(Photo above: Stacy Simpson at the new Atlas Cider Company taproom | photo by Gregg Morris)
Two years ago, husband and wife, Dan and Samantha McCoy sought to bring craft hard cider to a beer town. They brought on Tyler Burg as Lead Cellar (aka brewer) and Atlas Cider Company was born. By their first anniversary, Atlas established themselves as one of Oregon’s premier craft cider companies, with distribution across the state and spilling into parts of Washington.
Now two years and three kids into their family cider business, the McCoys are experiencing enviable growth in both production and facilities.
This year alone, Atlas Cider Company is reporting a 50 percent growth rate. According to the Oregon Liquor Licensing Commission, Atlas’s year-to-date barrel production as of May was 1,475 barrels, up from 943 barrels the same time last year. Dan McCoy says this summer’s numbers are about twice that of last year.
“We are bottling every week,” notes McCoy. “There are no bottles waiting to be shipped. As soon as they are filled, they’re gone.”
To accommodate for the growth, Atlas Cider Company has increased their number of employees from six last year to twenty currently. In addition, their SE Wilson Avenue production facility added and additional 2500 square feet.
In June, Atlas Cider Company’s moved their taproom, formerly located at their production facility, to the Old Mill Marketplace on SW Industrial Way. The approximately 2,200 square foot space includes a pool table, four pinball machines, seven arcade games, and outdoor picnic tables. They currently have fifteen taps pouring eight craft ciders and cider blends, and seven local beers. While the blends are very popular right now, their Blackberry Cider is still Atlas’s biggest seller. They also offer 32 ounce crowlers (can growlers) and fill glass growlers to go.
“This place is the missing link to what I wanted to do,” explains Dan McCoy. “It’s more of a pint-centric experience.”
The Old Mill Marketplace has been going through major changes in the last few months. By the end of the year, they will have four new businesses; Atlas Cider Company, Immersion Brewing, Gear Fix, and Brown Owl.
For the future, Atlas Cider Company is focusing on controlled distribution growth and they work to fully establish themselves in their new territories. They will also offer 12 ounce 6-pack cans of a session cider in all of their distribution areas. Atlas Cider Company also plans to continue hosting bands at their popular Mill Quarter Block Parties on Friday evenings, 6:30-8:30pm. October 10, from 3-9pm Atlas will host a cancer-awareness fundraising event called Press On.
Atlas Cider Company
Taproom – 550 SW Industrial Way, Suite 190, Bend
541-
www.atlascider.com
CEO: Dan & Samantha McCoy
Employees: 20
Year established: 2013
Products/Services: Authentic Hard Cider
Hot News: Atlas opened a taproom and released their Radler (grapefruit) cider in June. They have also expanded their distribution to all of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
Outlook for Growth: Atlas is experiencing a 50 percent growth rate this year over last year and can barely match supply with demand. To match growth, they have added production space, a taproom, and an additional 14 employees.
