Stibitzer Apple & Pear

I tried their apple in 2023 which was quite good, so their apple and pear is worth a try.

I'm not sure if this would be called and Austrian or Belgian cider. I tried it in Austria but it is actually made in Belgium, but made (according to their website) from 100% Austrian apples., but they don’t say where the pears are. According to the label, it is made from 51% apple cider and 3% pear juice and rest water and other ingredients.

Pale yellow in colour with a very light fresh apple bouquet. Despite the small amount of pear juice, the pear flavour stands out. Lightly sweet as most Perrier are, but not overly, and finishes nicely with a light pear flavour lingering. 4.5% ABV. My rating 8.5/10.

3 Guys

Tried this in Zurich, but it is from Germany. Pale yellow in colour with a nice apple bouquet. Taste is off-dry and good apple flavour, but the high alcohol content takes a bit away from the flavour. 7.5% ABV. My rating 7/10.

Möhl Suure Moscht

A readily available commercial cider in Switzerland. They also make an alcohol free version.

Möhl Saft vom Fass Apfelwein trüb vom fass

I had two of the Möhl Saft:

Möhl Saft vom Fass Apfelwein trüb vom fass

Pale yellow slightly cloudy. Faint must bouquet. Intial slightly sweet light apple flavour. Less sweet on 2nd taste a a little more fresh apple flavour and a slight tartness on the finish. Ingredients were 65% cider and 35% apple juice which probably accounts for the low alcohol content. 4% ABV. My rating 8/10.

Möhl Saft Spezial Auslese

Bright yellow colour like an oaked Chardonnay. Light fresh apple bouquet. Nice pure apple taste slightly sweeter than I like but finishes well, slightly drier. Made from 55% cider and 45% apple juice (from concentrate). 4% ABV. My rating 8.5/10.

Cidreier de Meinier Brut

From Meinier, near Geneva, where I bought it directly from the producer. This is a sparkling dry cider, pale yellow-amber colour with an old apple bouquet. It is extremely effervescent on first pouring. Initial taste is very dry, old apple. On second tasting it is less dry and the old apple taste lingers. Subsequent tasting though have an off-putting, extremely bitter-dry almost rotten apple taste and coating in the mouth. 7% ABV. My rating 4.5/10.

Le Swidre

From Switzerland, this is a gold medal winning cider of 2024. Tried at Tom Beers in Geneva which had this on tap and also retailed many Swiss ciders in 700ml bottles. 

This cider had a very pale yellow colour with a very light fresh apple bouquet. Intial taste is light apple, slightly sweet with a light astringent following. Finishes slightly drier. 6% ABV. My rating 8/10. Le Swidre/

Ramseier Suure Moscht

I tried this in Geneva. It comes in a nice 1/2 L bottle with an old style flip ceramic stopper.Pale yellow with fresh apple bouquet. Semi-sweet with a nice fresh apple taste. A little sweeter than I like but refreshing. 4.0% ABV. My rating 7/10 www.ramseier.ch

Swiss Cider Experience

MoMö – Schweizer Mosterei- und Brennereimuseum

MoMö – Schweizer Mosterei- und Brennereimuseum is a museum in Arbon, Thurgau, Switzerland, dedicated to the history and culture of cider and distillation. It showcases Switzerland’s long tradition of apple processing and the evolution of fruit juice and spirits production. Arbon is 80km east of Zurich, about 1hr, 45m by train or car.

Key facts

• Address: St. Gallerstrasse 209, 9320 Arbon, Switzerland 
• Opened: 2018 
• Operated by: Mosterei Möhl AG 
• Focus: Cider making, fruit juice, distilling heritage 
• Visitor amenities: Exhibitions, tasting area, shop, orchard

Background

The museum was established by the Möhl family, owners of Mosterei Möhl, a century-old cider company. It combines industrial heritage with interactive exhibits, reflecting both the technical and cultural dimensions of apple-based beverages in Switzerland. The name “MoMö” blends “Mosterei Möhl” into a modern museum brand.

Exhibits and Experience

Visitors can explore historic presses, distilling equipment, and archival materials documenting Swiss cider production. Multimedia installations trace the journey from apple orchards to bottles, while the museum’s transparent architecture allows views of the working juice factory next door.

Cultural Significance

MoMö preserves the legacy of fruit processing in northeastern Switzerland, highlighting its role in regional agriculture and craftsmanship. It also emphasizes sustainable practices in modern beverage production and the enduring social tradition of apple cider in Swiss life.

Visitor Information

The museum offers guided tours, workshops, and tastings of Möhl beverages. Its location near Lake Constance makes it a popular stop for culinary and industrial heritage tourism in Thurgau.

Cidru din Mere

This Moldovan cider that I tried in Chişinău is produced by what appears to be a fruit juice manufacturer called Subconcentrat SRL. The ingredients are apple cider, apple juice concentrate, apple juice, carbon dioxide and ascorbic acid. It is labeled as dry (sec) and is very dry, and also has considerable foam on pouring, no doubt due to the CO₂. Colour is pale yellow with an old apple bouquet. Taste is initially very dry with a very mild apple flavour and an astringent finish. 5.5% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Pelee Island Hopping Apple

Pale yellow with a light sweet fruity bouquet. Taste is light, semi-sweet with a fruitiness somewhat like lychee. Finishes a little drier and a little tart. 7.0% ABV. My rating 8/10.

Swiss Ciders

I have never had a cider from Switzerland and only recently discovered that there is a considerable number of cider makers there. They are concentrated in the central and eastern areas of the country. According to the Cider House website there are 66 cider makers in Switzerland in all but 7 cantons. See the list of Swiss cider makers, and a list of top rated ciders.

Möhl in the Thurgau canton is one of the most popular, especially their traditional cider. Guillaume Sweet Simplon won a gold medal at the 2023 CiderWorldAward. Also, it won two silver medals from the World Cider Awards and the International Cider Challenge.

Award winning Backstabber cider should be good, and I particularly want to try their quince cider.

They also hold a Cider Festival in Basel every year in mid October. 

See this select list of cider restaurants and bars. 

Ardiel Pear Dry

Another from Ardiel Cider House. It has a very pale yellow colour with a fresh pear bouquet. Taste is light initial pear flavour that is drier than any perry that I've had.. Finishes with a light pear taste and a little drier. 5.5% ABV. My rating 8.5/10.

Cider Festivals 2026

Swiss Cider Festival
This is held in Aarau on February 6, 2026. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Sausage and Cider Fest 2026
Similar to the travelling Ribfest in Canada and the US, this "fest" moves around the UK from February 28 to September 12 in England, Scotland and Wales.

East Coast Cider Festival, Halifax NS
May 16, 2026

Location: Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel, 1919 Upper Water St, Halifax, NS B3J 3J5 (map)

The festival will feature 19 cider makers from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland.

Michigan Cider Fest, Grand Rapids, Michigan
May 16, 2026

Taste over 50 Michigan ciders! Event takes place at Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW, Grand Rapids. Also, there are many cideries in the area that can be visited for tastings. Stay at the Courtyard by Marriot Grand Rapids Downtown which is only a 3 minute walk from Rosa Parks Circle.

Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition, Grand Rapids, Michigan
May 17, 2026

On the final day of the competition the event is open to the public. A chance to try ciders from the US, Canada and around the world.

Royal Bath & West Show
May 28-30, 2026

Location: The Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6QN (map)

The Royal Bath and West Show is a renowned agricultural event that also plays host to the British Cider Championship. A selection of ciders will be available each day to show-goers.

Accommodations in Shepton Mallet: Maplestone; The Shubbery Hotel; The Horseshoe Inn; The Thatched Cottage Inn; and Middleton House.
Accommodations near Shepton Mallet: The Cross at Croscombe Hotel; The Pecking Mill Inn; and The Lion at West Pennard. In 2024 I stayed at the Manor Hotel in Yeovil, 20 miles from the showgrounds; take the A37.

Armagh Food and Cider Weekend

September 3-6, 2026
Location: Armage, Northern Ireland

Lots of events related to cider and food take place in and around Armagh. Cider tasting, orchard tours, cooking classes, and casual to fine dining in various local restaurants and cider houses. For example, Long Meadow Farm had a Cider & Wine dinner in 2024 which was excellent. Tickets are required for some events and should be purchased as early as possible because many sell out early. In 2024 I stayed at the Bannview Bed & Breakfast in Portadown (booked through Booking.com). Accommodations within Armagh are Armagh City Hotel (3☆) and Charlemont Arms Hotel (3☆). Accommodations should also be booked early.

Cider Festival Basel
This is held in Basel on Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 13:30 - 21:30. Event is held at the Markthalle near the train station. Accommodations nearby are Radisson Blu (4☆), Hotel Euler (4☆), Hotel Metropol (4☆), Mövenpick (4☆), GAIA Hotel Basel (4☆), and Hotel Victoria (4☆), and iBis (1☆).) See also their Instagram page.

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Cider & Wine dinner at Long Meadow Farm, Armagh in 2024