7 Hard Ciders with High Alcohol Content (ABV)

Interested in cider pairings? No thanks, bro. We are more concerned with getting you hammered this holiday to deal with the in-laws. To do so, we wanted to give you a list of some tasty ciders that are high in alcohol content (ABV) to make some of those relatives a little more bearable. In fact, this list can be used for any holiday or family gathering. We will warrant, of course, for you to drink responsibly!

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What is ABV?

Just so you know… ABV, alcohol by volume, is a standard measure of how much alcohol is in a given alcoholic beverage. The higher the percentage, the stronger the drink.

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Now, here are our top 7 high-ABV ciders:

Liberty Ciderworks – Spokane, WA

This Washington cidery has many choices over the 7% ABV mark but your best bet, to dull the conversation, would be the Manchurian Crabapple SV Cider. This sucker comes in at a staggering 12.5% and has flavors of vanilla and black cherry. We recommend this one for the end of the night after the pies come out!

New England Cider Co – Wallingford, CT

When you want to get lit for the holidays, you probably think something aged in a barrel will do the trick, right? In this case, you would be right with the 9.0 ABV Barrel Aged Cider from the New England Cider Co. This is aged in 100% rye whiskey barrel from Vermont’s Whistle Pig Distillery for 6 whole months. This will leave you with those caramel and vanilla notes you expect with a barrel cider. Barrel up!

Two Towns – Corvallis, OR

Another beverage term synonymous with high alcohol content is “imperial”. Two Towns has their Bad Apple, an imperial style cider fermented with honey and aged in Oregon White oak. This would be a great cider to have when you bust that turkey out, adding a nice sweet and smoky twist to the ‘ole bird.

Redwood Coast Cider – San Carlos, CA

A complex body of sour apples finishing with hints of fruit flowers. With Redwood Coast Cider, you have to grab the Kosmic Lighthouse Ride. Not only does it have a sweet name, but this 8% cider packs a punch! This one is a great starter for the night with a sour and sweet flavor on your palette – before you are rolling on the floor.

Blakes Hard Cider – Armada, MI

When Blake’s Hard Cider has their Amshire iced cider in season, you have a great one to get a hold of with its whopping 12.5% ABV! This has five varieties of Blake’s own apples and it is the encapsulation of the humbled season with its great flavors. Perfect concentrated apple goodness for the whole family (of legal drinking age) to enjoy.

Seacider – Saanichton, BC

We had to bring some Canadian influence to the party, right? Bring the neighbors to the drinking party! We have another booming 12.5% called the Rumrunner (Prohibition) from the highly-rated Seacider. This hand-pressed cider is fermented and then aged in rum-soaked bourbon barrels for at least 6 months. This means you are getting a complex cider with some delicious notes of brown sugar and molasses, which, again, is typical of some of these aged ciders.

Eden Specialty Ciders – Newport, VT

This is another ice cider on the more sophisticated side. Eden’s specialty ice cider is for those who like high alcohol but want to remain dignified. This 10% Honeycrisp ice cider comes in a 375 mL bottle for your enjoyment. This is made from 100% Vermont honeycrisp apples and has won a few dessert wine awards. We recommend this one as a nightcap, if you will, to be enjoyed before you pass out on the couch from being overfed.