fruit, harvest and food pairings — but in a less-pretentious and more affordable way, they were hooked. 

“It was a no-brainer for me to come over to the happy side!” 

After moving back to Chicago in 2012 having enjoyed adventures elsewhere, Borowski was working as a bartender and actively seeking out the local cider scene.

“I was like, Chicago is the best town in the world — there has to be cider here!” they remember. “I was listening to NPR, and heard an advertisement for the first Chicago Cider Summit, so I bought a ticket and dragged my best friend with me. We went and I was in heaven.”

A few years later, Borowski got their resume in front of the team opening The Northman, and was hired on as the cider bar’s general manager. 

“[Working there] was the best four years of my life to date. It was amazing that they allowed me and the team so much input and autonomy,” they say. “We made a place that consumers could come to and share our love for cider in an unpretentious, laid-back environment where everyone was welcome.” 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ambrosia Borowski (@meadofthegods)

Borowski is still heavily involved with The Northman’s Riverwalk location and is the Executive Beverage Director for the restaurant group that owns that location, The Fountainhead Group. But a good deal of their focus is now on the production side, as director of operations for the Northman Cider Co. 

“Making cider means different challenges and different hours, and it also puts you into a bigger cog of world climate and consumption,” they say. “It puts your brain into a bigger scope.”

Additionally, Borowski is the founder of Chicago Cider Week, which began in 2017, and is taking place this year right during CiderCon. They are also an avid cyclist, and the team captain for a charity ride for Team MS. They co-host a podcast, Original Designated Drinkers, where they discuss “every aspect of beverage” from coffee to whiskey to cider to wine.

Ambrosia’s Chicago recos:

• Museums: “We have a lot of free museums, like the The DuSable, a Black history museum and education center.”
• Explore different neighborhoods: “Downtown is a financial district, and all of the fun things are in the neighborhoods! Don’t be afraid to take the train somewhere; get a CTA pass and use the CTA instead of Ubers and Lyfts, which are expensive and take longer.” 

Malaika & Sean Tyson, The CiderSoms

The Tysons are perhaps better known as The CiderSoms, which is the name of the cider blog that they started in 2014. The couple, who are both from Chicago, first discovered cider when they were living in St. Louis, Missouri, for work in the mid-aughts. They were wine drinkers, but turned to cider when they wanted to enjoy something a little more casual.

“St. Louis was such a heavy beer town that people looked at us as being snooty for bringing a bottle of wine to parties!” Malaika says. “That’s when we first found cider, primarily because it was being marketed like beer, but it wasn’t beer.”

After moving back to Chicago in 2008, their world of cider grew. They began finding brands that weren’t available in St. Louis at the time, like Virtue Cider and Seattle Cider Co. 

“We found this burgeoning community, especially with Michigan being so close by and with the actual cider makers coming here to introduce people to their products,” Malaika remembers. “Then, when The Northman started off, we got close with Brian and Browie, and their team. It was a welcoming community, and we had access to so many new ciders.”

As they explored these ciders, Sean and Malaika began to get questions from their friends about what they were trying. They decided to make a blog to collect and share their cider notes with people.

“As time went on, we decided that just doing reviews wasn’t a good use of our platform, and that we wanted to tell peoples’ stories,” Malaika says. “That’s how we started branching out, and since CiderCon is here in Chicago every other year, it gave us the opportunity to start meeting the industry people without having to travel for it.” 

 

 

 

 

 

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Between CiderCon and Cider Summit, the Tysons deepened their relationship with the larger cider industry and community. 

(Fun fact: Malaika has been a contributor to Cider Culture since 2020!)

In their day jobs, Sean works for an organization that helps regulate stock market brokers, and Malaika is a patent attorney. In fact, she’s leading a workshop at CiderCon 2023 about trademarks and brand protection strategies! And, Malaika and Sean also helped to organize the Bronzeville neighborhood tour.  

“We’ve gotten more visibility over time, with people starting to know us and giving us access to their orchards and spaces,” Malaika notes. “I think it’s the longevity — people know us and that we’re not just out here for free alcohol!”

The Tysons Chicago recos:

• Beverly Phono Mart: “This is a really cool record shop. On the weekends they’ll usually have a DJ and sell cocktails; it’s a fun party atmosphere. The owners are really cool people; they like cider too! We always bring them something different to try.”
• Open Outcry Brewing: “This neighborhood brewery has great pizza, and they also carry cider. It’s a really cute, chill place with good food, and a bunch of board games.”
• Juice @1340 BWS: “Juice is a wine bottle shop, and they have a couple of ciders. One of their owners was named one of Wine Enthusiast’s ‘40 under 40’, and he’s curated a good amount of interesting wines.” 

Getting amped on CiderCon and your upcoming Chicago adventures? Be sure to visit the American Cider Association’s CiderCon website for all the necessary information to help plan your itinerary. And, if you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time! Head here to make it happen.

• Feature photo: The CiderSoms

The post Meet 4 Folks from the Chicago Cider Community appeared first on Cider Culture.

Even though 2020 was a really — like, really really — difficult year for the cider industry, there have been a number of new cideries to open their doors in the years that followed the depths of the pandemic. It would seem that the economic uncertainty that spawned from Covid-19 also created some opportunities (and maybe some kicks-in-the-pants to start following their dreams) for aspiring cidermakers.

We’re always so happy to see folks ready and willing to throw their hats into the ring and join our cider community! Here are five newer cideries to check out this fall:

Brownhoist Cider Co. (Ohio)

What happens when two lawyers try their hand at making cider? Follow along with Brownhoist Cider Co. to find out! Friends and colleagues (both attorneys) Dave Doughten and Ed Vargas have teamed up to open a commercial cidery based in Ohio. Vargas had been a home cider maker, and he and Doughten decided to use some of their free time during the pandemic to make cider together. They launched the business in the fall of 2021, and opened their cidery, which is open a few days a week for takeout sales, in the Lakeside District of Cleveland, with no tasting room just yet.

They’ve also been working on growing estate apples for future cidermaking. The duo, who refer to themselves as “apple gardeners” are tending to trees in an abandoned 40-year-old orchard on a patch of land that Doughten owns in Hiram Township, about 35 miles from Cleveland. They’ve spent the last three years freeing up the trees and pruning them back to levels that will preserve and produce apples. The orchard includes over 300 in trees in total, with varietals like Paradis, Jonathan, Rome, Golden Delicious and Franklin Cider apples. 

Keep up with Brownhoist Cider’s progress via Instagram, or stop by its cidery for cider to-go! 4403 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, OH; (216) 200-6674.

Excursion Ciders (Pennsylvania)

Pennsylvania is home to many awesome cideries, and the Commonwealth just welcomed another to its ranks! Excursion Ciders is a project started by four partners: Jillian Antonelli, sisters Jenna and Emily Bless, and Doug Reeser. Reeser began his career as a brewer; he’s the co-founder of Hidden River Brewing Co. in Douglassville, PA, which added ciders to its beer lineup in 2015 (Antonelli worked at Hidden River as well).

During the tumultuous time of Covid, Reeser and Antonelli veered away from the beer world and connected with the Bless sisters, their long-time friends and cider enthusiasts, and the four decided to embark on their cider journey together. After an 8-month search, they found a location, spend another nine months building it out DIY-style, outfitting it with used equipment, and they started making cider. Excursion Ciders celebrated a soft open in August of 2022, and it is working on adding consistent hours and days open for its taproom in Phoenixville, PA, just 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia. 

Excursion purchases fresh pressed juice from local orchards, and uses its own small press to make limited-batch ciders made from a wide variety of apples foraged from trees in its community. The tasting room includes a bar and indoor and outdoor seating, and with Excursion’s ciders, like Honeysuckle Hop, Sorrel and Rustic Red (cider blended with raspberry wine) on draft, along with a selection of Pennsylvania beer, wine  and other beverages. A small food menu focuses on local ingredients and Pennsylvania cheese, and food made with a focus on Pennsylvania cheese. 

Give Excursion Ciders a follow on Instagram, and stop by its tasting room in Chester County, PA. 14 Prizer Rd., Phoenixville, PA; (484) 366-1511.

Honey in That Rock Cidery (Maine) 

Honey In That Rock Cidery is a brand-new cider business currently producing under Shalom Orchard and Organic Winery’s license in Franklin, Maine. The focus of this new venture is low-intervention, French oak barrel-aged, traditional, dry hard cider and perry. Co-founder and head cidermaker E. Mathias Kamin III moved to coastal Maine in 2018, and fell in love with the coastline full of wild fruit. He first worked as a brewer for Fogtown Brewing Co., and started Honey in that Rock in the summer of 2021. For this project, he’s teamed up with his now-business-partner Nathan Arnold, an accomplished mead maker from Ithaca, and local winemaker, Ian Barry. 

“We love to get weird and off the beaten path with blends and often co-ferment our ciders and perries with hybrid grape varietals, mostly with juice gotten from producers and dear friends from the Finger Lakes,” says Kamin. “We do the same process, as well, with local organic low-bush blueberries.”

Honey in That Rock’s first offering was a pet-nat from a singular 100-year-old orchard in Lamoine Beach, Maine. It exemplifies the cidery’s preference for slow, cold fermentations, with the liquid rested sur lie, and bottled unfiltered. Summer 2022 has been their first season of selling their first three releases; you can visit their tasting room (which is shared with Shalom Orchard) daily between noon and 5 p.m. to try them. And stay on the lookout for more heritage varietal ciders coming soon! Follow along on Instagram for more info and updates. 158 Eastbrook Rd., Franklin, ME; (607) 341-0528.

Peeled Hard Cider (Illinois)

Just outside of Chicago in Naperville, Illinois, you’ll find Peeled Hard Cider a small urban cidery that made its debut in 2021. This urban cidery produces small-batch, handcrafted, fruit-forward ciders, including its flagship, Hazy Apple. Other flavors include Hazy Blueberry in cans, and Hazy Mango and Hazy Guava on draft. Fall and winter flavors will likely join the lineup this year, as well! Peeled sources quality juice, and all of its offerings are unfiltered to showcase each fruit’s flavor profile. There is no Peeled Cider tasting room, but you can find its products at a number of stockists, bars and restaurants in the greater Chicago area.

RAW Cider (Oregon) 

Brand-new to the robust McMinnville, Oregon beverage community is RAW Cider Company, specializing in ciders that balance traditional, French cidermaking methods with modern sensibilities. Low intervention, slow fermentations and a firm grasp of biology and chemistry allow owner Levi Danielson to celebrate the fruit’s character through natural fermentation. RAW works with local farmers to produce quality cider-specific apples, and is always on the lookout for interesting and best-quality fruit in both Oregon and Washington. RAW’s first two releases, 2021 Brut (hand-disgorged!) and 2021 Semi-Dry — both made from a blend of Airlie Red and Karmijn de Sonneville — are available for purchase online. 

What new cideries are opening in your city or town? Let us know! 

• Feature photo: Honey in That Rock Cider
• All other photos: Courtesy of their respective cideries

The post 5 New Cideries to Discover appeared first on Cider Culture.

A lot of cideries make a limited-run cider or two using fruit donated by neighbors from at-home apple or pear trees. These ciders are a great way to keep homegrown fruit from going to waste, and a way to share the local terroir and harvest with the whole community.

For Archetype12 Wines, based in Portland, Oregon, this crowd-sourced fruit model is how they make all of their ciders. It’s a unique approach that sparked our curiosity, so we called up founder Jason Werner to learn more about how this tiny, DIY-driven operation works.

Archetype12 founder Jason Werner

Cider Culture: How did you get into cidermaking?

Jason Werner: I came from a career in business strategy. I fell in love with wine first. I consider myself a winemaker first, a cidermaker second, and an experimenter with all-things-fermentable third. In 2017, I started a deep-dive into wine, and worked a commercial harvest in the Willamette Valley. I joke that from 2017-2018, I got my “wine BA.”

How did you end up using community fruit to make Archetype12’s cider?

I’m a long-distance runner, and I would run past houses in my local neighborhood, Metzger, and see all these old heritage apple trees. People would purchase old house with these trees on the property, but couldn’t put all of the fruit they produce to use. I’ve always been a huge proponent of sustainability, and I wondered if we could do anything with that fruit. That led me to this side project, Terroir Incognito, which is crowd-sourced, community-supported craft cider.

To find the fruit, I would sometimes stop to talk to people about their trees, and during Covid I started sending people letters in the mail. The first year we did this was 2017, and I got fruit from maybe 4 trees, which made about 50 bottles of cider. From there, the project continued to grow in terms of scope and scale. In 2020, we really ramped up production. Our first commercial vintage was 2019, and we focused on ciders and piquettes, and released about 16 SKUs. In the 2021, vintage, we brought in 1.5 tons of crowd-sourced fruit. I bring some of that finished product back to the people who grew the fruit to help deepen ties in the community, and some makes it to our website. 

Do you usually harvest the fruit, or do the people who donate it?

I am for the most part a one man show, so most of the time I go harvest by myself. It’s just me rolling up in my 2005 Pontiac Vibe. I can fit two Bordeaux barrels in that thing! When I first started doing this, I assumed people would just let me in to harvest, but in reality most people want to harvest right alongside me! So we have conversations for hours about their family, their history in Oregon, what they’ve done with the trees, and so on.

Tell us about your cidermaking process.

After harvest, we let the apples sweat in the cellar for 1 or 2 months. I have a whole set up I’ve invested in including a crusher and basket press. We ferment everything in our small facility in Portland. After fermentation, we taste and decide what to blend, age and what else the ciders need.

So many of Archetype12’s ciders have an experimental streak. What inspires all the flavors you make?

Like a lot of cidemakers, I suffer from “shiny object syndrome.” It’s all about taking the apples we got from that year, looking at how we split them and experimenting with different flavor profiles. We’re not really interested in building out seasonal releases; we’re doing vintage cider and we want each one to be artisanal in its own right.

For instance, PDX Press, one of our products from 2020, is a mix of fruit from all over the Portland metro, and once it finished its base fermentation to 8% we hit it with a dosage of maple sugar and apple jack, put it in an old cab franc barrel for 10 months. Then we combined it with some organic chai concentrate, force carbonated it and bottled it.

I also do a lot of weird experiments that don’t even make it to the website. Even after you’ve made a piquette you can rehydrate the pomace to some extent for a third time and then it cook that down with flavorings like maple, vanilla or orange zest. What you’re left with is a high-fiber, low-sugar apple butter or jelly alternative. I call it pomace butter, and to me, it’s another way to use the whole fruit. 

Another unusual thing we noticed was that you have cider for sale on your webshop for one penny. What’s that about?

If you met me in person, you’d have to stop me from giving you wine and cider, because I just want people to try things. I’m willing to ship to anyone who wants to try a cider or one of our 500-ml products something for free, or at a very low cost. Wine has always struggled with its cost as a barrier to entry, which means people aren’t as likely to try new things. Ciders struggle with that, too because they are mostly a premium product. Selling cider for a penny is also homage to my grandmother Penny who was a big advocate for everything I was doing. 

To learn more about Archetype12’s wines and ciders, check out its website or Instagram. You can also visit its tasting room in Portland, which is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and by appointment for off-hours experiences. 

Archetype12 is located at 10700 SW 72nd Ave. in Portland, Oregon; phone: (971) 999-1809.

• Photos: Archetype12 Wines

The post Cidermaker Q&A: Archetype12 Wines appeared first on Cider Culture.

• Cider is federally regulated as wine. On the one hand, this is good news for consumers wanting to buy direct from cideries around the country, or buy cider through websites like ShopCiders.com and Pressthenpress.com. The wine industry has fought hard for the right to sell direct-to-consumer, and as part of the regulated umbrella of “wine,” cider benefits from those rights.

But — and you knew there would be a “but,” right? — there are some quirks from being federally regulated as wine, too.

• Ciders under 7% ABV are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and face less labeling and packaging restrictions than ciders over 7% ABV, which are regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
  • For example, ciders over 7% ABV can’t be packaged in a 16-oz. (“tallboys”) or 19.2-oz. (“stovepipe”) cans. The American Cider Association advocated for 12-oz. packaging for wine and cider and was successful in getting that changed in December of 2020.
• Ciders made with any non-apple/non-pear fruits are regulated as fruit wine. Fruit wine faces steep carbonation taxes at a much lower carbonation level than only-apple cider, perry, mead and grape wine under 8.5% ABV. Maybe that’s part of the reason why you don’t see as much only-plum (like jerkum), only-berry, etc. beverages out there?
• Cider over 7% ABV can’t use vintage dating to delineate the impact of the season on an apple’s harvest and resulting cider. This is a bummer for anyone who is interested in watching their favorite cideries develop year over year, or who want to cellar ciders and drink them at a later date. You can always go DIY with a Sharpie, but it definitely isn’t the same as a printed vintage date, in terms of prestige or convenience.
• Cider over 7% ABV can’t apply to use American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) on their labels, because those are for grape-only wines. AVAs are the government’s way of granting appellation status to grape-growing regions with specific, distinguishing geographic or climatic features that affect how the fruit is grown. For famous apple-growing regions producing exceptional cider, like the Finger Lakes in New York State, this can create a promotional challenge for cidermakers. The ACA and the New York Cider Association are currently working together to explore options that will grant cider parity with wine when it comes to geographic indicators while still supporting the robustness of the AVA system.

A lot of these rules are put in place for guidance and regulation, but are not necessarily doing the cider industry, at large, many favors. The ACA is constantly working to advocate for the growth and improvement of the industry, and the issues discussed above are a top priority for the Association! For more info on this work, or to read comments from the Association on a recent Executive Order by President Biden related to competition in the American markets for alcohol production, check out the American Cider Association’s Cider Blog.

• Feature photo: Dish Works

The post 5 Things You Might Not Know About the Legality of Hard Cider appeared first on Cider Culture.

Philadelphia is a beer town. Or, perhaps it’s more accurate to say, it was a beer town. Now, this scrappy East Coast city that I’ve called home since 2004 is a beer town, a cider town, a wine town and a cocktail town. The tastes of locals, students and transplants have evolved and expanded over the past few decades to include a wide array of beverages (and cuisines), and cider is chief among them. Our proximity to the “fruit belt” — an abundant apple-growing region in Adam’s County, PA, just about 150 miles West of the Philly metro area — has provided the groundwork for a wellspring of urban cideries, which bring in and ferment this local fruit. And, in the counties surrounding the city, like Chester and Berks Counties, there is still lots of farmland, with a handful of cideries waiting for those willing to hop in the car and take a drive.

And that’s all good news for Philadelphians, because though the demographics and culture of the city certainly have changed, one thing remains constant: We love supporting our own. We’ll take homegrown products, made by our hardworking neighbors, over mass-produced stuff, any time. We’re a tough crowd, but we’re loyal.

If you’re looking to visit Philly, or you live here and want to get to know the local cider community better, here is our guide to drinking cider in the City of Brotherly Love.

Cideries and Cider-Friendly Bars

Hale & True Cider Co.: Tucked right off South Street, a busy, tourist-y thoroughfare, you’ll find fresh, fun ciders made with 100% PA apples by Hale & True. This sleek urban cidery and taproom opened in early 2018 by former Cider Culture contributor, Kerry McKenzie and his partner Risa. In the short time since, their easy-drinking ciders like Hail to the Hop, dry-hopped with Citra hops, and Lil’ Sunshine, with orange peel and local honey, have earned them a stellar reputation. Pre-pandemic, McKenzie also led a popular DIY cidermaking workshop at the cidery, which will hopefully return in a post-quarantine world. Currently, Hale & True is open with indoor and outdoor seating and a to-go window; online shipping is also offered. 613 S. 7th St., Philadelphia; (267) 639-4334

Original 13 Ciderworks, in Olde Kensington, the production home of Sir Charles Hard Cider, is a comfy neighborhood watering hole, featuring plenty of cider, mead, local beer, cocktails and pub fare. Happy hour, which runs on weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m., is an especially good time, with $4 pints of cider (including our favorite Sir Charles variety, Atacama Bone Dry), and wallet-friendly snacks like $6 pierogies and $10 wings. Outdoor dining is available, and you can also place an order online for easy pick-up or local delivery. 1526 N. American St., Philadelphia; (215) 765-7000

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Young American Hard Cider is a relatively new cidery and tasting room in a lovely historic neighborhood called Germantown in northwest Philadelphia. PA apples are the base for these small-batch, handcrafted hard ciders, which are available in a range of flavors, like blood orange, sour blueberry ginger, and tart cherry. Also on the drinks front, you’ll find local beer, as well as house-made, non-alcoholic flavored seltzer and kombucha. Cider-friendly snacks, including hand pies, soups and sourdough soft pretzels, are also available. Grab a table outdoors (they have fire pits), or take cider to-go through the Young American pick-up window. 6350 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia; (215) 406-5307

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Part of Philadelphia Brewing Company (PBC), Commonwealth Ciders is an urban cidery that makes hard cider without any additional back sweeteners, artificial flavors or colors. The core line of flavors, which run dry, includes four flavors: Traditional Dry, Gregarious Ginger, Black Cherry and Razzberet Tart. Enjoy these in the outdoor beer garden at PBC’s brewery in Kensington, or order ahead for pick-up. 2440 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia; (215) 427-2739

While there are currently no official “cider bars” in Philly, Prohibition Taproom is the Spring Arts neighborhood is definitely the place to go to find a consistently awesome and unexpected lineup of craft cider. ProTap’s manager, Amy Hartranft, is the co-founder and organizer of Philly Cider Week, and one of the most ardent advocates for cider in town. She keeps a wonderful rotation of ciders, both local and far-flung, on the draft and bottle list at this cozy gastropub; on any given day, find pours from Dressler Estate and Ploughman Cider, cans of Embark Cider and Shacksbury, and large format bottles from Big Hill Cider, Eden Cider and Fuchshof (a German cider!). Don’t skip the food! Comfort-food classics, like double-stacked cheeseburgers and fried Brussels sprouts, are on point here. Indoor and outdoor dining is available, or order online for local pick-up or delivery. 501 N. 13th St., Philadelphia; (215) 238-1818

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Martha, a bar/restaurant in Kensington, never fails to delight oddball beverage seekers with a rotating list of cheeky cocktails, sour beers, natural wines and great ciders. Order one of its new-school hoagies, paired with a craft cider from local producers Dressler Estate, Ploughman Cider and Commonwealth Cider (located just around the corner). The back patio is the place to be on nice afternoons, but online ordering for pick-up and delivery are also offered. 2113 E. York St., Philadelphia; (215) 867-8881

Bottle Shops

Pretty much every neighborhood in Philly is home to a kick-ass bottle shop! Despite the outdated and frustrating “Blue Laws” which govern alcohol sales in Pennsylvania, independent shops have been springing up like wildflowers, offering curated selections that are much more exciting than beer distributor and grocery store shelves.

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The Pennsport Beer Boutique in South Philly has an enormous fridge dedicated fully to craft cider, and it’s a lovely sight to behold. Blake’s, Big Hill, Wyndridge, Citizen, Embark, Original Sin, Downeast, Crispin — seriously, all your cider buddies are here! Put together a mix-6 to-go, or sit outside on PBB’s patio to sup al fresco. 242 Wharton St., Philadelphia; (215) 372-7423

In Fishtown, Bottle Bar East claims to have the largest beer and wine selection in Philly, and that includes cider. Shop its extensive fridges for names you love, like Anxo, Shacksbury and Virtue, or order online for pick-up or local delivery. 1307 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia; (267) 909-8867

In West Philly, the Local 44 Bottle Shop is a well-stocked stop for cider, fancy snacks, craft beer and wine. PA brands, like Big Hill Cider, share shelf space with a rotating list from around the country, like Graft and Shacksbury. Only in-person shopping is currently available. 4333 Spruce St., Philadelphia; (215) 222-2337

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Just outside the city limits in the quaint little borough of Narberth, find The Greeks Next Door a very well-stocked bottle shop attached to a pub called The Greeks. Though the cider selection isn’t quite epic, there is a great lineup to choose from (especially impressive for the ‘burbs), including Graft, Citizen, King’s Highway, Ploughman and Austin Eastciders. In-store shopping and outdoor tables are available. 239 Haverford Ave., Narberth; (610) 664-1960

Willing to Travel a Little Further?

If you don’t mind a 45-ish-minute car trip, you can explore some cool places outside of Philadelphia proper. Here are a few where your explorations can be rewarded with cider:

Teresa’s Next Door, in the posh Main Line town of Wayne, is a James Beard Award-nominated bar and restaurant with a mind blowing beverage program. In addition to rad natural wines and an entire menu page devoted to gin and tonic variations, there is a stellar cider lineup, favoring the strange and esoteric. We honestly don’t know where else in the ‘burbs you’ll find pours of Big Hill Cider’s Fresa Amarga, sour cider blended with strawberry wine, dandelions and hibiscus, Isastegi Basque Sagardo or Cidre Pays D’Auge from Christian Drouin. Indoor and outdoor seating, plus take-out, is offered. 126 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne; (610) 293-9909

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North on I-95, close to the New Jersey border, find Manoff Market Cidery, a homegrown operation making cider from fruit grown on a pick-your-own fruit farm by the same name. Founded in 2018, Manoff has released an impressive line of ciders, including heirloom single varietals, like Cox Orange Pippin and Stayman Winesap, and fruited blends, like Blueberry and Blackberry. Every cider is aged in wood for up to one year, and elegant and dry, they are really delightful farm ciders worth trying. Shop on-site or order online; outdoor seating is available in warmer weather. 3157 Comfort Rd., New Hope, PA; (215) 297-8220

Just about 30 minutes from Center City Philadelphia, over the bridge in South Jersey, there’s Armageddon Brewing. It’s a cidery — yes, the name is a bit confusing. After a successful Kickstarter campaign and a heap of legal red tape, this operation was able to open its doors in late January of 2020 … right before the pandemic hit. But it’s still in action, making a range of approachable ciders with Pennsylvania apples, like Pindemic, with roasted pineapples and cinnamon; Corruption, a wild fermented Basque-style cider; and Ida’s Heart, a semi-dry raspberry cider. Order online for pick-up or visit the tasting room, where outdoor seating is available on the weekends. 900 Chestnut St., Building J, Somerdale, NJ

Where else do you go in the Greater Philadelphia area to find great cider? We want to know! Join the conversation in the comments below.

• Feature photo: BigStock
• Prohibition Taproom photo: Casey Robinson
• All other photos: Courtesy of the cideries, bars, bottle shops, etc.

The post Cider Travels: Drinking Cider in Philadelphia appeared first on Cider Culture.

Over the past decade, podcasts have exploded onto the media scene. Spotify has its own podcast division now, and there are tons of dedicated apps specifically designed for podcast listening, like Stitcher and Apple Podcasts. Scroll through any of them, and you’ll find podcasts dedicated to literally every topic under the sun … including craft cider! Here are five of our fav craft cider podcasts that offer education, entertainment and fun:

Cider Chat

Ria Windcaller of the Cider Chat podcast

Perhaps the best-known cider-centric podcast is Cider Chat, a well-established weekly show from Ria Windcaller, a Massachusetts-based cider expert. With 253 episodes (!) and counting, Cider Chat’s tagline of “grab a glass, join the chat” sets a casual, welcoming tone that matches the podcast itself. In each episode, Windcaller and her guests provide informative, engaging cider-related content across all manner of topics, ranging from cidermaking chemistry to DIY cidermaking tips, to sexism in the cider industry. You can find hundreds of interviews with cider pros from across the world, and Windcaller’s not afraid to turn the mic on herself, like in episode 250, when she agreed to let Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider interview her about her own cider story. Cider Chat also hosts cider tours (postponed until 2021), offers a guide for resources, links to purchase cidermaking equipment and books, and more!

Neutral Cider Hotel

Cheekily named after the 90’s indie rock band, Neutral Milk Hotel, this new-ish weekly podcast comes from The Ciderologist Gabe Cook, Grant Hutchison (both a cider distributor and a drummer in the band Frightened Rabbit and cider blogger Martyn Goodwin-Sharman (@cidershit on Instagram). Each episode is an exploration of various facets of the world of cider, from trends to news to interviews with fellow cider and industry folk, like Helen Anne Smith, the creator of Burum Collective, and Autumn Stoscheck and Ezra Sherman of Eve’s Cidery. The hosts also review ciders (with honest, unfiltered opinions) and share plenty of jokes and laughs along the way.

Hard Core

This limited podcast series was produced by the Heritage Radio Network (home to many food-and-beverage-related podcasts), meant to dive into the “rebirth of American cider.” The six-episodes series seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the cider industry’s past, present and future. The episodes, which run between 25 and 40 minutes each, take a multi-faceted approach to the topics; for instance, the Where the Lab Meets the Orchard episode starts with a quick chemistry lesson about fermentation, and then heads to Cornell to explore the scientific side of horticulture. It’s a well-produced, engaging pod that’s the perfect length for a commute or long walk, that will almost certainly teach you something new about cider.

Courage and Other C Words

This podcast, which launched in September 2020, is helmed by Jenn Root Martell, an entrepreneur and cidermaker (also part-time saleswoman and amateur drummer) based in the Bay Area in California. The co-founder of South City Ciderworks, Martell started the podcast to share her journey of starting the brand, along with details about the business side of things, like developing a business plan and taking products to market. Currently, there are six episodes to check out, and the release schedule seems about twice per month.

Redfield Radio Podcast

Mike Reis and Olivia Maki who founded Redfield, a cider bar and bottle shop in Oakland, California, also have a podcast called Redfield Radio. Although they haven’t updated the episodes since January of 2020, the eleven episodes that they produced are worth going back to listen to. Topics range from “personal cider epiphanies” to ice cider to wild apple ciders. Friendly and knowledgeable, but also unpretentious, and these snack-sized 20-minute episodes are full of info, insight and inspiration.

What craft cider podcasts are on your “must-listen” list? Let us know in the comments!

• Feature photo: BigStock
• All other photos: Courtesy of their respective podcasts

The post 5 Cider Podcasts to Explore for Education and Fun appeared first on Cider Culture.

Gift-giving season is upon us! If you are an adult human, you probably have to get a bunch of gifts for friends and family, and sometimes that can feel overwhelming. It’s kind of a bummer, isn’t it? The act of giving a gift should make both parties feel “warm and fuzzy,” but the endeavor of shopping for all those gifts often ends up resembling a chore instead of a pleasure.

Shopping is a lot more fun when you’re actually admiring the items you’re perusing, enjoying a little jolt of that feeling of, “Hmm, should I just keep this for myself?” We’ve found some amazing gift ideas for cider fans and the people they love, which, hopefully, provide a bit of relief from the grind of going to the mall and the deep pit of online consumerism.

For the Cider-Curious

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Even if you’ve never tasted cider, you can appreciate Nine Pine Cider‘s lovely candle collaboration with Troy, NY’s Collar City Candle. Like all of Collar City’s wares, these beautiful candles are handcrafted using traditional methods and best-quality ingredients, like organic essential oils, high-grade phthalate-free fragrance oils, and lead-free wicks. There are 10 fragrances inspired by Nine Pin’s ciders, from classic apple-y signature, to Earl Grey, to Cidre Rosé. Pick up an extra one for yourself! $16

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Open up a new cider fan’s eyes to the magical possibilities of fermented apples with the New Classics 12-pack of cans from Shacksbury in Vermont. Each shipment comes with Rosé (fruity and fresh), Dry (tart and crisp) and Vermonter (herbal and elegant). $50

Cider and chocolate are a match made in heaven! Check out Portland, OR-based Moonstruck Chocolate‘s Craft Cider Collection, made with 2 Towns Ciderhouse cider. Real cider, like 2 Town’s The Bad Apple, Made Marion and Easy Squeezy, and blended with delicious chocolate for a super-satisfying treat with 2.25% ABV! We love the cute bottle-cap shapes, too! Please note these chocolates can only be shipped to Alaska, California, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington DC, West Virginia and Wyoming. $20

We love how Austin Eastciders refuses to take life too seriously, and its excellent lineup of merch certainly follows suit! Hook up the sibling or pal in your life who’s always ready for adventure with a dope tote from Austin Eastciders. The denim look is right on trend, with the company’s excellent catchphrase front and center. $10.50

For the Cider Fan

You know that friend who’s always mixing up mind-blowing cider cocktails? A bottle of Tamworth Distilling’s Chocura Cider Rye is an amazingly special touch for their home-bar cart. This two-year-old rye whiskey is mixed with fresh-pressed New Hampshire apple cider, then it’s given a rest in rye barrels. The spiciness of rye and the sweet fruitiness of apples are a perfect pairing, and the resulting whiskey is warm and earthy with cherry aromas and hints of grassy rye, cinnamon and caramel-covered apple on the palate. Find it in Tamworth’s tasting room in New Hampshire, or in any of these locations. Various prices

Little Fox Engraving’s Customized Caddys were originally designed to tote around six-packs of beer, but guess what? They work perfectly for bottles and cans of cider, too! This Ohio-based company builds the attractive, durable caddies, and then you get to pick out the wood stain and customized engraving! It’s an awesome way to tote around cider all year long or to celebrate the prolific home cider maker in your life! $40+

Virtue Cider is killing it with the merch game this year (seriously, check out all of the rad stuff in its online shop), but we’re especially coveting this cozy stadium scarf. Not to, like, completely generalize, but cider people are the sorts to brave a cold night for the life-affirming experience of drinking around a firepit, right? Make the experience even cozier with Virtue’s charming scarf bundled around your neck. $26

Looking for something unexpected and delicious to please your favorite cider-lover? Carr’s Ciderhouse (maker of a wildly delicious cider syrup) makes a rad little beverage called switchel, an old-timey concoction of vinegar, water and ginger. Carr’s starts with its organic apple cider vinegar which is sweetened with cider syrup and then infused with ginger. The result is a potent concentrate that’s sour, apple-y and spicy. It would be an amazing mixer for cider cocktails or an ingredient for cooking! It only comes in a 12-oz. bottle, but as it is a syrup, a little goes a long way! $13

For the Cider Aficionado

When it comes to cracking open the good ciders, not any old pint glass will do. While there are lots of different theories about proper cider glassware (see our guide here), a really solid all-purpose choice is a footed tulip glass. The deep bowl and slightly fluted rim allow for a really nice aromatic expression of all types of cider! Citizen Cider‘s tulip glass set is a handsome choice, with classy minimalist branding. $12

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Brooklyn Brew Shop makes DIY cider making projects a snap — its hard cider making kit has long been one of our favorite forays into the wild world of homemade cider. Now, this craft company has come out with something even better: the Hard Cider Fan Gift Set. This set has everything a budding cider maker needs to take their skills to the next level: the hard cider kit, a funnel, a mini auto-siphon, a capper set and a set of bottles. If you’re lucky, you just might get one of those bottles — filled with tasty cider, of course — in your stocking next year! $90

Malus is a quarterly print ‘zine that debuted in April 2018. It provides an intelligent, deep-dive into cider from innovators in the craft. This publication is really for the intense cider-lover; as Malus puts it on its website, “It will be by and for small-scale cider makers, orchardists, and cider evangelists—the devotees and true believers.” A new issue comes out each season, replete with poems, essays, criticism and art. $30-$40

For the cider-lover who loves to try new things, pick up a gorgeous bottle of one of Castle Hill Cider‘s Ports. There are two varieties to choose from: Sunday Muse is a blend of 90% Ribston Pippin, fortified with GoldRush apple eau de vie. Apple, tangerine, loam and wet leaves fill the nose, with hints of white flower and coconut, then peach, melon, and vanilla on the palate enhanced with buttery caramel and milk chocolate. The second Port is 1764, blended mostly from Black Twig and fortified with GoldRush apple eau de vie. Warming and cozy, you’ll find notes of fresh apple, caramel, pumpkin, grass and melon, with peach with a hint of butter on the long finish. Both are 2018 vintages that have been barrel-aged for two years, and both come in at 18% ABV. Buy them online as single bottles, or in a lovely gift set. $40

If you’re on the East Coast, looking for something equally as alluring and unique, try Ironbound Hard Cider‘s limited-edition dessert cider, Holiday 2020. This 18.5% ABV spicy-and-sweet beauty is made from local apples infused with honey and foraged spicebush, an aromatic shrub native to the area. The slender, hand-signed bottles are sealed in wax, giving them a very special look. Holiday 2020 is only available at Ironbound’s farm market in Asbury, New Jersey. $25

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Many hardcore cider fans make a point of traveling to cideries across their region (or even the country) to taste what orchardists and cider makers in other areas are up to. A growler fill of a cider that can’t be found at home is the ultimate souvenir, but the heavy brown glass growlers can be cumbersome and often don’t keep liquids fresh for very long. The 64-ounce vacuum insulated growlers from MiiR are the ultimate upgrade, with a locking buckle lid, comfortable handle and a medical-grade stainless steel interior that won’t absorb flavors. Its Thermo 3D Double Wall Vacuum Insulation Technology keeps cider cold for a full 24 hours, even without refrigeration. $59

See? That wasn’t so bad. Happy gifting, cider friends!

• Scarf photo: Virtue Cider
• Tulip glass photo: Citizen Cider
• Cider chocolates photo: Moonstruck Chocolate
• Malus photo: Malus
• Cider caddy image: Little Fox Engraving
• Tote photo: Austin Eastciders
• Holiday cider photo: Ironbound Cider
• Chocura Rye photo: Tamworth Distilling

The post Gift it Up: The 2020 Cider Culture Gift Guide appeared first on Cider Culture.

Find the video recording of our Cider School with William Grote here.

One interesting outcome of so many of us being homebound due to COVID-19 is that home-fermentation projects seem to be trending worldwide. If social media is any indication, there are a lot of new DIY cider-makers out there! If you’ve been dabbling in making hard cider at home, we’re guessing you’ve run across some unexpected snags and have a question — or six — you’d love to ask an expert.

If so, you’re in luck! This is exactly what our next Cider School session will address. William Grote, the cider maker at New Salem Preserves and Heritage Cider, will be sharing his invaluable wisdom after years of making cider at home. Even though he’s a pro cider maker now, he still makes his own at-home cider, and he’ll give us a bunch of tips about things he wishes he’d known when first starting out. This includes inexpensive equipment that will save you tons of time, and trustworthy resources (and, more importantly, not trustworthy) resources on the internet to seek info.  Then, we’ll leave plenty of time for questions from the attendees, so bring any and all inquiries or issues that have been vexing or alluding you in your home cider-making adventures.

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Cider School #8: Home Cider-Making Advice with William Grote of New Salem Cider
Thursday, May 21, 2020  at 6 p.m. Eastern Time

Zoom Meeting URL : https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84959897071?pwd=YjFrb2hJS1BxdVRwVzVvN1NnMThJQT09

Meeting ID: 849 5989 7071
Password: 179580

All are welcome! See you there.

• Feature photo: BigStock

The post Cider School #8: Home Cider Making Advice & Tips with William Grote of New Salem Cider (Thurs., May 21, at 6 p.m. ET) appeared first on Cider Culture.

Have the current stay-at-home orders inspired you to step up your DIY game big-time? Across the US, people are dabbling in sourdough baking, seed-saving, sewing, and tons of other projects to learn new skills, stay productive and become more self-reliant. If you’re a cider fan who’s new to the homesteading train, or you have been on it for years, ANXO Cider has two awesome ways for you to incorporate DIY-ethos and cider at home.

The first way is through ANXO’s apple tree sale, which is open now, with the trees available for pick-up and delivery starting Earth Day (April 22, 2020). The trees, which cost $35 each and come in exciting cider varieties like Bitter Pew, Harrison, and Hewe’s Crab, were grown by Fedco Seeds on M111 Rootstock. ANXO warns that, if not maintained (pruned back each year), the trees will get quite large, and that they require a lot of space. If you have a yard or a sizable garden, what an incredible addition to your property this could be!

For DC locals, ANXO wants you to know that apple trees in the region fruit well, and the trees will likely start bearing fruit in 1 to 3 years. ANXO will provide care instructions and — get this — they will even maintain your tree if you give the fruit to the cidery. You can also choose to maintain your own tree and sell the fruit back to ANXO!

As an Earth Day bonus, for every two trees purchased ANXO will donate or plant one tree locally!

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The second thing that ANXO is offering for all your DIY needs is Home Fermentation Kits, which includes everything you need to make your own ANXO Cidre Blanc! These are available for pick-up in Washington, DC or for delivery between Friday, April 24 and Sunday, April 26, 2020.

Each kit comes with:

• 1 pound fresh goldrush apples for eating
• Two 4-packs of ANXO Cidre Blanc for drinking while fermenting (or you know, anytime)
• An apple confection from ANXO’s Chef Jose
• Instructional video and email support from ANXO Cider Maker Gregory Johnson
• QA23 Yeast (what ANXO uses for Cidre Blanc)

There are three levels of kits, which cost $75 each. First-time cider makers should choose the One Gallon Vintner’s Best Country Wine Kit, which includes:

• A 2-gallon fermenting bucket
• A 1-gallon glass carboy
• 5-inch siphon tubing
• Nylon straining bag
• 1.25 gallons fresh-pressed Goldrush apple juice from Peter’s Orchard (in Adams County, PA)

If you already have your own fermentation equipment, choose the Five Gallon Ingredients Kit:

• 6.5-gallon transportation bucket
• 6.5-gallons fresh-pressed Goldrush apple juice from Peter’s Orchard

If you have the equipment to press and ferment on your own, go for the Apple Carnage Kit:

• 100 pounds of Goldrush Apples

Ready to grow some apple trees and make hard cider at home? ANXO is ready to help you get into it! Check out ANXO’s website for more info and to purchase trees, kits, cider, coffee, CSA boxes, and more!

• Feature photo: Raw Pixel

The post ATTN Homesteaders: ANXO is Selling Apple Trees and DIY Cider-Making Kits appeared first on Cider Culture.