Argus Cidery
Argus Cidery is a founder-owned craft hard cider producer founded in 2010 in Austin, Texas, making dry, effervescent, 100%-fruit ciders such as flagship Apple Bomb and seasonal Winter's Blend for craft beverage enthusiasts in Central Texas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Argus Cidery does
Argus Cidery is a craft hard cider producer founded in 2010 in Austin, Texas, positioning itself as Texas's oldest cidery. The company was established because its founders could not find dry, effervescent ciders in the U.S. market and set out to make 100%-fruit, no-added-sugar ciders in a classic English pub-style — dry, tannic, and fruit-forward. Its current product portfolio is narrow by design: Apple Bomb serves as the flagship always-on SKU, and Winter's Blend (a rye whiskey barrel-aged cider blended with English scrumpy and mulling spices) is a seasonal release. The company also references perries and "other fruit-forward endeavors" as future categories. All production occurs at a Gig Harbor, Washington facility operated in partnership with Locust Cider, where fruit is sourced, squeezed, and fermented; the company does not own production assets.
Underlying production is traditional craft cider-making with no proprietary patented process — the differentiator is the 100%-fruit, no-additive recipe discipline rather than novel technology. Distribution is multi-channel but geographically narrow: retail shelves and on-premise tap walls across Central Texas, plus direct-to-consumer sales (flights, individual pours, and 4-pack to-go) from a tasting room in Austin. Event-driven releases such as the Winter's Blend premiere day drive tasting-room traffic. The company monetizes purely through beverage unit sales; pricing is not publicly disclosed.
The business is founder-owned (Mary Mickel is identified as co-founder and owner), privately held, with no disclosed funding rounds, no institutional investors, and 11–50 employees. Brand equity has been built primarily through earned media — repeated features in Eater, Food & Wine, Saveur, Cider Craft Magazine, and Imbibe 75, and a 2015 Garden & Gun Made in the South award. After a roughly two-year production hiatus, the company has relaunched Apple Bomb into Central Texas distribution in partnership with Locust Cider, representing both a supply-chain pivot and a commercial restart rather than a growth phase.
Argus Cidery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Argus Cidery
- Legal name
- Argus Cidery
- Website
- https://arguscidery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Argus Cidery is a founder-owned craft hard cider producer founded in 2010 in Austin, Texas, making dry, effervescent, 100%-fruit ciders such as flagship Apple Bomb and seasonal Winter's Blend for craft beverage enthusiasts in Central Texas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Argus Cidery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Hard Cider
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cider & Perry Producers & Brands (CRADAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cideries & Meadery Tasting Rooms (THAFALAI), Cider & Perry Production (AFAFAAAD), Cider & Orchard Fruit Production (Apples/pears for cider & processing) (AFAGACAJ)
Keywords
Where Argus Cidery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Argus Cidery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Cider Product Sales: Sale of hard cider products including flagship Apple Bomb and seasonal releases like Winter's Blend. Products sold as 4-packs for retail and individual pours at tasting room and on draft.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Argus Cidery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Argus Cidery produces and sells dry, effervescent hard ciders made from 100% fruit with no added sugars or artificial ingredients. The company crafts small-batch, English pub-style and American craft ciders, with a flagship Apple Bomb product and seasonal limited releases such as Winter's Blend (a whiskey barrel-aged, mulling-spice cider). Ciders are sold in 4-packs at retail and as draft pours at bars, restaurants, and the company tasting room.
Product overview
Argus Cidery is a craft cider producer specializing in dry, effervescent, 100% fruit ciders. The company operates as a single-product-focused cidery with seasonal limited releases. Core offerings include Apple Bomb (flagship dry cider), Winter's Blend (seasonal whiskey barrel-aged variant with mulling spices), and perries. All products are made without added sugars or artificial ingredients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Apple Bomb: 100% apples, classic English pub-style cider: dry, fruit-forward and tannic.
- Winter's Blend
Products and services
- Apple Bomb Flagship hard cider made from 100% apples with nothing else added — dry, fruit-forward, and tannic in a classic English pub-style. Sold in 4-packs at retail and on draft; targeted at consumers seeking a dry, additive-free alternative to mainstream sweet hard ciders.
- Winter's Blend Seasonal limited-release hard cider blending one-year Balconies Distillery Rye Whiskey barrel-aged cider with a classic English scrumpy and mulling spices (cinnamon, cloves, allspice). Served hot or cold at the tasting room and released in 4-packs and on draft for the holiday season.
Companies that use Argus Cidery
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Argus Cidery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Argus Cidery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Locust CidercoreProduction partnership in Gig Harbor, Washington. Locust Cider serves as the manufacturing partner where Argus ciders are now produced. Fruit is sourced, squeezed, and fermented at this facility. This partnership enabled Argus to return to production after a two-year hiatus and continue their commitment to 100% fruit ciders while moving closer to Washington state orchards.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Argus Cidery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Locust Cider: Gig Harbor, Washington-based craft cidery and Argus's contract manufacturing partner. Comparable as a craft hard cider producer using Washington apples, and a direct operational and category peer given the partnership model and shared production region.
- 2 Towns Ciderhouse: Oregon-based craft cidery producing fruit-forward, traditionally fermented ciders with broad Pacific Northwest and national distribution. Comparable on craft positioning, traditional fermentation technique, and seasonal/flagship SKU strategy.
- Austin Eastciders: Austin, Texas-based craft cidery founded in 2013 with broad national distribution. Directly comparable as a Texas-headquartered craft hard cider producer targeting craft beverage consumers with flagship and seasonal SKUs, competing for the same Central Texas retail and on-premise accounts as Argus.
- Stem Ciders: Denver-based craft cidery emphasizing dry, traditional, food-friendly cider styles with a taproom-led GTM. Closely comparable on dry/traditional cider positioning, taproom direct sales, and craft-beer-alternative consumer targeting.
- Virtue Cider: Michigan-based craft cidery focused on European-inspired, dry, traditionally fermented ciders with barrel-aged SKUs. Comparable on dry style, traditional methods, barrel-aged innovation (similar to Argus's Winter's Blend), and craft/premium positioning.
- Portland Cider Company: Portland, Oregon-based craft cidery producing English and American-style ciders with taproom direct sales and regional distribution. Comparable on craft cider production, English-style influences, and taproom-led customer engagement.
- Schilling Hard Cider: Pacific Northwest craft cidery with an Astoria, Oregon taproom and broad regional distribution. Comparable on craft positioning, Pacific Northwest sourcing, traditional fermentation techniques, and taproom-anchored GTM.
- Eden Ciders: Vermont-based cidery focused on heirloom, traditional, dry, and barrel-aged ciders. Comparable on dry/traditional style, all-fruit formulation philosophy, and barrel-aged seasonal innovation.
Broad incumbents
- Bold Rock Hard Cider: One of the largest U.S. craft cider producers, with regional facilities in Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland. Comparable as a cider brand competing for similar craft beverage occasions, but at materially larger scale and broader geographic distribution.
- Angry Orchard: National mass-market hard cider brand owned by Boston Beer Company. Comparable as a U.S. hard cider competitor shaping consumer expectations and shelf strategy; provides context for Argus's premium/dry counter-positioning against the dominant mainstream sweet cider.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Argus Cidery social profiles
Digital presenceArgus Cidery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Argus Cidery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Argus Cidery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Argus Cidery 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 Argus Cidery
What does Argus Cidery do?
Argus Cidery produces and sells dry, effervescent hard ciders made from 100% fruit with no added sugars or artificial ingredients. The company crafts small-batch, English pub-style and American craft ciders, with a flagship Apple Bomb product and seasonal limited releases such as Winter's Blend (a whiskey barrel-aged, mulling-spice cider). Ciders are sold in 4-packs at retail and as draft pours at bars, restaurants, and the company tasting room.
Is Argus Cidery a public or private company?
Argus Cidery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Argus Cidery founded?
Argus Cidery was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Argus Cidery based?
Argus Cidery is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Argus Cidery make money?
One revenue line is on record: cider Product Sales.
Who are Argus Cidery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Locust Cider, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Austin Eastciders, Stem Ciders, Virtue Cider, Portland Cider Company, Schilling Hard Cider and Eden Ciders. Broad incumbents are Bold Rock Hard Cider and Angry Orchard.
Does Argus Cidery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Argus Cidery.
What industry is Argus Cidery in?
Argus Cidery's product category is Craft Hard Cider. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAE, Cider & Perry Producers & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAI, Cideries & Meadery Tasting Rooms.