McKenzie’s Hard Cider
Source: Made in America Store.com

Per this recent story on NPR, cider is getting incredibly popular again with sales up 65% this year. Since my girlfriend is gluten free we’re also slowly getting acquainted and occasionally re-acquainted with hard cider and the many other booze options out there. From Eagle Provisions I picked her up a bottle of McKenzie’s Hard Cider. The label features a tough looking old west type hoisting a mug. The label oddly also lists the ingredients as well as nutrition facts. It’s 200 calories with 21 grams of sugar. The ingredients are hard cider, less than 1% natural flavors, caramel colors and sulfites. The cartoon-ish image plus the aforementioned had me double check that I’m not just buying soda pop.

It’s probably the least expensive hard cider I’ve seen at only $1.69 a bottle. The flavor is very appley. It’s on the thick side but just shy of syrupy. Some ciders are closer to champagne territory. This one is the opposite, it not very sparkly or carbonated. It’s tastes like a cider that wants to fool you into thinking it’s non-alcoholic. The flavor is competent but nothing mind blowing. I’d purchase this cider again but would just as soon check out one of the dozens of other brands.  The label expressly states that it’s gluten free.