Fort Point Beer introduces first range of ciders

San Francisco-based Fort Point Beer Co is launching Fort Point Cider, a new product line that has been over a year in the making.

The ciders, which will launch in two variants – ‘Super Dry’ and the rosé-inspired ‘Super Natural’ which gains its pink hue from the addition of dried hibiscus and rosehips – will both be 6.4% ABV, according to reports from local press.

Fort Point Beer Co’s director of innovation Mike Schnebeck said: “Though we call ourselves a beer company, our philosophy and approach to product innovation can apply to more than just beer. We’ve always kept our eyes open, and it seemed like the right time to try something new. We considered a number of different beverages, and cider just felt right.”

Schnebeck explained: “While a lot of other beverage categories feel a little too trendy for Fort Point, cider has been around for centuries — it has a long, rich tradition, just like beer does. It doesn’t hurt that fermentation is what we’re really good at, and we saw this as an opportunity to apply our beer fermentation expertise to cider — and create a product that stands out in the market as a result. People are leaning towards local, craft options over the big national cider brands.”

Fort Point co-owner and chief brand officer Dina Dobkin added: “Over the years we’ve built a powerful brand that’s known and loved across California. We’ve taken a nontraditional approach to brand design, so it’s no accident that we’ve attracted a wider group of drinkers to Fort Point than your typical brewery. With cider, we challenged ourselves to build upon what people already enjoy about our brand, while creating something with the potential to reach an entirely new audience. Our goal was to make the brand instantly recognisable as ‘Fort Point’ while also feeling distinct from our beer.”

Fort Point uses 100% West Coast apples and zero added sugar or concentrates.