Portland Cider Company (Clackamas, Oregon) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Blueberry Bourbon Basil, a Small Batch Series cider brewed in collaboration with Portland-based Blue Star Donuts, in mid-January.

The cidermakers at Portland Cider Company found the inspiration to create Blueberry Bourbon Basil in “Blue Star Donuts’ sweet and colorful Blueberry Bourbon Basil donut, one of the company’s most popular products, which combines fresh sweet blueberries, fragrant basil, and a good local bourbon added for a hint of caramel depth.” Coming in at 6% ABV, Blueberry Bourbon Basil is a Hard Cider that “features a blend of bright blueberries, fresh herbal basil and deep rich bourbon notes from oak aging.”

“We originally released this cider for National Donut Day in 2017 as a small draft pub-exclusive, and it sold out within two weeks,” explained Portland Cider Co. co-owner Jeff Parrish. “In 2018, we made a slightly larger batch and it sold out in just a month. We’ve always wanted to package it, but we needed to work on the particulars of how to make that happen. Our new 19.2 ounce cans, launched in the second half of 2019, made it a possibility.”

Blueberry Bourbon Basil will launch at Portland Cider Company’s two taproom locations starting January 17 and distribution is scheduled to follow shortly after the on-site release.  You can expect to find this Small Batch Series offering available in 19.2 oz. cans and on draft at select cider-friendly establishments located within Portland Cider Company’s distribution network in Oregon, Washington and Northern California into the Bay Area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Blueberry Bourbon Basil from Portland Cider Company

Release – Limited/Small Batch Series; mid-January – March 2019
Style – Hard Cider
ABV – 6%
Ingredients – Blueberries, sweet basil, Fuji apples, Pink Lady apples, Gala apples, Honeycrisp apples & Golden Delicious apples
Treatment – Oak-aged
Fun Fact – “The collaboration with Blue Star Donuts goes back to the bakery’s early days; Blue Star has used Portland Cider Co.’s award winning flagship Kinda Dry cider in its hard cider apple fritter, sold year-round, since 2013. The two companies have since partnered on several donut and cider pairing events over the years, including Portland Cider Co.’s annual Cider & Donuts Festival, held each June as part of Oregon Cider Week.” 
Availability – 19.2 oz. cans & draft
Cider Finder – https://www.portlandcider.com/cider-finder