Emerging in 2014 from the Kitchener-Waterloo region, KW Craft Cider is a premium, hard dry cider, prepared from carefully selected fresh-pressed apples cultivated within 150km of the cidery. KW Craft Cider is made from a custom blend of 5 types of tart, juicy and crisp apples to achieve the desired sweetness, acidity, and tannins: Golden Russett, Idared, Northern Spy, Empire, and MacIntosh. Using wine-making principles, the cider is made in small batches to account for seasonal variations in each crop and achieve a rich, well-balanced blend. At 6.7% alcohol content, it is a dry, clear cider that can be enjoyed on its own as well as paired with a meal.

KW Craft Cider is a proud member of the Ontario Craft Cider Association.

The KW Craft Cider identity is inspired by the culture and history of the Kitchener-Waterloo area, also known as KW. The region has long attracted talented entrepreneurs and craftspeople seeking to build their businesses and perfect their trades.

Starting with German Mennonite farmers who built the first farms in the region in the early 1800s, the area continued to attract skilled craftsmen, artisans and tradesmen for decades to come. The presence of the Grand and Conestoga Rivers made the area an attractive place for building the first grist mill in 1808, followed by saw mills and textile mills.

The extension of the Grand Trunk Railway through Kitchener (known as Berlin at the time) in 1856, helped accelerate development in the area, strengthening its industrial and manufacturing identity.

With the founding of the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University in the 1950’s, the region became a place known for higher learning, attracting some of the best minds in the country, as well as some of the most prominent high-tech businesses in the world such as Blackberry and Google.

KW is and always has been a centre for craftsmanship, skill and business acumen. KW Craft Cider celebrates local entrepreneurial spirit and the pursuit of perfecting one’s craft.

Michael Kramar is a Professional Engineer and entrepreneur who spent the first 7 years of his career working in a wide range of industrial and manufacturing plants across North America and Europe.

It was during his first assignment in London England, that Michael was introduced to cider culture. After a long day of work, his friends would meet at a local pub, and the first drink they ordered was always a cider, served with a pint glass of ice on the side. Pouring the cider into the pint glass became a celebratory symbol of a job well done, a custom that remained with him ever since.

After returning home, Michael was surprised to notice that although it was not nearly as popular in Canada as in the UK, there were already signs of a resurgence in appreciation for high quality, locally produced cider. As a true alternative to beer and wine, cider offers a wide assortment of flavours and food pairing options, all the while leveraging its gluten-free ingredients and appealing to fans of the “grown local” ideology.

Michael decided to fully invest his passion for quality, creativity, and hard work into cider-making. By bringing together his craftsmanship, technical expertise, attention to detail and interest in research and innovation, he set out to create a cider of the highest quality.