Ross Erickson grew up on a small produce farm in the Suisun Valley and followed his passion of apple orcharding. In 2011, he began making crisp, fruit-forward ciders from local fruit.
Ross Erickson grew up on a small produce farm in Suisun Valley, CA, a place once known for vast fruit and vegetable production. Suisun Valley has recently gained notoriety for exceptional wines, and although grapes have graced this region in recent memory, Ross was drawn to continue his family’s legacy through apple orcharding.
In early fall of 2011, he got the wild idea to smash up a small harvest of apples to try to turn them into “wine, but from apples.” The first experiments were interesting to say the least, but an idea was born, and a dream followed.
After countless hours playing scientist and sharing homemade creations with friends, he decided to invest in his idea and obtained several certifications in hard cider production. With several classes and certifications under his belt (and lots more unrefined cider was passed around to curious friends), he decided it was time to make the jump. With the help of his wife, Bri, and family, CiderHawk was born.
CiderHawk focuses on making refreshing, fruit-forward hard ciders that are made from blends of local apples. The fruit has been allowed to hang on our trees to reach peak ripeness the natural way, which noticeably carries into your glass.
At CiderHawk, our mission is simple. We bring people together with a delightful craft hard cider to be enjoyed with festivity and friendship. We ride the line between a beer and a wine, and have created a beverage that anyone can enjoy. It’s a timeless drink that can be poured all year long, with lots of smiles, laughs, and good conversation.
It’s been a hell of a ride so far and we’re excited to share our small-batch craft hard cider with you! Join us on this craft journey and Drink Hard Cider!