Apple cider has taken on several variations and temperatures through the years.

Amidst the smorgasbord of pumpkin spice coffees and other orange-colored confections that are available this time of year, it is easy to overlook the simple pleasure of some good old-fashioned apple cider. There are few other autumnal drinks that have been part of American fall for as long as apple cider has. But no matter at what temperature you drink it or how old you are, there is something about apple cider and all its variations that can’t be beat.   

Cold Apple Cider

With the last bits of summer still clinging to the forecast, you’re bound to find some unusually warm days throughout this month, and there’s no better way to cool down than with a chilled glass of cider. There is something unique about this drink that allows it to be sweet and refreshing without ever being too saccharine or tart. 

But sometimes merely dropping ice cubes in a cup and pouring cider over them doesn’t quite hit the spot. For those who know their way around a blender or a smoothie machine, there are also recipes for apple cider slushies to help cool down like the seasons. I once had a cider slushie from an Harford County orchard with the same creaminess as Rita’s Italian Ice. The drink was sublime, though I have yet to replicate the same results at home.

Thankfully, apple cider sticks around long after all the leaves have fallen. 

Hot Apple Cider

From autumn into winter, there is often a chill that requires more than coffee or tea can chase away. That’s when you break out the spices and make hot apple cider. It’s the perfect drink for chilly October afternoons spent with friends. Hot apple cider is a sweet, fruity way to warm you up when the weather gets cold. 

Though my mom always makes it in a slow-cooker, you can easily make some in the dorms by microwaving a mug of cider and some additional cinnamon. Starbucks also carries Caramel Apple Spice in the fall for a yummy sweet treat for cider cravings on the go. 

Hard Cider

Though not all students at this university are able to enjoy hard apple cider, it’s hard to ignore the big comeback this drink has made. In the past year, you might have noticed dozens of commercials for new varieties of hard cider in between your favorite shows. 

Anheuser-Busch’s offering, Johnny Appleseed Hard Apple Cider, has been the latest. It joins the likes of Redd’s Apple Ale, which is more of an apple-flavored beer rather than a true cider, and my drink of choice, Angry Orchard, which boasts a “Crisp Apple” flavor that’s tangy and sweet.

You’re never too old for apple cider; brewing it certainly helps for those with a more mature palate.

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Somehow, it’s possible to even eat apple cider, sort of. Apple cider doughnuts are without a doubt the best fall food; the first time I had one, I couldn’t believe I could actually taste the cider within it.

Sure, these are pretty much just cinnamon apple-flavored doughnuts. But when they’re only around for a couple months a year, I can’t help but indulge!