Review: Angry Orchard Easy Apple Hard Cider
Angry Orchard Easy Apple Hard Cider was first introduced as part of their August-December Fall variety 12 pack. It is also available on a limited basis in 6 packs of 12 Oz. bottles. Easy Apple is made with Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Gala Culinary apples, and Dabinett, Harry Master Jersey, Frequin Rouge, and Bisquet French Bittersweet apples. Easy Apple is described as a light and easy to drink unfiltered hard cider. Read more 
Review: Bold Rock Carolina Apple Hard Cider
Bold Rock Carolina Apple Hard Cider is one of 10 hard cider varieties crafted at their cider barn in Nellysford Virginia and the Mills River Cidery just outside of Asheville North Carolina. Bold Rock produced their first cider in 2012 and today they are the largest independently owned craft cider company in the US. Bold Rock Carolina Apple is crafted from apples grown in orchards in the Blue Ridge mountains. Read more
Review: Strongbow Red Berries Hard Apple Cider
Strongbow Red Berries Hard Apple Cider was introduced March 2015. It is sold in their 12 pack variety pack which includes three bottles each of Strongbow Red Berries, Ginger, Gold Apple, and Honey and Apple. The Strongbow brand was launched in England in 1962 and it was acquired by Heineken in 2008. The apples used to create Strongbow cider are grown to produce cider and nothing else. Once harvested the apples are washed and crushed and the pure juice is extracted. After fermentation and filtering natural red berry flavors are blended before bottling. Read more
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: 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: 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: Johnny Appleseed Caramel Apple Hard Cider
Johnny Appleseed Caramel Apple Hard cider was just introduced along with their Spiced Hard Apple Cider. It is only available in their new seasonal variety 12 packs that also include four bottles of their Original cider. While their Original was my highest rated hard cider, when you publish a daily alcohol blog, you have few opportunities to enjoy your favorite beverages. I was very excited to hear that Johnny Appleseed would be brewing 2 new flavors each season. Caramel Apple is made with hard cider with natural and artificial flavors added. It is bottled in Baldwinsville New York at a brewery originally built in 1976 to brew Schlitz beer. Read more
Review: Johnny Appleseed Spiced Hard Apple Cider
Johnny Appleseed Spiced Hard Apple cider was just introduced along with their Caramel Hard Apple cider. It is only available in their new variety 12 packs that also include four bottles of Original Johnny Appleseed. This is my 400th review and since my most viewed post is my review of the Original Johnny Appleseed, it seems appropriate that my 400th review is their first line extension. It is made with hard cider with natural and artificial flavors added. While Anheuser Busch brews beer at all twelve US breweries, Johnny Appleseed is currently only brewed at their Baldwinsville New York location. This is the same brewery where they launched their Bud Light Lime-a-Rita malt beverage line, and where they currently brew their Michelob Ultra Light Cider, and Stella Cidre. Read more
Review: Woodchuck 802 Hard Cider
Woodchuck 802 Hard cider was introduced in 1993. It was the second of what now number six core cider flavors made in Middlebury Vermont by the Vermont Hard Cider Company. It was originally called Dark and Dry but later changed the name to 802, the area code of Vermont. It is made with locally grown apples that are fresh pressed. The juice is transferred into a fermentation tank with Champaign yeast and caramelized sugar. The caramelized sugar creates the ciders color and replaces the white sugar used in their other ciders. This process takes several weeks. The cider is then sent through a crossflow filter where it is cold filtered. After cold filtering the hard cider is put into a blending tank where natural flavors are added before bottling. Read more
Review: Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider
Angry Orchard Crisp Apple cider is one of three ciders the Boston Beer Company, the makers of Sam Adams beer launched the company with in 2011. They have added a forth flavor, Green Apple, to complete their Core line of year round ciders. They also offer two seasonal ciders. After only a couple years on the market Angry Orchard is the best selling cider in the US. AO Crisp is made with hand selected bittersweet apples from France and culinary apples from Italy. These apples are pressed and mashed before white wine yeast is added and a lengthy fermentation begins. Read more