The Flavor of Fall, Bottled

It was Brandy who started it. She walked into our meeting and said, “It’s fire cider season,” with the kind of certainty that makes you sit up and listen. Half the team had never made it, the other half had stories of parents and grandparents steeping jars of roots, herbs, and spices in apple cider vinegar every fall.

That set off a flurry of memories. Bassma remembered the smell of cinnamon and honey warming her family’s kitchen. Jason swore by adding extra ginger for a sharper kick. Melissa admitted she’d never have the patience to wait weeks for steeping and would rather just grab it ready-made. And then Jagatjoti, who has a knack for seeing the bigger picture, smiled and reminded us that what we were really talking about was tradition, the way certain flavors and rituals become part of how we mark the change of seasons.

At Starwest, we’ve bottled that tradition. Our Fire Cider is crafted with raw apple cider vinegar and infused with a blend of roots and spices, ginger, horseradish, garlic, onions, turmeric, and cayenne, balanced with a touch of honey. It’s tangy, spicy, and bracing, the kind of shot that wakes up your senses and tastes unmistakably like fall.

Of course, fire cider is only one way we play with autumn flavors. Mattee talked about infusing honey with cinnamon sticks, perfect drizzled over baked apples. Baltej reminded us of cloves pressed into oranges and tucked into jars of brandy, slowly glowing richer as the weeks pass. Kai shared how he loves steeping strong chai on colder mornings, filling the air with ginger and cardamom.

By the end of the meeting, it was clear: fall isn’t just a season we step into, it’s a season we make. Whether it’s a jar steeping on the counter or a ready-made bottle waiting on the shelf, the flavors of autumn are what bring it alive.

Because for us, autumn has a taste. And it starts with Fire Cider.