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Craft Cider
Unlike the sweet ciders of yore, Thornton produc- organic—and lets the flavors steep for three days.
es 100% sugar-free, naturally carbonated ciders To avoid spoilage, after straining and racking the
with fresh, organic ingredients. Call it champagne juice, he quickly packages the product, be it in a
with flavorings, or, more officially, call it a brut bottle, can or keg. After packaging, he adds the
cider, a style growing in popularity today. “magic potion”—champagne yeast and priming
sugar—that initiates a second fermentation. This
Bryant’s apples are sourced from his “backyard,” process takes three weeks to a month, or until all
the 45-acre orchard on the original homestead that the sugars are consumed. The second fermentation
has traditionally produced table apples for com- adds a small amount of carbonation to the product
mercial use. as well as character and body. Thornton does not
“These are quality, multi-use apples—like Pink disgorge or filter after fermentation.
Lady and Stayman—that make good cider,” “We leave it in the package,” he said. “Most peo-
Thornton told Beverage Master Magazine. “They ple are comfortable with lees in the bottle, and in
have good the cans, you can’t even tell. Besides, people in the
acidity and good sugar content, and they’re not craft market appreciate a little haze.” The finished
too tannic. They fit in with the style we make. We product, a brut cider, is bone dry with an elegant
want our cider to have a neutral flavor, so we can finish.
have more leeway to make funkier stuff.”
Bryant’s Small Batch Ciders fall in the mid-tier
Bryant’s Small Batch Ciders are hand-crafted from price level, costing $12 for a four-pack of cans or
picking to packaging. Unlike many cideries that opt a limited release 750 ml bottle. “We’re going for
for short fermentation, Thornton ferments his juice quality, not profits,” Thornton said. Currently, he
for two months to produce a totally dry cider. He produces 1500 gallons or 45 barrels of cider per
then adds flavoring ingredients—always natural or month.
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