Cider Chat

Angry Orchard is the #1 cider brand in the US and there is a very good reason why it holds this coveted place. Undoubtedly, being a subsidiary of Boston Beer Company means connections to Jim Koch’s brewery empire a.k.a. Samuel Adams Boston Lager. But to think that Angry Orchard is merely tapping into the US cider mania would be short sighted.  Boston Beer Co. has been researching cider since the early 2000s with the help of Alan Tringham, a retired cidermaker from the European brand known as Bulmers. I had the opportunity to meet Grant Wood from Boston Beer Co. who was working with Tringham at the time to “create the perfect cider for the American public”. They both stopped by my cidermaking workshop at CiderDays back in 2004. Hoo wee! Imagine presenting cidermaking to the likes of the now late Alan Tringham.  Anyhoo…the first cider brand for Boston Beer Co. was known as Hard Core. That brand was shelved, and a few moments later we were seeing Angry Orchard commercials during the Super Bowl! Bingo! The new br