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Mesa vet’s cidery announces statewide expansion

BY JORDAN HOUSTON

Tribune Staff Writer

Mesa veteran Jason Duren knew at an early age he was destined to help people. When two traumatic brain injuries prematurely ended his active Marine career, the father of two felt lost – but he refused to give up.

Duren has now recommitted to his purpose by cultivating one of Arizona’s largest cideries with his brother, Josh. Cider Corps embodies Duren’s love for cidermaking and his desire to uplift veterans.

Over the years, it has built a reputation as a space for community members to gather, connect and support local veterans through awareness – and it is only continuing to grow.

Cider Corps, which sits at 31 S. Robson Drive, recently announced the statewide expansion of its award-winning hard cider Mango Foxtrot. The beverage, a blend of mango and rose hip with an apple cider base, is now available at most of Arizona’s Sprouts Fresh Markets, according to Duren.

“This entire team just believes in this story and community,” Duren said. “The cider is just a catalyst for healing that can happen in the community over a drink.” As the company’s �irst statewide distribution, Mango Foxtrot is sold in fourpacks throughout Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tucson, Oro Valley and Prescott Valley.

The style, which has a 7 percent ABV, won a gold medal at the 2019 U.S. Open Cider Championships. It is also one of the most favored �lavors at the cidery.

In addition to Sprouts, Cider Corps’ canned ciders are available at Phoenixarea Whole Foods, AJ’s Fine Foods, Total Wine and a handful of independent package and bottle shops.

Founded in 2017, the Cider Corps taproom is in a 1900s-era building that was once the Mesa police station. Cider Corps features 12 to 15 alternating cider styles and three cider slushie �lavors available in the taproom by the glass. It is open for dine in and take away, and features online ordering.

It has partnered with Myke’s Pizza for an independent fast-casual restaurant concept, Duren shares. It also offers Pair Coffee & Tea, adding a full coffee bar, espresso drinks, coffee pour overs and artisan teas.

Duren, a judge advocate for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, seeks to utilize his operation to give back to the veteran community.

With a mission statement of “Drink Great Ciders. Honor Great Sacri�ice,” Cider Corps serves as a platform for veterans to be honored through awareness, Duren continues.

Cider Corps frequently features an “Honor Series” of ciders, highlighting different Marine units by featuring their logos on the can.

“Josh does the graphics around it, and we base the cider off it [the unit],” Duren said. “So, when you’re drinking it, the hope is that you look up some of the information about the cause on the key in.” The for-pro�it organization consistently partners with veteran-oriented nonpro�its in Arizona and California, according Duren. The company has raised funds to help veterans pair up and put service animals through training, as well aid a Californiabased nonpro�it build adaptive athlete sur�boards.

The goal is to partner with veterangeared nonpro�its that are “a making a change in their community,” Duren said.

“I knew wanted to do something forRetired veteran Jason Duren has made it his mission to give back to veterans after two traumatic brain injuries ended his active-duty career. He is now the co-owner of one of Arizona’s

largest cideries. (Courtesy of Jason Duren)

pro�it and then support some of these guys that are doing real things in veterans lives and just be a small part of that.”

Raised in Kansas, Duren joined the marine corps in 2009 after moving to Arizona. A natural-born athlete and college-recruited pole vaulter, Duren said he wanted to join the force to give back to his community.

While deployed in Afghanistan in 2013, Duren suffered two traumatic brain injuries from multiple IED blasts, leading to a long road to recovery.

“During that time, I wanted to spend a lot of time by myself,” he said. “I was in the garage a lot and Josh started coming over quite a bit. We decided to �ind a hobby we could do together that requires (mental) processing.

“They (doctors) would say that we have to process information, recognize something that you want to change, and then change it. That is part of the brain mapping.”

During the retirement process, Jason and Josh experimented with cider making as a hobby and as therapeutic outlet for Jason.

Out of this hobby has come a unique technique for cider making.

“What is probably the most unique aspect of how we make our ciders at Cider Corps comes at the �inal stages of fermentation called malolactic fermentation,” Duren said. “This technique converts the malic acid in apples to lactic acid – essentially creating a ‘softer’ mouthfeel and reducing the sour or ‘sharper’ �lavor pro�iles most people associate with hard apple ciders. The end product is a perfectly balanced cider unlike anything you have tasted.” The �lavor comes directly from apples and other fruits, so it doesn’t need additional extracts or sugars. Cider Corps released its �irst two ciders in September 2017 and continued to make more styles while building out their taproom. They opened the taproom doors to the public on Veterans Day, November 11, 2017, and sold 2,600 pints on that �irst day.

Since then, they have seen the taproom become the gathering spot they hoped for: a space where community members can honor the sacri�ice of its veterans while raising awareness for the obstacles they face upon returning home.

Due to an increase in demand, Cider Corps recently expanded its production to Gilbert, according to Duren.

Duren said he hopes to move all cider production to a 14,000-square-foot facility in Gilbert next year, he added. The Mesa location will remain open as a taproom. ■