Blue Bee Cider

Blue Bee Cider produces its ciders in a turn-of-the-20th-century coffee warehouse along the James River in Richmond’s Old Manchester district. The first records of the Aragon Coffee building are dated 1904, a time when coffee was often traded for tobacco down the river to the Atlantic Ocean and beyond. Blue Bee Cider makes ARAGON 1904 from a blend of modern and heirloom apple varieties to create a light, crisp, off-dry cider. It pairs well with many dishes making it suitable for special occasions, barbecues, or just by itself on a hot summer day.

Served all day long at colonial-era taverns, or ordinaries, cider was the refreshment of choice for Virginians of all classes and walks of life – man, woman, child, rich and poor. CHARRED ORDINARY is semi-sparkling and made from heirloom variety apples to create an old-fashioned Virginia cider, dry and sharp. It pairs well with salty hams and cheeses, rich poultry dishes, and other traditional Virginia fare.

Made with Stayman, Pink Lady, and Gold Rush, Fanfare is infused with wild mulberries to create a semi-sweet cider with minerality, tropical notes and a hint of black currant.

Brewed with RVA Yeast Labs' Trappist Yeast!

Historically, the Harrison was the most prized apple by the Garden State, New Jersey, being traded throughout thee colonies and the early United States at a premium price for cidermaking. This tannic, full-bodied cider was served as a single varietal and for blending with with other rich ciders, like Hewe's Crab and Winesap.

Prior to the Temperance Movement, it was commonplace for Virginians working the apple harvest to receive a daily ration of cider and brandy – the first for hydration and the second for aches and pains. HARVEST RATION combines the two, creating a sweet cider fortified with brandy distilled from our own blend of bittersweet apples. Because the brandy requires a little bit of aging to round it, Harvest Ration is usually not available until about one year after the initial harvest of the fruit.

Cascade hops and heirloom cider apples unite in Blue Bee Cider’s HOPSAP SHANDY, a traditional cider with a modern twist. After a light dry-hopping, this Winesap blend takes on floral, grassy and zesty citrus notes with an assertive apple finish. Borne of a whim, Hopsap Shandy is something refreshingly unexpected that can appeal to aficionados of beer, wine and cider alike.

A small network of mill races and canal works formed the backbone of Old Manchester’s early commercial life. Today the old waterways are teeming with urban wildlife and bramble berries. MILL RACE BRAMBLE infuses a cider primarily from heirloom Summer Rambo apples with bramble berries to accentuate the cider’s sharpness and fruit notes.

Blue Bee Cider’s series of SMALL BATCH CIDERS seeks to broaden the cider experience for local cider aficionados. Small batches are released on draft every Thursday night in our tasting room from 5-7 p.m.

Goldrush fermented with a saison yeast

Arkansas Black single-varietal. Medium-bodied, dry, clean, and fresh notes of melon

The colonial town of Rocky Ridge incorporated as Manchester in 1769 at the southern bank of the James River’s fall line. At this time, barrels were the primary containers for fermenting and aging cider until bottling in the late winter. Today the Old Manchester district of Richmond is the home of Blue Bee Cider. ROCKY RIDGE RESERVE is a blend of small cider lots from the 2012 harvest aged in fruit brandy barrels until they achieve a rich, spirituous finish.

Our first large-scale cyser collaboration with Garden Grove Brewing. It’s a blend of wildflower and clover honey, fermented with Winesap and Arkansas Black apple juice. The tart, bright acidity of the apples is balanced by the sweet kiss of honey.