by Caitlin Saniga | photos by Joel Hawksley
Fall is in the air, and we’re content to sip on some hard cider to celebrate the season. Join us on a walk through the orchard with a tour of hand-picked ciders that have piqued our interest.
*Note: Our rating system is out of five stars.
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Woodchuck Hard Cider: Granny Smith
(5% alc. by volume)
The Granny Smith is probably the most tangy of Woodchuck’s six core cider varieties and brewed in Middlebury, Vt. It is, of course, brewed with Granny Smith apples.
Impressions: When poured in a clear glass, this cider appears to be pale yellow-gold and fizzy. It almost smells like a white wine. It tastes crisp and bright, but bitter and tart, almost vinegary, which I didn’t much care for. If you like sweet ciders, you should pass on the Granny Smith cider.
Rating: ★★
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Hornsby’s Hard Amber Cider
(6% alc. by volume)
Hornsby’s Hard Amber Cider is one of just two ciders the manufacturer offers. It’s a medium-bodied cider with a ripe green apple taste that finished with tart dryness. The label describes the cider as “dry and traditional.”
Impressions: I liked the pleasant, floral scent and the smooth, semi-sweet, almost apple juice-like flavor. I could definitely drink more than one.
Rating: ★★★
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Angry Orchard Hard Cider: Crisp Apple
(5% alc. by volume)
The crisp apple is one of Angry Orchard’s four main varieties and is brewed with a hint of Fuji apples. It’s advertised as having “sweet apple notes up front with a subtle dryness at the finish.”
Impressions: This one has a very cidery taste. It’s bubbly, apple-y, sweet, fresh and floral. “I would get plastered on a six-pack of this,” Joel said.
Rating: ★★★★
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Bold Rock: Virginia Apple
(4.7% alc. by volume)
Bold Rock is brewed in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in Wintergreen, Va., about two hours northwest of Roanoke. It’s brewed with Virginia apples, of course.
Impressions: This is my very favorite cider, perhaps because I have some really great memories associated with it. It’s sweet, smooth and crisp, and very easy to drink. “I did get plastered on a six-pack of this,” Caitlin said.
Rating: ★★★★
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Woodchuck Hard Cider: Private Reserve Pumpkin
(6.9% alc. by volume)
This pumpkin cider is advertised as having Woodchuck’s “signature taste with a refreshing pumpkin finish.” It has the highest alcohol content of the ciders I tried.
Impressions: If this were a blind tasting, I’m not sure I’d have guessed this was pumpkin cider. Perhaps the combination of apple and pumpkin is magical, because it had a more peachy, melon-y taste to me, and I liked that. It had warm but not spice-y flavors.
Rating: ★★★ 1/2
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Stella Artois Cidre
(4.5% alc. by volume)
Stella Artois introduced its Cidre in 2011 and bills it as a European-style cider. “Please enjoy Stella Artois Cidre poured into a white wine glass and pair with a semi-hard cheese like manchego, a Waldorf salad or fresh Belgian endives,” Stella Artois’ website recommends. (LOL.)
Impressions: This was another cider that had melon-y notes. It was sweet but not terribly apple-y, and it honestly tasted a little like beer on the finish.
Rating: ★★★ 1/2
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