The Best Hard Ciders Are Light, Crisp and Refreshing

Le Perle Jule Cidre Brut, Astarbe Sagardotegia Espumosa Byhur 24, three apples, Crispin Ciders, Noble Cider Spice Merchant. — Photo:
Food & Wine / Le Perle Jule / Sidrería Astarbe Sagardotegia / Getty Images / Crispin Ciders / Noble Cider LLC

Hard cider’s most passionate fans are seriously devoted. But for many of us, it’s not what we regularly choose. Yet, the category is as exciting now as it’s ever been. Producers around the world are crafting excellent hard ciders using a range of local apple varieties, blends, and aging techniques.

Cider is “such a wide-ranging product,” says Randy Hayden, beverage director for Slater Hospitality at Ponce City Market in Atlanta.

“I got spoiled on cider early by being introduced to organic cider from France,” says Hayden. “My introduction was from amazing producers such as Eric Bordelet and [Domaine] Dupont Cidre. These ciders display tons of minerality and pure, dry apple flavors while drinking like Champagne. Ciders are a great lower-ABV option as well as a fun, refreshing beverage.”

Hard cider styles have evolved through the years.

“In my opinion, the days of sweet hard cider are over,” says Ethan Schneider, general manager at Herd Provisions in Charleston, South Carolina. “I'm looking for someone that is chucking a bunch of apples and pears into a clean base that yields a crisp, dry, fruited cider. Artifact Cider Project’s ‘Long Way Back’ is my perfect fall cider. [It’s] made with 100% McIntosh apples. This one has great acidity, which accentuates and enhances the flavor of the apple itself.”

Schneider also recommends Blake's Imperial Hard Cider, “if you like your cider a bit on the sweeter side. The higher residual sugar content is a byproduct of being a higher ABV, clocking in around 8%,” he says. “It packs a punch, but sacrifices none of the bright apple flavor you're looking for.”

“[My] favorite ‘boutique’ apple cider is Potter's Grapefruit Hibiscus Session Cider. Their whole portfolio has some hidden gems, but this one in particular is great for warmer climates such as South Carolina’s, whose fall seasons sometimes hit upwards of 80 degrees,” he says. “It is light, a bit summery, floral, and crisp — perfect for watching the game outside with some friends.”

We reached out to other top beverage professionals around the country for their hard cider picks. Here’s what they recommend.

01 of 10

Astarbe Sagardotegia Espumosa Byhur 24

“Astarbe has been producing cider for over 500 years, and the Byhur 24 is crafted using the traditional Champagne method,” says Christian Shaum, sommelier at Asador Bastian in Chicago. “This means that after creating an initial off-dry cider, yeast is added, and the cider is placed into a bottle, where it undergoes secondary fermentation, gaining natural carbonation. It is then aged for 24 months after this secondary fermentation, resulting in a dry and complex [Basque] cider.”

One of the oldest cideries in Spain’s Basque Country, this expression utilizes a méthode traditionelle that results in a fresh fruit-forward sparkler with balanced acidity. Try this paired with a rich, hard cheese such as Parmesan or aged cheddar.

02 of 10

Crispin Ciders

“It’s tasty and refreshing, quite literally like drinking a crisp apple,” says John Olson, bar lead at Giulia in Minneapolis. “Perfect for those long walks along the Mississippi River.”

Of course, you don’t need to be on the banks of the Mississippi to savor a Crispin. The interplay of dryness and sweetness produces a cider both generous and refreshing. And at just 5% ABV and with no added sugar, it’s easy to have more than one.

03 of 10

Eden Ciders

“[This is] a 100% sustainable, women-owned small business, featuring ice, aperitif, sparkling, and small-batch hard ciders,” says Teresa Spigelmyer, bar manager at Heirloom Room in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. “Their ciders range from pear to berries to lavender, and are refreshing during any season of the year,” says Spigelmyer.

Eden’s Brut Nature Champagne Method Cider is particularly notable. It’s a labor of love that requires a second fermentation in the bottle, aging for a minimum of 18 months, and disgorging by hand. It’s a cider that’s perfect for the table, with layers of biscuity flavors alongside bracing apple notes.

04 of 10

Gypsy Circus Queen of Swords

“The Queen of Swords Cider by Gypsy Circus is my go-to for cozy nights,” says Gabe Zamora, bartender at Paloma Scratch Kitchen in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. “Its semisweet, apple-y goodness warms me up like a crackling fire. It’s the ultimate local cider for those crisp fall evenings.”

This expression from the Tennessee-based cidery is a nicely textural cider, bottled without filtration, which makes it excellent alongside a range of foods. Notes of honey and apples make it a perfect accompaniment to light meats like pork chops.

05 of 10

Haykin Cider

Hayken Cider — Food & Wine / HAYKIN FAMILY CIDER

“Haykin Cider, out of Colorado, is light, crisp, and extraordinarily drinkable,” says Andrew King, director of food and beverage at The Junto in Columbus, Ohio. “It is produced using single varietals, which allows each batch to have distinct flavors. Haykin ciders are vintaged just like a fine wine.”

Vintage dating allows the ciders to express the unique conditions of that particular year. Haykin tends to produce ciders with higher-than-usual carbonation. The combination of assertive bubbles and lack of additives, such as sugar and acid, results in distinct expressions of the apple varieties used, the characteristics of the vintage, and the terroir that unites it all.

06 of 10

Herout Micro-Cuvée N°1

“For a real treat, try this Calvados barrel-aged, semi-dry offering from Herout. [It’s] fermented with native yeast and available in both sparkling and uncarbonated styles,” says Jessica King, co-owner and operator of Brother Wolf in Knoxville, Tennessee.

This organic cider comes from the Cotentin AOP in the northwest of France, where Maison Herout traces its roots to 1946. The cidery’s experience shines through with this standout bottling. The three months spent in former Calvados casks have lent complexity and a bit of tannic structure.

07 of 10

Le Père Jules Cidre Brut

Le Perle Jule Cidre Brut — Food & Wine / Le Pere Jules

King also recommends the French-made Le Père Jules Cidre Brut. “This offering from Pays d’Auge is lightly sweet with musty vanilla tones and gentle tannins,” she says. “Super yummy from start to finish.”

The Desfrieches family have crafted serious cider for generations in the village of Saint Desir, located in Normandy. Their process includes to rest the apples for two weeks after hand-harvesting to concentrate their sugars. Secondary fermentation is induced in the bottle itself, similar to how Champagne is made.

08 of 10

Lost Boy Cider Comeback Kid

“[This is] a great dry cider,” says Marlos Gudiel, bartender at Opaline Bar & Brasserie in Washington, D.C. “It has a bold taste with a hint of white wine, which makes it really unique.”

Based in Northern Virginia, Lost Boy Cider has become an important regional cidery. At 6.9% ABV, this bottling, crafted from Virginia Shenandoah apples, is versatile with everything from cheese to meat and even fish.

09 of 10

Milk and Honey Ciders

Milk & Honey Heirloom Cider — Food & Wine / Milk & Honey Ciders

“Milk and Honey’s heirloom cider is a personal favorite — crisp, aromatic, and made from heirloom apples with floral, fruity, spicy, and honeyed notes,” says Olson. “This cider from St. Joseph, Minnesota, is worth every sip and transports you straight to an orchard. Perfect on tap and ideal year-round, especially in the fall.”

Milk and Honey produces several ciders, many of them vintage-dated that express the true character of the apple variety or blend used. Crafted with minimum intervention, this showcases the breadth of aroma and flavor that great dry cider can convey.

10 of 10

Noble Cider Spice Merchant

“Noble Cider Spice Merchant from Asheville [North Carolina], is a spicy, not-too-sweet chai cider that is perfect for the fall weather,” says Aaron Weber, director of procurement at Link & Pin and Duckworth’s, which have multiple locations in the state.

This unique drink amps up with tea from Asheville’s AppalaChai!, a local chai brewery. The result is a cider that sings with baking spice notes of cardamom, cinnamon, and clove.

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