Minnesota hard cider launched in mini kegs

Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery, Minnesota’s largest winery, has launched a new hard cider brand called Loon Juice.  This will be the first and only hard cider in the US to be sold in 5litre mini kegs, supplied by a German manufacturer.   

The brand, including the name, is focused on Minnesota tradition.  The cider is all made at the Southeastern Minnesota winery and the apples come from a Minnesota orchard.  The cider is unsweetened and made of 100% Honeycrisp apples.  It is described as having a crisp, clean taste.  It has been sold on-site in the winery’s tasting room for the past two and a half years proven to be extremely popular.

The cider is crafted by up-and-coming winemaker Justin Osborne, who won the Minnesota Governor’s cup in his first year, and who has received multiple accolades from competitions across the country.  "I’ve never tasted a cider like this before, so I thought it should be bottled in a new way as well.  It’s something that’s never been done before,” says Justin Osborne, winemaker at Four Daughters. 

Guests at Four Daughters have requested that the cider be bottled since it was first served in the tasting room over two years ago.  Four Daughters’ owners worked extensively with a German manufacturer to create a mini-keg that would work well with cider.  The newly-arrived kegs are exactly what the owners had hoped for.  “The look is what we would describe as our blend of Minnesota-nice and casual style,” says owner Vicky Vogt. 

The hard cider kegs are available at the winery, in liquor stores beginning this month, and will soon be appearing in restaurants. 

About Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery

Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery is a fully operational winery, vineyard and restaurant.  Their highly anticipated new event facility will be opening in the fall of 2014.  The property will soon boast 18,000 sq. feet which includes a tasting room, production area and event facility, as well as a 6 acre vineyard on the property. Nestled in rural Southeastern Minnesota, south of Rochester, the winery is now the exclusive home of Four Daughters wine, Sunflake wines and Loon Juice hard cider. 

27 September 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor