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ISU premiers two hard ciders made from Ames-grown apples
Iowa State University already had a winery and a brewery. Now, it’s added a cidery.
Erin Norton, director of the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute at ISU, says they’re debuting two types of hard ciders this fall.
“We have one which is our original cider, and that’s apples only, and it really showcases the fruit that we used, and it’s on the drier side,” Norton says. “Then we have a cider that is pink in color. We blended it with some of our rosé wine, and we sweetened it up a little bit more, but it’s still nice and fresh and tart.”
Erin Norton (ISU photo)
All of the fruit used to produce the ciders is grown at the ISU Horticulture Research Station, which Norton says reinforces the program’s dedication to Iowa and to value-added agriculture.
“We’ve got 12-ounce cans in four-packs,” Norton says. “It’s a really nice design on our labels that was designed by a graphic design student here at Iowa State. We’ve got the campanile with some apple trees surrounding it.”
The ciders weren’t created to compete with established adult beverages, as Norton says they want to simply showcase the diverse programs at ISU. That’s why the ciders are only for sale at Cyclone Liquors in Ames.
“We do small production,” Norton says. “The idea of our production is to generate a bit of income that goes back into our extension and outreach and research programming, so at the moment, the cider is only available in Ames.”
After the holidays, she says it’s possible they’ll be able to consider expanding the ciders into other markets.
Norton adds, more of the ISU Brew Lab beers are coming soon.
