Apple Cider: A Look At Angry Orchard

There's a craze sweeping the nation: cider. This once-obscure (gluten-free) beer alternative has been climbing in popularity over the past few years and is now a must on every drink menu and in every convenience-store cooler. Though many amazing ciders are on the market, none has a presence quite like Angry Orchard. The hard cider, based out of Cincinnati, has become a behemoth in the growing market and is popular with both men and women. Here are some fun facts to talk about while sipping this stellar cider.

Types of Cider: Angry Orchard has four traditional ciders (Crisp Apple, Green Apple, Apple Ginger, and Traditional Dry), two seasonal flavors (Elderflower and Cinnful Apple), and three brews that make up the Cider House Collection (The Muse, Strawman, and Iceman).

Image by Flickr/Alisa Cooper

Where the Apples are From: The apples, you'll be surprised to find out, are imported from Europe, where Angry Orchard says the apples are better for cider (due to weather and soil). For you drink trivia players out there, that's bittersweet apples from France and culinary apples from Italy–but the seasonal ciders feature apples that are all-American.

Image by Flickr/Morgan Paul

How it Started: The Boston Beer Company, Angry Orchard's parent company, first attempted to brew HardCore cider in 1997, but their other bottled beverage, Twisted Tea, did much better. This success inspired them to evolve their cider recipe.

Image by Flickr/Wheeler Cowperthwaite

How it Developed: The company worked with European cider expert Alan Tringham for 15+ years.

Image by Flickr/Li Tsin Soon

Every Cider for Itself: Each type of cider that Angry Orchard produces has its own color scheme and tree personality, so next time you're sipping one, take a good look at the tree.

Image by Flickr/Jazz Guy