A Potluck in a Glass
Loyal followers, allow me to introduce a new addition to the Blue Bee Cider family… Harvest Party. Every cider tells a story, and this one is a doozy. The origin…
Persnickety Pawpaws
Of the four Foraging Series projects, Golden Pawpaw proved to be my bugaboo. This was the third straight summer that I traversed the trails along the James River, in search…
Plums & Aplomb!
It’s safe to accuse those of us at Blue Bee Cider of having a fruit obsession, particularly when it comes to fermenting said fruit. From a creative standpoint, one of…
Ode to the Bee, Blue and Otherwise
Bees were, in a sense, my entry point into becoming a part of Blue Bee Cider. During my master’s program, I observed both traditional and modern forms of beekeeping across…
Mulberry Collective, Assemble!
Virginians, we need your help. Fanfare is one of our most challenging creations each year. Infused with wild mulberries foraged in the Richmond area, this cider is wholly dependent on…
Secondary Bloom
Since the earliest days of Blue Bee Cider, we have had challenges and hard luck. The longer you work here, the more you share in our common memories of bad…
Black History in Cider
In 2015, Blue Bee Cider and our distributor, Virginia Winery Distribution Company, co-hosted our first seminar about the roles of African Americans in our cider history. There are a few…
Urban Orchard 101: Scionwood
Every apple seed is a unique individual. Sowing seeds from apples that you like, more often than not, will give you a tree that bears fruit unlike its parent. So…
Urban Orchard 101: Which Apples to Grow
Choosing which heirloom apples trees to grow is an ongoing dialogue of trial and error, even for highly experienced growers. We talk to each other, we talk to our customers,…
Urban Orchard 101: Know Your Microclimate
As I contemplate our new facility location, one of the most important things to work through is siting the trees on the property. All apple trees need sunlight, air, water,…