Hard ciders are among the most popular drinks in the world and that doesn’t surprise anybody when they taste so good.
Hard ciders always taste fruity because they are after all made from fruit juice, but depending on the fruit, yeast, water, and making techniques, ciders can vary in sweetness and have tart and astringent flavors. Most ciders are also highly carbonated which contributes to the champagne-like sensation.
There are more than a few types of ciders on the market, so you can find sweet, uncarbonated hard ciders, highly carbonated sweet or dry ciders, sour ciders, ciders with added spices or hops, and more.
Ciders usually don’t contain high alcohol levels as they usually 3-8% ABV, so a high alcohol taste is rarely found in ciders, and even in highly alcoholic ciders, the sweetness and carbonation overwhelm the alcohol taste.
Some ciders taste sour, some bitter, and some just sweet
Ciders can be very sour, very sweet, bitter, or a combination of any of these tastes.
Although ciders can be made from many fruit types, the most popular choice are apples.
Apples alone come in varieties and depending on what apple variety cider makers use, the taste will be determined.
For instance, apples such as Granny Smith, Spartan, or Bramley’s Seedling are high in acidity and low in sugar content, so a cider made from these sharp apples will taste very sour.
Apples such as Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, or Dabinett have high amounts of sugar and low acidity but plenty of tannins which will make the cider bitter.
Moreover, there are also high acidity, medium sugar, and highly bitter apples like Foxwhelp, or very sweet, low acidity, and non-bitter apples like Jonathan or Golden Delicious!
Each of these apple varieties just like it’s the case with other fruits will contribute to the unique taste of ciders!
What does young cider taste like?
Young cider tastes like any other cider, but in some cases, the young cider might have a more pronounced tart or alcoholic taste. These, sometimes harsh flavors mellow over time, so it’s important to age certain cider types.
However, ciders often don’t need to be aged because even the young cider will taste amazing!
Therefore, aging is suggested for personal preference as not all people like the same flavors.
Does cider taste like apple juice?
Hard ciders made from apple juice do taste like apple juice, there’s no doubt about that. However, the pure taste of apple juice is changed after fermentation takes part, as most sugars found in apple juice will be gone as the yeast feasts on them and creates alcohol.
Thus, hard ciders taste somewhat different from apple juice but the similarity is always present.
For instance, Somersby which is one of my favorite ciders I buy at stores is made from apple juice and has a strong green apple taste to it.
Ciders are just made with the purpose to be fruity, so it’s necessary that you can feel obvious fruity flavors otherwise what’s the point?
Does cider taste like beer?
Ciders can taste like beer, but not like the majority of beer styles. Rather, cider can taste not exactly like but similar to some fruity beers like Belgium-style beers, but wheat beers like Berliner Weisse can get close to the taste of ciders due to their tart, fruity taste.
Besides the above mentioned, ciders don’t taste like the majority of beer styles such as lagers, pilsners, IPAs, Stouts, Porters, and so on.
Ciders are also sweeter than beers as cider makers intentionally add extra sweeteners in, while the beer should never taste that sweet.
After all, beers are made from malted barley, and almost always contain hops, so the only thing beers and ciders can have in common is the water quality, yeast strains similarity, and carbonation.
Does sparking cider taste like champagne?
Dry sparkling ciders with Co2 levels close to 4.0 taste like champagne.
The sweet ciders even with high carbonation don’t taste like champagne because champagnes aren’t meant to be sweet and have a strong fruity resemblance but taste more like wine and are dry.
A dry cider, just like dry champagne has almost no residual sugars left, so they have a strong, crisp, and notable alcoholic taste with a low body, so that’s why the high carbonation fits in so well.
Champagne is also more carbonated than any highly carbonated cider, so you can find champagne carbonated at 6 Co2 levels (although many champagnes are not that high), while ciders don’t go beyond 4.0 Co2 levels and are usually found at 3.0 to 3.5 Co2 levels.
Carbonation is really important in these drinks as Co2 makes up for the lack of body, and extinguishes alcoholic, tart, and astringent flavors.
What do commercial ciders taste like?
Somersby
Green apple flavors with a slightly tart but sweet taste and plenty of satisfying carbonation. Somersby is an ideal refreshment on long summer days when you are looking for something refreshing to bring you back to life but doesn’t want juice as you are a grown-up.
Angry Orchard
Strong, crisp apple flavor with a slightly tart finish is the accurate way to explain the Angry Orchard. Its complex flavor profile comes from using apples of different varieties together. Additionally, you can taste hints of peach and cherry in this delicious cider.
Strongbow
Strongbow has a dry, crisp taste and besides apple flavor, you can notice honey and raspberry which makes this cider pretty unique. Strongbow is also more astringent compared to other ciders as you can feel a slight drying sensation in the mouth which comes from tannins.
Stella Artois Cidre
Stella Artois Cidre is a fruity, very sweet cider with a crisp and clean finish. This cider is pretty easygoing and refreshing. You can also find flavors of peach and raspberry in their ciders.
Julian hard cider
Very interesting smooth cider with a good balance of sweetness and acidity. If you pay attention you’ll also notice slightly tannic notes just like in red wines. Julian Hard Ciders are also known for their varieties with pleasant cherry, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors.
Austin Eastciders
A dry, crisp taste with a subtle apple flavor describes popular Austin Eastciders. It’s well-balanced and you’ll find some tannic quality in it just like in some other ciders on this list. However, what I find intriguing about Austin Eastciders is their blood orange and black cherry varieties that taste so natural and addicting.
So, what do homemade ciders taste like?
It’s possible to make great-tasting ciders at home that are identical to or even better than some commercial ciders found at stores.
It’s not unusual for people to be skeptical and think that it’s hard to make ciders or brew beers at home, but it’s far from the truth.
Making ciders at home isn’t hard and everyone can make a great-tasting hard cider without many preparations except for basic brewing equipment such as a fermenter, a few more tools, juice, and yeast.
If you are interested to brew cider at home, you can check my guide on brewing ciders at home which will guide you step-by-step throughout the entire process.