ANGRY ORCHARD HARD CIDER KICKS OFF FALL SEASON WITH NEW HARDCORE 8% ABV IMPERIAL CIDER

 Angry Orchard, the nation’s leading cider maker,¹ today announced the launch of Angry Orchard Hardcore Dark Cherry Apple Imperial Hard Cider. Imperial higher ABV options are driving growth across beer, FMB and cider categories, so Angry Orchard’s newest innovation marks the brand’s first nationally available 8% ABV cider. Made with traditional bittersweet cider apples and blended with dark cherry juice from concentrate for a deliciously easy to drink cider bursting with real fruit flavor, Hardcore Dark Cherry Apple is the perfect balance of crisp apple and tart cherry sweetness. In honor of its 8% ABV, Hardcore Dark Cherry Apple will be available beginning 8/8 in six-pack 12oz cans. It will also be a featured flavor in the Angry Orchard Fall Haul Variety Packs dropping this fall.

“Through the years, Angry Orchard has been synonymous with offering deliciously bold ciders that feature real fruit,” said Kelli McCusker, Head of Marketing for Angry Orchard. “As drinkers shop the increasingly crowded alcohol space, they’re looking for offerings that deliver on flavor, ingredients and ABV to provide more value. Combining Angry Orchard’s equity in real fruit with a higher ABV in our new Hardcore wins that shopper equation – while giving drinkers a new way to transport them to their ‘happy place’ that much faster.”

Hardcore Dark Cherry Apple Imperial Hard Cider is hitting shelves just in time to enjoy throughout the remaining summer months at backyard barbeques, gatherings with family and friends, or simply to kick back and relax after a long day.

And to celebrate Angry Orchard’s leap into Hardcore, the brand is putting the call out for drinkers to show off how “hardcore” they are. Beginning today, Angry Orchard is hosting a “Hard to the Core” contest where drinkers are encouraged to live out their hardcore dreams and the brand will foot the bill ($500 worth!). Whether it’s bungee jumping, skydiving, rock climbing or hardcore chilling in the backyard, the first 40 drinkers (aged 21+) to submit a photo completing their hardcore activity via Twitter with #AOHardCore and tag @AngryOrchard will receive a $500 cash prize. The contest will be open from August 8 to September 8 and winners will be notified via direct message from the official @AngryOrchard Twitter account. Click here for the complete rules and regulations.

For more information on where to find Angry Orchard’s latest innovation, please visit AngryOrchard.com and follow along @AngryOrchard on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Angry Orchard Cider Company:
The leading cider across the country, Angry Orchard’s cider makers experiment with apple varieties near and far to continuously develop new cider styles and flavors. Crafted with real apples and the highest quality ingredients, Angry Orchard is balanced, refreshing, and full of flavor, with a wide variety of styles fit for all. At the home of Angry Orchard on a 60-acre apple orchard in New York’s Hudson Valley, the team of cider makers create small-batch experimentation with fruit grown right on-site while offering an experience for guests to sip cider amongst the trees. To learn more about Angry Orchard, visit AngryOrchard.com