Each fall season, citizens of Youngstown and the surrounding area head to White House Fruit Farm to stock up on apple cider. Fall is the perfect time for drinking cider, and it inspired brewers to expand their lineup of hard apple cider.
Sadly, many people don’t enjoy the taste of beer, so they turn to wine coolers or other alcoholic beverages to indulge in. Hard ciders are a great alternative to beer and mixed drinks.
Hard cider is mainly brewed using apple or pear juice. Companies like Woodchuck and Angry Orchard Cider Company have an array of different flavored hard apple ciders that will please your taste buds. This season brings new flavors of the cider style that will leave many wanting more.
Woodchuck is a prominent hard cider brewery that might be considered the most popular. Their most well-known ciders are amber, granny smith and crisp.
Woodchuck releases a limited release cider each season to accommodate with the changing of the weather.
Woodchuck Fall, part of their limited release series, is a hard apple cider brewed with American white oak, cinnamon and nutmeg. The wood addition adds a unique flavor unlike any other. Notes of cinnamon and nutmeg are consistent throughout the entire beverage, producing a unique combination of fall flavors.
Another cider featuring the flavors of fall is Ace Hard Pumpkin Cider. This unique concoction of pumpkins and allspice is arguably the best cider that I have ever tasted. The pumpkin flavor is a great alternative to traditional hard ciders that are brewed with fruit.
Notable Hard Ciders
Fox Barrel Pear Cider is another alternative to apple ciders. The pear flavor gives it a unique taste that is quite delicious. Fox Barrel Pear has a distinct dry taste that will remind you of champagne. This hard cider is light and refreshing, and it will please your taste buds with every last drop.
Michelob Ultra Light Cider is another take on the hard cider style. Michelob’s version has a huge sour apple flavor followed by a smooth and refreshing finish. This is a light cider that is low in calories and gluten free. It aims to provide active people with a beverage they can afford to drink.
Woodchuck 802, named after the area code in Vermont, is another dry-tasting cider made with caramelized sugar. By caramelizing the sugar, the cider obtains a dark amber hue that is different than any other cider I have come across. The initial taste is slightly dry, but you will notice a tart and sour aftertaste.
