Review: Angry Orchard Summer Honey
Angry Orchard Summer Honey hard cider was just released. It is one of three seasonal ciders they craft in Cincinnati and it is available from March-August each year. They start with apples picked fully ripe and then stored for up to one month in porous boxes to increase the sugar content. The apples are washed and shredded. Electric hydraulic presses are used to press the pulp into juice. Wine yeast is added to the juice and then a lengthy fermentation process follows where the cider is wood aged. Wildflower honey is added post fermentation. Read more 
Review: Strongbow Ginger Hard Apple Cider
Strongbow Ginger Hard Apple Cider was introduced March 2015 along with their Red Berries Hard Cider. It is available in 12 pack variety packs. The Strongbow brand was launched in England by the HP Bulmer Co. in 1962. In 2008 it was acquired by Heineken. Heineken also acquired the Stassen Ciders Co August 2012. Strongbow Ginger is made at Stassen in Aubel Belgium with apples, yeast, fresh sliced ginger and other natural flavors. Read more
Review: Gumption Woodchuck Hard Cider
Gumption Woodchuck Hard Cider will be introduced in March. I was lucky enough to get my hands on some a little early. It will be available on draft in May. Legendary showman PT Barnum is the inspiration for this cider. His likeness is pictured on each bottle. He once noted, “everybody drank cider-spirits called gumption.” It will be available year round and it is one of eight ciders in their year round Core Series of ciders. Their other new addition to this series is Local Nectar, and that is currently only available in Vermont and Michigan. It is crafted with the juice from common eating apples and European Bittersweet apples and it is bottled at 5.5% alcohol. Read more
Review: Crown Valley Blackberry Hard Cider
Crown Valley Blackberry hard cider is one of five hard ciders crafted in a converted school house in Ste. Genevieve Missouri. The other flavors include Strawberry, Pumpkin, Ginger Bread, and Apple. They also brew several beers, distill several spirits, and create several wines. Their Blackberry cider is made with hard apple cider that is infused with Midwest grown blackberries. Read more
Review: Woodchuck Cheeky Cherry Hard Cider
Woodchuck Cheeky Cherry Hard cider was previously part of their Cellar Series of ciders and it was then called Sour Cherry. Now renamed it is the third member of their Out on a Limb cider series. Each of these ciders are available for 45-60 days. Cheeky Cherry is crafted with common eating and bittersweet apples that are fresh pressed and blended with Champaign yeast to start the fermentation process. After cold filtration dried tart cherries from Michigan are infused directly into the cider base. Belgian cherry juice is added to the final blend before bottling at 5.5% alcohol. Read more
Review: Angry Orchard Hop n Mad Apple Cider
Angry Orchard Hop n Mad Apple Cider was just introduced in six packs. It has been available on draft. This is their fifth year round core cider flavor. They start with apples picked fully ripe and then stored for up to one month in porous boxes to increase the sugar content. The apple are then washed and shredded. Electric hydraulic presses are used to press the pulp into juice. Wine yeast is added to the juice and then a lengthy fermentation process follows where the cider is wood aged. Strisselspalt, and Galaxy Hops are added post fermentation in a process known as dry hopping in craft beers. They claim this provides all the hop goodness and none of the hop bitterness. Read more
Review: Possmann Pure Cider
Possmann Pure Cider is made with apples grown in the Hessen region of Germany from 800 local orchards. These apples are harvested washed and pressed. The juice is filtered and then stored in tanks before the fermentation process begins. It is crafted with hard apple cider, apple juice from concentrate and sugar. Read more
Review: McKenzies Seasonal Reserve Hard Cider
McKenzies Seasonal Reserve Hard cider is one of six hard ciders they brew with cider from Mayer Brothers in West Seneca New York. Sourcing apples should not be an issue as New York State is the second largest producer of apples in the US. Seasonal Reserve is crafted with natural nutmeg and cinnamon and bottled at 5% alcohol. Read more
Review: Seattle Cider Semi Sweet Hard Cider
Seattle Cider Semi Sweet hard cider was introduced with their Dry cider September 2013. It is made by the founders of Two Beers Brewing Company. They start with hand picked Granny Smith, Fuji, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Gala apples from Eastern Washington. They add white wine yeast, and pure cane sugar. After fermentation it is filtered for clarification before aging for at least two weeks in a tank. They sell this cider on draft and in 16 Oz. cans. Read more
Review: Kiss Cherry Cider
Kiss Cherry Cider is one of six hard cider flavors they create in Lithuania. The brand was launched in 2001 at the Saku Brewery. The other flavors include apple, strawberry, pear, peach, and blueberry-raspberry. It is made with fermented apple juice, pear juice and cherry juice and is sold in 16 Oz. cans. In 2008 they were acquired by The Carlsberg Group. Read more