Farm-raised. Portland-schooled.

Overview
Two people from a long-running apple farm in Nagano went to Portland, Oregon, to learn how to make cider. They came home with a hard cider of their own. We were there from the first concept to the finished package.

Question
How do you build a brand that’s equal parts Nagano orchard and Portland craft?

Challenge
These two weren’t playing it safe. They were adding hops. Aging cider in bourbon barrels. The brand had to be as rooted as the farm and as restless as the people running it.

Approach
We joined their discovery trip to Oregon, organized with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, to meet American apple growers and cidermakers and see craft beer culture up close.

The name came from the Granny Smith apple, with a wink: Son of the Smith. The packaging is clean and well made, with just enough attitude. From there, the work grew to product names, a design system, merch, an online shop and a wholesale site.

Outcome
A family orchard with a new branch. And a cider with a personality all its own.