Heavy Seas Beer Launches E.Krispers Cider

For the first time in brewery history, Heavy Seas Beer in Baltimore, Maryland has unveiled a cider into the brewery's repertoire of beverages.

E.Krispers Cider is actually produced in Devon, England to ensure that the cider is made using only the finest cider apples.

According to a release from the brewery, "thirty four different varieties of apples come together to give this cider it’s refreshing taste. E.Krispers has a unique bittersweet flavor that’s fruit-focused, crisp, and balanced with a classic finish."

Clocking in at 5.5 percent ABV, E.Krispers is a traditional English Cider and marks the brewery's first foray into cider-making. Six-packs of the cider are planned to be priced at a reasonable $8.99.

The full release from Heavy Seas is below.

BALTIMORE — Baltimore-based independent brewery, Heavy Seas Beer (Clipper City Imports, a division of Clipper City Brewing LP), of Baltimore Maryland, announced today the launch of E.Krispers Cider.

E.Krispers Cider (5% ABV) is a traditional English cider crafted from 100% Cider Apples. Thirty four different varieties of apples come together to give this cider it’s refreshing taste. E.Krispers has a unique bittersweet flavor that’s fruit-focused, crisp, and balanced with a classic finish.

In order to make great cider, we believe you must use cider apples. To make the best cider, you must go directly to the source where traditional cider apples are readily available. Our decision to produce E.Krispers in Devon, England under the supervision of cider maker Barny Butterfield, (owner and Cider maker of Sandford Orchards) was to ensure access to these traditional cider apple varietals that are not readily available in the US.

“To grow the cider market in the US, we saw the need for a brand that will have the quality of a cider made from 100% cider apples. Cider apples have the attributes of sweetness, acidity and tannin needed to produce great, nuanced cider. E.Krispers is made from those apples,” said Butterfield.

“It is exciting to see how much progress has been made to grow demand for cider in America,” said Dan Kopman, “To add fuel to the fire, we need to establish a new price point that reflects both the quality and approachability of cider as an alternative to other alcoholic beverages. We are targeting price points at $8.99 per six pack,” said Kopman. “This will attract new cider drinkers, critical to category growth.”

E.Krispers Cider was born from a collaboration between Butterfield and Heavy Seas Beer CEO, Dan Kopman. Kopman is the former CEO of Schlafly Beer in St. Louis.

About Heavy Seas Beer

Heavy Seas Beer was founded by Hugh Sisson in 1995 and has grown to become one of the most respected and award-winning craft breweries on the east coast of the United States. As the first pub brewer in Maryland, Hugh was responsible for the legislation that made brewpubs legal in the state. Now over two decades later, Heavy Seas is celebrating its 23rd year of brewing independent craft beer in Baltimore. The brewery also continues to expand its beer portfolio, now producing 23 different beer styles and distributing to 20 states as well as Washington D.C. Heavy Seas was also named Beer Connoisseur Magazine’s 2017 Brewery of the Year.