 Crafted with care and rooted in tradition, Rise & Ruin is redefining what it means to sip local. Born from generations of apple-growing knowledge and a love for fermentation, this Elgin County cidery is all about celebrating the life cycle of the orchard. We connected with their team to learn more about their story, from the meaning behind their name to the passion driving their small-batch process.  Can you tell us the story behind the name “Rise & Ruin”? Rise & Ruin is a play on the life cycle of the orchard, and the natural fermentation process that apples go through in order to make cider. It's all about growth (apples and trees, yeast -- a very literal rise happens when yeast blooms), and decay (dropped apples, aging trees, yeast falls to the bottom after fermentation has been completed). How did the idea to turn your cider-making tradition into a business come about? Rise & Ruin exists because one of our co-owners is a third generation apple grower. The knowledge and experience that comes with managing orchards from bloom to harvest throughout the years naturally creates a passion for all things apple. It started out as a joy of cider tasting, to experimenting with fermentation, to an opportunity for a business that highlights our homegrown apples.
What makes a small-batch cider different from something mass-produced? The biggest difference between our small-batch cider and mass-produced cider, is our focus on using fresh apple juice that comes from the apples grown in our orchards. Mass-productions often use concentrated juices with added sugar to create highly replicable products, but they often lack a depth of flavour and connection to the actual fruit. What role do different apple varieties play in shaping the flavour of your ciders, and how do you decide which ones to use? So far, a lot of the ciders we sell are made with a blend of culinary apple varieties (apples you find at the grocery store), because this is what our orchards grow! Using a blend of varieties allows us to get a well-rounded palate, but we have experimented with a few single varietal ciders as well. We just planted a tree nursery in our orchards that is filled with cider apple varieties (Kingston Black, Russet, Harry Masters Jersey, Dabinett) that we're very excited to use in the coming years. These apples will have a greater depth of flavour than culinary apples (often too strong for eating solo) and ferment into beautiful ciders. What’s your go-to cider from your lineup right now and why? Wild At Heart. It's a cider that screams summer! It's bright in flavour and colour (rose gold), and light (4%). It's perfect for any summer day!!
How important is community to Rise & Ruin, and how are you building that locally? We're so happy to have been loving welcomed into the community in Elgin County! Opening a cidery is a big undertaking, and it takes time to build, but we've been lucky to have regular support with our customers, and small business community. The Horton Farmers Market is an incredible place for small businesses to get involved with our local farmers and small businesses. We happily attend throughout the summer and fall each year. What’s next for Rise & Ruin? Any big goals, experiments, or dreams on the horizon? We continue to push forward with new, fun ideas in cider making, because there's always something new to explore! But, we're also working away behind the scenes to make our dreams come true by having a place that people can enjoy those drinks, orchard-side. Where to purchase Rise & Ruin
🍏 You can find Rise & Ruin cider at the Horton Farmers' Market in St. Thomas throughout the summer and fall! 🌐 They also offer online ordering with free local delivery within 30 km of Sparta on orders over $27. Keep an eye on their social media for pop-ups and special events across Elgin County.
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