11 Best Hard Apple Ciders, According To Customer Reviews

Whether you're a fall apple cider person or someone who likes it year-round, label-reading alone doesn't always tell you whether you're choosing just an okay hard apple cider or one that's truly going to knock your socks off. That first taste of a really great hard apple cider is something you don't forget, and the ones on this list are the ones customers come back to buy again and again.

If you've been stuck on just one cider brand or only what your grocery store carries, you might not have realized how wide the range of options is. You've got ones that focus just on really great apples, ones that include other fruits, and ones that even play with the concept by adding unexpected ingredients like tannins and spicy heat. 

There are also ones with different sweetness levels. Three on our list are sweet, three are dry, and five seem balanced between the two extremes. Of course, you'll see some mainstream ciders on this list that appeal to the masses, but you'll also likely see some in categories that will broaden your hard apple cider horizons. These eleven hard apple ciders are ones that customers seem to love most, talk about positively on social media, and give the highest ratings.

If you've tried a hard apple cider, chances are it was Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider, as we've seen this one shows up as the default in grocery stores, liquor stores, bars, and restaurants. Don't think that just because it's a mainstream hard apple cider that it's not good. It's a crowd-pleaser and a good intro to hard apple cider. Plenty of people count it as their favorite and say it's the best apple cider they've ever tried. It doesn't hurt that it's on the sweet side, which is probably the reason people who consider themselves serious cider connoisseurs like to hate on it. Still, it absolutely belongs on this list because of its popularity.

The company advertises it as providing the same flavor experience that you'd get from biting into a crisp, fresh apple. Customers agree that the flavor has a crispness. Since it reminds them of apple juice, some people don't see it as a true cider, which can often offer a yeasty flavor.

This cider uses both culinary and cider apples so that the flavor is more balanced between sweet and tart. Customers tend to categorize it as a medium-sweet cider and find it to be smooth, light, and refreshing. For this one, you shouldn't expect a craft-level cider but one that's become the standard for mass appeal. Its ABV (alcohol by volume) is 5%, which is about the same amount as a regular beer.

When people think of Irish hard apple cider, Magners Irish Hard Cider is usually the first that comes to mind. So, it can be very nostalgic for those who have lived in or visited Ireland. For many, it's the gold standard of hard dry apple ciders, especially for those looking for a more European-style cider rather than a sweet U.S.-style one.

Magners considers its cider to be "Ireland's only truly authentic cider." The company first sold this hard apple cider in Clonmel, Ireland, in 1935, changing the idea of cider from a thick, dark drink to a refreshing, thirst-quenching drink served over ice. The company set out to offer a well-balanced flavor that wasn't too sweet or too acidic by choosing 17 different apples for its flavor mix. Its ABV (alcohol by volume) is 4.5%, placing it between a light and regular beer.

Reviewers say the flavor is closer to a dry cider or champagne than an overly sweet cider that's just a fizzy apple juice. It's smooth, tastes great over ice, and has plenty of crisp, tart apple flavor from all the apple varieties included. Compared to Angry Orchard, this one often wins, but of course it depends on what you're looking for in a cider. The good news is that this is popular enough to be found in many bars, restaurants, and even grocery stores in some areas of the U.S.

Strongbow Hard Cider Original Dry is a British hard apple cider that fans find has a perfect balance of flavor. This is a favorite for those looking for a cider that doesn't come across as overly sweet, as many U.S. ciders are. It often serves as a gateway cider for those discovering dry ciders. Interestingly, it's a mainstream cider that people like to hate on in the U.K., just like Angry Orchard is the mainstream one people like to hate on in the U.S. Yet, it's often beloved here across the pond for being different. Unfortunately, in the U.S., it's hard to find in stock.

While Strongbow has other apple cider flavors, it's Strongbow hard cider original dry that continues to have the highest ratings. The company boasts that it makes its ciders without any artificial flavors or sweeteners. While this is a dry cider, reviewers find that it's also not too dry. Granted, there is some sweetness.

This is another cider that reviewers describe as being light, refreshing, and crisp. As such, it's delightful when served extremely cold on a hot day. They say it has a good balance between being slightly sweet and slightly tart. Gordon Ramsay likes to use it in his favorite cocktail: the Wake Up, You Donkey. With an ABV of 5%, the alcohol content is similar to a regular beer.

With cider often hitting the shelves in the fall during spooky season, we'd not be surprised if many people try this cider for the first time just because of its excellent gothic can design featuring a black widow spider. Those who enjoy apple ciders mixed with other fruits also gravitate toward this one, as it features blackberries along with New York apples. However, it's not as sweet as many in this category. It often appears on people's favorite cider lists. Unfortunately, this is one you have to seek out rather than one you can easily find in a grocery store.

The combination of apples and blackberries makes this cider not only delightfully fruity but also briskly tart. Yet, reviewers don't find it overly sweet as you might expect from a fruit-infused cider. Some find the apple and blackberry notes well balanced, while others mainly detect the blackberry notes. It's deep and rich, yet refreshing and crisp. It's also not overly fizzy, nor does it have an overwhelming alcohol note. However, it does have some champagne-yeasty notes. All of those attributes together mean this beverage is often loved by people who aren't normally cider fans. With an ABV of 6%, the alcohol level is somewhere between a regular beer and a craft beer.

Those who like their hard apple cider to be tart often turn to Bold Rock apple hard cider. It combines the flavors of Blue Ridge apples with the well-known tartness of Granny Smith apples to provide sharp, tangy acidity. Fans of this cider have found it at bars but also in stores. It's considered a less-sweet-than-usual mainstream cider. While it's easy to find in some areas, it can be rarer in others.

Reviewers describe it as being clean, crisp, light, and refreshing with champagne-like bubbles. Some find it to be so smooth and easy to drink that they sometimes find themselves downing several ciders before they know it. While it's tart, people describe it as being less tart than some apple juice. It's supposed to fall close to the middle ground between dry and sweet. How sweet it is seems to depend on your point of view, with some people thinking of it as a sweet cider while others think the sweetness is more low-key and closer to dry than sweet. It probably depends on whether you're used to European-style or U.S.-style ciders. With an ABV of 4.7%, the alcohol level is between that of a light and a regular beer.

McKenzie's is a New York apple cider company, and its black cherry hard cider beautifully combines the flavors of apple and cherry. There's no question that this cider is on the sweet side. If you manage to find it out in the wild, you'll want to grab some because it's not always easy to find, and it might become a fave. Some people have mentioned running across it in bars and liquor stores, though.

This is a more amber-colored cider than some of the others on the list. Yet reviewers still say it has a smooth, crisp, light, and refreshing quality. It's also tart and bold enough that some people feel like one is quite enough. However, beware if you're not a lover of sweet, fruity ciders because we've seen fans of this drink compare it to a fruit cup, juice, or cherry soda. The jury is out, though, on whether the cherry in it tastes like cherry cough syrup; some say it does, others say it doesn't. While there's certainly a cherry flavor to it, some people say you don't really detect the alcohol, even though it's at 5% ABV (a regular beer level). It's also one that is best served ice-cold.

Downeast cider donuts pretty much taste like a drinkable apple cider donut. If that idea appeals to you, you'll want to be on the lookout for this fun hard apple cider. If you're a fan of the drink or the donut, you might want to grab multiple packs, as this flavor sometimes lasts only a few hours on the shelf before it sells out. It's that popular. The good news is that you can find out where this seasonal, limited-availability cider is sold within 100 miles of your location (or less) by checking out the company's website. Also, if your state allows it, Downeast is willing to ship it straight to your door so that you don't miss out during cider donut season.

Apple cider donuts are a fairly modern New England tradition that started in New York City in the 1920s. The idea spread beyond the city to East Coast apple orchard owners who offered these donuts to hungry visitors. With its cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar flavorings, along with the hard apple cider base, reviewers find the flavor experience is very much like eating an apple cider donut. Yet, in drink format, it's far more refreshing. Lovers of this drink say that the flavors blend together very well. It's pleasantly spicy and has just the right level of sweetness without being too sweet. It also has an ABV of 5.2%, putting it just above regular beer.

Wölffer No. 139 dry rosé hard cider is a cider for wine lovers. Since the company that makes this hard cider is known for its wine vineyards and doesn't have its own apple orchard, it's not too surprising that its cider is more wine-like. Still, the company keeps things local, using a blend of six New York apples for its ciders — one of which comes from an orchard less than five miles away.

While apple-based, it contains wine yeast that aids fermentation. Despite being cider, it still reminds its fans of rosé wine, especially in its tannic finish. Still, this rosé hard cider is very light, smooth, crisp, and goes down easily. As the name suggests, it's a dry cider. Some reviewers consider it very dry, while others say that it's not overly dry. However, everyone can agree that it's not a sweet cider at all. Since it's not sweet, you shouldn't expect the same thing as with Angry Orchard's rosé hard cider. On the other hand, fans of the likely-to-be-discontinued Stella Artois Cidre say it's a good alternative for them.

At 6.9% ABV, it has a higher alcohol content than any other hard apple cider on our list. It provides more of a buzz than the average craft beer, but it still won't affect you as much as a glass of white wine will.

Those who tend to gravitate toward sweet hard apple ciders that feature another fruit are often drawn to try Ciderboys Strawberry Magic and end up falling in love with it. The nice thing is that it's available year-round, which means you don't have to wait until cider season to look for it. And based on what reviewers have to say, once they taste it at a beer garden, bar, hotel, or restaurant, they become quick converts and keep an eye out for it.

Strawberries may not appear on the ingredient list for this beverage, but the strawberry flavor is very prominent, and all the ingredients are natural. The sweetness seems to be at just the right level for most people, not being too cloying but also not crossing over into the territory of being too dry. The beverage also provides a nice tartness and crispness.

Ciderboys has many hard cider flavors, but this one seems to get the most love. Their cider is also at 5% ABV, the same as a regular beer.

Superstition Blueberry Spaceship is the only violet-colored apple cider on our list. Not only is it the only one that comes in a wine bottle, but it also costs around $25 per bottle in some places. So, a lot of people seem to buy it for special occasions, like to share at holiday celebrations. Back when RateBeer still existed, this cider hit the number-one spot among ciders. One reviewer at Total Wine who counts this as the best cider they've ever had said, "If I was stranded in a desert and offered a glass of water or a glass of this cider, I would choose the cider."

Blueberry is the star of this cider, but it also has a tannic quality that Granny Smith apple peels lend. There's also some tartness. Plus, it has added depth from a dark muscovado sugar sweetener. Its fruitiness is like eating fresh fruit. It's also sweet, as you'd expect. It also has plenty of fizzy bubbles. The ABV is 5.5%, just above that of a regular beer.

Something fun to note is that if you happen to visit the Superstition Meadery in Prescott, Arizona, it also has a restaurant. And at that restaurant, if you're lucky, you might find blueberry spaceship cider as a slushy. 

You may never have thought you needed apple cider infused with juicy mangoes and spicy habanero peppers, but Blake's El Chavo has changed many people's minds about that. Many try it once and find themselves hooked. It might not be available all year, but it's certainly appreciated when it's back.

It's fruity, sweet, and spicy, balanced in just the right amounts without crossing into being too sweet or too spicy. You feel a slight warmth as the cider goes down your throat, but it's not overwhelming. Some reviewers lament that it's not as spicy as it used to be, but most people think it's at just the right level. Overall, it's light and refreshing. Some reviewers like to pair it with Mexican food to bring out the flavors.

At least at one point, customers were finding this drink at Walmart. So, it might not be as difficult to chase down as you might expect if it pops back up there. At 6.5% ABV, this is the cider on our list with the second-highest alcohol content, coming close to what you'd normally find in a craft beer.

One problem with hard ciders is that so many are regional, with many orchards mainly selling locally. When you look at a social media forum of people talking about their favorite hard apple ciders, there are a lot of one-offs. 

What we tried to do was find ones that were widely available enough to show up on grocery and liquor store websites, with a decent number of reviews. That was more difficult than we initially thought, since most ciders don't have hundreds or thousands of reviews like more mass-produced items do. After all, many of these ciders are seasonal and in limited supply to begin with. In the end, we chose the highest-rated hard apple ciders with ratings of 4.5 or higher, for which we found the most reviews. 

We also wanted to ensure these were the ones people were talking about on social media. So, these aren't just one-offs, and if you're lucky, you may be able to find some of these on the shelf or on a menu to try during apple cider season. There are certainly some on this list we'd like to try now.