Craft cider continues to infiltrate Chicago with Lehman’s Orchard handcrafted hard ciders

CHICAGO - Aug. 1, 2014 - PRLog -- CHICAGO, IL- While hard cider is a newer line of products from

Lehman’s Orchard (http://www.lehmansorchard.com/), the family-owned farm and business is a mainstay at Chicagoland Farmers Markets.  Just 100 miles east of Chicago and family owned and operated since 1929, Steve Lecklider has expanded his grandfather’s farm to include a cider house and winery in the last decade.

Lecklider has been making artisan hard ciders since 2008 and produces four distinct flavors of hard ciders available in 12 oz bottles with kegs coming soon for taps.  For apple lovers, Honeycrisp is made with 75% Honeycrisp apples and 25% blend of heirloom varietals.  Cider traditionalists love Jonnyapple, a blend of later-ripening apples.  For those seeking flavors off the beaten path, drinkers can sip Hoppy Cider, fermented with Cascade hops or Bourbon Barrel, aged in bourbon barrels for 4 months.  “Chicago is in the middle of a cider craze” says Lecklider, and chose to distribute his artisan beverages “to provide cider lovers with a great local option.”

Fresh Coast Distributors (http://www.freshcoastdist.com/), in its fourth year of distribution, boasts a portfolio of unique wines, hard ciders and spirits with a penchant for locally crafted items. Owner, Kelly Kniewel, was intrigued by Lehman’s orchard history and unique, drier-style flavor profiles. “There are a lot of ciders out there, Lehman’s stands out for me because it’s coming directly from their farm.  It’s a true artisan product, where the apples are the focus and the unique flavors are a creative representation of the juice.  Hoppy Cider and Bourbon Barrel will appeal to cider lovers looking for something new but will also intrigue craft beer and bourbon lovers.”

Lehman’s Hard Cider is available at Foremost Liquors in Forest Park and at cider-forward restaurants like Farmhouse Chicago (http://farmhousechicago.com/) and Farmhouse Evanston.