Come autumn, my family often likes to indulge in some classic apple cider. The best place to buy apple cider is from a local orchard that makes it fresh with their own apples. If we can’t get out to an orchard, Aldi usually sells jugs of apple cider, and so does Aldi’s cousin Trader Joe’s. This year, I spotted a different take on traditional apple cider in the middle aisle at Aldi: sparkling apple cider.
This sparkling apple cider contains 100% juice and is essentially apple cider with carbonation. It looked intriguing, so I bought a case.
Nature’s Nectar Sparkling Fresh Apple Cider cost $3.99 for a pack of four 12-ounce bottles, which comes out to about $1 per bottle.
This is an Aldi Find, so it’s only in stores for a short time. Each store gets one shipment, and after that sells out, these are gone, most likely until next year. Aldi does not offer online ordering for products that aren’t in stock at your local store.
Ingredients are simple: apple juice (water, apple juice concentrate), potassium sorbate (a preservative), and carbonation.
This cider is pasteurized and should be refrigerated after opening. It’s sold in traditional glass bottles with metal caps, so you’ll need a bottle opener.
Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
One bottle (355 mL) has 170 calories, no fat, cholesterol, or sodium, 43 grams of total carbohydrates (16% DV), 43 grams of total sugars, and no added sugars.
I chilled this sparkling cider in the refrigerator prior to serving. My kids didn’t enjoy this as much, perhaps because they’re not accustomed to fizzy apple cider, but my husband and I really liked it. It tastes exactly like what you’d expect: apple cider with bubbles. It reminds us of the sparkling grape juice we often enjoy during the holidays. I think we’ve found a new fall favorite at Aldi.
The Verdict:
Nature’s Nectar Sparkling Fresh Apple Cider features apple cider with just the right amount of carbonation for a fun, fizzy fall drink. If you like apple cider, try this unique twist on an autumn favorite.
As one of our close relatives is a forever recovering alcoholic, we serve sparkling fruit beverages at family dinners as a festive touch. While we have been using bottles from Martinelli’s and Welch’s, for instance, we’ll try this also.