Woodchuck Hard Cider

Woodchuck Hard Cider is a brand of hard cider produced by the Vermont Hard Cider Company, LLC, in Middlebury, Vermont.[1][2] In 2011 it was the top-selling hard cider in the United States,[3] capturing approximately 47% of the hard cider market in the country.[4]

Woodchuck Hard Cider
TypePrivate
Founded1991
FounderJoe Cerniglia, Barry Blake, and Greg Failing
Headquarters
Middlebury, Vermont
Websitehttps://www.woodchuck.com/

History

Woodchuck was founded at The Joseph Cerniglia Winery in Proctorsville, Vermont, in 1991[5] by Joe Cerniglia and Barry Blake, along with wine maker Greg Failing.[6] While cider production began in Cerniglia's winery, by 1996 the company was producing 400,000 cases of product per year, necessitating a move to a cidery in Springfield, Vermont.

In 2000, Woodchuck moved to its current production facility in Middlebury, Vermont, and by 2007 had become the first cider company in the nation to sell one million cases in one year.[7] In 2012, Woodchuck Hard Cider was purchased by Irish beverage company C&C Group.[8]

In March 2021, C&C Group announced their intent to sell Vermont Hard Cider Company to Northeast Drinks Group, a Vermont-based company, for 20 million dollars. According to executive David Mandler, the group was founded specifically in order to procure Vermont Hard Cider Company, and all employees and contracts will remain in place upon purchase.[9] The sale was officially completed in April 2021.[10]

Varieties

Woodchuck currently offers ten core styles available in either bottles or cans, with the option to purchase a variety pack that comes with a combination of flavors. The company also offers a low calorie variety pack containing four fruit-flavored ciders, as well as a single cider in the company's 802 Collection, a product line that focuses on using solely Vermont-sourced apples at all levels of productions.[11]

All Woodchuck ciders are made from apples and other fruits, and are therefore gluten-free as there is no grain involved in production process.[12]

Core styles
  • Amber – Hard cider crafted made solely from red apples with no added flavors
  • Sangria – Hard pear cider flavored with citrus and berries, inspired by sangria
  • Granny Smith – Hard cider made from Granny Smith apples with no added flavors
  • Pear – Hard cider with pear flavoring added
  • Sippin' Citrus – Hard apple cider flavored with grapefruit and cascade hops
  • Mimosa – Hard cider flavored with orange and vanilla, inspired by the mimosa
  • Bubbly Pearsecco – Hard pear cider inspired by prosecco
  • Bubbly Rosé – Hard apple cider inspired by rosé wine
  • Raspberry – Hard cider with raspberry flavoring added
  • Semi-Dry – Hard cider made from bittersweet apples with no added flavors

Other styles
  • The following four styles are only offered as part of the Woodchuck 100 Variety Pack, and each contain 100 calories and 2 grams of sugar.
    • Black Cherry
    • Cranberry Lime
    • Watermelon
    • Citrus
  • Lil' Dry – Hard cider made from fresh pressed Vermont apple juice. This product is made in conjunction with Woodchuck's partner orchards, and is the sole product within the company's 802 Collection.

Limited releases

Beginning in 2008, Woodchuck released multiple limited-edition products that corresponded with the time of year. In 2018, the seasonal releases were scrapped as Woodchuck unveiled the Tank Series, a line of limited-release ciders that would enter the market for roughly four months before being replaced with a new product.

  • Spring – Hard cider flavored with locally-sourced maple syrup and brown sugar. This product was released in Spring 2011.[13]
  • Belgian White – Hard cider brewed with Belgian beer yeast. Originally released in 2012 in Woodchuck's Private Reserve line, this product was brought back as a limited release in Winter 2019 due to constant requests from consumers.[14]
  • Pumpkin – Oak aged hard cider flavored with pumpkins. This product was released in Fall 2019, and crafted with a similar formula to the company's Private Reserve Pumpkin Cider first released in 2010.[15]

Private reserves

Woodchuck's Private Reserve line was first unveiled in 2010 with the launch of Private Reserve Pumpkin, a hard cider which they claimed to be the world's first pumpkin cider.[16] Other releases include the Private Reserve Barrel Select, a product aged for six months in oak bourbon barrels along with a Woodchuck Belgian White, a cider that's produced using Belgian beer yeast.[17][18]

References
  1. Flowers, John (21 November 2011). "Cider company plans big expansion". Addison County Independent. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  2. Nason, Adam (5 August 2011). "Green Mountain Beverage unveils new company name". beernews.org. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  3. Becker, Maki (27 August 2011). "Mayer Bros. hard cider soured by lawsuit". Buffalo News. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  4. Schultz, E.J. (28 November 2011). "Cider Seen as Next 'Craft' Brew as Sales Climb 25% This Year". Advertising Age. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  5. "Woodchuck Hard Cider takes on the big guns". USA Today. July 23, 2015. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  6. Narula, Svati Kirsten (September 23, 2014). "The fastest-growing alcoholic beverage in the US isn't a beer, wine, or spirit". Quartz. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  7. "Woodchuck Cider ends relationship with Pabst". Vermont Business Magazine. 2018-02-22. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  8. Scott, Mark (23 October 2012). "Owner of Woodchuck Cider Approves Sale to Irish Rival". Dealbook. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  9. D'Ambrosio, Dan. "Woodchuck Hard Cider bought for bargain price by Vermont-based firm, plans to add jobs". The Burlington Free Press. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  10. "Northeast Drinks Group completes purchase of Vermont Cider Company | Vermont Business Magazine". vermontbiz.com. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  11. "Our Ciders". Woodchuck Cider. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  12. Russell, Annie (November 16, 2014). "Cider Week Highlights Rapid Growth Of Vermont's Hard Cideries". Vermont Public Radio. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  13. "Woodchuck Spring Cider recently released". BeerPulse. 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  14. "Vermont Cider Co. to Release Woodchuck Belgian White". Brewbound. 2019-02-05. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  15. "Just in time for Fall Woodchuck® Releases Pumpkin". Woodchuck Cider. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  16. "Woodchuck Hard Cider Unveils First EVER Pumpkin Cider" (Press release). PRLog. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
  17. "Woodchuck Private Reserve Barrel Select Returns to Store Shelves". Brewbound. 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  18. "Woodchuck Cider Announces Belgian White, a Private Reserve Cider" (Press release). brewhound.com. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.

Further reading
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