FAQ

To the base of certified organic apple cider vinegar, we've added whole, raw, certified organic oranges, lemons, onions, ginger, horseradish, habañero pepper, garlic, and turmeric. Everything you’d find in a grocery store!

Yes! We start with raw, unfiltered, non-pasteurized organic apple cider vinegar that contains the “mother," strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky, cobweb-like appearance. The “mother” is considered healthy to consume.

Apple cider is the sweet juice made from pressed apples, while apple cider vinegar (ACV) is the fermented form of apple cider, which creates an acidic liquid. Fire Cider is made with the vinegar rather than the juice form, because we believe in the health benefits of ACV.

Fire Cider isn’t a ready-to-drink beverage; it’s a tonic, meant to be taken in small amounts or added to water, tea, or juice, or even used in other recipes. It is, however, a great way to reap the benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar in one concentrated, potent package.

That’s a negative. Digestive bitters are usually alcohol and herb-based, while Fire Cider has an organic raw apple cider vinegar and honey base. Fire Cider is considered a tonic. Many people start and end their meal with it. See what works for you!

Sometimes called a tonic drink or herbal tonic, health tonics restore, stimulate, or invigorate the body.

Nope. While some people confuse it with hard cider, our tonic is non-alcoholic. It does mix well with cocktails, however, so if that’s your jam, check out our recipes for our signature Fire Cider cocktails!

To quote a wise man, "No way, Jose!" Fire Cider is USDA-Certified Organic and made with only certified organic raw apple cider vinegar, honey, fruits, and vegetables. Seeing the Certified Organic label is your best guarantee that a food product is GMO free.

None of the ingredients in Fire Cider contain gluten. If you’re extremely sensitive, however, be aware that while we make every batch of Fire Cider ourselves, we make it in a mixed-use facility, so we’re unable to include a gluten-free claim on our labels.

You betcha! All of our ingredients are organic and we’ve been Certified Organic by the USDA. You’ll even find their Organic Logo on our bottles. You can find out more about the USDA’s Organic certification process here

While our Original and African Bronze varieties are not, our Fire Cider Honey-Free has been Certified Vegan by Vegan Action. You can learn more about vegan certification. here.

The ingredients in Fire CIder are parve but are not kosher as we manufacture our product in a mixed-use facility. You can learn more here

We are currently building our own manufacturing facility and commercial kitchen. Once it is complete, we will be seeking kosher certification.

We drink a small amount of our tonic or use it in our meals every day—as part of a healthy, whole-foods lifestyle. But if you’re interested in taking apple cider vinegar, Fire Cider tonic is an especially tasty way to do it.

Fire Cider isn’t simply apple cider vinegar—it’s a potent blend of vinegar and honey and a bunch of super-healthy vegetables, roots, and fruits. We like to drink ½ to 1 tablespoon straight up every day to keep us hale, hearty, and energized. But if you’re making a recipe for yourself or to share, feel free to be more generous in your pouring.

We drink a small quantity of Fire Cider straight out of the shot glass; a rinse with or a chaser of water will help keep your pearly whites pearly. It’s worth mentioning that Fire Cider is acidic than soda! You can also add it to tea, juice, water, or another favorite beverage.

It won’t hurt, but there’s not much evidence to prove that it has special benefits at this time of day. Since the taste of vinegar, plus the hot peppers we use in Fire Cider, can be stimulating, we suggest skipping it at night. But many of our customers report starting their day with it. See what works for you!

Kids under the age of two shouldn’t drink apple cider vinegar. Many older kids are interested in trying Fire Cider, but be prepared: the taste can be a bit strong for those young taste buds! We suggest letting kids over the age of two try it in very small quantities (a teaspoon or less), diluted in juice or water, or added to foods. While pregnant women can safely consume pasteurized apple cider vinegar, the jury’s out on the raw stuff, so talk to your doctor before adding it to your diet. As for your feline friend, we wouldn't share it with our pets, Fire Cider is meant for humans, but you can always consult your Veterinarian for more details.

You bet! Fire Cider is just as tasty when mixed with seltzer, fruit juice, or tea. Many of our customers make a delicious salad dressing with our tonic, olive or coconut oil, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and herbs. Fire Cider is also great on cooked greens, and as a marinade for meat, seafood, and tempeh. Get more foodie inspiration right here.

Each batch of Fire Cider is best when consumed by 24 months from its bottling date. We put a best-by date every bottle to tell you when it will have its birthday. If you need help deciphering it, drop us a line.

While Fire Cider doesn’t contain any added refined sugars, the citrus fruits and honey used in our recipe give it 3 grams of sugar per one-tablespoon serving. Fire Cider Honey-Free, which doesn’t contain honey, has 1 gram of sugar per serving from that same citrus.

Fire Cider’s main ingredients are apple cider vinegar and honey, two of nature’s greatest preservatives. This means our tonics are shelf stable and don’t need to be refrigerated. We keep our bottle tightly capped in a cool, dry, easy-to-reach spot in the kitchen.

In addition to giving your taste buds a wake-up call and being a great complement to a health-conscious diet, our Fire Cider vinegar tonic with honey is a certified boredom killer. Invite your friends to try Fire Cider for the first time, then watch them dance, jump around, lose the power of speech, or all three! Got a clip to share? Send it to us or share it on social media—and don’t forget to tag us! Facebook: facebook.com/firecider Instagram: @firecider Twitter: @firecider Hashtag: #FireCider

Shire City Herbals—that’s who! We are a small, family-owned and -operated business run by a group of smart, witty, amazing people. Founded in 2010 in our home of Pittsfield, the eponymous “Shire City” located in the heart of the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. We’re proud to be a part of the Pittsfield revival and to support and collaborate with other food-, health-, and sustainability-minded folks in our region. Read all about us here.

In 2012, we applied for and were granted federal registration for the trademark FIRE CIDER in the category of tonics. 

Beyond our abundance of charm, we believe transparency matters, so we make our certified organic tonic using fresh, raw, healthful ingredients you can taste—and label each bottle with a full listing of those ingredients, and always—always!—from organic farms. We strive to be a good neighbor within our local and extended community, and a good steward of the earth. 

Contact us! If you have any other questions, we’d be happy to hear from you. E-mail customerservice@firecider.com