Austin Eastciders’ New Hopped Grapefruit Collaboration Brew Honors Women in Cider
The cidery is partnering with Pink Boots Society to launch a limited-edition flavor that gives back
Press Release:
Austin Eastciders is thrilled to announce their latest collaborative cider in partnership with Pink Boots Society: Hopped Grapefruit! Pink Boots Society is a non-profit organization with a mission to assist, inspire, and encourage women in the alcoholic beverage profession to advance their careers through education. As Austin Eastciders believes in the importance of working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds, the collaboration came as a no-brainer. The launch of Hopped Grapefruit is the latest illustration of the brand’s continued commitment to supporting both women in cider as well as the local Austin community through unique partnerships, with $1 per pint of Hopped Grapefruit sales going back to support the local Austin Pink Boots Society Chapter in funding more programs.
“The women of Austin Eastciders all hold very important roles for the company, from HR and finance to operations, logistics, and quality. We are all proud to work for a company that values women so much,” said Brittnay Perlo, Director of Cider Making/Product Development. “This past year, the women of Austin Eastciders joined Pink Boots Society and jumped on the opportunity to collaborate with the organization. With part of the proceeds from the collaboration applied to educational scholarships for other women in the brewing industry, we are even more excited to brew up some cider to give back!”
The 6.5% ABV Hopped Grapefruit flavors are inspired by craft beer, with a sweet grapefruit and citrus hops taste and a pleasant, bitter, finish. Hop Varietals in Pink Boots Blend include HBC 630, Idaho Gem®, Loral®, Talus®, and Triumph, with Rio Red Grapefruit from Austin Eastciders’ Texas home state. The cider itself is a sensory experience with its hazy, light pink hue and aroma of citrus, hops, pines, and notes of botanicals. Since Pink Boots originally started in the brewing industry, Austin Eastciders took inspiration on the flavor and higher ABV, adding to the brand’s robust list of flavor-forward offerings.
“In 2020, Pink Boots Society expanded membership to include all women and/or non-binary professionals in the fermented alcoholic beverage industry, so this is the first collaboration between the Austin PBS chapter and Austin Eastciders,” said Pam Catoe, Pink Boots Society. “Our chapter has had a lot of success collaborating with multiple breweries in the Austin area, so it’s exciting to see our Collaboration Brew Days expand even further!”
On March 12, Austin Eastciders’ will be hosting a launch party for Hopped Grapefruit. The Collaboration Brew Day will be held at The Collaboratory, the brand’s original production facility turned tasting room. The day will be filled with entertainment from live music to local vendor pop-ups, as well as an opportunity to meet some of the women that work at Austin Eastciders. $1 per pint of Hopped Grapefruit sold will be donated to the local Pink Boots Austin Chapter to further their mission of providing educational resources to women in the alcoholic beverage profession.
Stay tuned for additional details on new Austin Eastciders flavors and specials available at the Barton Springs and Collaboratory taprooms. Visit Austin Eastciders to learn more.
Brittnay Perlo, Director of Cider Making/Product Development: Brittnay started with Austin Eastciders in May of 2015 and now oversees all fermentation, co-manufacturing, quality control, and new product development. She joined Pink Boots Society in July 2021 and shared, “It’s a great place to network and meet other women in the beer, cider, and liquor world!” She is proud to work for a company that values women so strongly, and always looks to share experiences with other women, and help in every way she can.
Erika Guin, Quality Systems Manager: Erika joined Austin Eastciders in December 2020 and supports production by overseeing quality measurements, reviewing documentation, and resolving any quality issues. She joined Pink Bots Society shortly after (mid-2021) as a way of learning more about the brewery and cider industry. She’s working directly with the team to develop the Pink Boots Collaboration Brew, Hopped Grapefruit.
Abby Burroughs, Accounting Specialist: As a member of the Accounting and Finance team since October 2018, and Pink Boots Society since October 2021, Abby is thrilled to be promoting the visibility of women in the brewing industry.
Aivia Gimarc, Logistics, and Compliance Manager: Aivia handles licenses, brand label registrations, TTB, distributor orders, and freight for the 23 states of Austin Eastciders. While she has been at Eastciders since 2018, she joined Pink Boots in May 2021 and loves the family feel of the craft community, and especially loves when women in leadership roles across all departments can share their experiences and knowledge with others in the industry.
About Austin Eastciders
With the inclusive rallying-cry, “Cider Y’all,” Austin Eastciders produces craft ciders in Austin, Texas, using real ingredients and bittersweet apples to create traditionally inspired ciders. Founded in 2013, Austin Eastciders offers a robust core collection including the Austin Eastciders Original Dry Cider, Austin Eastciders Blood Orange , and Austin Eastciders Pineapple. The cidery also produces a rotating line of limited-release ciders ranging from a Spiced Cider to the summer-ready Watermelon Cider. Austin Eastciders products are available in retailers like HEB, Kroger, Target , and Whole Foods and in bars and restaurants across 22 states including Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, DC, the Carolinas, Nashville, New Mexico, Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, New York, and other markets across the Mid-Atlantic. Austin Eastciders is available in 6-pack and 12-pack 12oz cans, 19.2 oz Super Tall Boy cans, and draft. For the latest on Austin Eastciders, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram under @Eastciders or visit austineastciders.com.
