MORE THAN JUST OK CIDER IT'S GREAT

O K C I D E R C O M P A N Y More than just OK Cider It' s great

B Y L A C O N I A B U T L E R It's probably safe to say that everyone has a favorite brewery that they can go to and order draft after draft or a favorite beer that they can drink time and time again. But when’s the last time you had a good hard cider and I mean a good cider? If you can’t remember or it’s been a while, or if you never have, now is the perfect time. Forget the idea that cider is a “fall” beverage or that it’s basically just an adult version of apple juice. Hard cider is an anytime beverage, especially when you get one from OK Cider Company.

OK Cider Co. was started quite spontaneously by two friends right here in the heart of OKC. Back in 2010, Tim King met Luke Hadsall at UCO. Just two friends who worked in theatre and loved beer. Unfortunately for Tim, in 2012 he found out he was gluten intolerant and could no longer enjoy his much-beloved beer. Then one night, after a few good drinks, the two decided they wanted to go into business together. Luke mentioned a brewery. Tim suggested a cidery. And just like that, they decided to combine the two and make a cidery inspired by beer.

But what is beer-inspired cider you may be asking yourself? Well, let me tell ya’ . While Tim and Luke are close friends their taste styles couldn’t be any more different. In fact, Tim is known for liking things that are fruity and floral, while Luke is known for favoring hoppy and beery. Luke was already familiar with the brewing process as he worked for a local brewery here in OKC. So along with his knowledge of how to brew beer and Tim's knowledge of cider the two came together to make the perfect marriage of beer and cider.

The first beer that the pair brewed was an IPA cider, a beerinspired cider that used beer yeast instead of the traditional cider yeast- a complete experiment that failed. However, with time and practice, the two made it work. Around 2016 they started attending homebrewers clubs and entering local festivals and competitions. In 2017 they attended the Craft Beer Festival at the convention center. They brought 6 ciders and 1 beer. On the first day, they were so successful that they went home and came up with a name, and OK Cider Company was officially born. The men knew they had a challenge ahead of them, being the only cidery in the state where craft beer was finally allowed to thrive. They had to convince everyone that cider is just as good, if not better than most beers. That’s where the Pale Cider and the Pale Ale came into play. They would bring each, along with other ciders to festivals to allow everyone to try cider even if they favored beer. As most have pre-conceived notions that ciders are less-than beer, they would offer a beer lover their Pale Ale than follow it with their Pale Cider, their beer-inspired cider. 9 out of 10 times the drinker would choose the cider over the ale.

After about 3 years of doing tastings and perfecting their flavors, it was time to officially open their own taproom. They knew they wanted an older rustic building with character. After looking for the perfect spot they finally settled on a building next to the old Paramount building on Film Row. Just like how they started out, just the two of them continued the process and rehabbed and designed the building by themselves. Everything from the old truck used as a menu and tap board to the picture frames on the walls, all are recycled and local materials. The wood for the handmade chairs is from an old ballet floor and the barrels that make up the tables are from a local brewery. Every little detail staying true to themselves and their personality. Finally, on July 10, 2020, OK Cider Co. opened its doors to its thirsty fans.

Regardless of what type of drink your taste buds prefer, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find a cider suitable for you. From all the years of experimentation, OK Cider has truly honed in on

creating unique and delicious drinks. The oldest recipes are their Naughty Apple, their take on a true hard apple cider, and Hoptransition their real cider-inspired beer to help you join the cider side. Those two along with the famous and every popular Blackberry Radler, you will find at least 16 different ciders on tap. If you are more like Tim with a love of fruity things, you will find solace in their Pineapple Cison a pineapple/apple Saison, or maybe even their Cherry Poppin’ a mix of their Naughty Apple and tart cherries. If you love beer and are still unsure of what I can promise will be a cider that you will love, try out Sidra de Lenador a Mexican lager-inspired cider, or Screwy Mimosa their take on a New England India Pale Cider that mixes all the things that you loved about beer and oranges into one cider drink. However, if they have Stave Something a Belgian sour blend, or Morning Delight a blend of Naughty and coffee, I HIGHLY recommend it, it will change your life for the better.

OK Cider Company is more than just a place to grab a drink and bounce. It’s a place to bring your friends and family, hang out, relax and enjoy your time and drink. During the week they host various events and specials. On Monday you can order their famous Mega Flight for $40. This flight is like nothing you’ ve had before. It’s a 4-ounce pour of every single cider they have on tap on yes, a mega board. It's so much beer in fact you have to bring at least 1 other friend to order it. Worth the challenge. On Tuesdays, they have Turn Table Tuesdays with Tim where they will be spinning records and even you can bring your own records to play. That night they also have their Knitting Crew Night you can not only listen to music from a record player but learn a new craft or complete your knitting project with fellow knitters.

Along with creating some of the tastiest ciders they now offer something even more unique and special, Okie Apple Club, a club that OK Cider Co. created that only has 85 members. The club has some amazing perks like an Okie Beer Tap that you can only try with a membership. You get 3 members-only parties hosted in the taproom with cider, food, and all the fun. First dibs on all bottle releases. Oh, and a discount every time you come in. Since the club is limited to a certain number of members, they open up enrollment every July on a first-come basis. So, if you have a hankering for the special cider- follow their social media and see when you too can join.

Speaking of July and events OK Cider Company will be celebrating their 2 years anniversary of being open in July, and it's going to be a party you don’t want to miss. They will be rereleasing some fan-favorite ciders only in the taproom. Hosting a food truck and keeping the party going with great music, great cider, and great times.

So, what's in the future for OK Cider? The two men know that they want the cidery to grow organically. Their future goal is to start releasing bottles and to grow their packing and distributing. You can find their cider in various taprooms and bars around OKC but also as far as Tulsa and Enid. They also plan to do more collaborations with local businesses like the wine-inspired cider for their neighbor The Study wine bar. However, the most important thing to them is to educate others on cider and to make that connection and transition from beer drinker to cider enjoyer. The mission is to create a space for cider in the brewing community that supported them from the begging. They also want to make a difference in their community. Every cider they make is both gluten-free and vegan allowing others who can’t drink beer a safe alternative. They also raised their prices to make sure that they can pay their employees a fair wage of $18 an hour. So, you can feel even better having an extra beer in the taproom knowing that Tim and Luke are doing their part to give back. A lot has changed over the past decade in the drinking culture, especially here in Oklahoma. From the rise of craft beer to the fall of Four Loko. However, the most unexpected yet delightful rise has been that of craft cider. Long gone are the days of cans filled with super sweet apple-flavored high fructose corn syrup. Now they are replaced with well-made, local, delicious and refreshing ciders that have a wider appeal than most die-hard wine drinkers or beer fans are willing to admit. If you haven't already caught onto what the OK Cider team is doing now is the perfect opportunity. Head on

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down to the taproom and the cider team will show you firsthand how cider inspired by beer will be your new favorite drink!