The sun is beating down on a hot summer afternoon. What should you reach for? A cider slushie! Cider slushies have boomed in popularity in recent years, and more and more cideries are getting creative with their offerings. “The whole intention is to have fun with it,” says Josh Duren, who owns Cider Corps with his brother Jason. “They’re consistently a crowd favorite that brings people in.”
Cider slushies make for a playful approach to drinking cider, especially when the temps outside are high. But it’s also an exciting way to introduce people to a cidery who may have never been before.
Are cider slushies made the same way as a typical bottle or can of cider? Not necessarily. Each tasting room chooses its own method, but for Cider Corps, it starts with juice. The straight, fermented apple juice is combined with other fruit purees or liquid additions and then added to the slushie machine. Others may opt to pour finished ciders straight into the machine. Either way, the sugar in the liquid allows for the slushie machine to create that perfect, smooth consistency we’ve all come to enjoy. And yes, you’ll certainly still find that your cider slushie will offer a nice buzz. According to Duren, a poured slushie from Cider Corps comes in around 6% ABV.
Ready to get out and try a cider slushie for yourself this summer? We’ve rounded up a list of cideries pouring cool, refreshing options.
Cider Corps
Located in Mesa, Ariz., the Cider Corps tasting room always has three different flavors of cider slushies on tap. You can choose to stick to one flavor, or create your own duo or trio of flavors for the ultimate experience.
Wild Terra Cider
Known for its experimental ciders, Wild Terra Cider is also slinging super creative cider slushies. Cherry limeade or blue raspberry? Find these chilled sips at their tasting room in Fargo, N.D.
Thousand Acre Ciderhouse
Hailing from Bellingham, Wash., Thousand Acre Ciderhouse offers cider slushies Wednesday through Sunday at their tasting room. With flavors like hazy strawberry and pineapple passionfruit, or the option to swirl two flavors, they’re sure to be delicious.
Diskin Cider
Summer in Nashville comes with high temps and plenty of humidity. Fortunately, Diskin Cider is ready to help you beat the heat. You can grab slushies here all summer when you visit Thursday through Sunday.
Castle Hill Cider
As the saying goes, “Virginia is for lovers.” But we say Virginia is for cider slushies, especially when you visit Castle Hill Cider in Keswick. Made with the cidery’s Serendipity and Rosé ciders, this is the perfect summer offering for cooling down.
Seattle Cider Co.
Want something refreshing to sip in Seattle? Slushies at Seattle Cider Co. are available during the summer months. Bubble tea cider slushies and tropical peach tea slushies have been taking center stage so far this season.
Blue Bee Cider
Virginia’s first urban cidery, Blue Bee Cider, is slinging cider slushies in Richmond. Made with Peach Madness, a peach-apple cider, Blue Bee’s peach frosé is a huge hit. Another great offering? Blackberry Ginger.
