Thankfully, hard Cider is gluten free. Once I reached the legal drinking age and started having drinks with friends and going to bars, I realized I couldn’t drink beer because I have celiac disease. Beer is normally brewed with barley, one of the main grains that contain gluten. In college, I usually resorted to liquor like rum or vodka, but I wanted something out of a bottle or can. That’s when I found hard cider, which is naturally gluten free since it’s brewed from apples. Since then I’ve tried many different gluten free ciders out there. This is my list of 22 of the best gluten free ciders everyone should try. I’ve personally tried the first 11, and the rest are ciders I’ve heard good things about.
Be sure to check out the Ultimate Guide to the Gluten Free Diet.
1. Downeast Cider
One of my personal favorites out of Boston, Massachusetts, is Downeast Cider. This cider is unfiltered, so it has more of a solid, foggy color. You can even find tiny pieces of apple in it sometimes. Downeast Cider is just a super cool company too. If you ever have the chance, go tour their cider house in East Boston. They give out free samples and have a really awesome history. They have a big variety of ciders as well, listed below:
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Original Blend | 5.1 | Sweet | The original unfiltered cider |
| Double Blend | 7.3 | Sweet | The original blend, but stronger, gives a nice kick |
| Drier Side | 5.2 | Dry | A drier cider, but not too dry |
| Grapefruit | 5.3 | Medium | Infused with a subtle grapefruit taste |
| Aloha Friday | 5.1 | Sweet | Pineapple infused cider |
| Pumpkin Blend | 5.1 | Sweet | Usually a fall special, cider infused with pumpkins and spices |
| Winter Blend | 6.5 | Sweet | Made with cinnamon, nutmeg and toasted oak, slightly stronger |
| Wild Berry | 5.3 | Medium | Mix of blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry flavors |
| Summer Blend | 4.5 | Sweet | Lemon and ginger taste |
2. Angry Orchard
Angry Orchard, out of Walden, New York, is one of the most well-known cider brands. They have several different cider varieties that range from sweet to dry. Most varieties are filtered ciders, so they have a clear color to them with no apple particles floating around.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Crisp Apple | 5.0 | Sweet | Bright, crisp flavor |
| Rosé | 5.5 | Medium | Made with red flesh apples |
| Pear | 5.0 | Sweet | Combination of crisp apple and sweet pear taste |
| Green Apple | 5.0 | Sweet | Slightly tart but sweet, hints of honeydew melon and kiwi |
| Easy Apple | 4.2 | Medium | Unfiltered version, slightly drier taste |
| Stone Dry | 5.5 | Dry | The driest cider Angry Orchard offers |
3. Citizen Cider
Citizen Cider, out of Burlington, Vermont, is another must-try. These ciders definitely aren’t as sweet as some others, but they’re crisp and refreshing. They offer a good variety of flavors that could appeal to anyone.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Unified Press | 5.2 | Medium | Off-dry, crisp and refreshing |
| The Dirty Mayor | 5.2 | Medium | Cider with a ginger flavor |
| The Lake Hopper | 6.2 | Dry | Hoppy taste and slightly stronger |
| Wit’s Up | 5.9 | Dry | More like an ale, drier than others |
| For Shore | 6.0 | Dry | Cider finished with coriander seeds and sea salt |
| Brosé | 6.1 | Medium | Fermented with blueberries |
| Citizen Dry | 6.2 | Dry | Fermented with malolactic cultures |
4. Woodchuck Cider
A cider brewed in Middlebury, Vermont, Woodchuck cider has been around since 1991. They have a good variety of cider options ranging from sweet to dry.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Amber | 5.0 | Sweet | The original Woodchuck cider, gold and refreshing |
| Granny Smith | 5.0 | Sweet | More tart, made with granny smith apples |
| Pear | 4.0 | Sweet | Lighter color, pear taste |
| Bubbly Pearsecco | 6.1 | Dry | A drier pear cider |
| Sangria | 5.0 | Medium | Hints of red wine, citrus and berry |
| Bubbly Rosé | 6.1 | Medium | Made with red flesh apples |
| Raspberry | 4.0 | Sweet | Lighter cider with raspberry flavor |
| Semi-Dry | 5.5 | Dry | Uses bittersweet apples |
5. Strongbow Cider
Actually owned by Heineken, Strongbow Cider is produced in Belgium. They have 4 main varieties in the U.S., each with a very unique flavor. These ciders have clear colors and are on the sweeter side.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Gold Apple | 5.0 | Sweet | Very sweet, golden cider |
| Original Dry | 5.0 | Dry | Less sweet version of Gold Apple |
| Rosé Apple | 5.0 | Medium | Wine-like, a bit more tart |
| Artisanal Blend | 6.0 | Sweet | Cloudier, a bit less sweet |
6. Stella Cidre
Stella Artois’ version of hard cider. I’d say this one has similarities to Angry Orchard in it’s overall taste and sweetness level. Overall, a pretty good cider.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Stella Cidre | 4.0 | Sweet | Clear, golden crisp cider with a sweet taste |
7. Stormalong Cider
We’re getting more into the craft ciders now. Stormalong is brewed in Sherborn, MA, and it’s really only found in the New England Area. These ciders are more on the drier side, but they have a nice variety of flavors and cool can designs (if you’re into that).
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Legendary Dry | 6.9 | Dry | Crisp, fruity and dry taste |
| Mass Appeal | 5.8 | Medium | Both tart and Sweet, easy to drink |
| Light of the Sun | 6.5 | Dry | Hopped cider with orange and grapefuit flavors |
| Red Skies at Night | 5.8 | Medium | Made with passionfruit and hibiscus |
8. Bantam Cider
Another craft cider, Bantam is brewed in Somerville, Massachusetts. Bantam definitely has a unique taste, but in a good way. They offer four main varieties, each unique it its own way.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Wunderkind | 6.0 | Sweet | Bright, crisp cider with honey |
| Rojo | 5.4 | Medium | Subtle cherry flavor |
| Buzzwig | 4.2 | Sweet | Citrus flavor |
| Ginger Beer | 6.0 | Medium | Spicy ginger flavor |
9. Harpoon Craft Cider
Yes, Harpoon has a cider! And it’s good. Harpoon is a brewery from Boston, Massachusetts and is more known for its beer. Their cider is filtered perfectly clear, and is quite refreshing.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Harpoon Craft Cider | 4.8 | Sweet | Clear, sweet, crisp cider |
10. Magners
Magners cider is the oldest Irish cider. It started brewing in 1935. It’s your traditional cider, but it contains 17 different varieties of apples.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Original | 4.5 | Sweet | Traditional Irish cider, clear color, sweet taste |
| Pear | 4.5 | Sweet | Fresh pear taste |
11. Smith & Forge
Owned by MillerCoors, Smith & Forge is brewed in Memphis, Tennessee. It seems more like a local, crafty cider, but you can actually find it pretty much anywhere in the U.S. Another cool can if you like those.
| Variety | ABV | Sweetness Level | Notes |
| Smith & Forge | 6.0 | Medium | A bit more bitter at first, followed by more sweet, crisp aftertaste |
That’s it for the top 11 cider’s I’ve personally tried. Here are the rest that are currently causing a stir:
12. Samuel Smith’s Organic Cider
13. Soultree
14. Ace Joker Cider
15. 2 Town’s Cider
16. Crispin
17. Sonoma Pitchfork
18. Wyder’s Hard Cider
19. Austin Eastciders
20. Virtue Cider
21. Shacksbury
22. Seattle Cider Company
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