Seattle Cider Odyssey 6Pk

Seattle Cider Odyssey 6Pk is a semi-sweet imperial hard cider at 8.4% ABV, sold in six 375mL cans, made from a custom blend of fresh-pressed Washington apples. A Gold medal winner, Odyssey stands apart from Seattle Cider Company's core lineup with its higher strength, cider-specific yeast fermentation, and distinctive brown sugar back-sweetening that delivers unexpected depth for the category.

Quick Facts: ABV: 8.4%  |  Origin: Washington, USA  |  Style: Imperial Semi-Sweet Cider  |  Cidery: Seattle Cider Company

Production & Heritage

Seattle Cider Company operates out of Washington State, a region long celebrated for its apple orchards and growing cider culture. Odyssey uses a custom blend of locally grown Washington apples fermented with a yeast strain selected specifically for this expression — a deliberate departure from the house yeasts used across the rest of the Seattle Cider range. After fermentation, the cider is back sweetened with brown sugar, a technique that adds complexity while amplifying the natural apple character and helping smooth over the elevated 8.4% ABV. The 375mL can format — slightly larger than a standard 12oz (355mL) can — signals that Odyssey is meant to be savored rather than sessionable. The cider is naturally gluten free.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Undeniably fruit-forward on the nose, leading with ripe stone fruit and fresh apple. Subtle melon and cantaloupe notes emerge underneath, giving the aroma an almost tropical lean that belies the cider's Northwest origins.

Taste: The entry delivers immediate stone fruit and juicy apple, followed by a mid-palate that opens into cantaloupe sweetness and a distinctive maple syrup and mead-like character rarely encountered in cider. The medium body carries the 8.4% ABV gracefully — the residual sweetness from brown sugar back-sweetening tames the alcohol, making each sip smoother than the strength suggests.

Finish: Broad warmth from brown sugar lingers alongside crisp apple acidity that keeps the sweetness honest. The finish is medium-long, with caramelized sugar and a clean apple snap that invites the next sip.

How to Drink Odyssey

Pour Odyssey chilled into a tulip glass or wide-mouth goblet to let those stone fruit aromatics fully express themselves; the 375mL can is well-suited to a single generous pour. A Brown Sugar Old Fashioned riff works beautifully here — the cider's built-in brown sugar sweetness replaces simple syrup and pairs naturally with aromatic bitters. Try it in a Stone Fruit Shandy, topped with a light wheat beer, where Odyssey's body and sweetness carry the drink without added juice. It also shines in an Autumn Mule, subbing for ginger beer alongside bourbon and fresh lime, where the cider's melon and apple notes add layered fruit complexity.

Best For

• Introducing craft beer drinkers to the depth of imperial ciders
• Autumn gatherings where a bold, warming cider fits the mood
• Gifting a gluten-free friend something genuinely impressive
• After-dinner sipping as a dessert-adjacent alternative to sweet wine

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Odyssey taste like? Odyssey is a semi-sweet, medium-bodied cider dominated by stone fruit, fresh apple, and cantaloupe on the palate, finishing with warm brown sugar and a crisp apple snap. It also carries an unusual maple syrup and mead-like character that distinguishes it from most ciders on the market.

How does Odyssey compare to Portland Cider Co. Imperial Dry? Portland Cider Co. Imperial Dry sits at a similar 8.5% ABV but takes a completely different approach — dry, tannic, and full-bodied with no residual sweetness. Odyssey leans semi-sweet with brown sugar back-sweetening and a fruit-forward, medium-bodied profile, making these two imperial ciders near-opposite expressions of the same strength category.

Is Odyssey good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the brown sugar back-sweetening smooths the 8.4% ABV, making Odyssey drink easier than its strength suggests while offering enough complexity to hold your attention across an entire 375mL pour.

Where is Odyssey made? Odyssey is produced by Seattle Cider Company in Washington State, using a custom blend of fresh-pressed apples sourced from local Washington orchards.

What foods pair well with Odyssey? Aged cheddar or Gruyère complements the brown sugar sweetness; roasted pork loin echoes the stone fruit and caramel notes; apple galette mirrors and amplifies the cider's core character; spiced nuts match the warm finish; and mild blue cheese creates a satisfying sweet-savory contrast.

What sizes does Odyssey come in? Odyssey is available in a 6-pack of 375mL cans, each slightly larger than a standard 12oz (355mL) can at approximately 12.68oz per can.

Is Odyssey worth the price? Odyssey positions as a premium imperial cider with a unique production approach — cider-specific yeast, brown sugar back-sweetening, and oversized cans — placing it firmly above everyday session ciders in both quality and intent, and offering strong value within the imperial cider tier.

Why Odyssey?

Odyssey earns its name by genuinely departing from the expected. While most cideries sweeten with apple juice concentrate or standard sugar, the brown sugar back-sweetening here creates a warm, almost mead-adjacent dimension that few competitors replicate. The use of a cider-specific yeast — rather than a multipurpose strain — allows the Washington apple blend to express stone fruit and melon notes that would otherwise be lost. At 8.4% ABV in a thoughtfully oversized 375mL format, Odyssey occupies a space between sipping cider and dessert drink, and it holds up to scrutiny in both roles. For anyone who thinks cider lacks the complexity of craft beer or wine, this is the bottle to prove them wrong.