Cider Corps releases its popular Red & Blue Summer Pie Ciders – strawberry rhubarb, apple, and blueberry – at 11 a.m. Friday at both its Mesa and Gilbert locations. Each six-pack includes two 12-ounce cans of each flavor for $20.
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Cider Corps in downtown Mesa has released a cocktail-inspired cider called Doc.
‘‘Doc’’ was the nickname of Bobby Kramer, the well-known beverage director of The Brickyard Downtown and The Hidden House in Chandler who was killed by a wrong-way driver Feb. 10.
The cider was barrel-fermented with cultures from oak barrels that previously held Four Peaks Heavy Lifter. It then was transferred to a steel tank with Peixoto cold brew coffee, peach juice, and morita chiles.
Doc is served in a 10-ounce whiskey glass with a slice of Cara Cara orange and a cherry.
All proceeds from the cider are being donated to Kramer’s family.
Congrats to Jason Duren, co-owner and head cidermaker at Cider Corps, who has been named one of 29 Rising Stars in the food and beverage industry by FSR Magazine, which covers full-service restaurants nationwide.
Duren, an East Valley native, started making cider as a hobby while he recovered from two traumatic brain injuries sustained while serving in Afghanistan.
After going back to school to earn a degree in sustainable horticulture, he and his brother, Josh, opened Cider Corps in downtown Mesa in 2017.
Two years later, one of Duren’s ciders – Mango Foxtrot, dedicated to the armed forces – won a gold medal at the U.S. Open Cider Championship.
“Jason Duren’s inspiring story is not only a sterling example of the grit and determination that make the F&B world so special, it is also a testament to the power of small businesses to give back to the communities they serve,” FSR editor Nicole Duncan says.
Cider Corps, Arizona’s largest craft cidery, currently is building a production facility in Gilbert. It’s scheduled to open by fall.
Cider Corps in downtown Mesa will release 12-ounce cans of its C-Bees cucumber-honey cider at noon Friday.
The cider, a tribute to the U.S. Navy Construction Battalion commonly known as the Seabees, is part of the cidery’s Honor Series that brings attention and recognition for different military divisions.
“The response we had about this cider from veterans and Seabees is such an honor,” Cider Corps co-owner Josh Duren says. ‘‘Just like them, it defies expectations.
‘‘This isn’t a fruity cider. We’re excited to bring it back so even more people can try it – and recognize their service and sacrifice.’’
Four-packs of the limited-edition cans are $14.99 and can be ordered online for pickup or delivery.
