Blake's Hard Cider Original 6Pk

Blake's Hard Cider Original 6-Pack is a 5.5% ABV fresh-pressed hard cider sold in a six-pack of 12 oz cans, made from a proprietary blend of five Michigan apple varieties. Produced on a family farm with more than 75 years of history, this flagship expression represents Blake's commitment to a genuine farm-to-glass approach — every apple is grown, pressed, and fermented on-site in Armada, Michigan.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.5%  |  Origin: Armada, Michigan, USA  |  Style: Semi-Sweet Hard Cider  |  Producer: Blake's Hard Cider Co.

Production & Heritage

Blake's Hard Cider Co. operates out of Blake Farms in Armada, Michigan, a working orchard and farm that has been in operation for over 75 years. The Original cider is made from 100% fresh-pressed apples — never from concentrate — using a blend of five distinct Michigan apple varieties selected for balance between sweetness, acidity, and aromatic complexity. Fermentation relies on a proprietary wine yeast strain, a deliberate choice that sets Blake's apart from cideries using standard beer or champagne yeasts, lending the finished cider a cleaner, more fruit-forward character.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Fresh apple orchard on the nose — bright Macintosh-style apple skin, a faint floral lift, and a subtle honeyed sweetness underneath. The aromatics stay clean and uncomplicated, letting the fruit speak.

Taste: The entry is immediately crisp and apple-forward, with familiar cider-stand sweetness that moves into a balanced sweet-tart midpalate. Light to medium carbonation lifts the fresh-pressed apple flavors without overwhelming them, and a thread of honey-like richness rounds out the middle.

Finish: Subtly dry with lingering apple skin tartness and a refreshing snap. The finish is short to medium, keeping the cider sessionable and encouraging the next sip.

How to Drink Blake's Original

Serve cold, straight from the can or poured into a pint glass to release more aroma. This cider is built for easy, unadorned drinking, but it also works well in several mixed drinks. A Cider Mule — substituting Blake's Original for beer in a standard Moscow Mule — benefits from the apple's natural tartness against ginger beer. A Snakebite, combining equal parts cider and a pale lager, gains real depth from Blake's fresh-pressed character compared to mass-market ciders. A simple Apple Cider Mimosa using Blake's Original and dry sparkling wine makes a brunch staple that tastes genuinely of apples rather than artificial flavoring.

Best For

• Backyard cookouts and warm-weather gatherings where a sessionable, crowd-friendly drink is essential
• Introducing craft cider to friends who typically drink light beer or seltzer
• Pairing with fall harvest meals featuring pork, root vegetables, or sharp cheeses
• Stocking as an everyday fridge cider that delivers consistent quality without seasonal availability concerns

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Blake's Original taste like? Blake's Original delivers a crisp, sweet-tart apple flavor with light honey sweetness and a subtly dry finish. It tastes like fresh-pressed cider with just enough fermentation character to remind you it's hard cider.

How does Blake's Original compare to Downeast Original Blend? Both are unfiltered-style ciders made from fresh-pressed apples, and drinkers frequently note similarities in their approachable, fruit-forward profiles. Blake's Original tends to finish slightly drier and uses a proprietary wine yeast, while Downeast leans a touch sweeter and hazier in appearance.

Is Blake's Original good for cider beginners? Yes — its familiar apple cider flavor, moderate 5.5% ABV, and balanced sweetness make it one of the most accessible entry points into craft hard cider.

Where is Blake's Original made? Blake's Original is produced at Blake's Hard Cider Co. on Blake Farms in Armada, Michigan, roughly 50 miles north of Detroit. The apples are grown, pressed, and fermented entirely on the family farm.

What foods pair well with Blake's Original? Pulled pork sandwiches work well because the cider's acidity cuts through rich, smoky meat. Sharp cheddar cheese mirrors the sweet-tart balance. Roasted butternut squash complements the apple's natural sweetness. Apple-glazed chicken creates a harmonious pairing, and simple salted pretzels highlight the cider's crisp carbonation.

What sizes does Blake's Original come in? Blake's Hard Cider Original is commonly available in 6-packs of 12 oz cans, which is the standard retail format.

Is Blake's Original worth the price? Blake's Original positions as a mid-range craft cider — priced above mass-market national brands but justified by its 100% fresh-pressed apple base and single-farm sourcing, which most competitors at this tier cannot match.

Why Blake's Original?

The single strongest reason to reach for Blake's Original over a dozen other ciders on the shelf is provenance: this is one of the few nationally distributed hard ciders where the producer grows, presses, and ferments the fruit on the same family farm. That 100% fresh-pressed, never-from-concentrate process delivers a flavor authenticity that reconstituted-juice ciders simply cannot replicate. The proprietary wine yeast fermentation adds a subtle refinement — cleaner aromatics, a drier tail — that separates it from ciders relying on standard ale yeasts. For a 5.5% ABV sessionable cider, Blake's Original punches well above its weight in genuine apple character.