1911 Black Cherry Hard Cider 4Pk

1911 Black Cherry Hard Cider 4Pk is a fruit-forward hard cider from LaFayette, New York, fermented from fresh-pressed apple juice and blended with cherry juice at 6.9% ABV. Produced by 1911 Established at Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards — a family operation that controls the process from tree to bottle — the Black Cherry expression stands apart from many flavored ciders on the market by building its fruit character on a genuine fresh-cider foundation rather than apple concentrate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.9%  |  Origin: LaFayette, New York  |  Flavored Hard Cider  |  Producer: 1911 Established / Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards

Production & Heritage

Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards has been growing apples in the hills south of Syracuse, New York for over five generations. The 1911 Established brand — named for the year the orchard was founded — launched its cider and spirits line to put those apples to work in a different way. For the Black Cherry expression, fresh-pressed apple cider is fermented in small batches, then blended with cherry juice and natural black cherry flavoring. The use of fresh juice instead of reconstituted concentrate gives the base a cleaner, crisper character that lets the cherry addition complement rather than overwhelm. Sweetness registers at roughly 4 on a 6-point scale, and carbonation stays moderate, yielding a drink that leans refreshing rather than syrupy.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Cherry jam and red berry lead the nose immediately, followed by a distinct orchard-apple freshness underneath. There is a candied sweetness in the aroma, but it reads more like fresh fruit than artificial flavoring.

Taste: The entry is bold, tart cherry — bright and punchy without tipping into medicinal territory. At mid-palate, the apple base asserts itself, grounding the cherry with crisp acidity and a touch of natural sweetness. A subtle candy-like note emerges toward the peak, balancing the tartness without making the cider feel heavy.

Finish: Clean and relatively quick, with lingering cherry sweetness that fades into mild acidity. There is no cloying aftertaste, which keeps the overall impression refreshing and drinkable.

How to Drink 1911 Black Cherry

Serve cold, straight from the can or poured into a pint glass to let the moderate carbonation open up the cherry aromatics. This cider is built to drink on its own without any fuss. For mixed drinks, try it in a Cherry Cider Spritz — top with sparkling water and a squeeze of lime for a low-ABV warm-weather sipper. It also works well in a Black Cherry Shandy, blended half-and-half with a light wheat beer for added body. A Cherry Mule — combining the cider with ginger beer and fresh lime over ice — plays off the tartness and adds a spicy kick.

Best For

• Backyard cookouts and casual outdoor gatherings where a lighter, fruit-driven option is welcome
• Introducing cider-curious beer drinkers to a fruit-flavored craft cider with real depth
• Pairing with grilled foods at a summer barbecue
• Stocking a mixed-pack cooler alongside lagers and lighter ales for variety

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 1911 Black Cherry taste like? It leads with tart, punchy cherry flavor balanced by a crisp fresh-apple backbone and finishes clean with mild sweetness and gentle acidity. The overall profile is fruity, refreshing, and moderately sweet without being syrupy.

How does 1911 Black Cherry compare to Angry Orchard Rosé? 1911 Black Cherry uses fresh-pressed apple juice as its base, which tends to produce a cleaner, crisper mouthfeel compared to concentrate-based ciders. Angry Orchard Rosé leans more toward a delicate berry-apple character at a slightly lower ABV, while the 1911 delivers a bolder, more assertive cherry punch at 6.9%.

Is 1911 Black Cherry good for beginners? Yes — its approachable sweetness (4 out of 6 on the producer's scale) and fruit-forward flavor make it an easy entry point for anyone new to hard cider or transitioning from flavored malt beverages.

Where is 1911 Black Cherry made? It is produced by 1911 Established at Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in LaFayette, New York, a family-owned orchard operation located in the rolling hills just south of Syracuse in central New York State.

What foods pair well with 1911 Black Cherry? Smoked pulled pork benefits from the cherry tartness cutting through the richness. Sharp cheddar cheese creates a sweet-savory contrast that highlights the apple base. Grilled chicken with a cherry glaze echoes the cider's fruit character. Mixed-berry desserts like a cobbler or tart complement the cherry notes, and spicy dishes such as jalapeño poppers are tempered by the cider's sweetness.

What sizes does 1911 Black Cherry come in? The standard retail format is a 4-pack of cans, which is the most widely available configuration from 1911 Established.

Is 1911 Black Cherry worth the price? It positions as a craft-tier flavored cider, priced above mass-market national brands but justified by its fresh-pressed apple base and small-batch production at a working New York orchard. For drinkers who notice the difference between concentrate-based and fresh-juice ciders, the quality gap is real.

Why 1911 Black Cherry?

The single biggest differentiator here is the base cider itself. While many flavored hard ciders on the market start with reconstituted apple concentrate — cheaper to produce and store — 1911 Established ferments fresh-pressed juice from apples grown at their own orchard. That decision ripples through the entire drinking experience: the body is cleaner, the acidity is more natural, and the cherry flavoring integrates more gracefully instead of sitting on top of a flat, sugary base. At 6.9% ABV with moderate carbonation and a well-calibrated sweetness level, the Black Cherry is a flavored cider that actually tastes like it was made by people who grow fruit for a living — because it was.