The art and science of making cider intersects Old World traditions and modern experimentation, with some of its best producers gracefully striking this delicate balance. For New York–based Graft Cider, this past-meets-present occupation is magnified on the cusp of its 10-year anniversary in perhaps one of the most dynamic sectors of the beverage industry to date.
Prior to launching Graft in 2016, co-owner Kyle Sherrer ran MillStone Cellars — a small operation in Maryland focused on farm-to-table, single-varietal ciders sourced locally. Sherrer, his sister Sara Sherrer-Flores, and his wife and business partner, Sae, were well poised to start a nouveau cider company that also stayed true to old-school cidermaking techniques. A decade ago, their intention was to attract the attention of beer drinkers.
“We leaned heavily on beer styles,” Kyle says, “with a Gose-style cider and hopped ciders. Sour ciders became our moniker. We became known for pushing boundaries.” Sherrer believes the apple provides a great canvas for the addition of fruits and herbs. “The apple doesn’t get in the way of other ingredients,” he says.
Those unique flavor additions resonated with beer lovers and beyond, making way for Graft and its sister brand, Hudson North Cider, to make a serious splash in the cider scene. Along their path, the Sherrers transitioned from large-format glass bottles to 12- and 16-ounce cans that are now available in more than 14 states. Hudson North is known for several imperial options like Big Apple, Big Watermelon and Big Peach that weigh in at 8.2% ABV, as well as unique flavors including Strawberry Rhubarb, Ginger Citrus and Guava Cider.
The Graft brand sports equally unique ingredients and techniques, including the Book of Nomad series, with wine and sake inspirations like Cabernet Franc Black Currant Cider and Strawberry Sake Cider, respectively. The light-bodied and rustic series, Native, is spontaneously fermented; the Barrel Project explores wood-aged ciders; and the Shared Universe series celebrates parallels between cider and other beverages that give the Graft team an excuse to collaborate with their favorite breweries, wineries and meaderies.
Graft’s Cider Explorers Club pushes flavor boundaries even further with products like cider cocktails, spritzers and even higher-ABV sodas, all inspired by input from the brand’s loyal fans.
This avenue for market research has revealed changes in consumer demand over the years; put simply, cider drinkers are less interested in beer adjacency. “They’re looking for a more innovative, explorative and exotic beverage experience that transcends typical beverage categories,” says Sae. And they desire packaging that reflects that refinement.
In response, and with the help of Caleb Luke Lin, Graft’s illustrator, and Sean Walsh of Secret Society Goods, Graft’s Core series has a fresh new design that emulates the cider brand’s evolution over the past 10 years. Each Core can (Farm Flor, Lost Tropic, Field Rosé and Birds of Paradise) depicts a scene in Europe that pays homage to the birthplace of cider and what they envision some of these fanciful styles would look like if they were a landscape. Each can is vibrant and colorful, yet simpler and more readable.
“This rebrand represents an evolution driven by changing drinking habits. Over time, we lost our way a bit by trying to appeal to everyone. This effort is about refocusing on what we want and what resonates with our most loyal customers, bringing the brand back to its true self,” says Sae.
“Cider is one of the few beverages that’s not in the negative right now,” Kyle adds. “It was important for us to reposition Graft to not lose the old customers but also transition to newer drinkers through the simplification of artwork shapes, color and style. We’re here to survive the long term instead of being a flash in the pan.”
Kyle and Sae are creating said sustainability by staying grounded in traditional cidermaking values. No matter how wild their experiments, one thing that has never changed is their process — all-natural sugars, with minimal sulfites and malolactic fermentations.
“It’s from the orchard. It’s natural. And it’s still approachable and sessionable,” says Kyle. “We’re telling the story of what cider can be.”
Find the plethora of Graft and Hudson North ciders at www.backpackbrands.co.
