What is the Cider Explorers Club exactly?
The Cider Explorers club is essentially a cider of the month club, except we include two new ciders each month!
How do I sign up to become a Cider Explorer?
Go here and scroll to the bottom. Fill out the black form at the bottom of the page. Thats it! You will receive a confirmation e-mail from Vinoshipper with additional details about the club, like how to customize your order, how to skip a month, etc.
Can I gift the club?
Absolutely! See the instructions above about how to become a Cider Explorer. Instead of entering your information, enter the gift recipent’’s information. REMEMBER, if you enter the recipient’s email address, they will receive the signup confirmation which may ruin your surprise so please keep this in mind! You get to decide how many months you want to give (e-mail us) or don't specify an end date, and we will continue to deliver boxes until you say stop!
What is included in each month’s box?
You can expect to receive 6 cans of that month’s Book of Nomad cider + 6 cans of our other limited release cider which could be from our Shared Universe (collaborative line), Cloud City, or Native line; paired with an in-depth tasting notecard, and videos for a virtual tasting with the maker + cider cocktail tutorials.
How much does the club cost?
You will receive 12 cans (3 four-packs) of that month’s limited release cider for $60. We pay for shipping, you, pay taxes.
What other benefits does a club member get?
Guaranteed availability of limited release cider. Tasting notes and tasting cards for each release. Custom, easy-to-make cocktail recipes.Virtual tastings with our Head Cidermaker. First dibs on merchandise before non-members
ONLINE STORE
Do you have any merchandise?
Yes! We create new merch 2x per year. Cider Explorer members get first access to merch, what’s remaining is opened to the general public on our online store.
Can I purchase your cider online?
Yes! We are stoked to announce that you can now purchase our cider online for home delivery! Click the store link here. Must be 21 years of age to purchase.
What states do you ship to?
All the ones we are legally allowed to which include: AK, AZ, CA, CT, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Do you ship internationally?
Not at the moment.
Can you tell me more about Backpack Brands?
Backpack Brands is comprised of Graft Cider, Ritual Hard Kombucha, and Hudson North Cider Co, located in Newburgh, New York. Each of our product lines is made with simple, all-natural ingredients that feel good and taste even better. We’ve worked hard to can an innovative, crisp flavor and unrivaled quality into everything we make. The adventurous spirit of our brands is inspired by the passionate teams behind them —and driven by their need to discover and forge new paths away from the craft herd. Each season we strive to push the boundaries of what makes a great tasting drink.
Do you accept returns?
We are unable to accept returns once the package has shipped.
The cider I received arrived damaged, help!
We are terribly sorry that your package arrived damaged. While a few dents here or there may occur while crossing state lines, take a picture of the damaged product and send it to us here along with your name and order number. We will mail a replacement package within 72 hours and follow up with your new tracking number.
What carrier service do you use to ship your cider?
All packages are mailed through UPS. We only offer ground shipping.
THE CIDER
What is SOUR CIDER?
Sour cider is a style of fermentation typically at warm temperatures with wild yeast and bacteria that live on the skin of the apples. This creates a cider that has a range of complex flavors and a lactic tartness.
Like..how sour are we talking here?
Our ciders range in acidity, though we have been favoring tartness over full-on warhead sour in our recent batches.
What is WILD YEAST?
Wild yeast is everywhere and you can find large quantities on the skins of fruits. These yeast strains vary greatly and help develop complex aromatics in our cider. At Graft, we ferment both with the wild yeast that comes in with the fruit as well as a wild yeast strain of Brettanomyces that we isolated off of a wild apple tree by the roadside right outside of New Paltz, NY.
Where do you source your APPLES?
We are a NY Farm Cidery and get all of our apples from NY State. We get the majority of our apples from the Hudson Valley where they are pressed by Minard Farms.
Your cans look like beer cans, is there any beer in your cider?
We are by law a winery and can never use any malt or grains in our ciders. Therefore, an added benefit for some is all of our ciders are gluten-free.
HELP! What food pairs best with your cider?
Cider pairs great with fatty and salted meats & fish, pizza, creamy pasta, cheeses & charcuterie.
NUTRITION
Are your ciders GLUTEN FREE?
Yes, all of our ciders are gluten-free, period.
Do your ciders contain SORBATES or any other CHEMICALS?
No, all of our ciders come in as raw as possible from the farm and we never add any stabilizers or chemicals like sorbates in our cider.
How many CALORIES & GRAMS OF SUGAR are in a can of Graft Cider?
- Core line (Farm Flor, Lost Tropic, Birds of Paradise, Field Day), Book of Nomad & Shared Universe: 0-6g sugar, 140-160 cal, 2-6g carb, per 12oz can.
How is it possible that your cider has ZERO GRAMS OF SUGAR?
Cider, despite conventional thinking actually wants to ferment all the way to dryness. To add back sweetness requires killing or removing all yeast and bacteria through the addition of chemicals like sorbates and pasteurization.
You guys COLLABORATE with BREWERIES frequently, is there any GLUTEN in these?
Our ciders never have gluten in them and we only ever make ciders when produce at our cidery. If the collaboration however is from another facility and is a brewery then it is likely 100% beer and will have gluten.
FIND GRAFT
Where do you make your cider?
Our Cidery is located in the Hudson Valley about 1.5 hours north of NYC in Newburgh, NY. However, we do not have a taproom at the moment.
Do you have a TASTING ROOM or offer TOURS?
We do not currently have a tasting room nor offer tours. We are currently building a new production facility + taproom. We hope to open by the Fall of 2024.
What STATES do you sell to?
Check out our distribution page.
Where can I find your ciders?
Try using our Cider Finder on our home page, Beermenus or Untappd. Check out our online store for home delivery. If your local store/bar doesn’t have us, just ask!
You used to have bottles, will I ever see them again?
Yes! Native is our spontaneously fermented bottled cider using all Hudson Valley ingredients. We ferment without adding any yeast and use heirloom apple varietals from old-growth orchards. The fermented cider is aged in oak for nine months then bottle conditioned for three months prior to release. Native is released every fall.
ART
Who designs your labels?
Caleb Luke Lin of course! Check out his website to see more of what Caleb can do.
I LOVE Caleb’s artwork, can I purchase it somewhere?
You know it! Check out his Society6 page where you can find prints, cell phone covers, clocks, and more!