Virginia’s first and only urban cidery, Blue Bee Cider is located in the heart of downtown Richmond’s Old Manchester district at the fall line of the James River. The name for Blue Bee Cider is derived from a common name for one of Virginia’s native bees, osmia lignaria, or the blue orchard bee. These hardworking bees are solitary and wild, emerging early in the cool spring just in time to pollinate apple blossoms. At Blue Bee Cider, we aim to create balanced ciders true to their Virginia roots from a culinary perspective and true to the fruit from a cidermaking one. Each apple variety ferments differently, creating its own flavors which vary year to year depending on weather conditions. Blue Bee Ciders are never chapitalized (it’s so sunny in the South, who needs to add sugar?) and never watered down. We use raw juice and ferment it straight off the press.