The Cider Crate – Best of 2018

So as we come to the end of 2018 and are third full year in operation, we are happy to look back on some of the best ciders we had the past year and our favourite locales to enjoy them!  Have a look and we hope you tried a few yourself!  We sampled over 200 ciders all year, posting reviews of close to 70 of them which resulted in over 59,000 hits on the website!

~Bethany and Barry

Cider Crate Combined: Top 5 Bottles/Cans

1. 401 Cider – Apple Pie
2. Hard Way Cider Co – Rogue Apples
3. Great Cider – Ice Cider
4. Collective Arts – Honey and Lavender
5. Bonnieheath Estate – Folkin’ Hard Cherry Bomb

Bethany’s personal preferences (In order)

1. 401 Cider – Apple Pie
2. Hard Way Cider Co – Rogue Apples
3. Duxbury Heritage – 1650

Barry’s personal preferences (In order)

1. 401 Cider – Apple Pie
2. Shiny Cider – Bootleg
3. Hard Way Cider Co – Rogue Apples

Cider Crate Combined: Top 5 Ciders Enjoyed at Bars/Events

1. Revel – Mithras [@ Tooth and Nail Brewing, Ottawa, ON]
2. County Cider – Lychee Pear [@ Elgin Beer Project, Ottawa, ON & Toronto Cider Festival 2018]
3. Heritage Estate – Heirloom Cider [@ Toronto Cider Festival 2018]
4. Sulkers Cider – Rose-hip Hibiscus [@ Arabella Park, Kitchener, ON]
5. Duxbury – Barrel-aged Haskap [@ Ciderhouse for the Duxbury & Cider Crate Event, Toronto, ON]

Bethany’s personal preferences (In order)

1. Revel – It’s Character Forming [@ Union 613, Ottawa, ON]
2. East Street Cider – Watermelon Mint [@ Toronto Cider Festival 2018]
3. Revel – Mithras [@ Tooth and Nail Brewing, Ottawa, ON]

Barry’s personal preferences (In order)

1. Revel – Soif [@ C’est What, Toronto, ON]
2. Revel – Mithras [@ Tooth and Nail Brewing, Ottawa, ON]
3. Thornbury Cider – Blood Orange [@ Toronto Cider Festival 2018 & Growler Pour from Lansdowne LCBO, Ottawa, ON]

Cidery of the Year-

Fieldbird Cider 
Runner Up – Revel

Break-out Cidery of the Year

Kings Mill Cider Company
Runner Up – Heartwood Farm and Cidery

Bethany Preference – East Street Cider Co
Barry Preference – Kings Mill Cider Company

Favourite Non-Ontario

Reverend Nat’s Cider (Portland, OR)
Annapolis Cider (Nova Scotia)

Favourite Cider Event

Ottawa’s Craft Cider Celebration
Runner Up – Cider 101 with Duxbury at Cider House on Roncesvalles

Favourite Bar

Bar Lupulus (Ottawa)
Runner Up – Union 613 (Ottawa)

Thats all for 2018.  We also released our Map of Ontario!  Check it out and where/how you can sample our favourites!