“You’re probably not going to like every one of our ciders,” says Ryan Bogard, one of the five partners behind Bull City Ciderworks. “And that’s not what we have in mind. The mass-produced ciders out there, that’s their goal. That’s not us. You’re going to find one that you really love and you’ll be able to identify with it.”
So, I ordered a flight at the bar – which the owners built themselves from a bar salvaged from a Joe’s Crab Shack – to find my ideal cider:
- Off Main – A traditional flagship cider, but not mainstream in any way! A very light cider, it’s semi-sweet, refreshing and easy to drink.
- Steep South – Cold steeped for hours with black tea before a bit of honey is added for balance. It’s Bull City’s Southern approach to cider.
- Sweet Carolina – Infused with local honey from Bailey Bee Supply in Hillsborough, it’s what you’d order if you wanted a sweeter cider, though it’s still nowhere near as sweet as the national brands on the market. “That’s one of our hallmarks in our ciders – we don’t want them to be over-the-top sweet,” Ryan says.
- Smooth Hoperator – Meant to appeal to beer drinkers, this dry- hopped cider is very hop forward with a floral, citrusy aroma minus the bitterness you’d typically find in an American IPA.
Those are the year-round offerings. Bull City also develops special small- batches and seasonal varieties. For instance, their Rhiz Up! ginger cider used about 20 pounds of baby ginger from Ever Laughter Farm to give a strong, classic ginger ale taste, but one that’s not too spicy – just mild and a bit sweet. The most striking thing I found with each cider is that every ingredient comes through clearly, from the apples to the honey to the hops, but was not overwhelming. I came away from my tasting with Steep South at the top of my list – I’m a sucker for sweet tea, after all.
The operation runs out of an industrial building off East Main Street and – while only selling in kegs, sixtels and growlers for now – continues to increase production to meet the demand. “This started in my garage and was just sort of a hobby,” Ryan says, “as many things start. And then, all of a sudden, you wake up and it’s a full-time job. Really, the end goal is just to make good cider and have a fun, inviting environment to come enjoy it.”
Ed. Note: This article first appeared in our February/March 2015 issue.
