Ultimate 6er | The Annual Family Camping Trip

Ahh, summer! It brings the promise of fun moments in the sun and exciting new adventures. Embedded in every season are holidays we love to celebrate and traditions that will never die. Some folks schedule a week-long beach trip, others like to go lodging at the lake. But, there is one tradition I have entered into sheerly by association and that is the annual family camping trip To Knoebel’s. Read More

Schlafly Can Release Helps Beer Drinkers Love Cider

Are you enjoying the cider renaissance?

It is real, but up until now, I pretty much ignored ciders as nothing more than a decent option for those who wanted beer, but couldn’t have one due to gluten or sugar issues. Boy, was I wrong! After seeing the opening of St. Louis’ first cidery, I’m ready to give this ancient beverage a chance.
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Cooking With Cider | Spicy Pineapple Salsa with Blake’s Hard Cider El Chavo

This is my favorite time of year — the warm weather has arrived, daylight is lasting just a little bit longer each day and the flavors of the season are in abundance. I truly get excited when the pineapples are put out on display at my local produce market because that means it’s salsa time! Since Cinco de Mayo is here, I felt there was no better time than now to make my favorite spicy pineapple salsa. This time, I’m throwing in a little twist with this fresh dip. My secret ingredient — mango habanero cider!

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Prospect Ciderworks | Sidro

For some, cider season begins when the leaves start to turn and ends when the snow starts to fall. For me, cider season is year-round. There are so many variations and beer blends that I’m continuously discovering and have yet to try – and Sidro, that’s your queue.

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Insert Tree Pun Here: First Look as Stem Ciders’ Acreage Opens for Business

Stem Ciders is finally branching out, they’ve taken root in Lafayette and they’re sprouting a restaurant concept. Whatever punny way you wish to view it, one thing’s certain, Stem Ciders, which first opened in the River North Art District in January 2014, will open their Acreage Cider House restaurant and production facility this Saturday just over 20 miles north in Lafayette, CO.

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Stem Ciders Celebrates One Year in Chicago, Looks Ahead to 2018

At the 2017 Cider Summit in Chicago, Denver’s Stem Ciders was officially introduced into the Chicago market. One year later, they’ve carved out a nice foothold in the growing cider offerings throughout the city and have been able to stand out in a very crowded space.

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Downeast Cider | Roasted Joe

Hard cider has transformed from a fall treat into a year-round staple in the fridge. And, in an industry saturated with more and more makers every year, Boston-based Downeast Cider continues to flex its cider-making muscles with its unique concoctions. These two factors seem to play a role in the latest releases from Downeast: seasonal ciders that can hit your palette from summer to winter, and simultaneously not out of place. And this is where Roasted Joe comes in.

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Chicago Quick Sips | December 4

Quick Sips is our way of highlighting beer events, tap takeovers and other notable beer news around the city of Chicago. If you’d like to submit something to be included in the next Quick Sips, please email us at [email protected].

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Cider Showcase | Cidergeist (Rhinegeist) Bubbles

ABV: 6.2%

Full disclosure – I have never been much of a cider drinker. My friends can all attest that whenever we head out to a bar, I’m sticking to beer. Whether it’s the cloying sweetness of some or the champagne dryness of others, I haven’t quite had the best luck when it comes to craft ciders. So when I was recently offered a can of Bubbles by Rhinegeist, needless to say my past experiences prompted me to accept with some hesitation. Luckily, any and all hesitation was obliterated as soon as I took that first sip. It was amazing.

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The PorchCast | Ep 37 Cider Week Colorado

For episode 37 of The PorchCast, Tristan, Hunter and Sam were joined by Eric Foster and Ryan Means of Stem Ciders, Brad Page and Xandy Bustamante from Colorado Cider Company and Eric Hatlestad of C Squared Ciders at The Pint Room in Littleton, CO to talk about Cider Week Colorado as well as the state of the Colorado Cider industry.

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Event Recap: 5th Annual Cider Summit Chicago

If there’s one thing to take away from the 5th annual Cider Summit held in Chicago this past Saturday it’s that the future of craft cider is very bright. While there is definitely a long way to go, the sold out event showcased cider as an emerging beverage in the industry.

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Recapping Virtue Cider’s 3rd Annual Stone Fence Competition

On a basketball court located in the Chicago Athletic Association, mixologists from some of Chicago’s best known bars and restaurants concocted unique Stone Fence cocktails for Virtue Cider’s 3^rd Annual Stone Fence Competition.

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Event Preview | 5th Annual Cider Summit Chicago

Just a few years ago if you wanted a hard cider your options were limited. Today artisanal cider is a rapidly growing industry with a wide variety of ciders to sample. Now in it’s 5th year, the Cider Summit Chicago opens up the world of artisanal cider to the general public with over 150 different ciders to try.

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Former Goose Island Brewmaster Behind Virtue Cider

Back in the 1990s Greg Hall was seen as a pioneer in craft beer. At a time when the industry was beginning to grow, Hall helped Goose Island become a national leader in craft beer. In 2011 Hall left the brewery to enter a space that was on the verge of experiencing large growth just like the craft beer industry years ago – cider.

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Cidery Showcase | Right Bee Cider (Chicago)

Leave it to a Siebel Institute graduate to ferment a plan to impress a girl. Charlie Davis attempted to win Katie Morgan’s heart with hard cider. It worked. She not only fell in love with him, she married him. Katie also fell in love with the cider. In fact, the two of them thought so highly of that magical moment that they turned it into a business — Chicago’s first cidery. Today, you’ll find Charlie right-beside-her — Right Bee Cider, churning out well crafted cider to a growing fan base. He wooed her, and now they are wooing Chicago. You might say, it is cider at first site.

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Stem Ciders Expands Distribution with Odell / Breakthru Partnership

At less than three years of operation in their modest RiNo Taproom, Stem Ciders has quickly established themselves as the preeminent name in Denver craft cider, and now that reach is about to extend a lot further. Read More

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Seattle Cider Company | Golden Tonic Third Anniversary Cider

The craft cider revolution has claimed a permanent spot in the hearts and appetites of Seattleites, and no one is more responsible for cider’s huge boom in popularity than Seattle Cider Company. Hailing as Seattle’s first cidery since prohibition, Seattle Cider’s flagship Dry and Semi-Sweet ciders can be found in virtually every beer bar, cocktail bar and grocery store in the area. Their diverse array of ciders manages to showcase bold, refreshing flavors without tasting sugary or overly sweet.

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Cherry Creek Winery | Dancing Elephants

ABV: 6%

I’m not normally a cider guy. I’m spoiled by good non-alcoholic cider in Michigan, and the different taste just confuses me. However, it’s the only type of craft beer that my boyfriend seems to actively enjoy (that’s in not small part to Vandermill of Grand Rapids coming to the Fall Detroit beer festival last year). Therefore, I ventured this summer in order to find something we can both enjoy. And the search came just in time. As The Rio Olympics pointed out in their bummer presentation, it’s historically hot and you gotta find a non-AC blasting way to keep cool on the strings of unbearably hot day. Delightfully, Cherry Creek Winery has decided to branch out from the grape game and created Dancing Elephants Hard Cherry Apple Cider.

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Event Preview | Milwaukee Firkin Beer Fest

Held at the Cathedral Square Park the Milwaukee Firkin Beer Fest is an annual event hosted by East Town Association and BrewFest Partners over 150 beers, ciders and meads will be poured. Those in attendance will be able to vote for the winner of the Big Firkin award. Read More

Starcut Ciders Begins Distribution in Colorado

Starcut Ciders, a division of Short’s Brewing Company, will begin distribution of their hard ciders in Colorado beginning early March. Distributed by Elite Brands, Colorado will be the second state … Read More