On Top On Scene
Variety and Flavor Profiles keep Hard Ciders on Top
By Rebecca Calappi / Photography Mike Ferdinande
There’s something cozy about hard cider, whether you enjoy it on a crisp autumn evening, or snuggled up in front of a fire in the winter.
Hard ciders gained popularity in the 1990s, but it has long – think millennia — been a beverage enjoyed sweet (non-alcoholic) or adult style.
According to an article from Washington State University, “The first recorded references to cider date back to Roman times; in 55 BCE Julius Caesar found the Celtic Britons fermenting cider from native crabapples. Th e people of northern Spain were making sidra before the birth of Christ. The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 resulted in the introduction of many apple varieties from France and cider soon became the most popular drink aft er ale. Cider began to be used to pay tithes and rents — a custom that continued later in America.”
Blake’s Hard Cider Company is one of the more well-known brewers in the state. Andrew Blake, BHC founder and president, began brewing out of his garage in college. Today, fans can get a Blake’s Hard Cider in almost 30 states.
“Innovation put us on the map in 2013. The only ciders you could find in Michigan were classic apple flavored, and in a bottle, so we led with a Michigan Cherry and a Mango Habanero hard cider, both in cans. They instantly drew in the craft beer drinker who either wanted a change of pace or was moving to a gluten-free lifestyle,” said Blake. “There is no ceiling to cider in our eyes and that’s truly why we have been successful.”
But Blake’s isn’t the only hard cider game in town. Other local brewers keep ciders on tap, including Arctic Circle Brewing Company in New Baltimore. They released a peach and vanilla cider in the summer and plan to release an imperial cider in November.
“We always knew we didn’t want to leave any spirit unchecked. Out of the gate we opened with beer and hard seltzer, and we did wine earlier this year,” explained Deven Sills, owner and brewer at Arctic Circle Brewing Company. “Being a consumer of this industry, I started to notice a lack of creativity with these things. For us, we’ve been blessed with a good creative gene, so I’m always looking to create something new out of something old.”
The imperial hard cider Sills plans to release has 12 percent alcohol and is aged in a rum barrel with pumpkin and pumpkin spices. Look for it on tap around Nov. 1, 2022.
Blake and Sills agree on what makes a good cider.
“It’s all about balance,” said Blake. “You can still be adventurous exploring flavors but finding balance in what you offer is key. El Chavo and Triple Jam are great examples of this. Both are full in body and flavor, but the profile leaves you wanting more, not coating your mouth. Sweetness, acidity and tannin all play a role in creating a flavor profile that is both pleasant and enjoyable for our customers. We aren’t in the business of offering the sweetest cider on the market, or the spiciest, approachability is always the goal.”
Sills agrees that having a little something for all palates is the best way to go. Plus, their customers have come to expect to quench their thirst with a taste adventure, not just a ho-hum drink.
“We have a wide offering for anyone who walks in. Variety is a huge part of what we’re attempting to do here,” he said. “People are growing accustomed to us being ambitious and not afraid of failure. Creativity widens the berth of the people coming in, and Arctic Circle is a breeding ground for creativity. We do our best to have something for everyone.”
However, even the most amazing flavor ideas won’t help a low-quality cider base.
“A proper cider base is equally as important. It’s cheaper to use apple concentrate and dilute cider with water, but you lose that full flavor; you lose that beautiful acidity and tannin,” said Blake.
Being in the front row for hard cider innovations has to be one of the perks of living in the third largest apple producing state in the nation. The only question now is, what will they think of next?