Ruwet

Ruwet is from Geraardsbergen, Belgium. I tried both the regular and brut versions of their ciders. Both are made from 100% Jonagold apples. The brut was quite dry (but not insanely dry)—just right for me. After 3-4 sips it seemed less dry. It has a light apple flavour initially but the fruit lingers, and it has a nice foam head. 9/10

The regular cider is off-dry with a light apple flavour that starts sweeter and finishes off-dry. Has a very faint allspice nose barely noticeable in the taste. 6.5/10

Brut

Regular

Wignac (75)

From France comes Wignac, a very French style full-bodied organic cider. Located in the Ardennes, they also make a rosé and a non-alcoholic cider. It is amber coloured with a distinct apple bouquet. A full apple flavour, just off-dry, finishes with a slight astringency. Now my favourite cider. 9.5/10

Bridge Farm Sparkling Pear Cider

I tried these at the Royal Bath & West Show at their booth: a medium cider, a perry and a sparkling perry. The medium apple cider was very good with medium flavour strength and smooth - 7/10. The sparkling perry was good - 6.5/10. The still perry was slightly sweet (as most perries are) with a very slight astringency on the finish - just right to help cut the sweetness. Now my favourite perry! 9.5/10

Lilley's Mango cider

I tried this at Coopers Mill pub in Yeovil, Somerset, England. From nearby Frome comes this full flavoured cider from Lilley's with a hint of mango. It is sweeter than I like, but is excellent. 7.5/10

Rekorderlig Pear

I bought in Valletta, Malta this Swedish, so called, "premium" cider. It was disappointing — being too sweet and though it had a light pear taste had an artificial pear aftertaste. The company makes many varieties of flavoured ciders but I won't likely try any of them. 4/10.

Milo Kleftis

By the Athenian Brewery S.A. comes this semi-sweet cider with a light taste and a hint of tannin in the finish. Not a pure apple cider and a little sweeter than I normally like. Might be refreshing on a hot day if nothing else is available. "ΜΗΛΟ ΚΛΕΦΤΗΣ" means "Apple Thief." 5.5/10

Ciders to Avoid

There are a number of ciders to avoid particularly ones that are not pure cider, which are the ones I avoid. I particularly look for the label that says "made from 100% apples." Some cider makers use artificial flavours and/or aromatics, or other strange ingredients. On one so-called "cider" I tried apple was the fourth ingredient after water, vodka and sugar! So here's a list of ones to avoid:

Somersby, which is produced by Carlsberg in Denmark, is very popular and cheap. They call its product an "apple flavoured cider" and is a good example of "so-called" cider. Here is its list of ingredients: water, fermented apple juice, sugar, apple juice concentrate, citric acid, flavour, potassium sorbate, caramel colour, sulphites. It should be called an "apple flavoured drink," not a cider. Similarly, the ingredients of Milos Kleftis of Greece are concentrated apple juice with sucrose, water, sucrose syrup, plain caramel (colour), malic acid, carbonic acid, sulfites (antioxidant), and natural aromas (?!).

Duckchicken Cider, UK

Milo Kleftis, Greece

Rekorderlig, Sweden

Somersby, Denmark