Woodchuck Hard Ciders

With the cider world expanding rapidly and competing, to some extent, with the beer market, it's high time I look closer at this historic and delicious beverage.

In America, Woodchuck Cidery, based in Middlebury, Vermont, dominates the marketplace, with a variety of different cider varietals, limited editions, and seasonals. So, with that  in mind, I searched out a wide array of Woodchuck's ciders and present my tastings to you. 

WOODCHUCK - AMBER

This is the original, flagship cider from pioneering Woodchuck cidery, and a favorite with good reason. It's slightly spiced, perfecty balanced, and quite delicious.

WOODCHUCK - GRANNY SMITH

Needless to say, this nearly-clear-complected cider is a more tart, sour apple variety, harnessing the attributes of the green apple. Still, this one's nicely balanced and quite enjoyable.

WOODCHUCK - PEAR

This one strikes a different taste, as could be expected. Light (at only 4% ABV), this tasty "cider" variation uses sweet pear juice, as opposed to apple. I love a good pear, and this one's perfectly enjoyable.

WOODCHUCK - RASPBERRY

This light and pale "cider" is another subtle variation on the cider theme. Happily, I can report that the raspberry taste here has no weird or artificial aftertastes (as do many fruit beers I've had). Solid.

WOODCHUCK - WINTER

This seasonal blend is a marvelous mix of French and American oak (I assume it's aged in oak barrels?) and Woodchuck's trademark well-balanced cider. Delicious, crisp, and complex.

WOODCHUCK - PUMPKIN

The strongest (at 6.9%) of the regular Woodchuck line, this seasonal is really limited (produced for only 2.5 hours on the bottling line), and really delicious. This one adds, naturally, a sweet and mellow pumpkin infusion to the cider blend. What results is a warm, Fall-type flavor that's not too sweet or spicy. There's no hint of the nutmeg/cinnamon/allspice that pumpkin beers often exhibit, either, so if those bother you, don't hesitate to try this lovely and unique cider. 

For more information on Woodchuck, their history, and cider types, visit:

Woodchuck.com