Cider (27 reviews)
Louisburg Cider Mill Sparkling Apple-Cranberry Cider
One of my favorite things about traveling/touring is finding and trying regional beverages. Recently I found myself in a crappy little grocery store at 2am in Kansas looking for something to satisfy my hunger. There was no “natural” section to speak of, and hardly any vegetarian selections except for crappy chips and actual vegetables that I had no means to cook. Things were looking grim, and then I stumbled across a little display of these sparkling ciders. My night started to look up, but I left the store with a bag of flavored rice cakes and this bottle of cider. Sure I went to bed hungry that night, but I had a good taste on my tongue.
This is not a spiced cider, and I can only assume that they grow a different breed of apples in the Midwest than in Buffalo, so it ended up tasting more like a sparkling cran-apple juice than sparkling cider to me. I’m okay with that. It was still delicious. Basically if you give me a bottle of any juice that is carbonated with no added sugar, I am going to love it. The cranberry juice isn’t very strong, so the apples do most of the work. Apples: The backbone of America.
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper on 4/10/2013
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McCutcheon's Cherry Cider
It is important to note that this is firstly cider and secondly cherry flavored. That is the way these types of drinks should be. A lot of flavored ciders use too much of the flavoring and it completely takes over the taste, and ruins a perfectly wonderful fall drink. Did I say this was a seasonal drink? Not anymore my friends. I've had cider "out of season" before and it has always left me disappointed. McCutcheon's has broken the mold as this has the most authentic apple cider flavor that I have ever tasted for mass consumption single serving bottles.
Also important is that the cherry flavoring actually tastes like cherries and not cold medicine. It's shocking what you can accomplish just by using actual fruit. This is of such a high quality that I would not have been surprised if I had discovered that it was made by Cherry Republic, and that means a lot in my world.
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Categories
- Cider
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper on 12/4/2012
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Blossom Valley Sweet Apple Cider
I'm surprised Jason hadn't already reviewed this, seeing it's made in his backyard. Well not literally his backyard, but his stomping grounds of West Seneca. New York has the best cider in the country (that I’ve had). I don't know what it is about the apples here, but they make incredible cider and I moved back at just the right time, when gallons of it are everywhere and on sale.
Blossom Valley is no different either. This cider is a prime example of how delicious apple cider from Western New York can be. I may be biased since I grew up here, but I stand by it.
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland on 11/26/2012
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Nature's Nectar Sparkling Spiced Pumpkin Cider
Would you look at that bottle? Seriously, just look at it. It’s a work of art. This is the type of bottle that draws me into the fancy beer section even though I don’t drink. Now Mike hands me a sparkling cider (that is pumpkin flavored no less) and tells me that it’s safe for consumption. Well I am one happy camper. My letters home to mom won’t be full of tears this time around. The kicker is that Mike found this in the most unlikely of places: Aldi. That’s right, a budget, cost effective store has the fanciest bottle of cider I have ever set my eyes on.
When I popped the top, oh and how the top popped, I took a big sniff and was concerned to note that it smelled of Worchester sauce with some spices in it. My expectations fell through the floor. I had a friend smell it as well and he said he had a similar reaction. Oh well, down the hatch it went. I felt weird drinking this from the bottle, as I felt like I should pour it into a fancy glass, but you do what you have to do, and I had to try this instantly. Luckily the scent had nothing to do with the flavor at all. It’s labeled as a pumpkin cider, but it’s really just a nicely spiced apple cider with a tiny bit of pumpkin flavor mixed in. It’s probably for the best, as I could see too much pumpkin being over powering. The best part of the flavor is that cinnamon isn’t the prime spice like it normally is in cider. It’s there, but it’s not the all-powerful Oz or anything like that. If I had to pick a prominent “spice” it would have to be ginger. There’s no burn to it (oh god that would have been the best. Simply the best. Better than all the rest.) but the flavor of ginger is there and I love Nature’s Nectar for it. I also love them because I would expect this to be around the $4/$5 mark, but I looked online and it’s only $2. I’m going to have to pick a couple up before the season is over.
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Cane Sugar
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper on 11/10/2012
- Comments
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Nature's Nectar Cider Spiced Cherry
'tis the season for cider. Finally. Look, I like fall because I like hoodies but I love cider and forget about it until it's everywhere and I think "Hey! Cider season really snuck up on us." I enjoy most ciders and I don't know if I've had a bad one. Maybe it's because it's a tougher drink, potentially perishable, and not really indigenous to most areas. The Northeast where two-thirds of the Thirsty Dudes live is chocked full of apples. That being said, I don't know where this drink is actually made since I'm not looking at the bottle. It was from Aldi's and is their home brand if that helps narrow down the location.
With the addition of cherry, I was hooked. It had to be good. You are probably expecting me to dis it now, right? You know me. Always taking you one way and spinning you around the other way. Pulling an old Mike 180 on you. Well, I'm not always that predictable because this was actually pretty good. No added sugar, 100% juice, decent cider taste, not a medicinal cherry taste. That's a recipe for something truly special and delicious. It wasn't as spiced as I would have wanted but that's just me being a snob. It was still good and I have no legitimate complaints.
This was probably a steal at the store, seasonal, delicious, and a decent juice. In the end, you win any way you look at it. Aldi's...seriously...keep it up. You're doing wonderfully.
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Categories
- Cider
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Mike Literman on 10/24/2012
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Columbia Gorge Pure Pressed Amazing Ginger Apple Cider
Fall is here and so is cider. I love apple cider! It's 1000 times better than normal/boring apple juice. If you disagree then I'm sorry, but we can't be friends. Cider in the Pacific Northwest (at least in Portland) isn't as common as it is in Western New York. This is sad, but don't worry I’m surviving.
Leave it to Columbia Gorge to come up with this beautiful bottle of deliciousness. What are even better are the ingredients: Apples, Ginger Juice. That's it! Two ingredients!! And it's organic on top of it.
The best part is that it tastes EXACTLY how I imagined it was going to. It's a really nice clean and crisp apple cider, with a great ginger burn in the after taste. It doesn't seem that strong at first, but once it hit my stomach, it was strong. Personally I would have love to have had more ginger in this so it was really intense, but I understand they are trying to please everyone and I’m sure most people don't have the ginger tolerance that me and the other Thirsty Dudes have. I hope more companies follow their lead and make cider with ginger in it.
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland on 10/18/2012
- Comments
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Red Jacket Orchards Apple Cider
Sir, I’m sorry but I cannot let you in with your current attire, as this is a Red Jacket party. Yes, I know that the party is for the company Red Jacket Orchards, but they wanted to take it to the next level. The idea behind it was that “black tie” affairs are far too stuffy, but it would be fun to have a party where everyone just wore red jackets. If you want we have some extra coats here, since we knew people wouldn’t get the idea. You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to find red suit coats in this town. All I could find was this array of “jackets.” Yes, I had to take liberty with the word jacket and a bunch of these are actually coats and other. Sir, you are kind of a big man, so this parka looks like it will be the only one that will fit you. I know it’s the middle of August, but you need to ask yourself, “Do I really want to go into this party? Is the juice worth it?” Before you answer reach into the pocket of the parka. I believe there is a small bottle of Red Jacket apple cider in there. Taste that and then choose your fate. Well that sounded dramatic. Just taste the juice and then either put on the parka, or be on your merry way. It’s that simple.
Well it took only one sip and you’re all parkaed up. Sir, you don’t have to zip it up all the way. All that is required is that you have the jacket on. I know the juice/cider is delicious. I do work for the company, I’m not just some hired gun here to sling out jackets at the front gate. I also know that it is kind of weird to drink cider in the summer. It’s traditionally an autumn drink, but its not written on any law books that it must be drank during a certain season. The juice is sweet and appley just like a cider should be. It does taste a little lighter than most other Western New York ciders I’ve had, but I’ll blame that on the season and the apples that must have been used to make it. It doesn’t make it gross by any means. Obviously it’s a completely wonderful juice as you are willing to don a parka in 95 degree weather just for a chance to drink some more of it. No sir, I don’t think you are dumb at all. If our positions were reversed I’d be doing the same thing. I mean where else are you going to find a more than decent cider at this time of year? The answer is nowhere. Now get in there and drink juice until your heart is content.
- Website
- http://www.redjacketjuice.com/
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper on 4/11/2012
- Comments
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Columbia Gorge Pure Pressed Apple Cider
Ever since I moved back to Portland, it has been cold. Sure we've had a few days where it hit 55-60 degrees, but for the most part it has been chilly. Since it has been feeling like fall, I've had a craving for apple cider. In Buffalo, it's hard to find cider when in the winter or spring. Luckily, I stumbled upon this bottle of Columbia Gorge. Oh Columbia Gorge, how I missed you. This is my favorite juice company in the Pacific North West and they rarely let me down.
On the other hand, I'm really picky when it comes to apple cider. I've never had cider as good as the stuff made in central and western New York. That is, until now. This cider is fantastic, and reminds of a lot of my favorite ciders back home. It has the perfect tart taste, with lots of flavor too. I thought I had to give up pure apple cider when I decided to move back to Portland, but I’m glad to find out that I was wrong.
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland on 4/5/2012
- Comments
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Zeiglers Sparkling Cider
So it's finally 2012. According to the Mayans it's the beginning of the end. Their highly accurate calendar ends on December 21, 2012. I for one say so be it. The end of the world has to be more exciting than most anything else this world has to offer. Have you ever seen disaster movies? There's never a dull moment. I'm rooting for earthquakes and tidal waves. A new ice age would be terrible. Who wants to be cold, even in death? I'm not saying one way or another if it's true, or if I really care either way. The Thirsty Dudes way is the path of apathy. Funnyman John Hodgman claims to have seen a Mayan calendar and it's secret is that it is full of sexy Mayan firemen. I wonder if those same firemen will usher in the impending apocalypse.
At the beginning of the possible end the only thing to do is to celebrate. I did so by DJing a party at Buffalo's finest dive bar, Mohawk Place. While a majority of the clientele were numbing themselves with beer and liquor, I was filling my bladder with sweet, sweet sparkling apple cider. I half expected it to be gross as I purchased it at a markdown store for a single dollar. Sometimes wonderful things come at a minimum price. This was a quality apple cider that actually tasted like cider and not just apple juice. Naturally sweet. Naturally delicious. This is the kind of sparkling cider we should use to shower the firemen when the end is neigh.
- Website
- http://www.zeiglers.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper on 1/1/2012
- Comments
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Les Celliers Associes Organic Red Berry
You don't need to celebrate only good things. You can celebrate when bad things stop, or apologies. I guess those are good things, but it's not like, "Sally got a raise! Let's celebrate." I'm talking about things like "The dog stopped peeing on the carpet. Cause to celebrate." or, in my case, yesterday was a rough one. My boss yelled at me. Yeah, I was to blame, but it was the client that was making unrealistic demands and calling him every ten minutes saying, "Why doesn't this work? Why doesn't that work?" Literally, every ten minutes for five hours. If it wasn’t such a high-power client, we would tell them what's what, but because of that, I felt the brunt of his rage.
I tried to make it up to him, which I think was successful, by buying him a doughnut and letting him celebrate with me about it not being yesterday. After five minutes of trying to get the G.D. cork off, we got it and it was bottoms up.
Taste? Fruity, but it didn't have a certain sharpness that I like in my non-alcoholic champagne. I know, I know. I'm hardly a connoisseur, but I've had my share of celebratory celebrations and I've had my share of faux champagne. It's got great flavor, as I mentioned, and is just right for two people to celebrate something like a dental cleaning, B on a science test, or good meal.
- Website
- http://www.valderance.com/
- Country
- France
- Sweetener
- No Sugar Added
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Mike Literman on 11/17/2011
- Comments
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