Dustin Scoggins

Ranch Rider Spirits Co., Texas’ number one premium spirit-based seltzer, revealed its newest premium vodka seltzer just in time for summer – The Buck, a fresh Moscow Mule recipe made with real ingredients. Further establishing Ranch Rider as the ultimate premium spirit-based seltzer, The Buck’s recipe is composed of six-times distilled vodka, fresh pressed organic ginger, fresh squeezed lime and sparkling water – a unique profile that embodies everything people love about the traditional Moscow Mule, but without all of the sweet added sugar. The Buck has an alcohol content of 5.99% – making it a premium vodka seltzer with only 119 calories and 0.8 grams of sugar.

As a local-Texan favorite and soon to become the nation’s number one spirit-based seltzer, Ranch Rider’s innovative take on the modern-day Moscow Mule is a testament to the brand’s commitment to developing beverages and health-conscious recipes that are transparent, of the highest quality and taste unlike anything else on the market.

“We’ve continued Ranch Rider’s success by listening to our customers and developing recipes that fit the demands of our consumers: premium spirit-based seltzers made with real ingredients that aren’t loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners,” says Quentin Cantu, co-founder of Ranch Rider Spirits, Co. “After multiple rounds of recipe tasting and product development – we decided to go straight to the source and give our customers the opportunity to give feedback on their idea of the perfect summer drink and be a part of the recipe advancement.”

The Buck is canned in Ranch Rider’s Dripping Springs Distillery and will feature new redesigned labels. The new beverage is debuting in its hometown of Austin, Texas and will be rolling out to other markets throughout the summer.

“At Ranch Rider, we believe mules are the best creatures on earth. They’re surefooted. They’re intelligent and they’re determined as heck. Well, we put the spirit of a mule in a can. Vodka, sparkling water, lime, and here’s the kicker, real ginger. Not sugary ginger beer. It’s a mule the way a mule would make a mule. And in this industry, that’s saying something,” mentioned co-founder, Brian Murphy.

The brand currently offers three additional premium spirit-based seltzers which are also made with real ingredients, are gluten-free and have 5.99% percent ABV:

Ranch Water: A Texas classic, the brand’s fan-favorite product features sparkling water, fresh-squeezed lime and premium reposado tequila from Jalisco, Mexico.

Tequila Paloma: A take on Mexico’s most popular cocktail, containing fresh grapefruit and lime, sparkling water and a splash of reposado tequila from Jalisco, Mexico.

The Chilton: A west Texas favorite, this recipe features six-times distilled vodka, sparkling water, fresh lemon and a dash of sea salt.

Ranch Rider Spirits’ 12-ounce canned premium spirit-based seltzers are available in bars, restaurants and retailers throughout the country. For a full retail list, visit www.ranchriderpirits.com/find. The cocktails are sold in packs of four for $12.99-$14.99.

About Ranch Rider Spirits Co.

Founded in 2019 and born from a food truck in Austin, TX, Ranch Rider Spirits Co. is a premium spirit-based seltzer brand. Each seltzer is made with premium spirits, sparkling water, fresh-squeezed citrus and not a drop of added sugar. Ranch Rider Spirits offers four flavors – Ranch Water, Tequila Paloma, The Chilton and The Buck. To stay in the loop, visit ranchriderspirits.com and follow along on Instagram and Facebook at @ranchriderspirits.

For More Information:
https://www.ranchriderspirits.com/homepage

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LOS ANGELES, CA – Jiant, a modern alcohol brand known for its approachable hard kombuchas, announces the launch of its second seasonal flavor, Taco Tuesday. This crossover collaboration from the produce aisle marries tropical pineapple, snappy jalapeño and a squeeze of lime to strike a refreshing balance between sweet and heat. The 5% ABV hard kombucha will first be available in 16oz single cans in Southern California through Stone Distributing, beginning this week.

Taco Tuesday reimagines the classic spicy margarita for the modern consumer, with fewer calories and less sugar. “We’re incredibly excited for everyone to return in force to the on-premise and we wanted to give consumers a sessionable alternative to help ease them back into socializing,” says Larry Haertel Jr, Jiant co-founder.

Jiant maintains that one of the challenges with spicy drinks is that you rarely want to have two of them. However, that is not the case with Taco Tuesday, which is light and refreshing, packing a subtle but satisfying whisper of spice. Like all of Jiant’s other hard kombuchas, it’s gluten-free and brewed from all organic and non-gmo ingredients. “The quality of the ingredients we use really helps to convey that freshly-made cocktail experience,” says Haertel, noting that it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to pour Taco Tuesday into a glass and garnish it with a chili-salted rim “if you’re feeling frisky.”

As part of Taco Tuesday’s release, Jiant has partnered with No Us Without You (@nouswithoutyou), a 501c3 non-profit organization helping to provide food security for undocumented immigrants in the hospitality industry throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. Jiant’s partnership with No Us Without You includes ongoing monetary support, in-person volunteer-work and more.

“While many people are understandably ready to put the past year in the rearview mirror, it’s important to remember that some of the effects of the pandemic, especially in the restaurant industry, are enduring and will have a lasting impact. We’re excited to partner with No Us Without You in its mission to rebuild the heart and soul of our bars, restaurants, and hotels,” says Haertel.

Jiant launched its seasonal program in January 2021, bringing limited-edition offerings to market at different times throughout the year. Each launch highlights intriguing ingredient combinations that redefine what hard kombucha can be. Founded in 2019 by Larry Haertel Jr and Aaron Telch, Jiant is a modern alcohol brand known for its refreshing approach to hard kombucha that views tea and botanicals as the perfect canvas for a new kind of adult beverage, one that doesn’t rely on conventional ingredients and has a nutritional profile more aligned with what today’s consumer wants. Traditional in process but unconventional in results, Jiant’s kombuchas are expressive and interesting while remaining balanced and surprisingly light.

For More Information:
https://www.jiantkombucha.com/seasonal-taco-tuesday

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Los Angeles, CA – AMASS, a portfolio of high-growth premium botanic beverages and self-care products, launches its first line of ready-to-drink Hard Seltzers in three flavors, Surfer Rosso, Faerie Fizz, and Sun Sign. AMASS Hard Seltzer utilizes alcohol from fermented organic cane sugar plus natural botanical extracts to deliver a complex yet crisp taste, reinventing the hard seltzer experience for premium consumers.

AMASS is known for its Dry Gin, Botanic Vodka, and non-alcoholic spirit Riverine. By adding hard seltzer to its rapidly growing portfolio of products, AMASS continues to take market share in the premium beverage market. Their hard seltzers arrive at an opportune time; in 2020, hard seltzer sales topped $4.1 billion, increasing sales by 160.4% from 2019 (source: BrewBound), and consumption is expected to triple by 2024 (source: The IWSR). The US is the main market driving the ready-to-drink (RTD) category, and ready-to-drink products are set to represent 20% of US alcohol e-commerce value by 2024, compared to 5% in 2019 (source: The IWSR).

“With the RTD beverage market on the rise, we saw this as an exciting opportunity to take a more sophisticated, nuanced approach” says Morgan McLachlan, AMASS Co-Founder, CPO, and Master Distiller. “Rather than being exclusively fruit forward, we chose some fruit flavors and then developed a botanically interesting profile around those flavors. Our hard seltzers have an aroma and a bit of a longer finish so it’s more of a journey in your mouth, yet refreshing.”

About AMASS

Headquartered in Los Angeles, AMASS makes clean botanics for modern life. From alcoholic and non-alcoholic spirits to personal care products including hand sanitizer, hand soap, and lotions, AMASS uses natural botanicals to transform social and self-care rituals. What makes AMASS unique is its go-to-market strategy. Alcohol’s traditional three-tier distribution system prevents efficient conversion of consumers through digital channels.
For more information visit https://amass.com

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SHERBORN, Mass. – Stormalong Cider LLC, a Massachusetts-based cidery, announced the launch of Vital Sign, a new brand that features a first-to-market line-up of nitro hard teas made with high grade loose leaf tea and real fruit.

Instead of using cane sugar as an alcohol base, Vital Sign uses apples and grapes that are fermented and distilled to yield a clean taste. And instead of using tea powders, extracts and chemically concocted ‘natural flavors’, Vital Sign combines real teas with real fruit and juices. The teas are also nitrogenated, a first in the hard tea space, to give them a nice creamy mouthfeel without excessive carbonation. As a result, Vital Sign has created a product with high quality, transparent ingredients that people can feel good about drinking when they want a libation.

“When I started making cider, the thing that fascinated me the most was the wide range of flavors possible with a single ingredient: apples,” said Shannon Edgar, founder of Stormalong Cider and Vital Sign. “Similarly inspiring, was the realization that a single species of evergreen shrub (camellia sinensis or ‘tea plant’) was responsible for the wide range of tastes and styles of tea grown and produced throughout the world. This was a lightbulb moment for me and I decided to engross myself in tea, much in the same way my fascination had been itched and driven to apples. In conjunction with our growing passion for tea, seeing the lack of products on the market showcasing high grade teas and ingredients inspired us to create a product line that did. We spent the last few years sampling and tasting teas, and working on different blends until we landed on the three varieties we thought would work best for our vision.”

The teas used are custom blended and sourced from Boston-based loose leaf tea importer MEM Tea. Stormalong had a previous relationship sourcing ingredients from MEM Tea for its holiday spiced cider, Happy Holidays, and turned to owner Gilbert Tsang and his team at MEM Tea again for Vital Sign.

“We have been enjoying Stormalong’s products and their approach to making ciders without concentrates, using specific apple varieties since we started working with them a few years ago,” said Gilbert Tsang, owner of MEM Tea Imports. “When the Stormalong team reached out to help them explore teas, with a similar approach to thoughtfully sourced ingredients, we were happy to lend a hand. After spending months of tasting and sourcing teas and ingredients, we helped them land on three blends for the base of their new product line as an initial offering.”

About Stormalong Cider

Stormalong Cider, founded in 2014, is a Massachusetts-based craft cider company producing a wide range of ciders focused on apple quality and character. Using a blend of culinary and rare heirloom varieties, Stormalong ferments and ages its ciders with traditional and modern techniques showcasing the unique characteristics of these diverse apples. Fascinated and inspired by America’s robust hard cider lineage, Stormalong aims to showcase the diversity, flavor and quality of cider made with the right apples. For more information visit https://www.drinkvitalsign.com/

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RICHMOND, VA – Bryant’s Small Batch Hard Cider announces the release date for the next barrel aged cider, “Dark Unicorn”, Friday May 28 and their Richmond and Nelson county locations.

“Dark Unicorn” is Bryant’s best selling “Unicorn Fuel” cider, made with Rosehips and Hibiscus, that’s been aged in Bowman Brothers bourbon barrels for 4 months in their Richmond production facility. Aging the “Unicorn Fuel” in the bourbon barrels transforms the cider and adds a rich floral finish with notes of caramel a hint of spice, along with chocolate and hints of vanilla start the finish.

Bryant’s specializes in dry ciders that contain 0 grams sugar, are naturally carbonated, naturally flavored, gluten free and low carb.

For More Information:
https://www.bryantscider.com

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ARMADA, Mich. – Blake’s Hard Cider, the Midwest’s largest craft cidery, announces the release of its Apple Pie Hard Cider, fittingly revealed on National Apple Pie Day. The limited-edition craft beverage was created to pay homage to the 75th anniversary of Blake Farms in Armada, Mich. which began as the Blake’s family farm and has since developed into a favorite year-round destination for generations, along with a 1,000-acre working farm and Blake’s Hard Cider production facility and Tasting Room.

The new hard cider flavor, made with a base of fresh-pressed dessert apples combined with hints of cinnamon and vanilla, honors Blake’s apple orchard origins and is only available this year. Blake’s Hard Ciders are all made from a proprietary five apple blend of apples grown, harvested, pressed, and fermented on the farm. Always gluten-free, the hard ciders contain more than nine apples per can and have nearly one-third the sugar of national leading cider brands.

“The 75th anniversary of the farm and orchard my grandparents began just merited us to create a commemorative hard cider that would showcase our foundation and roots,” said Andrew Blake, Blake’s Hard Cider founder. “For our hard cider fans who have enjoyed our beverages for the past eight years, this milestone allows us to share our story and longevity as a family owned and operated company, one that continues to evolve and grow through the years and gave me the opportunity to develop the Blake’s Hard Cider brand for a new generation.”

Blake’s Apple Pie Hard Cider (6.5% ABV) will be sold in 12-ounce 6-pack cans and available in early June on store shelves across Blake’s Hard Cider’s 16-state footprint and can be ordered through its website.

About Blake’s Hard Cider Co.

Blake’s Hard Cider Co., established in 2013, is an independent, family-owned and operated craft cidery. Located on a 1000-acre orchard in Armada, Mich., Blake’s Hard Cider was founded on the values of its more than 75-year farming roots. By growing, pressing, and fermenting our own apples on our farm, we’re able to proudly and consistently introduce a truly authentic and uncompromised craft hard cider experience.

For More Information:
https://www.blakeshardcider.com/

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SAN DIEGO – AleSmith Brewing Company is bringing back the treasured haziness that comes with the start of baseball season in San Diego. The seasonal favorite, Hazy .394, has been expertly honed by the AleSmith team to encompass everything beer-drinkers love about a San Diego-style pale ale. This rendition is the hazy cousin of their original .394 – a collaboration with Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn that first launched in 2014 and has since won the hearts of craft beer lovers in both Padre territory and nationwide.

“This hazy version of our classic .394 has a more intense aroma of citrus and tropical fruit, as well as a pleasant hazy appearance and a creamy finish,” says Ryan Crisp, Head Brewer/Director of Brewery Operations at AleSmith. “Beer and baseball go hand-in-hand, and we’re excited for Hazy .394 to return in time for the 2021 Padres season.”

It was important to the AleSmith team to create a beer that had the same robust flavor and personality as the original .394, but with the added smoothness of a hazy brew. Perfectly balanced with a touch of tropical fruit in the finish, Hazy .394 clocks in at 6.0% ABV and is available both on tap and in four-packs of 16-oz. cans. Versatility reigns supreme with this hazy creation, which is why it pairs just as effortlessly with ballpark favorites as it does with a hearty tri-tip.

Hazy .394 will be available from now until June, in honor of “America’s Greatest Pastime,” and the life of San Diego’s hometown hero and baseball legend, Tony Gwynn. Get your hands on Hazy .394 by visiting AleSmith’s Beer Finder to find a store closest to you: https://alesmith.com/find-our-beer/

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Below is a list of Breweries that also share overnight stays or vacation rentals. Some of these are provided by other national businesses such as Airbnb, and others are within the breweries property. The list is made to show general information about these breweries and places to stay while visiting.

Links to Breweries on Map:
Pals Brewing Company – Nebraska
New Belgium Brewing – Fort Collins, Colorado & Asheville, North Carolina
SLO Brewing – San Luis, California
Napa Valley Brewing Company at the Calistoga Inn- Calistoga, California
Kennedy School, Hotel, and Brewery – Portland, Oregon
Anderson School Hotel – Bothell, Washington
Rogue Hop ‘N Bed – Independence, Oregon
D&D Brewery and Lodge-Lake Yojoa, Honduras
Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery in North Woodstock, New Hampshire
Taos Trail Inn and Brewery – Ojo Caliente, New Mexico