Hard cider…whats not to love?  To me, it is the perfect refreshing alcoholic beverage.  Here are some things I love about hard cider:

Alternative to Beer & Wine:  I’ll admit I’ve never truly understood the appeal of beer as it tastes pretty horrible to me, and my taste in wine is very narrow (only sweeter varieties such as Moscato or sweet sparkling wine).  Hard cider is a great alternative to beer & wine, and is becoming increasingly more available & popular.  Hard cider is also more easily likable for most folks than beer or wine, which can be an acquired taste.  At most bars & restaurants you can now typically find at least one variety of hard cider.

Something for Everyone: There are varieties to suit every taste, from dry to sweet, from mild to intense.  Its not a “girly” drink.  Its not only sweet or only dry.  It is immensely diverse.

Uniqueness:  So much can be done with hard cider.  No two varieties taste the same.  There are endless possibilities for flavors.  It can be barrel aged.  Cider is available from numerous countries around the world, and there is a seemingly endless number of varieties,

History:  Hard cider is actually the most historic & traditional beverage in the U.S.  It historically originated in Kazakhstan millennia ago.  Cider was the drink of choice of early American settlers, who actually drank a watered down version of it instead of water due to potentially lethal bacteria.  It was popular in the colonial era.  Honeybees were first imported to America in the early 1600s to pollinate apple trees.  Apples are actually a fairly sustainable crop, as an apple tree will continue to bear fruit for decades.  Unfortunately cider went out of favor, but its current resurgence is awesome.

Supporting Local Businesses:  I love to support local business, especially when they have a good product.  Although I don’t exclusively buy local craft cider, it is a significant portion of my purchases.  And while many may seem a bit expensive, for a local craft product, there can still be fairly affordable, more so than wine for example.

Its a great anytime beverage:  At almost any time of year and any time of day, cider is a great option.  It also pairs well with almost every type of food.  I also enjoy a good cocktail, but there are plenty of times a hard cider is more appealing, such as with lunch, when it would be a bit odd to order a martini!

Taste:  But most importantly, it tastes good!  The alcoholic kick is a nice bonus too.  Folks should drink what they love and love what they drink.

Why do you love hard cider?