You know that moment when the food lands, the glasses are poured, and nobody is in a hurry to leave? That’s where cider belongs.

If wine is usually your first choice, you don’t need a lesson in fermentation to enjoy craft cider. Start with what you already love: something crisp with dinner, something aromatic to kick off the evening, or something richer for a slow finish.

Here’s your invitation to try a different fruit, without giving up the ritual.

A Familiar Setting, a Fresh Pour

Picture an Okanagan evening. A table outside, a few good friends, and dinner that stretches well past sunset. You might normally reach for a local white or open a red. This time, make room for cider.

At Hardcore Cider Co., our roots are here in the Okanagan. Start with our recommended lineup: The Core, Unhazy Hopped, Black Hole, and Barrel Proof. Strawberry Ciderita is available in custom cases by request only, while supplies last, and is not included in the default mix.

Let Your Wine Preferences Point the Way

Usually Reach for a Crisp White? Start with The Core

If your idea of a great pour is refreshing and easy to bring to the dinner table, make The Core your first stop. Think of it as your introduction to the lineup, rather than a substitute for your usual Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc.

Make an evening of it: put together a cheese board, slice some apples, add crackers and something savoury, and see which combinations you enjoy.

Love Exploring Aromatics? Try Unhazy Hopped

If you tend to smell the glass before taking a sip, put Unhazy Hopped on your shortlist. It’s a different direction to explore when you’re in the mood to step outside your usual wine order.

Bring it to a casual dinner with friends and compare impressions. There’s no tasting exam, and nobody needs the perfect description.

Drawn to Dark Fruit? Meet Black Hole

If dark-fruit flavours are what you love about red wine, Black Hole is a natural expression to get curious about. Don’t expect a red wine in disguise. Give it room to be its own thing.

Try it alongside a grazing board or your next barbecue spread. Finding your favourite pairing is part of the fun.

Enjoy a Barrel-Aged Pour? Explore Barrel Proof

If barrel-aged drinks catch your attention, put Barrel Proof on your list. Make it a slower part of the evening: a smaller pour, a comfortable seat, and time to notice what’s in the glass.

You don’t need to match it to a particular Chardonnay or spirit. Sometimes the best discovery is the one that doesn’t fit your usual category.

Love Bold Citrus? Ask About Strawberry Ciderita

The remaining Strawberry Ciderita batch combines strawberry sweetness with a pronounced tart lemon finish. It’s best suited to fans of bold citrus flavours. Standalone sales are paused, but you can request it in your custom case while supplies last. Add your request to the cart order notes before checkout, or email us before ordering. It is not included in the default case mix.

Keep the Tasting Simple

Pour into a wine glass if that’s what you have. Start chilled, then give the glass a little time rather than rushing through it. Notice what you enjoy as you sip.

If you’re tasting a few expressions with friends, use small pours and keep some water and food on the table. Compare favourites, not scores. “I’d have this with dinner” is just as useful as an elaborate tasting note.

Bring a Little Okanagan to Your Table

The best part of discovering a new drink isn’t finding the right vocabulary. It’s finding a bottle you want to open again, and people you want to share it with.

Maybe that’s after a day exploring the Okanagan. Maybe it’s a rainy Friday at home. Either way, cider doesn’t need a special occasion or a place on one side of the wine-versus-beer debate. It just needs a place at your table.

Find Your Own Favourite

Our Build Your Case — Custom 12-Bottle Variety Case lets you choose your mix rather than commit to a single expression. Start with the ones that catch your attention, add something unexpected, and leave room for a new favourite.

Build Your Case — choose your 12-bottle mix.

Hardcore Cider Co.
Cider Without Compromise.