Craft hard cider maker
Press apples and ferment small batches of hard cider to sell to bars, shops, festivals and from a taproom.
- $40k-200k
- Part-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
5,218 US businesses with employees in this field, +1.0% in a year
NAICS 312120 “Breweries”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small cidery that presses apples, ferments and packages hard cider in kegs, bottles or cans. You can sell through distributors or directly, depending on state rules.
Your first three steps
- Learn the basics through a cider making course or by working a season at a local cidery
- Check federal permit requirements with the TTB and licensing with your state alcohol board before buying equipment
- Source apples from local orchards and make test batches to develop one or two core ciders
Who pays
Bars and restaurants, bottle shops and grocery stores, festival and event organizers, and taproom or direct customers where allowed.
How it makes money
Wholesale sales of kegs and cases, plus higher-margin direct sales by the glass or bottle at events or a taproom, and club or subscription sales where state law allows.
Skills that help
- Fermentation and cellar cleanliness
- Record keeping and compliance paperwork
- Selling to bars and retailers
Watch out for
- Federal permits and label approval through the TTB, plus a state alcohol producer license, so check both before you start
- Excise taxes and regular reporting to federal and state agencies
- Zoning and building requirements for a production space, so check with your city or county
- State rules on distributors and direct sales vary widely
- Liability and product insurance, and costs of equipment and a suitable bonded space
- Long wait before first revenue because of fermentation and licensing
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: craft hard cider maker
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a hard cider business?
Startup costs are typically around $40,000 to $200,000, depending on your equipment, the production space and how you package your cider. These are estimates, and a suitable bonded space can add significantly to the total.
How much can a small cidery earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your volumes and sales channels. Expect a long wait before first revenue because of fermentation time and licensing, so plan your cash flow carefully.
What licenses do I need to make and sell hard cider?
Check federal permits and label approval through the TTB, plus a state alcohol producer license. Also check excise taxes and reporting duties, zoning and building requirements with your city or county, and state rules on distributors and direct sales.
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