Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/537558
www.cheersonline.com 32 • July/August 2015 than beer or wine—around a 50/50 split," says Sipes. "And the majority of those fall between drinking age and 40 years old." BEER CHASER Cider has benefi ted from following in the footsteps of what is likely its greatest competitor—craft beer. Compared with wine or spirits, cider has been more closely associated to beer in terms of drinking occasions and how they're both served. For instance, cider is sold in six-packs, 22-oz. bombers and single-serving bottles, which are basically identical to craft- beer packaging. And the category's low ABVs are similar to sessionable lagers and ales. "Craft beer got a 15- to 20-year head start on craft cider, and forged the way ahead," says Kuhl. "Cider is starting to put on its 'big boy shoes'. Ten years ago, craft beer did this when it became all about being extreme. That's what it had to do to distance itself tremendously from the alternatives." And that's what cider is doing now, he adds. "So you see ciders that are hoppy, seasonal, or barrel-aged. They're trying to grab the attention of the drinker who otherwise might pass by it." Hoppy cider, for instance, is becoming a popular way to add fl avor and consumer intrigue. And by no accident, it's in line with the great American thirst for IPAs. Angry Orchard recently launched Hop'n Mad Apple, its fi rst hopped cider, Sipes says. "Hops are traditionally viewed as an ingredient for beer," he notes, "but we used a process typically used in brewing called dry hopping—where hops are added to cider after fermentation is complete—to impart all of the aromatic elements of the hops, without their trademark bitterness." GETTING ON TAP Where cider most visibly lags behind beer is on tap lines at bars, especially when it comes to craft cider. "We have to prove to bar owners that we're worth a tap spot in their bar," says Martin Thatcher, the fourth-generation owner of England's Thatchers Cider, which is rapidly expanding its U.S. offerings. "If something is going to take up space on your tap, it may as well be something that sells. And once you have one cider on tap, you may in time move to three taps, because then there's a range for customers to try." Portland, OR-based Bushwhacker Cider bills itself as America's fi rst cider pub. When Erin Smith and her husband Jeff opened the original Bushwhacker Cider pub in 2011, they offered "only" 35 ciders on-premise. Bushwhacker, which opened a second location in March, today rotates eight cider taps, with more than 300 varieties also available in bottles. The bars do not repeat kegs unless that cider proved especially popular. "Our customers have really expanded their palates as far as cider goes," Smith says. "In the beginning, a lot of people wanted the sweeter, fruiter ciders. Over the years there's been a turnaround: Now more people want something drier, or funkier. There is a cider for everybody." To that end, Bushwhacker offers tasting trays of ½-oz. pours. There are two options: fi ve ciders for $9, or eight for $14. "People can choose their favorite and bring a bottle of it home, or order it on draft," says Smith. Bushwhacker sells a variety of brands, including its own. "When we fi rst opened we made a smoked cider," Smith recalls. A cider tasting tray at Bushwhacker Cider. Erin Smith owns Bushwhacker Cider in Portland, OR, with her husband Jeff; they opened the original cider bar location in 2011, offering 35 ciders. Cider Blossoms