Local Newswire Crispin Cider purchased by MillerCoors because everyone wants a piece of Minnesota

Like every gifted young athlete ever to have graced any Minnesota pro sports lineup, Crispin Cider Company—Minneapolis’ own producer of alcoholic apple cider—has been snatched away from us by a bigger, richer team. Tenth and Blake Beer Company, the craft/import branch of MillerCoors (otherwise known as the Yankees of beer makers), made the purchase, saying:

“…Crispin stood out, not only because they were the most progressive and innovative producer, but also because we shared great personal chemistry. In addition to the best cider portfolio in the business, we love their energy, creativity and unsurpassed innovation capability. They make us an even better company right away.”

Crispin, which has only had its products on store shelves since 2008, is already the third-largest contributor to a hard cider craze that has exploded across the country in the last few years.

But there is some good news. Some may remember that MillerCoors already owns our beloved Hamm’s, which is no longer brewed in Minnesota (frown!). Fortunately, it appears as though Tenth and Blake is taking a hands-off approach to managing its new acquisition, allowing Crispin to operate as an independent extension of the company (neat!), Crispin CEO Joe Heron saying, “We'll continue to create our ciders in our Colfax cidery, and we'll maintain our own unique go-to-market execution.” So as long as we’re still eyeball-deep in that sweet, boozy nectar, it’s all good. [MSNBC]