Cidrbox Premium Cider Subscription
2 Fools Cider Event in Naperville, IL
April 6, 2017
Our Visit to Portland Cider Company
April 18, 2017
Today we are taking an in-depth look at Cidrbox, from concept to delivery (yes, we got ahold of one of these boxes). Cidrbox ships what they call an “orchard-to-table” product to consumers across the US. Their boxes feature one cider maker each month and these producers use, and grow, local fruit. The selection process is based on this commitment to creating a unique and genuine fruit-forward cider (large bottle format is typical). Once the cidery has been selected, displaying the desired quality, the cider makers are asked to select the best of their selection. This gives the consumer a unique opportunity to taste the regional flavors that are not always available to individuals across the country. This is echoed by the fact that small cider makers are being selected which typically do not have the resources or infrastructure to ship anywhere further than in their immediate region.
Cidrbox, as a whole, is a consumer-offered product building up the business of smaller producers — a large focus for the Cidrbox team. When speaking with Dayna, the owner, she states this is an intriguing way. “On the business side, we’re focused on supporting small producers as they build their online sales channel. We introduce our subscribers to amazing, hard to find ciders, with the expectation that they will then be able to order direct from those cider makers going forward when they find a cidery that they really love. Cider Journal recently published a great piece ongoing direct as the best way for small producers to realize real profits, informed in part by Eleanor Leger’s blogging on this topic over at Cidernomics. I agree that this is important — and currently underdeveloped — business channel.” So, at the end of the day, the focus is a quality premium product with the aim of allowing serious cider drinkers the access to those products while bolstering relationship with cider makers and allowing them to develop. You can get these products in 3 or 6 bottle boxed subscriptions that renew monthly. Although, customers can also try a Cidrbox without a commitment to a subscription. Every box ships for a flat $10 fee and new subscribers can get free shipping using SHIPITFREE at checkout.
Now, we will discuss how it works, in the real world, when the box that received into our excited hands. First, the package came in a large box with the logo on the side (yay for branding)! When we opened up our box, there were 3 bottles of cider, a Cidrbox card, some information from the cidery, and, in our box, and a 33 Mugs of Cider book (haven’t seen this somewhere before?) all in a nice sleeve. We will break down these down a bit from our box (each box will vary):
Cidrbox Card – This reviewed what ciders were in the box and gave a short description of those ciders.
Cidery Info – These were cards showing the logos of the ciders with some award information as well as a recipe card.
33 Mugs of Cider – The sexy booklet for cider sampling, check out our review article on that as well.
Ciders – Duh, this was the whole point! We received the March box featuring: Glow Rose Hard Cider, Ember Bittersweet Organic Cider, and Spark! Semi-sweet Hard Cider all from Alpenfire Cidery.
To learn more or get your own box, please visit their website at Cidrbox.com.
