We Tried Angry Orchard's Holiday Flavors And Have Mixed Feelings

Angry Orchard is one of the leading cider manufacturers in the U.S. Its 60-acre apple farm in the Hudson Valley of New York supplies its cider makers with diverse apple varieties to produce the finest, most distinct small-batch ciders.

Its latest limited-time flavors are a Cranberry Pomegranate and a Ginger cider. These blends are a part of The Knotty Bunch variety pack, which contains three cans of each flavor: the new varieties — Crisp Light, Cranberry Pomegranate, and Ginger — as well as Crisp Apple. The 12-pack will be on sale from November 2023 through February 2024, just in time to satisfy your holiday entertainment needs.

As an avid Angry Orchard cider fan, I was excited to try these new festive flavors. I assessed them based on aroma, flavor, execution, and how they compare with the crisp apple variety. See how each fared and determine if either would be a good fit for your next holiday meal.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

The Angry Orchard Cranberry Pomegranate cider combines the flavor of apples with those of bright red, juicy cranberries. Each of these cans has 5% alcohol by volume per 12-fluid-ounce. From the moment you crack the can open, the tart aroma of cranberries is evident. The beverage itself has a lovely cherry red hue and moderate bubbles.

This cider has a semi-sweet and quite tart taste that is very lively. The apple is present but is dominated by the cranberries. If you were to add alcohol and bubbles to a cran-apple juice from concentrate, it would be exactly like this. Compared with the Crisp Apple cider, this is far less sweet and has less of a kick.

This is a lovely, refreshing beverage you could easily pair with a turkey or a ham. It would also go great with a hot apple pie. Lastly, we could envision using it to make a kind of boozy ice cream soda with vanilla ice cream. I give this cider a solid A grade. It is well-balanced and remains faithful to its apple origins while overtly showcasing the cranberries and pomegranates.

Where the Angry Orchard Cranberry Pomegranate succeeds, the Ginger cider falls short. Each 12-fluid ounce can also contains 5% alcohol by volume and seeks to balance crisp apple flavors with spicy ginger notes. When I first opened the can, the aroma was not noticeably ginger-forward. I decided to crack open a can of the crisp apple for a side-by-side comparison, and they did not smell markedly different.

The lightly bubbly beverage has a pleasant amber hue, indicating the presence of abundant ginger flavoring. Sadly, that color did not translate to flavor. The ginger was barely detectable until you swallowed it, at which point a hint of spice came forward. Otherwise, its sweetness and overall taste are comparable to the Crisp Apple cider.

I was disappointed by this cider, particularly since I enjoy bold ginger flavors and had something completely different in mind. I anticipated something quite spicy and unique enough to pair with more aggressively seasoned holiday fare, like gingerbread and pumpkin pie. It is flavorful but not distinct. If I had to assign a grade to this cider, I would give it a C. Its execution was average and did not make me overly enthusiastic.

Angry Orchard ciders are unique because they are gluten-free and produced in a facility regularly tested to prevent cross-contamination. These products are vegan and free of ingredients derived from milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, or soy. These products do contain sulfites, which may affect those with sensitivities. They are also produced using pure cane sugar.

The Cranberry Pomegranate cider has 160 calories. It also contains 15 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, and 11 grams of sugar.

Its Ginger cider has 150 calories. It also contains 15 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, and 11 grams of sugar.

Angry Orchard products are available from retailers in all 50 states and Canada. You can locate its products via the Cider Finder tool on its website. Enter your zip code, and you can view every retailer near you. If a product is unavailable, you can request that the retailer contact its distributor for inventory. Prices may vary by location and retailer.

You can also obtain Angry Orchard ciders by joining its Cider Club. Membership guarantees a quarterly shipment of three different ciders. Each shipment costs $75 and comes with a letter from the head cider maker with tasting notes and recipes. Shipments are sent in February, May, August, and November. Membership is not available in some states. Check the Angry Orchard website for more details.

My feelings about the limited-edition Cranberry Pomegranate and Ginger ciders from Angry Orchard are mixed. The Cranberry Pomegranate was well-balanced and successfully fused classic apple flavors with distinctive tart fruit notes. Ginger, on the other hand, did not. It was not unique enough to warrant wanting to buy it over the Crisp Apple variety.

Would I drink them again? Absolutely. I might have to think twice if I had to choose between the Crisp Apple and these holiday ciders. I would opt for the classic over the Ginger. When it comes to the Cranberry Pomegranate, I would select that for the right occasion.

Unfortunately, you cannot buy these individually, only as part of The Knotty Bunch variety pack, which comes with one of each. That is not a deal breaker, but it forces your hand into purchasing both flavors even if you do not necessarily want them both. Also, you'd have to buy several variety packs to offer everyone at your holiday event a sample of these limited-edition flavors. It is not the most efficient way of marketing these beverages.