When we turn the seasonal corner to autumn, along with pumpkin spice-flavored everything and a chilly nip in the air, you’ll start to see classic (alcohol-free) cider and hard cider everywhere. Sure, you can drink hard cider all year long, but it makes the most sense from September through the holidays.
For those new to the beverage, hard cider is similar to wine. But instead of being made with grapes, this fermented drink is made with apples. Just like wine, hard cider can range in flavor from very sweet to very dry, depending on the amount of sugar added. However, while wine is higher in alcohol (11 tp 14% ABV), the best hard cider is more on par with beer (4-8% ABV).
The best hard ciders to drink this fall
Now that you’ve learned a little bit about hard cider, it’s time to find some to drink this season. There are big brands known for their sweeter, more crushable hard ciders and smaller, artisanal brands known for drier, more fermented hard ciders. There’s something for everyone when it comes to hard ciders. Below, you’ll find some of the best hard ciders to bring to your fall tailgate or drink around an autumnal campfire. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Best major brand
Angry Orchard
Boston Beer Co., the makers of Sam Adams and Truly Hard Seltzer, also has some of the best mass produced cider in the U.S. Angry Orchard does trot out some stereotypical sweet ciders, but Stone Dry can be found in most beverage stores and is a delicious and widely available cider. But then head cider maker Ryan Burk goes even further at the company’s orchard in upstate New York. The smaller batch specialty ciders can go up against some of the best ciders in the world.
Best New England cider makers
Farnum Hill
Farnum Hill’s selection of apples from its New Hampshire orchard is likely among the best in the world. The ciders from Farnum Hill aren’t sweet, but they come dry, more like a wine than one might expect from a cider. Despite the lack of sweetness, the fruit shines through in each bottle, with the tannins playing a beautiful concert on the taste buds.
Shacksbury
Vermont’s Shacksbury goes a bit more off the traditional ladder than nearby Farnum Hill, but its dry cider hits the same sort of notes. Go a little further in the classic line and you find its Vermonter, a cider made with gin botanicals that drinks like a beautiful dry cocktail. Then comes the true innovation: Lo-Ball, which is inspired by a highball cocktail — the low-calorie and low-ABV cider that nearly drinks like juice.
Best Pacific Northwest cider
Seattle Cider Co.
Washington state is the apple capital of America, so it makes sense that there’s quite a few excellent cider makers in the state. One of those is Seattle Cider Co., which popped up and is connected to Two Beers Brewing. With a bountiful supply of apples nearby, Seattle Cider Co. cranks out a variety of styles of cider, from traditional dry to more contemporary semi-sweet. The company also presses more unique flavors like Pineapple Agave, Basil Mint and Three Peppers.
E.Z. Orchards
In Oregon, E.Z. Orchards makes cider at an orchard that’s been in operation since 1929. A nice collection of heirloom apples allows for a portfolio of well-made, unique ciders by cidermaker Kevin Zielinski. The heirloom allows for ciders much like those made in the 1800s — light, dry sparkling ciders and fortified apple wines that can further push what a consumer thinks of an alcoholic apple drink.
Best Midwestern cider
Farmhaus Cider
From a little barn in Western Michigan, Farmhaus Cider lives up to its name and makes some truly delicious ciders right in a farmhouse. True to the name, Midwest Nice is very nice. A little sweet, it’s exactly the taste one might expect from the first sip of hard cider. The more traditional Daily Dry is tart and refreshing, with no residual sugar. Other flavors hit some high notes, like Brunch, made with cinnamon and maple syrup, and the chai cider, Sweater Weather.
Vander Mill
Michigan is the second-most agriculturally diverse state in the US, behind California. With that diversity comes a great selection of apple varieties, which Vander Mill has actively helped expand. So while some of Vander Mill’s ciders trend into the sweet side trying to draw in new drinkers, the western Michigan cider maker also bottles a great range of delicious heirloom ciders, like Chapman’s Blend, made with Winesap Baldwin, Northern Spy and Johnathan apples.
Best Southern cider
Austin Eastciders
Texas doesn’t exactly scream apples, but Austin Eastciders has made a name for itself with by cranking out excellent cider. From the Blood Orange Cider, made by adding orange juice to the apple cider, to the Brut Extra Dry and Hopped Ciders, Austin Eastcider provides a portfolio of must-try hard ciders. Austin Eastciders is also making solid hard seltzers now.
Bottom line
If you’re a fan of wine, it would behoove you to try some hard ciders this fall. While lower in alcohol than wine, many hard ciders would appeal to wine drinkers. This is because there are drier hard ciders loaded with esters, acids, tannins, and other flavors beloved by wine drinkers. On the flip side, there are bigger brands that produce hard ciders that are more like fruited beers or wine cooler than ciders. There’s something for everyone if you take the time to look.
