How it Came to Be: Blueberry Bourbon Basil Cider, Donuts, and So Much More
It’s no secret that one of the things that makes our Portland community so sweet is the amazing small businesses, one of these being Blue Star Donuts. Blue Star Donuts stands out among the rest due to their brioche-based donuts which are a foodie favorite in the PNW and beyond. They’ve been recognized as the best donuts in Portland and even the United States by Conde Nast, The Washington Post, and USA Today. And to top it all off, Blue Star Donuts have gained international attention on the Food Network, and were featured on the cover of Bon Appetit Magazine.
We’ve teamed up with them once again on our latest seasonal cider, Blueberry Bourbon Basil. Our Blueberry Bourbon Basil cider was inspired by their donut of the same name.
The History
If you’re familiar with Blue Star Donuts, you might know some of the signature donuts that they have in their lineup. One of these is the Blue Star Hard Apple Cider Fritter. Since 2013, their Head Chef Stephanie Thornton has used our Kinda Dry cider for the glaze on these fritters.
Around the same time, Deron Davenport, now Portland Cider Company’s Head Cider Maker, was experimenting with home fermented cider. Based on his own love for Blue Star Donuts, he made a cider inspired by one of their flagship donut flavors - Blueberry Bourbon Basil - which has been offered in their shops since they opened in 2012. Although his first batch of the Blueberry Bourbon Basil cider was quite explosive (he was still learning after all), his second was a hit with his friends & family.
Moving Forward
Shortly after becoming our Head Cider Maker, Deron was determined to bring that cider back to life. We were already big fans of Blue Star Donuts and had a good working relationship with them thanks to our Kinda Dry & /Hard Apple Cider Fritter collaboration. So, we reached out and invited them to the cidery. To celebrate National Donut Day in 2017, Portland Cider Co. released Blueberry Bourbon Basil cider inspired by the Blue Star donut of the same name.
That cider was originally a draft pub-exclusive, but it sold out within two weeks. We knew we had a hit on our hands, and we wanted to continue this partnership. We made this cider again in 2018, releasing it as another pub-exclusive for our first Cider + Donuts Festival.
Blue Star Donuts has been a part of every Cider + Donuts Festival since as part of our annual celebrations for Oregon Cider Week in June (even our To-Go Fest earlier this year!).
In the second half of 2019, when Portland Cider Co. officially came out with our easy and accessible 19.2 oz. Proper Pint cans, packaging this unique cider was finally a possibility that made sense.
Newest Happenings
New for this season’s Blueberry Bourbon Basil release, we’ve given the Proper Pint cans a brand new look, and for the first time ever, we will be releasing this cider as a 6-pack.
We’ve also expanded our partnership with Blue Star Donuts once more with the release of Cidermosas. Cidermosas are exactly what they sound like- a mimosa, but instead of using a champagne base, they use Portland Cider Co.’s cider. The Cidermosas are exclusively available at Blue Star Donuts’ Division and Mississippi St. locations (for pickup or delivery) in three flavor varieties.
And, to top it all off, Blue Star Donuts is now offering the famous Apple Fritter as minis. They’re available exclusively for shipping to residents in Oregon and Washington. Or you can find the full-size fritter at any of their Portland-area shops, of course!
So order some donuts and Cidermosas from Blue Star Donuts, stock up on Blueberry Bourbon Basil cider, and enjoy a few of the things that make calling the PNW home so sweet.
Portland Cider Company is committed to making the best cider in the Pacific Northwest - it’s in our roots! Portland Cider Co. was started in 2013 with the mission of bringing together cider rooted in the English tradition with a little Portland personality and culture. Combine those things, and you’ve got the Portland Cider Company.