Fall is (finally) here! Between living up autumn life with apple and pumpkin picking, flannel everything, cold-weather recipes — and all of the aforementioned captured on your friends’ Instagram feeds — we bet you’re cracking open a lot of cider.
With so many seasonal ciders hitting shelves and draft lines, it’s time to add some new stuff to your weekly rotation. Here are five of our recommendations of the craft ciders you should be drinking right now:
Shacksbury Vermonter
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These gorgeous 16-ounce cans of cider just scream “GET OUT AND ENJOY THE FALL!” Shacksbury crated Vermonter as an ode to the Green Mountain State, a blend of local apples from Sunrise Orchards in Cornwall, VT that’s then aged in former Barr Hill gin barrels from Caledonia Spirits in Hardwick, VT. At 6.9% ABV, you don’t want to chug too many of these on a hike, but a cold one tucked into your backback is the perfect reward for climbing to the top of a mountain (or hill, whichever works for you).
Finnriver Forest Ginger
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WE SAID GINGER! Well, we were thinking it, and it looks like the folks at Finnriver Farm & Cidery read our minds. The zesty bite of ginger is a natural pair with Certified Organic Washington apples, like Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn and Gala. The cider is fermented until dry, then steeped with locally harvested Doug Fir tips and other evergreen needles, then infused with organic gingerroot and sweetened up a touch with unrefined organic cane sugar. Herbal, earthy and a little spicy, this is true fall fabulousness in a glass, especially when paired with autumnal meals like mushroom risotto and hearty stews.
Blue Bee Cider Harvest Ration
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Fall is time for the apple harvest, and this awesome brandy-fortified dessert cider from Blue Bee Cider is a wonderful way to celebrate it. Plus, at 18% ABV, it’s perfect for a little extra warmth on cold nights. Made from bittersweet apples and given a lengthy cask-aging, Harvest Ration is usually not available until a year after the initial harvest of the fruit!
Square Mile Rosé Apple Cider
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Think rosé cider is just for summer? No way! You can enjoy crispy pink cider all year long, as far as we’re concerned. Square Mile‘s Rosé Apple Cider, made with rose hips and hibiscus flowers, is created with Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious and Johnny Gold apples, picked and pressed by hand in Oregon. This is a nicely balanced beverage fermented with a lager yeast, resulting in both sweet and tart flavors and a refreshing finish.
Snow Capped Honeycrisp Cider
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Made from the much-hyped dessert apple, Snow Capped’s Honeycrisp contains the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity to create a truly one-of-a-kind taste experience. You’ll also notice a hint of molasses, to sweeten and satisfy. All of Snow Capped Cider’s products are created using apples grown on its family farm, which is over 100 years old. Its Colorado altitude of 6,180 feet means warm days and cool nights, creating the perfect conditions for growing superior apples.
What ciders are you extra excited about drinking right now? Let us know in the comments!
- Feature Photo: Alexandra Whitney Photography