Good to the Corps

Making hard craft cider wasn’t meant to be a job—or evolve into a thriving, small business with 20 employees, for that matter. But once brothers Josh and Jason Duren started experimenting with apple fermentation to produce alcoholic cider, the siblings knew they were on to something good. And marketable. Five years later, they own Cider Corps, the largest cidery in Arizona.
 
The cider idea first developed as a therapeutic activity for Jason, a retired Marine Corps Sergeant who suffered brain injuries from two separate IED (improvised explosive device) incidents while serving in Afghanistan. His neurologist, Dr. Javier Cardenas at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, suggested he find a new hobby to help him recover and retrain his brain.
 
Eventually, Josh got involved in making cider with his younger brother and the two began testing different fermentation techniques in Jason’s garage. Their plan was simple.
 
“We just wanted to make cider taste better,” says Jason, who studied sustainable horticulture at Arizona State University so he could understand the complexities of plant life and fermentation to perfect Cider Corps’ unique brand.
 
The recipe is made with apple juice and other natural fruits and botanical flavors, but no added sugars except for what occurs naturally in the cold-pressed apple juice they source from the Pacific Northwest. And its smooth, low-acidic composition is due to malolactic conversion, a two-part process that doesn’t result in sugary, tart ciders that are popular in the industry, according to Jason.

At first, the Durens started showcasing their homemade cider at tasting events around town for free. Consumers responded well to their product, as did the restaurant group Fox Concepts, which gave Cider Corps its first big break by selling the fermented alcohol in its establishments.
 
It took another two years for the brothers to hone their concept before opening their flagship taproom in downtown Mesa on Veterans Day 2017. The taproom features 15 rotating ciders, to-go cider served in cans.
 
Currently, Cider Corps also is available in more than 200 restaurants and retail shops in Arizona, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, AJ’s, and Total Wine, according to Josh, who handles branding and marketing.
 
Despite some pandemic hurdles, the company has been able to pivot and experience milestone growth in the last few years. They inked a partnership in 2021 with Hensley Beverage Company to manage statewide distribution sales. And in early 2022, the duo relocated their cidery operation from the Mesa taproom to a 14,000-square-foot production and canning facility in Gilbert, a move that’s enabled Cider Corps to more than quadruple its fermenting capabilities.

Future plans for the three-acre site include a second taproom with food provided by Food Network winner chef Adam Allison, and a family-friendly communal cider garden projected for late fall.
 
“People bring kids to our Mesa location a lot. With Gilbert having a higher family population density, it will be a unique thing for the East Valley,” says Josh.
 
The brothers, who hail from small-town Kansas, attribute their business evolution to a willingness to go for it, a strong work ethic and ability to create a product that shines in a crowed cider market.
 
“In our opinion, our cider is more palatable. We’ve figured out a way to make our ciders less acidic and when we add our fruits back in, we don’t add any sugars or flavorings. You don’t have a sugar bomb that ruins your stomach and that acid bite in your mouth,” says Jason, who runs the cidery production side of the business.
 
“We’ve been able to find our lane and skip forward because we understand the science behind the cider. It’s nothing new, but it takes a lot of work and careful monitoring to get it right. We are the only one in the United States using the malolactic fermentation process. You have to come to us to get that quality. In my opinion, in 10 years it will be the standard in the industry,” he adds.
 
While Cider Corps may not be sweet, it’s certainly full of heart. True to its mission of “Drink Great Cider, Honor Great Sacrifice,” the company supports select nonprofit veterans’ groups, partnering with organizations including 22 Jumps, One More Wave, Purple Hearts, and the Vet Resource Center.
 
“Once we find someone, we connect and build long-term relationships instead of throwing money at different places,” says Jason. “We’re a little circle of people with common goals and latch ourselves to those kinds of groups so we can really make an impact.”
 
And in 10 years, the Durens anticipate more of the same success, continuing to set the bar high for quality cider and being a standout role model for those in need.
 
“I think our mission statement will be seen on a bigger level,” says Josh. “We’ll be making the highest quality ciders in the country. And we’ll have raised millions of dollars and [make people aware that] we honor great sacrifice.”