“Dry” Hard Apple Cider

After visiting the Cotswolds and experiencing Stowford Press and other ciders, I tried to find apple ciders here in the states. The only one I could find was Angry Orchard, and it was so sweet that it made me gag. It’s just not the same. I’ve been so disappointed that I got online to see if I could order Stowford Press. I could, but it’s horrendously expensive. I thought surely there is something in the states that is similar, even if I couldn’t find anything but Angry Orchard in my local grocery stores.

So I started researching. I discovered that the difference from Angry Orchard and Stowford Press is that Angry Orchard adds tons of sugar. And it’s not cured like Stowford Press. Stowford Press has only apples in the process and gluten-free yeast. Too, I discovered that ciders that are from micro-breweries are the ones that I want. They are called “Dry” Hard Apple Cider. No sugar added; just the natural sweet tartness of apples and whatever other fruit is used in the process. And the dry hard apple ciders are only 87 calories versus 187 calories that Angry Orchard has.

Anyway, here is my list that I’m going to check out at local North Carolina ABC stores (state-run establishments who are the only ones allowed to sell liquor).

Dry Hard Ciders

• Company: Tank Cider
  • Rough Neck Cider
• Rivercider by Riverside Farms
  • Crazy Crow BlackBerry Infused Dry Cider
  • Ace Cider
  • Joker Cider

Microbreweries in North Carolina

• Good Road CiderWorks
  • Blue Byway. No added sugar.
• Red Clay CiderWorks
  • South End Sweet. No sugar.
• Bull City Ciderworks. No sugar. Gluten_free yeast. Durham. Regional.
  • Off Main. Local apples
  • Smooth Hoperator. Floral aroma, tropical notes, mild bitterness.
  • Rhiz Up! Fresh ginger rhizomes.
  • Cardinal Cin. Cherry and cinnamon infused.
• Botanist & Barrel. State-Wide. Cedar Grove, NC. State wide.
  • Blackwater Cider. Windsor, NC. Dry hard cider. Adds sugar to each bottle. 🙁
  • Strawberry-Hibiscis Cider
• Black Mountain  Ciderworks. Black Mountain NC. Statewide.

What microbreweries are near you or in your state that make dry hard apple cider? What’s your favorite? Do they add sugar to their ciders? Do they use gluten-free yeast? 

Thanks for reading.