ST. LOUIS – Johnny Appleseed, a new hard apple cider from Anheuser-Busch, will hit store shelves nationwide April 7. 

More than 750 consumers (men and women 21-34 years old) from the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom helped to co-design the brand, from taste profile to packaging. Like its explorer namesake, Johnny Appleseed Hard Apple Cider was created for — and by — those who believe life is about the journey and not the destination.

In development since 2011, Johnny Appleseed Hard Apple Cider is the first wholly new brand from Anheuser-Busch in eight years, and arrives at the perfect time for the fast-growing cider category.

“Cider is hotter than ever right now, and Johnny Appleseed is an exciting new entry to the category” said Adam Oakley, vice president of high-end at Anheuser-Busch. “We have something very special here — the perfect balance of sweetness and intensity with a refreshing crisp apple bite. It’s unlike any other hard cider on the market today.”

With an ABV of 5.5%, Johnny Appleseed crafted in Baldwinsville, New York, it is made with apple juice sourced from apples in the U.S. and fine orchards around the globe, as well as cider yeast and other natural ingredients.

Johnny Appleseed Hard Apple Cider is available nationwide on April 7 in 12-ounce glass bottles with a twist-off cap in six-packs and 12-packs, and sold individually in 16oz. and 25oz. cans. Draught distribution will be available starting this summer.

Read more on the explosion of hard cider in convenience stores in the upcoming April issue of NACS Magazine.