Blake’s Hard Cider Introduces American Haze, a Crisp, Dry Addition to its New American Series

ARMADA, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 24, 2026--

There’s a new way to keep things crisp this fall. Blake’s Hard Cider is introducing American Haze, a hazy, dry hard cider and the newest addition to its American Series, arriving on shelves this October.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260924611001/en/

As the first addition to the American Series, where Blake’s best selling ‘American Apple’ sits, American Haze was made to be its counterpart. At 5% ABV, it brings a sessionable, apple-forward profile, finishing clean and dry and perfect for afternoon drinking with friends.

“The American series was always intended to represent the natural ‘from the fruit’ identity of American Cider, something long missing on the international cider scene when I was coming up in the industry. I was always enamored with the rich history, story telling and the simple elegance of traditional ciders coming out of Europe and longed to represent our farming heritage here at home,” said Andrew Blake, CEO of Blake's Beverage Company. “When I was starting Blake’s Hard Cider at Michigan State I used to drive home on weekends to work the farm and would drive back to my college house with jugs of cider straight from the press to begin making batches in my garage. American Haze reminds me a lot of those times and the product I was always longing to create. It took some time, but we perfected it.”

American Haze is available in six-packs at select retailers throughout Michigan beginning October 2026, and will continue to be one of Blake’s core product offerings going forward with additional traditional flavors scheduled to join the American Series in the Spring.

About Blake’s Beverage Company
Blake’s Beverage Company is a leading craft beverage producer with a family of brands committed to quality, innovation and authentic fruit-forward flavor. With roots on a 1,000-acre orchard in Armada, Mich., Blake’s Beverage Company now includes Blake’s Hard Cider, Austin Eastciders and AVID Cider Co. As the company continues to expand its national footprint, Blake’s Beverage Company remains grounded in its farm crafted origins – bringing bold, fruit-forward beverages to consumers across the country. For more information, visit https://blakesbevco.com/.

Blake's Hard Cider American Haze

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, as U.S. jobless claims remain at historically low levels and most Americans enjoy job security.

The Labor Department said Thursday that 197,000 applied for unemployment checks last week, the fewest since mid-July and down from a revised 198,000 the week before. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week ups and downs, fell to 202,250 last week from 204,000.

Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch them because they can be a sign of where the job market is headed. So far this year, claims have mostly stayed below 220,000 — historically low.

The American job market has remained sturdy despite higher energy prices that have squeezed businesses and consumers since the fighting with Iran began Feb. 28.

Layoffs are low. Businesses, remembering the labor shortages that followed the end of pandemic lockdowns, are reluctant to let go of staff. They’re hiring — but modestly by the standards of recent years.

So far this year, employers — companies, government agencies and nonprofits — have been adding an average 80,000 jobs a month, including a surprising 162,000 in August. That is an improvement on a dismal 2025 when monthly job creation averaged 9,700 as high interest rates and President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade policies discouraged hiring.

The Labor Department will release the jobs report for September next week. It's expected to show that employers added 52,500 jobs and that the unemployment rate remained low at 4.1%, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.

Hiring remains well below the 166,000 monthly jobs created, on average, in 2023 and 2024, and the 491,000 a month recorded during the 2021-2022 hiring boom that followed COVID-19 lockdowns.

A hiring sign is displayed at a food court in a grocery store, in Schaumburg, Ill., Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A hiring sign is displayed at a grocery store, in Schaumburg, Ill., Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)