Dec 31, 2020

American Cider Association launches second annual Dry Cider January

The American Cider Association (ACA) is once again launching its month long campaign called Dry Cider January to celebrate ciders containing 0 grams of residual sugar.

The ACA hosts a dry cidery directory on their website to promote their members’ ciders. The association is encouraging others to join the campaign through social media with the hashtags #dryciderjanuary and #pickdrycider.

The ACA’s Dry Cider Directory  will be updated as members submit new product releases. The  directory can be found here on ACA’s website. The list can be filtered and sorted so consumers can find no-sugar ciders local to them.

Alcohol is created when yeast converts sugar into alcohol through fermentation. A cider that contains no residual sugar has been fermented to absolute dryness. Sometimes cidermakers will blend a completely dry cider with fresh juice for acid/sugar balance, but other times they leave the cider entirely dry. These dry ciders are what the association is listing on their website for the campaign.

“The brain has a hard time distinguishing fruity from sweet. Many ciders with absolutely no sugar in them can still be fruit-forward,” explained the association’s executive director, Michelle McGrath. “You’ll find there are a multitude of dry ciders available when you start seeking them,” she added.

The list of ciders on the association’s website demonstrates the flavors and styles possible not only in the cider category, but in ciders with 0g sugar. From single varietal ciders showcasing specific apple varieties and served in a 750ml bottle to ciders aged on rose and hibiscus petals and served in a 12 oz can, the range is impressive.

Follow the association on its Instagram account @pickcider to learn more about the campaign.

Are you a cidermaker and want to add a cider to the directory? Fill out the form here. Have a picture and description of your cider ready to go before you fill out the form.

– Woodley Smith, American Cider Association