The creators of Graft Cider are starting a new company, Hudson North Cider Co. on March 1, 2020. They are committed to preserving and maintaining Hudson Valley trails and waterways and will be partnering with Scenic Hudson. The cider will be produced out of their Ann Street facility as well as their new facility on Little Britain Road once construction in complete. The press release is below:

Hudson North Cider Co, a mission-driven cidery, is set to launch in the Hudson Valley and NYC on March 1st, 2020.  Sibling duo, Kyle & Sara Sherrer, creators of Graft Cider, were eager to create something both approachable and unique to their home market. “We wanted to create a high quality, full-bodied, hazy, off-dry cider that would set the standard for NY hard cider in pint form, ” said Kyle Sherrer. With 2/3 less sugar than their largest competitors, Hudson North is on trend for 2020’s “better for you segment.”

Kyle Sherrer was attracted to the Hudson Valley for a few reasons when he moved to the area in 2016: while NY is the second largest apple-growing state in the country, his love for the outdoors made it easy to fall in love with its endless trails. With this in mind, one of Hudson North’s core values is to help preserve and maintain trails and waterways in the area through a partnership with Scenic Hudson and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. 

For those curious where Hudson North sources its apples, a short 30 minute trip north will lead you to Minard Family Farm and Presshouse in nearby Ulster County. Minard sources its apples almost exclusively from the Hudson Valley.  “We have been sourcing juice from Minard for the past three years through Graft, and I’m constantly impressed with the quality of apples coming out of Hudson Valley. It was a natural fit to use these local apples for the base in all of our Hudson North ciders,” said Sherrer. 

“Standard Cider”, Hudson North’s flagship blend, is comprised of fresh pressed NY apples and high-tannin, bittersweet cider apples. Utilizing fresh apples from the Hudson Valley in combination with a lightly sweetened, tanic cider apple, creates a style somewhere in between a sweet, NY state farmstand cider & a European farmhouse cider.

You can also expect “Ginger Citrus”, a seasonal offering, to grace taplines and shelves throughout the summer. Bursting with notes of sweet, lemony ginger and freshly squeezed grapefruit and oranges, this stylish can will surely be a trail favorite. As the leaves in the Hudson Valley change color, Hudson North will roll out its fall seasonal,“Toasted Pumpkin,” while the end of the season will see the launch of “Winter Berry.”

As Hudson North gears up for launch this spring, the team is focusing on an initiative called “Taps for Trails”, formed to generate funds for protecting and growing the Hudson Valley trail system. Through a partnership with distributor Craft Beer Guild Distributing of NY, 10 cents of every gallon of draft cider sold will circulate back to help maintain these trails, while also building awareness of their abundance in the area.  “It’s important to get people to set down their phones and experience the beauty that’s all around us up here,” said Sherrer. They have also partnered with nonprofits Scenic Hudson and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. 

Since 1920, the Trail Conference has been building, maintaining, and protecting trails and caring for the lands they traverse. It’s thanks to the dedication of their volunteers and supporters that all of us who seek the outdoors can have a safe, enjoyable experiences on more than 2,100 miles of trails in the greater New York metropolitan region.
Scenic Hudson preserves land and farms and creates parks that connect people with the inspirational power of the Hudson River, while fighting threats to the river and natural resources that are the foundation of the valley’s prosperity.

Hudson North’s future launch will be coordinated with “Taps for Trails” events around the Hudson Valley, where $1 from each pint sold goes towards maintaining a local trailhead.  With future plans of creating trail cleanups, hiking clubs and more, the new brand will be addressing and building awareness of the surrounding ecosystems while educating participants on the many ways they can give back and assist in keeping the area’s water supply healthy.

You can expect to find cans of Hudson North Cider at Whole Foods, DeCiccos, and Total Wine