What Is Sweet Cider?
Sweet cider sits at the sweeter end of the scale — but sweet doesn't automatically mean sickly, sugary or simple.
Sweet cider should still taste like cider.
That sounds obvious, but it's worth saying.
The sweetness should be noticeable, but a good Sweet cider still needs apple character, freshness and enough balance to keep the drink interesting.
If all you can taste is sugar, there's not much left to discover.
The interesting Sweet ciders give you more than that.
What makes a good Sweet cider?
Sweetness is obviously part of the answer. It shouldn't be the entire answer.
Sweet doesn't have to mean one-dimensional.
Different apples and different cider makers can produce Sweet ciders with very different personalities.
One might be bright, fresh and easy-drinking. Another could be fuller, richer and much more traditional.
What you're looking for is a cider where the sweetness works with the rest of the drink rather than simply sitting on top of it.
Balance is what stops sweet becoming too much.
Why can two Sweet ciders taste so different?
Because sweetness is only one part of the finished drink.
The apples
Different varieties and blends can bring very different levels of flavour, body, freshness and character.
The balance
A Sweet cider can still feel refreshing if the sweetness is balanced by enough apple character and acidity.
The cider maker
Different producers have very different ideas about how rich, light or full a Sweet cider should be.
Sweet on the cider sweetness scale
Right at the sweeter end.
Sweet cider has the most noticeable sweetness of the traditional Dry-to-Sweet range.
But that still doesn't tell you exactly what the cider itself is going to taste like.
“Sweet cider is too sweet for me.”
Maybe.
Or maybe the Sweet cider you tried simply wasn't the right one.
Just as one Dry cider can't tell you everything about Dry cider, one overly sugary Sweet cider doesn't define the whole style.
Some Sweet ciders are much fresher and lighter than people expect. Others are intentionally richer and fuller.
If you already know you prefer the sweeter end of the cider scale, there's still plenty to explore within Sweet itself.
Sweeter is a preference. Not a guilty secret.
Want to compare the full cider range?
See how Sweet sits alongside Medium Sweet, Medium, Medium Dry and Dry.
Drink the cider you actually enjoy.
If that's Dry, brilliant.
If it's Sweet, equally brilliant.
There isn't a correct end of the cider scale.
The descriptions simply help you work out where to start looking.
Pour it. Taste it. Decide for yourself.