As the temperatures have gone up, so has the need for lighter more refreshing drinks — especially in Miami where much of our drinking takes place during a day on the sand or at a barbeque with friends. An ice cold beer is always a nice treat on a hot day, but often times it’s a bit too heavy to drink too many of. That’s where hard cider comes into play. The easy to drink refreshing beverage is perfect on a hot summer's day.

Not too many of us are well versed in the different kinds of ciders available, and that’s where Cider in Love comes in. Cider in Love is an immersive digital platform where consumers can learn about and purchase fine, heritage cider directly from small cideries around the country – the venture offers small makers a new opportunity to share their passion and their products with American imbibers. Founder and president Annie Bystryn sought out partnerships with a range of talented cider makers across the United States, including Tilted Shed in California, Alpenfire in Washington, South Hill and Slyboro in New York and many more. Cider in Love is priding itself on being a place where cider is treated with the same level of respect and nuance as fine wine.

Cider In Love has an ideal business model. The platform will operate in a similar manner to Etsy – orders placed on the platform go directly to individual cideries, where each maker will review the order, pack the bottles with care, and ship them directly to your doorstep. 

Cider In Love aims to inspire both new drinkers and cider aficionados alike. While the cider market is already mature overseas, particularly in the UK, France and Spain, many American consumers are not as knowledgeable about fine cider as they are about fine wine. Cider in Love addresses that gap by providing an immersive yet simple digital platform that offers tips and ideas about how to sip and savor fine cider in an easy, playful and educational way. 

Cider in Love is working to continue and revive the historic American tradition of cider making and drinking – as founding father Ben Franklin once said, “It’s bad to eat apples. It’s better to turn them all into cider.”

Each product listed on Cider in Love features a visual snapshot of what you’ll experience in a sip. Tasting notes are easily understood through simple botanical illustrations and two sliding scales that rate each cider from dry to sweet and still to sparkling. The site is also uniquely rich in cider-focused content that ranges from food pairings and how-to-guides to apple history and cocktail recipes. Cider in Love’s customer experience is thoughtful from first click to first sip.

To dive a little deeper we chatted with founder, Annie Bystryn, about the best ciders for this summer. Here’s what she had to say:

What are your favorite ciders for sipping on the beach? What would you pair with these ciders (finger foods, snacks, etc.)?

I dream of summer on the beach, and cider is an enchanting and easy choice for sipping when there is a soft breeze and the sun is just starting to dip. Nothing is better on a warm mellow afternoon than Orchard Select Semi-Dry from Snowdrift Cider. It’s a bright yet ripe semi-dry cider with rhubarb and summer peach flavors that highlight a honeydew smoothness. It matches beautifully with Mediterranean dishes – the subtle sweet & salty flavors play off each other nicely. I also really love Tilted Shed’s Graviva – it’s crowd-pleaser of a cider with plenty of bubbles and rich, creamy flavors of ripe apricot balanced by savory herbs. This is a versatile cider that pairs well with lots of dishes but sings when paired with seafood – from crab to salmon. And nothing captures sunset better than Slyboro’s La Sainte Terre – it’s an opulent cider, perfect for the end of day with friends. La Sainte Terre is a bright gold semi-sweet cider that’s fermented just like a champagne – and has gorgeous floral aromas and notes of mango and pineapple. This is great sipped with cheese or fantastic on its own.

What are your favorite ciders to pack for a picnic? What would you pair with these ciders?

The low alcohol level makes fine cider a great choice for day drinking in the summer. You get all the complexity and subtlety of fine wine -- without without the sleeping feeling in the sun. I love to pack a couple of bottles of friendly, crisp cider that will pair well with the mix of dishes that turn up on a picnic blanket. Liberty’s Newtown Pippin is a bright zesty sparkling cider that bursts with tropic fruit notes and aromas of lemon and mandarin peel. It pairs nicely with a cold roast chicken and is insanely good with key lime pie. I also love Orchard Hill’s Verde - it’s dry and crisp and zingy and pairs well with just about anything, from burgers to spicy dishes.

How can you create a perfect beach/picnic moment with Cider in Love?

It’s about taking the time to sip & savor and live in the moment. Summer is about taking it easy – and cider isn’t fussy. Gather the foods you love and a slightly chilled bottle of a cider that suits your mood and play around to find combos that sing.

Although Cider in Love is a national platform, bottles are not available for delivery in all states — lucky for us they are in Florida! Looking for more information? Check out their site here.