Fall in Memphis is mostly a matter of faith. The calendar says October, but the thermometer may still hover around 80, and “sweater weather” can mean turning the air conditioner down a couple of degrees. That makes hard cider a particularly good fall drink here. Cider works just as well on an 80-degree afternoon as it does on an actual cool evening.
Up north, hard-cider descriptors tend to involve flannel shirts, wool blankets, and nights beside a roaring fire. Down here, cider is more like a denim jacket: dependable, versatile, and best enjoyed when the heat index remains in double digits.
So as soon as October rolled around (with highs around 93°F that week), we hit a few liquor stores, rounded up some hard ciders, and tasted our way through them. Most were crisp and dry; others were considerably sweeter. In the interest of fairness, we’ll acknowledge that cider comes in flavors beyond apple. As purists, however, we reserve the right not to care.
We cracked open Shacksbury Rosé Cider (5.5% ABV) first. Made in Vermont with organic apples and wine grapes, it’s tart, dry, and pleasantly funky, with enough apple character to keep it from becoming merely a pretty pour.
Original Sin’s Original Apple Cider (6% ABV) takes the straight-and-narrow approach. Made in New York state, it’s unapologetically apple-forward, crisp, and refreshing, without bells and whistles. If you want your cider to taste unmistakably like fermented apples, this gets you there.
We found Shacksbury Classic (5.2% ABV) hits the spot. Dry but approachable, it strikes a nice balance between acidity and fruit, making a convincing case for cider as a dinner drink rather than merely the autumnal cousin of flavored seltzer.
Diskin’s Lil’ Blondie (5.6% ABV), a semi-sweet Southern cider, is made in Nashville. We felt obligated to give it a fair trial. It leans sweeter without becoming cloying, with enough acidity to keep things in check. It’s a good choice if you like your cider with a little less bite.
And then there was Wölffer No. 139 Dry Rosé Cider (6.9% ABV). Crisp, dry, and polished enough to feel at home at a dinner party. Made in the Hamptons with dessert apples and wine yeast, it arrives in a pink-striped bottle that practically demands a place setting. How fancy!
The biggest takeaway from our tasting: Cider doesn’t have to be intensely sweet or aggressively flavored to be interesting. The best examples occupy a useful middle ground: enough apple taste to be recognizable, enough acidity to keep things lively, and enough dryness to make you want another sip.
That balance also makes cider surprisingly food-friendly. It can handle salty snacks, cheese, sandwiches, and the sort of vaguely autumnal dinner you might make when temps finally drop below 70.
We only sampled five out of hundreds of ciders, so we won’t pretend there was a definitive winner. Our conclusion: What works on a hot afternoon isn’t necessarily what you want with dinner. Cider doesn’t need to replace beer, wine, or cocktails. But it’s useful when you want something lighter, fruitier, and seasonal without tasting like the candle aisle at Target.
Especially in Memphis, where fall may mean 82 degrees and a slight breeze. In other words: Cider is the denim jacket of booze. It goes with just about everything.
Our Shopping List for Fall Ciders
• The Dry Cider: Shacksbury Classic
For drinkers who’d rather taste apples than sweetness. Crisp, dry, and lively.
• Most Likely to Get You in Trouble:
Diskin’s Lil’ Blondie
A little sweeter without going completely candy-apple. So easy to drink you can forget it’s alcoholic.
• Most Likely to Be Served at a Soccer Mom Tailgate: Wölffer Dry Rosé
Pretty in the twist-off bottle, but more importantly, actually interesting to drink.
• Most Likely to Drink Again:
Shacksbury Rosé
Tart, dry, funky, and the one that made us reach for another pour.
• Most Likely to Pound on the Porch: Original Sin
Uncomplicated and eminently drinkable. For when you’re having guests and don’t need to make a production out of it.
