Lionheart Cider Rebrands to the Minneapolis Cider Company
This summer, hard cider producer, Lionheart Cider, announced that they were rebranding to the Minneapolis Cider Company and opening a production facility and taproom in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“Our goal from very early on has been to open a production facility and taproom in Minneapolis,” says co-founder and head cidermaker Jason Dayton. “Starting the business in college presented unique challenges. We had to establish a level of credibility before we were able to convince investors and banks to put forward the capital required for the new facility.” The company said its new brand reflects its roots on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus and is inspired by the active and outdoor-oriented lifestyle that many in the city embrace.
The Minneapolis Cider Company will be a licensed winery, a distinct difference from fellow Northeast Cidermaker Sociable Cider Werks, which is licensed as a brewery. As such, the company will produce ciders from 100% juice without the addition of malt or grain. The winery license will also allow the company to be the first taproom in the Twin Cities to sell cider directly to consumers in traditional packages. Instead of a 64-ounce or 32-ounce growler, you will be able to take home their ciders in 12-ounce or 16-ounce cans.
The company has only announced three ciders so far but has said that more are in development. Semi-Dry, a crisp, clean and refreshing cider, and Rhubarb, a semi-dry cider blended with rhubarb for a tart but balanced cider, will be identical to the ciders available today as Lionheart. Additionally, the company has announced Citrus Hop, which will be a full-production version of an infusion the company often does at beer festivals – a cloudy, dry-hopped and infused cider with fresh citrus fruit. The next opportunity to sample the Citrus Hop will be at the Summer Beer Dabbler in CHS Field, (St. Paul, Minnesota) on August 26th.
Keep an eye on the company’s social media pages and website at for ongoing updates. Minneapolis Cider Company hopes to be open in the first half of 2018. Ciders will remain under the Lionheart name until licensing is officially changed.
