Makers of Ciderboys Launch ‘Tea Runner’ Hard Iced Tea, Focus on Flavor, All Natural, Real Brewed Tea

The Stevens Point Brewery, parent company of Ciderboys Hard Cider, is proud to introduce a new brand family. Tea Runner Hard Iced Tea hit limited roll-out markets in fall 2020 and continues to build momentum with vibrant packaging and a medium-sweet, all-natural flavor profile. It’s a mark of distinction from competition.

Like Ciderboys, Tea Runner stands out from other offerings in the category. According to brewmaster Mike Schaufnagel, “The big hard teas on the market are big on flavor, but also sugar and calories. On the other end, you have unsweetened, low-calorie teas that are very subtle. We wanted to take what we learned with Ciderboys — that there’s success in the middle — and make something truly delicious for all hard tea drinkers.”
Tea Runner’s branding reinforces that angle: Easy drinkin’ hard tea with balanced sweetness, all-natural ingredients, gluten free, 100% real brewed tea, and 4.5% ABV. “With those qualities,” Schraufnagel continues, “you get the ‘wow factor’ of a refreshing iced tea with a little buzz, and can enjoy more than one. Tea Runner won’t bog you down. That’s why we say ‘Run with it!’”
The new line is an opportunity for the medium-sized craft brewery, which dates back to 1857, to reach a new audience. Stevens Point Brewery Marketing Director Julie Birrenkott adds, “We are so proud of our history, awards won, and place in our community. Like Ciderboys, Tea Runner is a fun, youthful, refreshing extension for us. We want drinkers to know it’s crafted by folks who truly care about quality and drinking experience above all else.”

Unlike popular hard teas made of fermented malt, Tea Runner is gluten free and has less calories because it’s based on fermented sugar, just like hard seltzers. Quality director Farryn Guarino explains, “A sugar brew isn’t sweet at all. It’s just a clean, clear base to let our brewed black tea and cane sugar really shine. It took us a long time to get here. We’re all tea drinkers, so it had to exceed our expectations. We didn’t just want it to taste like a good hard tea. We wanted a great iced tea.”
Tea Runner Hard Iced Tea is currently available in 18 states, with plans to expand in spring 2021. Current flavors include Tea Runner Original and Tea Runner Peach, available in 6pk 12oz cans, 12pk 12oz cans, and 19.2oz single-serve cans. New flavors and new states are on the way.

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