Tap into Maple Syrup Season with Angry Orchard Tapped Maple

By Lee Heidel Published January 6, 2020

Naturally-sweet maple syrup is used to balance a dry cider in this new seasonal release.

Angry Orchard cider makers are literally “tapping” into the flavors of the season with the release of two new ciders, Tapped Maple and Spiced Apple.

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Maple trees in Vermont are tapped in late winter to extract the highly-anticipated maple syrup. The Angry Orchard brewers in the nearby Hudson Valley of New York were inspired to honor syrup season by incorporating the flavors into their cider recipes.

Angry Orchard Tapped Maple — Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Like apples, not all maple syrup is created equal. The flavors can vary significantly from season to season and depending on production techniques,” said Ryan Burk, Head Cider Maker at Angry Orchard. “My team and I visited maple farmers from across the Northeast to dive deeper into the qualities that make maple syrup unique, then took those findings back to our Cider House to incorporate this natural sweetener into a dry cider we’d been working on. Ultimately, we found a nice combination with Tapped Maple.”

The base cider for Tapped Maple is made from culinary apple juice from the Pacific Northwest region including Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala and Pink Lady apples. These apples are high in acidity, yielding a fairly dry base cider. But the addition of naturally sweet maple syrup provides a balance, along with a strong maple aroma and full, round mouthfeel. If you’re looking for a taste contrast, Angry Orchard recommends pairing Tapped Maple with dishes like fried chicken or pork tacos. Or try the cider as a complement to sweeter tastes like banana pudding.

As the cider makers were experimenting with various seasonal tastes, they also developed another new limited release cider for their Angry Orchard’s Winter Orchard Sampler Variety Pack – the Angry Orchard Spiced Apple.

The recipe for Spiced Apple yields a flavor reminiscent of baked apple pie, with the taste of fresh apple infused with seasonal spices.

Tapped Maple is available in 6-packs nationwide through April 2017. Spiced Apple is available as a limited release in the Winter Orchard Sampler Variety Pack through April 2017.

Lee Heidel is the managing editor of Brew/Drink/Run, a website and podcast that promotes brewing your own beer, consuming the…

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