"I Can Do Better Than That"

Placer Magazine; Fall 2005

It takes a good deal of determination - and belief in what you are about to do - to walk away from promising high profile careers, design a product for a virtually non-existent market and end up working hours you never imagined in your previous work.

That is why you should meet Sean Deorsey and Bruce Nissen of the Fox Barrel Cider Company in Colfax. As hard cider aficionados themselves, they determined there was only a small market for the product for the simple reason that nobody was making and distributing a worthwhile product. The good ciders were such limited production that they could not make it to the market and importers could not be bothered to bring in foreign product.

"American ciders are generally on the sweet side, and British ciders - Britain is the most significant producer in the world - are very dry," Sean says. "We were looking for, and believe we have found, a balance between the two."

The market for cider in America is too small to interest most brewers and wineries (a cider producer is considered a bonded winery in California) so Fox Barrel's job is twice as hard: they have to create a market even as they sell to it. Nevertheless, the prize for succeeding is significant, as in Britain the market for ciders is a full 25% of the under 7% alcohol market.

Bruce summarizes the market for cider in America as one where "Anheuseur-Busch spills more beer in their Fairfield facility than all the cider makers bottle in a year."

With determination and a growing word-of-mouth reputation for a refreshing alternative to malt liquors, Fox Barrel is growing. And if cider should jump from .005% of the market to .01% of the market? Sean and Bruce will be very happy.

Fox Barrel currently produces a 6% alcohol content apple cider and a 4.5% pear cider, which just won first place in the California Brewfest Competition. You can buy these ciders at the Liquor Outlet in Auburn or enjoy them with a meal at Constable Jack's in Newcastle, at Latitudes in Auburn, or just about any place in Colfax. To find out more, call (530) 346-9699 or visit them online at www.foxbarrel.com.

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