We have a big beer-drinking team here at Serious Eats: Drinks—not just myself and the other editors at SE World Headquarters, but also Serious Beer writers Jonathan Moxey and Nick Leiby, Homebrewing experts Joe Postma and Peter Reed, plus our beer history maven Lisa Grimm and events photographer and cider writer Chris Lehault. I polled them all to find out their top sips of 2011, from special limited festival pours to pitch-perfect standby bottles. Here are the best beers and ciders we drank in 2011. More

When traveling abroad, exploring local drinking habits usually ranks third on my list of priorities. The first two are stamping my passport and finding a clean bed. And while the architecture, the museums, and even shopping are all important aspects of exploring a new culture, I feel that the true spirit of any great city begins at the bar and ends at the dinner table. More

Cider is so perfect for the hearty, rustic flavors of fall that it just feels right for Thanksgiving (and it's historically accurate, too.) But which cider should you choose? Here are a few general cider-choosing guidelines, plus some foolproof cider options that would be a welcome addition to any Turkey Day feast. More

If you're in the NYC area and you've been keeping up with The Cider Press here on Serious Eats, but you're still hesitant to trade in your grapes or grains for apples, then consider next week's New York Cider Week an crash course in cider that you shouldn't miss. More

Like that old (and often incorrect) adage that fish always tastes best with white wine, people often assume that hard cider and fish (both light in body) are always going to be a natural match. It's sometimes true, but not all ciders are the same, and there are many, many kinds (and preparations) of fish in the sea. Here are a few tips for finding a delicious pairing. More

Pizza has long been my trusty food companion, for evenings of celebration and all-night college cram sessions. And for every wood-fired D.O.C.-certified pie that I have savored, there have been five times as many I'm-broke-and-it-time-to-pay-the-rent $1 cheese slice dinners. But does my go-to last meal on earth marry well with cider, my go-to beverage for just about any occasion? They do work well together, but it takes a little planning. More

The American cider scene may be booming in New England and the Pacific Northwest, but we shouldn't leave out the midwest when we talk about the rise of cider. From suburban Detroit all the way north to the Sutton Bay, Michigan has cider fever. Here are a few of our favorite cideries in the Great Lakes State. More

We drink a lot of cider from both coasts here on The Cider Press, but there are also exciting ciders coming out of the midwest. The cool climate of northern Michigan is ideal for growing cider apples and Black Star Farms is taking full advantage. We recently caught up with Lee Lutes, Head Winemaker at Black Star Farms, to chat about their cider. More

With its deep, amber hue and aggressive carbonation, it's easy to spot a French cider amongst its Spanish or British cousins. Full bodied, sweeter French ciders work well with cream-based sauces, while the drier, more champagne-like ciders can elevate flaky fish. Here are a few of our favorite French ciders. More

Unpretentious and refreshing, canned ciders should be drunk ice cold, preferably with a group of friends, during the hot summer months. As the thermostat hit 90º this past weekend in NYC, we scoured the shelves and came back with four canned ciders to test out for your next camping or boating trip. More

There is something distinctly American about the ciders coming out of Tieton Cider Works. At their core, they are representations the Pacific Northwest landscape—they're simultaneously lush and adventurous. But upon further inspection, there is also a defined European heritage in these complex, yet refined, apple blends. The result of this lineage is a cider that works as well at a Michelin starred restaurant as it does at a backyard barbecue. This week we had a chance to catch up with Brooklyn transplant Cindy Richter, the original cider maker and a current partner at Tieton Cider Works in Tieton, Washington. More

By using sparkling cider instead of soda water or sugary mixers, these summer cider cocktails combine the complexity of our winter favorites with a lighter body and lower alcohol. They pair perfectly with simple grillables, your latest CSA delivery, and Saturday afternoons poolside. More

Since the 1980s, Farnum Hill Ciders has been at the forefront of the American cider revival. Their commitment to revitalizing the growth of heirloom apples in the United States is unsurpassed, and the nuanced beverages they produce are a reflection of that commitment. We recently had a chance to chat with Louisa Spencer, the self proclaimed 'mom' in this mom and pop outfit. More

Rustic, musty and tart, Spanish cider (or sidra) is one of the great treasures of the cider world. Sidras tend to have a dominant wild yeast character and a dry, tannic finish. These ciders are fermented naturally, without any added sugars or sweeteners, and are usually still, not sparkling. Both Asturian and Basque ciders exhibit acidic, complex, and musty flavors perfect for fans of traditional Belgian Lambics. More

Perry is to pears as cider is to apples. Perry, a fermented pear beverage, has much in common with cider in terms of history and production. Here are a few of our favorite bottles to seek out. More

We caught up with Crystie and Keith Kisler, co-owners with of Chimacum, Washington's Finnriver Farm & Cidery, to talk about living close to the earth and their methods for making cider. More

If traditional cider is delicate and nuanced, ice cider is its complex and assertive counterpart. Served cold, ice cider takes the best aspects of cider and intensifies them, layer upon layer, for a sipping drink bursting with the full spectrum of apple-y, earthy cider flavors. More

Traditionally, a buck cocktail (also known as a mule) involves ginger ale and lemon juice mixed with liquor and served in a highball glass. With all that soda, however, bucks tend to be a bit on the sweet side and I have difficulty drinking more than one. But the buck is a great candidate for updating with a splash of good hard cider. More

I could wax poetic about Ireland's budding cider revival and hand-crafted Irish ciders, but shipping a bottle of cider half way around the world is expensive, and Irish ciders aren't widely available in the States. Instead, we pretty much have one option in America for a St. Patrick's Day cider: Magners. More

While the American hard cider community is thriving in the Pacific Northwest, the East Coast shouldn't be overlooked. In fact, East Coast cideries are turning out some of the best ciders in the countyr right now. One of our favorites is Foggy Ridge Cider in Dugspur, Virginia. We recently caught up with Diane Flynt, the orchardist (as well as picker, presser, and cidermaker) at Foggy Ridge to discuss what makes her ciders so unique. More

Hard cider and cheese are a naturally great pairing. When combined, they form a flavor powerhouse of complex earthy aromas and flavors. We recently chatted with Sascha Inram of Murray's Cheese in New York City to find out what makes cider such a good choice for serving alongside your next cheese plate. More

Cider may seem like an unlikely cocktail ingredient: it's not that sweet, it doesn't contain a lot of alcohol, and it can't be left on the shelf of a bar overnight. But these drawbacks are actually advantages in disguise. Cider's freshness and low alcohol add lightness to cocktails. You're left with a more drinkable cocktail, and cider's tart character can dry out the sweetness of heavy liquors and elevate the barrel-aged quality of amber spirits. More

Apples and beer have a long intermingled history. In Germany, you'll see Frassbraus, a nonalcoholic beverage made from malt extract, apples, and spices. Belgians include apples in their pomme lambics. The British mix up an apple shandy called the Snakebite. So it's only natural that today's brewers and cidermakers are bringing apples and beer together again. We recently had a chance to sit down and explore a few of these beverage hybrids. More

American's love for cider never really returned after the repeal of Prohibition. But almost a hundred years later, American cider is once again on the rise. More

Washington state is quickly becoming a hotbed for American craft cider. We recently caught up with Lars Ringsrud, the master blender and designer/marketer behind Snowdrift Cider Company in Wenatchee, Washington. "We're seeing an incredible momentum around cider right now. It hits the spot for people looking for a new flavor experience. It's gluten-free. It's so Washington!" More

Last week on The Cider Press, we talked about the how cider gets from the branches of a tree to a bottle. But what if you don't have a few extra acres to plant an orchard? Here's a guide to the simplest and cheapest way to make cider at home. More

Developing a delicious hard cider is no easy feat. From farmer to scientist to master blender, aspiring cidermakers take on a variety of roles through their cider's long journey from fruit to glass. While there are as many methods to cider production as there are apple varieties, here's a general idea of how cider is made. More

American artisanal cider makers (like craft beer brewers) experiment with a range of styles using a number of different brewing techniques, yeast strains, and apple varietals. This can be exciting for the contemporary cider drinker, but it can also be overwhelming. Here are a few key terms to help you understand the labels and choose the right cider for your table. More

While cider may not have been served at the first Thanksgiving, it was the beverage of choice for the American colonists. It was difficult to grow hops for beer and grapes for wine in the inhospitable New England soil. But by 1623 the first European apple trees set up root in American soil and, by the turn of the century, the colonists were consuming cider daily as a safer alternative to their often-polluted water supply. More