This content was originally published by The Hop Review, a digital magazine that joined the Hop Culture family in March 2020.
This piece was written by Jack Muldowney.
GATLINBURG, TN
With Labor Day come and gone, it’s that time of year that many seasonally-influenced drinkers turn to, to start imbibing more of the barrel-aged, the malty…and the cider-y. Cider is synonymous with fall–and the beverage has many similarities to beer, making it an easy fill-in for breaks in the hoppy or the malty as the weather cools.
One new-to-us cider brand that we’d recently come across is the Tennessee Cider Co. in Gatlinburg. The cidery’s taproom is located in the location of the city’s original general store, opened back in 1854. And the brand’s look and feel fits the bill perfectly. It’s a nostalgic approach, with detailed packaging and an emphasis on classic etched illustrations and typography. A perfect fit to accompany the space that houses their cidery goods.
The detailed designs for Tennessee Cider’s labels are thanks to the talented Chad Michael Studio, who has plenty of experience in the alcohol packaging space. The eponymous studio is best known for their intricate, elegant and detailed typographic and flourished stylings–most often harkening back to a turn-of-the-century era where the ornate was much more commonplace.
Along with having one of the best slogans (“Merchants of Spirited Wet Goods”), Tennessee Cider now also has one of the most impressive ranges of packaging on the market. A lineup that could easily stand the test of time for another 165 years.
–––
Design & images via Chad Michael Studio.