east valley
Volume 3 Issue 19 Mesa, AZ
November 22, 2020
Popular Cider Corps moving production to Gilbert TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
A
IN THE BIZ
s it celebrates its third anniversary this month, Cider Corps announced it will expand to Gilbert with a new cidery designed for growth. Starting in mid-2021, all production of its craft ciders will take place in a 14,000-square-foot facility on 2.5 acres at 685 S. Gilbert Road. Its downtown Mesa location will remain open as a taproom. Cider Corps co-owners and brothers Josh Duren and Jason Duren, Sgt. USMC (Ret.) said the property gives them “the ability to make more ciders to share throughout the state and educate people about the craft beverage.” “Our immediate goal is to ramp up production to be able to share our ciders with even more people in Arizona,” said Josh. “As we grow, it’s nice to have kind of a blank page of space that can evolve as we do, and that can adapt as life beyond the pandemic does.” The Gilbert facility includes an 11,500-square-foot main building with a front room that will be open to the public for take away sales. The entry space will also house the canning line, allowing visitors to see the packaging in action. A second 2,500-square-foot building will provide cold storage. Cider Corps will move all its existing production equipment to the Gilbert spot in addition to upgrading its fermentation tanks. The new set up allows for a 1,000 barrel production capacity – nearly triPublic Notices ............... page 2 © Copyright, 2020 East Valley Tribune
pling its current abilities. When the time is right, the Durens plan to open the cidery to tours and other events to help people learn more about cider making and the variety of cider �lavor pro�iles. Cider Corps creates a range of craft cider styles that infuse fruits, botanicals and spices with its hard apple cider. As lead cidermaker, Jason Duren has created specialized fermentation techniques to reduce the tartness of the apples for �lavors Brothers Josh and Jason Duren, co-owners of the popular Cider Corps cidery, that are smooth and bal- are moving their production facility to Gilbert next year but will still keep their anced without added downtown Mesa taproom open. (Special to the Tribune) Cider Corps reopened the taproom to sugars or sulfates. This move will be the second expan- limited seating this month, and Jason Duren said that throughout the pandemic, the sion for Cider Corps. The cidery opened its doors on Veter- cidery continued to be “a destination as ans Day in 2017 in Downtown Mesa. In people picked up new and favorite styles.” He said dedicated regulars helped in2019 it expanded into neighboring space to add another 2,000 square feet to its �luence the decision to expand in Gilbert. “We get a ton of people from the East Valproduction area. The cidery had already begun to can ley, Gilbert and beyond, who make the trek its products when the taproom closed in to the taproom. We’re really excited about March due to pandemic stay-at-home di- being closer for them” he said. “But I’m just rectives. It now has three �lagship styles as excited about being able to grow and in four-packs at Whole Foods, AJ’s Fine create more ciders for all of Arizona.” The Durens started the cidery as a hobFoods and Total Wine & More and over a dozen rotating styles for take away from by; it's now Arizona’s largest craft cidery. Information: cidercorpsaz.com the Mesa taproom. (USPS 004-616) is published weekly
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