For The Best Hard Cider Experience, Reach For These Glasses

Hard apple cider may seem like a novelty drink these days, but in fact, it's one of the earliest alcoholic beverages made by humans. For thousands of years, people pressed apples to obtain juice, which they fermented into this historic alcoholic beverage. Today, different styles of refreshing, fizzy hard cider are enjoyed across the globe, but, as is the case with wine and beer, is there a type of glass that's preferred for drinking hard cider? According to Jeff Parrish, co-founder of Portland Cider Co. in Portland, Oregon, "It depends on when and where you are."

For an easy-drinking, low ABV commercial cider, Parrish recommends reaching for that pint glass as they do at most bars. "The vast majority of cider sold in the U.S. is sold in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, which are perfectly suited to a pint glass," he reveals. Parrish explains that this works well because, "due to the lower ABV, people generally drink it one pint at a time, so it would be appropriate to serve it in a pint glass."

On the other hand, there are special cider styles that would benefit from being poured into more specific glassware. "If I've spent $20 or more for a 750ml bottle of boutique cider made from estate apples, I'm more likely to pour it into a brandy snifter or wine glass," Parrish says. Such a glass will help bring forth the nuances of a more carefully crafted cider. "It reminds me to drink more slowly and savor the unique character of a really special cider."

"Throughout history, cider has been either a drink of utility — for hydration — or the drink of the lower classes, much like beer has been," notes Parrish. "So, for much of its existence, it's been consumed from tankards, or other 'informal' types of glassware." This includes simple mugs, the same used for drinking beer. But then, cider suffered a couple of blows that nearly destroyed the industry in America. First, it lost ground to beer due to European immigration. Then, the Prohibition dealt a heavy blow as many cideries were forced to close. Soon, the refreshing beverage fell out of favor with U.S. drinkers.

Today, this drink is making a comeback in bars around the country — although it's not served in beer mugs anymore — with many hard cider brands available from local and international producers. Craft producers, such as Portland Cider Co., are also popping up nationwide. These producers offer ciders for different tastes, including the classic apple-forward British style and the dry farmhouse ciders like those enjoyed in France and Spain, where it is consumed more like wine. "Cider poured from a 750ml champagne bottle into a wine glass is generally a modern construct outside of Normandy or the Basque region of Spain," adds Parrish. 

Other styles of cider are better suited for a different glass shape. "Some of our higher-tannin ciders are better from a 12 oz. brandy snifter because the shape of the glass concentrates the aroma," Parrish notes. Among Portland Cider's more tannic ciders are the Imperial Dry and the Peach Tea, the latter of which is steeped with Washington peaches and Assam black tea. Following Parrish's advice to find the right glass for each type of cider will help you enjoy it at its best.