02 Apr 2015 --- Angry Orchard announced the national release of its new spring and summer seasonal hard cider Angry Orchard Summer Honey available now through August. For thousands of years, people have been adding honey to their food and drink, and the cider makers at Angry Orchard were inspired by this age old tradition when crafting the recipe for this new cider. Angry Orchard Summer Honey is smooth, light and refreshing with just a hint of honey sweetness and aroma to complement the bright apple notes from American culinary apples, perfect for warmer months and outdoor entertaining.
After experimenting with a variety of honeys to achieve a balanced taste and aroma combination, Angry Orchard’s cider makers found that wildflower honey – which includes nectar, converted by bees into honey, from a variety of plants and wildflowers that bloom during the summer – was the perfect fit. The honey imparts subtle and smooth floral notes, adding a depth of flavor that’s not overly sweet and pairs well with the cider’s fresh apple taste.
“When searching for the best ingredients to deliver an authentic, refreshing summer cider experience, honey immediately came to mind,” said David Sipes, cider maker for Angry Orchard. “Apples and honey are a natural pairing, and in our Summer Honey cider, the ingredients combine for a complex but balanced craft cider that’s smooth, refreshing, not too sweet, and perfect for the warmer weather ahead.”
Similar to some of Angry Orchard’s other craft cider varieties including the cider maker’s newest year-round style, Hop’n Mad Apple, Summer Honey is made with American culinary apples including Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples. In developing the recipe for Summer Honey, Angry Orchard’s cider makers found the light, fruit-forward juices from Washington State’s culinary apples allowed the delicate floral honey notes to best come through.
First launched in 2012, Angry Orchard is the number one hard cider in the US1, where craft cider has seen explosive growth and is showing up on more menus than ever as a refreshing alternative to craft beer and wine.
Despite this growth, hard cider in the US is still small and relatively unknown. To help introduce more people to craft cider, Angry Orchard encourages drinkers to sample different styles and learn about its history. Angry Orchard also works with chefs, like Kevin Gillespie, former Bravo Top Chef fan favorite, Pure Pork Awesomeness cookbook author and Gunshow restaurant owner, to help drinkers learn how craft cider is great as a food pairing, and can be used as an ingredient in recipes. Gillespie finds the natural sweetness of hard cider to be the perfect complement to a variety of cuisines and dishes, and the new seasonal Summer Honey is no exception. “Whether you’re exploring spicy and bold cuisines such as Thai or Vietnamese or simply out back with friends grilling up some traditional American barbeque, Summer Honey offers great versatility when pairing with food. Its light effervescence and easy drinking make it a perfect seasonal drink,” said Gillespie.
