cayergeau

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So I know that Woodchuck is a successful company and all, but I want to know how people that actually know what good beer and such think of it. The sales can't mean everything, I mean Bud Light is the number one selling beer in America, so sales can't mean quality...

I find Woodchuck to be far too sweet, always with a syrupy quality that I just can't get over. Occasionally I'll go for a beer and think "You know, I could use a cider." They're just sitting there anyway. But then when I take it out and crack it, the first sip is good when it hits my lips and then quickly followed by that "oh yeah..." feeling when I realize what I just opened up.

What do you think of it, Oh Great Drinker of Fine Beverages? Good, bad, too sweet, too dry (not likely), love it, hate it? Feel free to compare and contrast to other hard ciders out there on the market.

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Arrheinous

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I like their main cider but haven't gotten into the seasonals yet since I've mostly been focusing on getting better acquainted with beer. A sampler pack is something I could get into though. I know a few people who say it's over-rated and that might be the case. Tastes pretty good to me but I have a high tolerance for sweet liquors.

When people order Woodchuck at the bar I don't get the same wince as when someone orders a Coors Light over a selection of 100+ craft brews. It's good but maybe if it was called a 'sweet cider' or some subset of cider rather than being just a straight cider you'd at least know up front that it wasn't your thing. It can certainly surprise you with the sugar content. Then again, I brew a sour cider with just baker's yeast (ends up kind of like a saison or something Belgian) and people don't seem to take well to it from a sourness angle rather than a sweetness angle.

Is Woodchuck a bad example of a cider or is it even a bad example of what a sweet cider could be?

Have you tried Angry Orchard? That's the only other cider company that I know of off my head.

Then again, I grew up in New England (cider is serious stuff) and maybe I give it a bit of leeway/nostalgia for it being local. Spotting Woodchuck on tap, out in the Midwest now, is something I always notice in a bar - not sure why.

Evan_L

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I find woodchuck way too sweet too. If you can find it, Crispin and Strongbow are decent. Nice and dry, I get the same cider hankerin once in a while too, those usually do the trick.

Misplaced_Canuck

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I can't drink a full pint of woodchuck, but I love to mix an IPA with woodchuck half and half.

MC

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Arrheinous

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I've seen a list of different 50/50 mixes of Woodchuck and other things you can get at the bar. Same with beers like Guiness.

They've even got a list of mixing recipes on their site. Maybe the sweetness is something they're trying to get around in terms of marketing to more people.

LBBC

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I enjoy apfelwein from time to time but never was a fan of woodchuck, I am not sure if it`s the sweetness or what it`s been years since I have had one. On the other hand SWMBO loves the stuff so we always have it on hand, she really likes the amber or the spring seasonal with maple in it.

But lately she has been burning through my apfelwein, need to bottle another batch today

cayergeau

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Maybe it's just me, but I feel like Woodchuck is a long way from what I think a cider should be. I've tried a few other ciders over the years, and so far Woodchuck is pretty much at the bottom of my list.

The top, however, is Original Sin cider. It's been a while since I've had it, but I remember it to be nicely dry and best drunk out of the bottle.

Also, I'm certainly going to have to try that mix of IPA and cider. Doesn't sound like it would be a good mix, but hell, I trust you, and I love IPAs, so all in all, that's on my list of things to drink.

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ElZorro

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Magners is pretty good, if you can find it. Found a pub that has it on tap recently.

Skeptidelphian

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Woodchuck is good in very limited doses. And it's good as a mixer for a snakebite.

I like JK Scrumpy.

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BargainMugs

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If I'm randomly in the mood for a hard cider, it's usually Harpoon's.

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