CINCINNATI, Sept. 23, 2015 Angry Orchard today announced the national release of its newest hard cider, Angry Orchard Stone Dry, the driest style in its core collection. Traditional English dry ciders have been around for centuries and are a cultural mainstay in the UK, where cider overall is very well-established. The cider makers at Angry Orchard were inspired by these ciders and developed the recipe for Stone Dry as an American interpretation of this classic style.
In the UK, cider represents about 15% of the beer market, compared to only about 1% in the US, where the craft cider culture is less established but growing rapidly. Drinkers are discovering hard cider as a refreshing alternative to beer and wine, and experimenting with a variety of styles. As drinkers continue to explore the full range of what hard cider can be, many are finding they enjoy a cider that is less sweet and more complex, like Angry Orchard Stone Dry.
This new cider has a bright apple aroma, juicy flavor, and a clean, slightly puckering, dry finish. This dry cider showcases an intricate balance between the sweetness and acidity of culinary apples and the tannins of traditional cider making apples. The cider makers chose specific apples to achieve this flavor profile, including French bittersweet apple varieties from Normandy, like Dabinett, Binet Rouge and Harry Masters Jersey. These apples contribute to the cider's high tannic character and dry finish.
"At Angry Orchard, we're always experimenting with ingredients and recipes. With Stone Dry, we wanted to capture the heart of traditional bittersweet apple varieties by showcasing their naturally occurring tannins," said Ryan Burk, Angry Orchard cider maker. "Drinkers who are beginning to explore the drier end of the craft cider spectrum will enjoy Stone Dry for its full tannic mouthfeel, perceived dryness and robust bittersweet aromatic notes, much like a very ripe apple."
The Angry Orchard cider makers are constantly innovating with new styles (like Stone Dry) and will expand that experimentation this fall with the opening of a new home for innovation at a historic apple orchard in the New York Hudson River Valley. The Orchard will feature a cidery where the cider makers will experiment with new styles, apple varieties and different fermentation methods like wild fermentation processes and barrel aging.
As craft cider continues to grow and drinkers and cider makers continue to try new things, food and cider continues to emerge as a favorable pair. Angry Orchard's chef partner, former Bravo Top Chef fan favorite, cookbook author and restaurant owner Kevin Gillespie notes, "Angry Orchard Stone Dry is a versatile cider for food pairing. What comes to mind for me is a loaded charcuterie plate, packed with cured meats and aged cheeses. The cider is pretty similar to a dry white wine, so it also works well as a marinade or base to steam mussels and other seafood."
Angry Orchard Stone Dry (5.5% ABV) is available nationwide in 6-packs for a suggested retail price of $8.99-10.99 (varies per market) and will also be available on draft in select markets (available nationwide in 2016). Like all Angry Orchard hard ciders, Stone Dry is gluten-free.
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