It’s peak slushy and pool season. Say hello to frozen cider cocktails, your new best friends for those blazing hot days. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, hosting a barbecue, or just kicking back in the sun, these frosty drinks with their low ABV and bright, fruity notes are the ultimate cool-down companions.
At La Familia, when José Gonzalez started offering cider cocktails at their Salem, Oregon, cidery, they were a tiny slice of the pie. “When we first started offering cider cocktails, they made a small portion of our sales but now they account for 15% of total taproom sales, so almost one in five sales,” says Gonzalez. “It’s been a great way to help us introduce cider to people.”
Looks like the cider cocktail craze is here to stay! Ready to get in on the trend? Here are four mind-blowing frozen cider cocktails that will keep you cool and coming back for more.
Jamaica (Hibiscus) Frozen Cidertita by La Familia
Ingredients
1½ oz silver tequila of choice
½ oz Cointreau
Juice of half a lime
2 oz Jamaica syrup
5 to 6 oz (or more if preferred) La Familia Jamaica Cider
Directions
Blend ice, tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, jamaica syrup and La Familia Jamaica Cider until you get a slushie consistency.. Top with an edible candied hibiscus flower. Pour into a glass and enjoy the floral, fruity concoction.
Tamarindo (Tamarind) Frozen Cidertini by La Familia
Ingredients
1½ oz Smirnoff Spicy Tamarindo Vodka
Juice of half a lime
2 oz Tamarindo puree or syrup
5 to 6 oz (or more if preferred) La Familia Tamarindo Cider
Directions
Rim a martini glass with lime juice and Tajin. Blend ice, vodka, lime juice, tamarindo puree and La Familia Tamarindo Cider until smooth. Pour into the glass and enjoy the perfect mix of sweet, tangy and spicy.
Coulee Slushie by Yonder Cider
Ingredients
1 – 16 oz Yonder Cider Coulee
2½ oz Pineapple Puree (Oregon Fruit Puree)
2½ oz Lime
1 oz Agave Syrup
1 oz Orange Juice
Directions
Blend all ingredients with ice until you get a slushie consistency. Serve in two hurricane glasses, garnish with pineapple, and imagine your backyard is a tropical paradise.
Bitter Dancer by Bauman’s Cider
Ingredients (serves two):
1 Bottle Bauman’s Cider Clyde’s Dry
2 oz Cynar, plus more to taste
Ice
Orange Peel
Directions
Blend Clyde’s Dry and Cynar with ice until you get a slushie consistency. Divide between two glasses, garnish with orange peel, and add a Cynar float to taste.
