Hello, my name is Nathan, I’m a male in his 20’s and I don’t care much for beer. I’ll give you all a minute to collect yourself after that shocker. Maybe I was too busy being uncool to get acclimated to shitty beer at high school parties or perhaps my taste buds just naturally aren’t designed to appreciate the flavor of beer. But as my closest friends at NYU and I took up the weekly tradition of fish taco nights and beverages at a local bar I found myself desperately trying some new beer on tap hoping to find something halfway enjoyable. No matter the color or variation, every pint was a struggle for me to endure until I finally threw in the towel altogether. By chance one of the only non-beer options on the happy hour list was a folksy sounding brand of cider. Figuring at worst it might taste like some boozy apple juice, I gave it a shot and well, I guess it’s been love at first taste ever since

That folksy sounding cider brand was Downeast Cider, a New England based cider house that was founded in 2011 by Ross Brockman and Tyler Mosher. Like most major innovations of the 21^st century, the cider emerged from a dorm room while the two were attending Bates College. Committed to using fresh fruit to create a rich craft cider from a family orchard, the two have created a refreshingly sweet beverage with just the right amount of bite. While this original blend and a cranberry version can be found year round, the brand has added a host of seasonal ciders including a maple blend, a cinnamon infused winter blend, a pumpkin blend, and lemon and ginger infused summer blend.

Since discovering Downeast, it has become my alcoholic treat of choice, always on board to try whatever latest blend the team is putting out. My romance with the brand has even reached the point where I now bring some cans with me to my friends parties, not for any communal drink collection for my own selfish stash. More than anything, there’s a comfort in Downeast that I couldn’t find in any beer I tried. Maybe I could sense the irreverent and inventive spirit Brockman and Mosher have brought to their product from that first sip or maybe it’s just a perfect compliment for my not-so-hard-partying-lifestyle. Regardless anybody in the Northeast sick of trying to find that perfect beer, heed my advice and you may find yourself falling for Downeast too.