This story originally appeared in The Stranger’s 2026 Queer Issue.
At the Northwest Cider Symposium back in March, I spotted someone on the vendor floor wearing a plush upholstered animal tail. They didn’t have a fursuit or mask on, just street clothes and the gravity-defying two-foot tail. Oh, right. I know exactly who this is.
Aaron Kalin—aka Martini, a gray-and-white anthropomorphic fox—co-owns Slightly Furry Beverage Company, which moved into its Rainier Avenue HQ in 2024. As Stranger news editor Vivian McCall wrote, Slightly Furry’s grand opening made it “the only queer, openly furry cidery in the US, and maybe the world.” It’s also one of the nation’s very few queer-owned cideries.
I said hello to Kalin, and as we chatted, he mentioned that they’re now serving cider cocktails in their taproom. Well, I said, I want them. Then I paused. Kalin immediately assured me that they welcome everyone, not just furries—before I’d even asked. It’s a question he fields often.
Bet. I rolled up on a Wednesday in a slouchy cardigan and mom loafers, nary a cat-ear headband, armed only with an interest in delicious cider. And a hope that their cider is, indeed, delicious.
Woof, is it ever. I’ll admit I was surprised to discover that these rainbow-glittered, cartoon-covered cans would contain such exquisite, complex craft cider. I sincerely was not expecting to love a beverage called CinnaBEAR.
But you don’t have to take it from me; Slightly Furry won double gold twice in the CIDERCRAFT Awards this spring—for their Screechy Peach and Purrrfectly Pear ciders—and took home a Judges’ Pick for that CinnaBEAR cider, their signature drink, infused with roasted cinnamon. By itself, the unadorned CinnaBEAR is sweet like an apple and not like an entire barrel of brown sugar, as ciders often are. But there’s plenty of tart malic acid present too, plus a tiny bit of scrump.
And if those elements didn’t balance out the fructose, the version that’s doused with lime juice, Malört, and Angostura bitters and then poured into the slushie machine—the Trash Panda Slush—certainly does. (You can also order the Trash Panda in an unslushified form.) This isn’t the first time I’ve loved a cocktail that contained Malört, which, despite its nasty rep, is as delicate and savory as any hipster-approved amaro or aquavit. It’s just bitter, and bitter is beautiful. For my money, in the refreshing patio cocktails arena, this fruity-herbal adult Slurpee. could go up against a brunchtime frosé anytime.
After landing at Slightly Furry at 5 p.m. to innocently sample wares, I ended up putting away six different half-pints and karaokeing with strangers until 10. A couple folks wore masks, but most were in plainclothes, and all were exceedingly warm and gracious to this cishet “mundane” (furry slang for non-furry). I took home a four-pack of Purrrfectly Pear and plan to return for more. Oops, I think I might hang out here now?
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