Angry Orchard Is Here To Save The Holidays ... With Booze, Of Course

Angry Orchard, the leading cider brand in the U.S., has come up with a game for the holidays in case your White Elephant doesn't work out. In a recent press release, the brand announced it will be throwing its very first "Angry Swap," a sweepstake that could make the holidays a lot more boozy. According to a survey that the hard cider company conducted, 61% of people who participate in a holiday gift exchange are not happy with the gifts they received — which is especially disappointing to those who put money and thought into picking out those presents.

Angry Orchard is encouraging its cider fans to "get Angry" about these gift swap flops and channel that energy into participating in its contest. All anyone needs to do is post a photo of their unwanted gifts to Instagram or X (formerly known as Twitter), tag Angry Orchard, and throw in the proper hashtag. Winners will receive 50 dollars cash, which is already probably much more than the value of whatever gift participants initially received, and a year's worth of Angry Orchard's Crisp Imperial Hard Cider. It may go without saying, but this "Angry Swap" isn't even a swap — participants get to keep whatever disappointing candle or mug they got. Those who are interested can upload entries from November 29 to December 20, and winners will be contacted by Angry Orchard through social media.

Angry Orchard announced its new flavor, Crisp Imperial, earlier this month. This flavor is what "Angry Swap" sweepstake winners will receive for a whole year, should their unwanted gift exchange gifts be disappointing enough to catch Angry Orchard's eye. Out of all the Angry Orchard flavors, the most popular — not to mention the original flavor — is Crisp Apple. The new Crisp Imperial takes after Crisp Apple; they're both the same flavor, only Crisp Imperial is 8% alcohol by volume, 3% more than the original. This extra-punchy cider is joining Angry Orchard's lineup of year-round flavors.

For those interested in trying even more flavors, Angry Orchard is selling a variety pack this holiday season through February 2024. After all, it is the season for drinking cider. This pack, called the Knotty Bunch, features Crisp Apple along with three new flavors: Crisp Light (similar to the original but with fewer calories), Cranberry Pomegranate, and Ginger.