Stowe Cider
Stowe Cider is a Vermont-based craft hard cider producer operating a year-round taproom, in-house BBQ restaurant, and live-event venue, selling year-round, seasonal, and limited-release ciders DTC in 38 states and through distributors across 9 Northeast states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersStowe, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Stowe Cider does
Stowe Cider is a privately held craft hard cider producer and taproom operator headquartered at 17 Town Farm Lane in Stowe, Vermont, founded in 2013 and operating with 11–50 employees. The company produces a year-round core lineup of five hard ciders — High & Dry (super-dry, 6.5% ABV), Tips Up (semi-dry, 6.5% ABV), Mountain Glow (ginger-lemon-orange, 6.5% ABV), Safety Meeting (dry-hopped with Citra and Galaxy hops), and Double Dry (8.4% ABV) — plus rotating seasonal and limited-release flavors (e.g., Tuned Up cranberry-orange, Shandy, Grapefruit, Peach Habanero, Cider Donut, Strawberry Fields) and a non-alcoholic Fresh Press sparkling apple cider. All apples are sourced within a 150-mile radius, primarily from Chazy Orchard in Chazy, NY, with the production facility co-located with and visible from the taproom.
The business operates through at least seven revenue streams: on-site taproom beverage and merchandise sales, an in-house barbecue restaurant (Shakedown Street BBQ & Grill), ticketed and free live-music events at the Shakedown Lounge venue, DTC e-commerce shipping to 38 U.S. states, wholesale distribution through regional beverage partners across 9 Northeast states (VT, NH, ME, MA, CT, RI, NY, NJ, PA), branded merchandise, and the Golden Apple Club quarterly subscription ($5/quarter membership fee plus $50–60 per shipment). Primary customers are individual craft-beverage enthusiasts and Stowe-area tourists, with a secondary B2B channel serving retailers, restaurants, and bars.
Stowe Cider runs dense year-round live-music programming (Jazz Thursdays, Cider Saturdays, Friday Night Music, Sunday Funday) and hosts the annual Jam For The Parks festival with Vermont Parks Forever as a community-driven demand-generation engine. Ownership is independent and privately held; the only disclosed capital inflow is a 2023 $408,595 grant from the Wastewater Management Program, with no priced equity, debt, or institutional funding rounds on record.
Stowe Cider firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stowe Cider
- Legal name
- Stowe Cider
- Website
- https://stowecider.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Stowe Cider is a Vermont-based craft hard cider producer operating a year-round taproom, in-house BBQ restaurant, and live-event venue, selling year-round, seasonal, and limited-release ciders DTC in 38 states and through distributors across 9 Northeast states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stowe Cider industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Hard Cider
- NAICS
- Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Wineries (31213), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cider & Perry Production (AFAFAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cider & Perry Producers & Brands (CRADAIAE), Cideries & Meadery Tasting Rooms (THAFALAI), Alcohol-Free & Low-Alcohol Beer/Wine/Spirits Production (AFAFAAAJ), Alcoholic Beverage Tours & On-site Experiences (Brewery/Winery/Distillery) (THAFALAK)
Keywords
Where Stowe Cider is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stowe
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Stowe Cider business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Taproom Direct Sales: On-site cider, beer, cocktail, and non-alcoholic beverage sales; tasting flights, full pints, and taproom-exclusive releases. On-site food sales through Shakedown Street BBQ & Grill.
- Retail Distribution: Distribution of canned and bottled cider through regional beverage distributors to retail stores, restaurants, and bars across VT, NH, ME, MA, CT, RI, NY, NJ, and PA.
- E-commerce / Direct Online Orders: Online ordering with shipping to 38 states. Consumers can purchase cider packs for home delivery.
- Golden Apple Club Subscription: Quarterly subscription program delivering customizable seasonal cider shipments to members' doors. Members pay $5/quarter membership fee plus $50-60 per shipment plus shipping. Includes 15% discount on all purchases.
- Live Events & Ticketed Shows: Revenue from ticketed concerts and events (e.g., Cloudbelly at $10 ADV/$15 DOS; Eggy; Carolina Liar with Troy Millette). Some events are free (Jazz Thursdays, Cider Saturdays). Private event bookings also generate revenue.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel (shirts, hoodies, flannels, hats), glassware (pint glasses, taster glasses, mugs), accessories (koozies, lighters, totes, stickers), and co-branded items (The Tipsy Pickle pickles, Suddabee's honey).
- Food Service (Shakedown Street BBQ & Grill): On-site restaurant operated as Shakedown Street BBQ & Grill serving low n' slow barbecue with a wide range of gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options. 15% discount for Golden Apple Club members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Golden Apple Club quarterly cider subscription |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Stowe Cider product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stowe Cider produces and sells craft hard cider made from locally sourced apples within 150 miles of its Vermont cider house, primarily from Chazy Orchard. The company operates a year-round taproom in Stowe, VT with on-site food service (Shakedown Street BBQ & Grill), distributes its ciders across 9 Northeast states through regional distributors, ships online to 38 states, and runs the Golden Apple Club quarterly cider subscription.
Product overview
Stowe Cider is a craft hard cider producer in Stowe, Vermont operating as both a cider manufacturer and taproom venue. The core product portfolio includes five year-round hard ciders: High & Dry (super-dry), Tips Up (semi-dry), Mountain Glow (ginger-lemon-orange), Safety Meeting (dry-hopped with Citra and Galaxy hops), and Double Dry (high ABV nightcap). Seasonal offerings include Tuned Up (cranberry-orange), Shandy, and Grapefruit. Limited releases feature experimental flavors like Peach Habanero, Gummy Bears, Cider Donut, Black Cherry, Strawberry Fields, Gingerbread, and collaboration ciders (Bluebird with Mt. Snow, Spruce Peak with Spruce Peak Resort). A non-alcoholic option, Fresh Press, is also available. The company operates the Golden Apple Club subscription service for quarterly customizable cider shipments, hosts a full-service restaurant (Shakedown Street BBQ & Grill), sells branded merchandise, and offers private event venue rental and live music programming at its taproom location. Distribution spans VT, NH, ME, MA, CT, RI, NY, NJ, and PA, with online shipping to 38 states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Golden Apple Club: Quarterly subscription club offering customizable hard cider shipments with member benefits including exclusive releases, discounts, and merchandise.
- Shakedown Street
Products and services
- High & Dry
Quantifiable outcome
- Locally sourced apples from within 150 miles of production
Companies that use Stowe Cider
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Stowe Cider technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Stowe Cider partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vermont Parks ForevercoreAnnual Jam For The Parks festival at Waterbury Center State Park is co-hosted with Vermont Parks Forever, benefiting the organization's mission to preserve Vermont's 55 state parks. A portion of event proceeds and Jam For The Parks exclusive cider sales are donated to Vermont Parks Forever.
- Vermont Green FCminorStowe Cider serves as an official watch party venue for Vermont Green FC soccer matches, hosting both men's (USL League Two) and women's team watch events at the Shakedown Lounge.
- Calmont BeveragecorePrimary distributor for Stowe Cider products in Vermont, placing cider in retail stores, restaurants, and bars throughout the state.
- Vacationland DistributorscoreDistributes Stowe Cider in Maine and New Hampshire, covering two key Northeast markets outside Vermont.
- Craft Brewers GuildcoreDistributes Stowe Cider in Massachusetts alongside Seaboard and L. Knife & Sons.
- SeaboardminorDistributes Stowe Cider in Massachusetts alongside Craft Brewers Guild and L. Knife & Sons.
- L. Knife & SonsminorDistributes Stowe Cider in Massachusetts alongside Craft Brewers Guild and Seaboard.
- Sarene Craft DistributorscoreDistributes Stowe Cider in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania markets.
- McCraig BeveragesminorDistributes Stowe Cider in New York alongside Sarene Craft Distributors and High Peaks.
- High PeaksminorDistributes Stowe Cider in New York alongside Sarene Craft Distributors and McCraig Beverages.
- Hartford DistributorsminorDistributes Stowe Cider in Connecticut alongside G&G Beverage Distributors.
- G&G Beverage DistributorsminorDistributes Stowe Cider in Connecticut alongside Hartford Distributors.
- C&C DistributorsminorDistributes Stowe Cider in Rhode Island.
- Chazy OrchardcorePrimary apple supplier for Stowe Cider, sourcing fruit from Chazy, NY within the company's 150-mile local sourcing radius. Represents a key supply chain partnership.
- Shakedown Street BBQ & GrillcoreOn-site restaurant operated within the Stowe Cider taproom, serving smoked meats and a wide range of gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options. Joint brand presence creates a differentiated food-and-beverage experience.
- The Black Market VT (Stowe Vintage Market)minorStowe Vintage Market by The Black Market VT hosts recurring Sunday Funday Vintage Markets at Shakedown Lounge @ Stowe Cider, drawing foot traffic and community engagement.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Stowe Cider competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Two Towns Ciderhouse: Pacific Northwest craft cidery with broad distribution and a year-round flavored lineup; comparable SKU portfolio strategy and competition for the same flavored-cider occasion.
- Citizen Cider: Vermont-based craft hard cidery with a comparable multi-channel model (taproom, distribution, DTC) and a similarly broad experimental SKU portfolio; the closest direct competitor given shared geography, target consumer, and premium positioning.
- Woodchuck Hard Cider: Vermont-originated craft cidery with national distribution; comparable product category, broader scale provides a benchmark for Stowe Cider's regional ambitions and competitive overlap in the Northeast.
- Shacksbury Cider: Vermont craft cidery focused on dry, locally-sourced ciders; similar local-sourcing narrative, experimentation with heritage apple varieties, and craft/DTC positioning make it a tight peer.
- Eden Ciders: Vermont craft cidery and taproom operator using locally-grown specialty and heirloom apples; directly comparable in mission (regional apple terroir, taproom experience) and product philosophy.
- Bold Rock Hard Cider: Regional craft cidery with taprooms, broad distribution, and a year-round flavored SKU portfolio; comparable operating model at slightly larger scale across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
- 1911 Established Cider: Northeast craft cidery with taproom and distribution; comparable target customer (Northeast craft beverage drinker) and similar locally-rooted positioning.
- Stem Ciders: Colorado craft cidery combining a production facility, taproom/restaurant, and events programming; closely mirrors Stowe Cider's combined cidery-plus-venue model.
- Downeast Cider: New England craft cider brand with broad flavored portfolio and national distribution; comparable craft positioning and SKU breadth targeting similar consumer occasions.
Broad incumbents
- Angry Orchard: Boston Beer-owned national craft cider brand and category leader; sets the competitive ceiling on shelf and consumer expectations that Stowe Cider must outperform to win Northeast taps and shelves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Stowe Cider social profiles
Digital presenceStowe Cider financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stowe Cider leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Stowe Cider subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Stowe Cider funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stowe Cider M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stowe Cider
What does Stowe Cider do?
Stowe Cider produces and sells craft hard cider made from locally sourced apples within 150 miles of its Vermont cider house, primarily from Chazy Orchard. The company operates a year-round taproom in Stowe, VT with on-site food service (Shakedown Street BBQ & Grill), distributes its ciders across 9 Northeast states through regional distributors, ships online to 38 states, and runs the Golden Apple Club quarterly cider subscription.
Is Stowe Cider a public or private company?
Stowe Cider is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Stowe Cider founded?
Stowe Cider was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Stowe Cider based?
Stowe Cider is headquartered in Stowe, United States, in the North America region.
How does Stowe Cider make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Taproom Direct Sales are the primary driver. The others are retail Distribution, E-commerce / Direct Online Orders, golden Apple Club Subscription, live Events & Ticketed Shows, merchandise Sales and food Service (Shakedown Street BBQ & Grill).
Who are Stowe Cider's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Two Towns Ciderhouse, Citizen Cider, Woodchuck Hard Cider, Shacksbury Cider, Eden Ciders, Bold Rock Hard Cider, 1911 Established Cider, Stem Ciders and Downeast Cider. Angry Orchard is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Stowe Cider have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stowe Cider.
What industry is Stowe Cider in?
Stowe Cider's product category is Craft Hard Cider. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAD, Cider & Perry Production, with a secondary code of CRADAIAE, Cider & Perry Producers & Brands. Its NAICS code is 3121 and its SIC code is 2080.