Hard cider is a delicious fruit-based beverage that can be substituted for wine or beer when it’s not possible to have a glass of wine. Ciders can be enjoyed with sweet brunch favorites or fried snacks at happy hours.
Hard cider is crisp, refreshing, and versatile. We love it when the seasons change from summer to autumn. Hard cider is a refreshing, tart, versatile, low-ABV, subtle carbonation, and great for any occasion.
The future of cider is not as simple as it used to be. More and more cider brands are making cider with other fruits than apples, such as black currants, and strawberries. Hard ciders average around 6 percent ABV and some include other fruits. Some ciders are refreshing alternatives to the beer while others can be used as mixers for cocktails or dinner parties. Continue reading to find out more about the best hard ciders.
List Of 10 Best Hard Cider Reviews
1. Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider
- Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider is a refreshing, complex alcoholic beverage that is made from a combination of fermented fresh apple juices.
- Each sip is infused with both sweet culinary and traditional french bittersweet cider apple varieties. The hard cider is 5% by volume and comes in six 12-ounce bottles so you can share it with your friends.
2. JK’s Scrumpy, Cider Hard Organic
- Organic English farmhouse cider has been a popular choice on southern England’s farms. It was also popular in the United States in the 1800s. We are not an English-style cider, but we are a Farmhouse Cider.
3. Brooklyn Brew Shop Hard Cider Making Kit
- This kit is ideal for beginners. Brooklyn Brew Shop makes it easy and fun to ferment hard cider at home. Easy-to-follow instructions and videos help you make 3 batches of hard cider.
- The award-winning kits were created by beer writers and are available in American.
- Kit contains a 1-gallon reusable glass fermentation vessel, 3 packets of yeast, and vinyl tubing & clamp. It also includes a racking cane, tip, chambered airlock, 3 packs cleanser, and a screw-cap stopper. You only need: Apple cider/juice
- The products have been featured in many magazines, including The New York Times and Nylon. From ultimate gift guides for your BFF, Dad and Mom, Boyfriend/Girlfriend, and beer geek to Father’s Day must-haves and holiday hit the press agrees that our Beer and Cider Making kits are perfect for everyone.
4. Craft A Brew Hard Cider Brew Kit
- You can be more than just a cider drinker. Be a cider maker. Craft Brew recipe sets will transform cider lovers into cider brewers. They give you all of the freedom, experience, and joy that comes with making your own cider.
- American cider has a long history. Homebrew cider allows you to continue the legacy of the great cider makers. You can now make great-tasting hard cider at home just like the old masters (but without the need for a whole apple cider press).
- This hard cider starter set is designed to help hobbyists and first-timers alike make the most out of their craft brew experience. It includes our Craft a Brew Guide for Making Your Own Cider.
- You bring the juice and we provide the rest! All the equipment you need to make dry sparkling cider is included in our kits. Our Guide to Cider Making even includes some of our favorite recipe variations so that you can enjoy your perfect drink all year.
5. Mangrove Jack’s Hard Apple Cider Recipe Kit
- Delicious orchard apples with a light, crisp taste, and a delicious apple bite. You can enjoy it chilled or on ice. Each cider variety is made with the highest quality, freshest fruit.
- The juice is then concentrated using state-of-the-art evaporators and cold-filled into a pouch. We make sure that the juice retains the natural flavor of each fruit.
- This results in cider that is crisp and refreshing, perfect for hot summer days. The pouch contains the juice concentrate, sweetener, and flavoring as well as full instructions. Water and sugar are not required but may be needed.
6. BrewDemon Hard Cider Kit Pro
- The 2-gallon recipes are much more affordable than the expensive 1-gallon ones. They take only minutes to prepare and produce amazing results. Do not be deceived by the time-consuming and messy kits of competitors that require a bucket or jug. The patented conical fermenter, which is pro-style and comes with easy-to-use instructions, produces a delicious result every time you brew.
- BrewDemon’s hard Cider tastes incredible. It is made from the best quality apples, which are picked at peak ripeness in New Zealand’s fertile orchards. This package contains our Forbidden Blueberry Hard Cider Recipe Kit – which is a refreshing, dry, and crisp cider with mild blueberry flavors.
- Hard cider kits can make it difficult to concentrate on the brewing process. Our cider can be brewed in just 15 minutes on the stove. This gives you the time and energy to add honey, extra apples, or any other secret ingredient.
7. Seattle Cider, Cider Dry Hard
- Seattle Cider is produced in Washington State and it’s dry hard cider. Paleos, vegans, and gluten-free enthusiasts also love Seattle Ciders because the product uses only naturally gluten-free ingredients.
- Their flavor profiles each represent a different part of their hometown: Ballard (Pear), Queen Anne (Cherry), and Fremont (Grape).
It might be 60 miles away from where you grew up but when you sip on Seattle Cinser, the fresh taste will bring back relaxing memories of home. - Experience getting picked up by your parents in their freezing car to go sledding in the snow or sharing oranges with your grandma during Sunday lunch at her home – that’s what our apple ciders will do for you!
8. Stella Artois Cidre
- Stella Artois Cidre is a creative and tasty alternative to wine, cider, or even beer. It’s made from hand-picked apples that come exclusively from those who practice viticulture in France and Belgium.
- We’re confident you’ll be as impressed as we are with this sophisticated alternative to hard ciders, wines, and beers – which measures 4.5% ABV – offering a perfect blend of flavor and strength for any occasion; whether it be an upscale dinner party or an afternoon spent boiling crabs on the shoreline by your favorite pier (trust us: we’ve been there).
9. Wyder’s Dry Pear Hard Cider
- Wyder’s Dry Pear Hard Cider is a refreshing, crisp cider for all your summer adventures. This one steps up with sweet pears to add a bit of tartness and some balancing sweetness while keeping the fresh apple flavors right upfront.
- Relaxers love it on hot days; runners should enjoy slugging back their second windbreaks, and kids will want to drink this before and after soccer round-robin play because it just tastes that good!
- Wyder’s Dry Pear Hard Cider delivers fragrance, flavor, and refreshment in every sip, making it an excellent companion for any outdoor activity – including relaxing or running! It tastes so great you may want another can before or after your next foray into the outdoors.
10. Spire Mountain, Cider Hard Dark And Dry
- Spire Mountain Cider Hard Dark and Dry is a hard cider with 5% Alcohol by volume. All raw materials are sourced from the state of Washington, including hops and apples.
- With this product, we’re confident that your dinner table will never be out of juice again! A pale gold coloration, Spire Mountain Cider has a surprisingly soft mouthfeel for such a dry beverage.
- It offers layers of tastes: toasty flavors from the malted barley in its makeup alongside sharp apple notes to fill out its flavor profile well. A satisfying drink for those who want their fruity cocktail less sweet or dessert wine less heavy.”
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the benefits of hard cider?
Cider is often fermented from apple juice, which contains the same beneficial phytochemicals as apples themselves. These include polyphenols such as quercetin, certain triterpenoid alcohols, and catechins. Just one cup of cider provides 20-40 mg of polyphenol antioxidants-beneficial plant compounds that have been extensively studied for their ability to improve cardiovascular, cognitive, and gastrointestinal health.
2. Do you drink hard cider for the alcohol or the flavor?
I’d say it’s about 75% for the flavor and 25% to get that little buzz. That may seem like a minority opinion among those who drink hard cider, but I am of the mind that once you have a quality, flavorful hard cider on the market-especially one with some age/complexity on it-people will come to appreciate it for its own sake. Over time, I think the “drinkability” factor will be more widely recognized as an asset.
3. What are some hard cider cocktails Caseology has created?
Our bartenders’ creativity definitely shines through in our cocktail list! One popular drink at the moment is our “Cider Flight” – a tasting trio featuring Southern Belle (Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider), Our Side (Irish Coffee Cider), and Spiced Cranberry Cider. We also recently got put on tap at The Thirsty Lion Gastropub & Grill, which features a rotating cask that showcases unique flavors for holiday-themed events such as “Savory Cranberry,” Cinnamon, and Maple Apple.
Conclusion
Hard cider is delicious and refreshing. Hard cider can often feel lighter and easier to drink than beer. There are so many options on the market for hard ciders. How can you choose the best one for your tastebuds and your health?
Ciders are sweet and fruity because they contain a lot of sugar. Cider is fermented using fruits such as apples, peaches, and pears. It has a higher sugar content than beer which is made with lower-sugar grains.
There are many hard cider brands that offer different versions of this iconic fall drink. Here are some of the most popular hard cider brands you can try this fall. The perfectly crisp, bubbly drink can make you forget about summer. You just need to find the right one.