Top Five Ciders of the Season
Harvest season has arrived, and along with the hordes of gourds (i.e. pumpkin beers) and other that are filling tasting glasses across the nation comes beer’s boozy cousin made from America’s favorite fruit: cider.
Out of about 50 cider varieties that have been pouring on various iPourIt systems across the country, these are the top five that bar-goers have been serving themselves the most.
Ace Pineapple Cider
Hailing from California’s Bay Area since 1993, California Cider Company claims to be the first family-owned cider company in the U.S., and among their portfolio of Ace brand ciders is Ace Pineapple Cider, the first pineapple cider ever sold in the modern world. We can see why cider drinkers at iPourIt’s client bars around the country have chosen this inventive fermented beverage as their favorite cider of the season—sweet up front, slightly tart at the finish, and at a refreshing 5% ABV, Ace Pineapple Cider is a good one to grab any time, in any climate.
Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider
Angry Orchard has been developing cider recipes for 20 years, but their best this season is still their first: Crisp Apple. Sipping one of these sweet, ciders is like biting into an apple itself, combining sweetness with autumnally-appropriate acidity and dryness at a reasonable 5% ABV. Available year-round, this American cider combines four culinary apples and five French bittersweet apples, making for a refreshing experience every time.
Ace Hard Pumpkin Cider
Another from California Cider Company’s Ace Premuim Craft Ciders lineup is this seasonally available pumpkin pie in a bottle. Available throughout the fall only, Ace Pumpkin is flavored with cinnamon, cloves and allspice to recreate true pumpkin pie flavors, pairing well with anything from Thanksgiving dinner to a night out on the porch. Also weighing in at 5% ABV, although rich and full-flavored, each taste of Ace Pumpkin Cider will leave you wanting more.
2 Towns Ciderhouse Hollow Jack
This limited release unfiltered pumpkin cider from 2 Towns Ciderhouse of Corvallis, Oregon is slightly boozier than the rest (6.4% ABV), but no less refreshing: fresh-pressed apples, caramelized heirloom pumpkins and sweet potatoes combine with a touch of honey and spices to make it a seriously delicious seasonal brew.
Colorado Cider Co. Gilder Cider
Denver’s Colorado Cider Company finishes out the list with their Gilder Cider, the company’s flagship. This one offers both aroma and flavor of just-sliced apples, balancing light sweetness with a hint of tart acidity that make this selection one of the dryer on the list. All juice, gluten free and 6.5% ABV, we wouldn’t miss the chance to pour a taste of this one.
What ciders have you been loving this fall? Tell us in the comments, and see if it’s pouring on an iPourIt draft system near you.
