Angry Orchard today announced the release of its new year-round specialty hard cider, Walden Hollow. This is the first cider from Angry Orchard to be made exclusively with apple varieties from New York State, including varieties from last year’s harvest at the Angry Orchard in New York’s Hudson Valley, and heirloom apples from other local orchards.
Last fall, Angry Orchard opened the Angry Orchard Innovation Cider House on a 100-year-old apple orchard in Walden, NY – the namesake for this new cider. This new cidery serves as a center for research and development where the cider makers are putting their own twist on traditional ciders and driving innovation, experimenting with new ingredients, processes and techniques.
“We’re extremely proud of Walden Hollow as it’s our first cider made with apples from our own backyard,” said Ryan Burk, Angry Orchard’s head cider maker. “The mild tannins and dryness of the cider capture the diversity, complexity and depth of character from the blend of New York State apples. It’s cider like Walden Hollow that inspires us to continue to drive innovation and reimagine what American cider can be.”
Walden Hollow is fermented over many months, resulting in full flavor and intense apple aroma due to the high acidity and mild tannins from New York State heirloom apples. These heirloom varieties include Golden Russet, Newtown Pippin and Northern Spy, all of which have deep ties to the Empire State, including their use in cider dating back hundreds of years. Walden Hollow will be released annually in the spring, and made using a blend of New York apple varieties selected by Angry Orchard’s cider makers based on the previous year’s harvest.
Walden Hollow (8% ABV) is the fourth style to join the Angry Orchard Cider House Collection of small batch craft ciders, and will be available nationwide starting in June 2016. This style is available in 750 mL bottles for a suggested retail price of $14.99 – $17.99 (price varies per market).
To find where Angry Orchard hard cider is available near you, visit the “cider finder” at www.angryorchard.com/find-angry-orchard/.
What’s so special about New York State apples?
The land in New York State has a rich apple growing history, thanks in large part to the terroir – factors including sunlight, temperature, and soil – that build the foundation for this new cider style. Walden Hollow has a delicate balance of tannins from heirloom apples traditionally used for cidermaking in the US, resulting in extraordinary flavor and strong apple aroma at 8% ABV.
Angry Orchard recently planted three acres of traditional cider making apples at the Angry Orchard in Walden, NY, which will be used for research and experimentation on site.
What Can We Expect from Walden Hollow?
This new cider has a bright aroma of fresh peeled apple skins, a rich full body, medium sweetness in taste, with tartness characteristic of New York apples. The cider makers at Angry Orchard used wild fermentation techniques to evoke earthy farmhouse qualities from the cider without the funky, sour qualities that can sometimes be associated with this style and process.
What’s the Angry Orchard Cider House Collection?
The Angry Orchard Cider House Collection includes unique and innovative ciders, harvested from our cider makers’ passion and creativity. In addition to Walden Hollow, the Cider House Collection features The Muse, inspired by the festive nature of slightly sweet demi-sec champagne and sparkling wine; Strawman, an American take on a French farmhouse cider; and Iceman, which takes cues from the traditional ice ciders of Quebec. The first three ciders in this collection use traditional cider making apples from Italy and France and are aged on oak. Walden Hollow is the first of the Cider House Collection to use apples from New York State.
Hard Cider & Food Pairing
Hard cider is incredibly versatile for pairing with food or using as an ingredient in recipes. The acidity of Walden Hollow cuts through fats in aged farmhouse cheeses, and works well served alongside grilled salmon with fresh vegetables. It also pairs nicely with cured meats or charcuterie, which complement the cider’s earthy, farmhouse notes.
About Angry Orchard Cider Company:
Angry Orchard Cider Company’s cider makers have been experimenting with apple varieties and unique flavors to develop hard cider recipes for 20 years. The cider makers have travelled the world to find the best apples for cider making and chose specific varieties, like French bittersweet apples from Normandy and culinary apples from Italy and the United States, based on each cider’s flavor profile.
In November 2015, Angry Orchard established a home for cider research and development called the Innovation Cider House, located on a historic apple orchard in the New York Hudson River Valley. In May 2016, Angry Orchard planted three acres of traditional cider making apples at the Angry Orchard, which will be used for research and experimentation at the Innovation Cider House.
Angry Orchard makes a variety of year-round craft cider styles, including Angry Orchard Crisp Apple, a fruit forward hard cider that balances the sweetness of culinary apples with dryness and bright acidity of bittersweet apples for a complex, refreshing taste.
Despite the recent growth of hard cider in the U.S., the category is still small and relatively unknown. Angry Orchard is committed to drinker education and awareness-building to help grow the category for all craft cider makers.
To Learn More:
Cider lovers can explore the Orchard online at www.angryorchard.com/theorchard, like us at www.Facebook.com/AngryOrchard, https://instagram.com/angryorchard, and follow us at www.twitter.com/AngryOrchard.
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