Citizen Cider Eliminates Added Sugar from Production Process

23 Mar 2016 --- Citizen Cider, founded in 2010 on a hunch and some good old-fashioned hard work, has quickly become a leading player in the craft cider arena. Citizen Cider strives to look at the bigger picture and focuses on being involved in every aspect of their supply chain, sourcing all fruit directly from local farmers and pressing the juice to create a true craft cider. Never from concentrate.

In response to the cider industry maturing, Citizen Cider is taking a step forward to define what the craft cider category is. Citizen Cider is utilizing a process called Stop Fermentation to eliminate adding sugar, or back-sweetening, any of their products. This is accomplished by using temperature and filtration to stop the fermentation before it is complete, leaving residual sugars to create a natural sweetness. The product, as a result, is much more balanced and integrated.

“By using this process we are sticking to the values of how we operate as a company, keeping the cider as true to the fruit as we can. We think this process will come to define craft cider, and distinguish craft from macro ciders. It is more authentic, and a better representation of what cider is, and can be,” says founder Justin Heilenbach; “the apple standing alone, standing tall.”

What will change? The ABV is lower, the color is a deeper natural hue, no sugar is added, and it has fewer calories. What won’t change? Citizen’s place in the market as the best craft cider, its taste profile, or shelf stability. It’s not easier, but it’s better.