Which cider is the sweetest?
Ice cider is usually the sweetest cider: Quebec's protected Cidre de glace must keep at least 140 g/L of residual sugar. Among everyday ciders, look for "sweet" on the label or "doux" on French cider. BJCP calls a cider sweet above 4% residual sugar, but acidity and tannin change how sweet a cider tastes.
Updated
Which cider styles are the sweetest?
| Style or label | What makes it sweet | Rule or guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Ice cider (Cidre de glace du Québec) | Juice concentrated by natural cold, fermentation stopped early | At least 140 g/L residual sugar, 9–13% ABV [1] |
| Fire cider (cidre de feu) | Boiled, concentrated juice | BJCP: "very sweet, caramelized, maple sugar-like" impression, 9–16% ABV [2] |
| "Sweet" (BJCP band) | Sugar left after fermentation | More than 4% residual sugar [3] |
| French "doux" | Fermentation stopped early, so less alcohol | Actual alcohol 3% ABV or less, density 1.024 or more [4] |
| French cider in general | Often keeved and made sweeter to balance tannin | BJCP: medium to sweet [5] |
What words on the label mean a sweet cider?
- "Sweet", "semi-sweet", "medium sweet". Maker descriptions that point to more sugar left after fermentation; BJCP's sweet band starts above 4% residual sugar. [3]
- Doux. On French cider this word is legally defined: 3% ABV or less of actual alcohol, so more unfermented sugar is left. "Demi-sec" is the next step drier. [4]
- Ice cider or "cidre de glace". Closer to a dessert wine than to a session cider. [2]
Some ciders are sweetened after fermentation, and in the UK approved sweeteners can be used in cider. [6] Acidity and tannin also change how sweet a cider tastes; see perceived sweetness and how to choose a cider by sweetness.
Is pommeau sweeter than cider?
Pommeau is not a cider but apple must blended with cider brandy, and its rules require more than 69 g/L of sugar in Normandy; see what pommeau is. [7]
Related answers: does dry cider have less sugar · how ice cider is made · French vs English cider
Find it on Cider Radar
- Guide: cider sweetness levels · How to describe sweetness
- Quebec: 79 cider makers listed (as of 2026-10-02), for ice cider.
- In Cider Radar, drinkers rate each cider's sweetness on its own scale.
- Open the map: app.ciderradar.com · iPhone · Android
Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
Sources
- Cidre de glace du Québec (IGP) — CARTV (Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants, Québec)
- 2025 Cider Style Guidelines: C2 Strong Cider — BJCP
- 2025 BJCP Cider Style Guidelines (Introduction) — Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP)
- Décret n° 2025-162 relatif aux cidres et aux poirés — Légifrance (French Government)
- 2025 Cider Style Guidelines: C1 Traditional Cider — BJCP
- Permitted ingredients for cider duty — HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK)
- Élaboration du Pommeau — IDAC – Interprofession des Appellations Cidricoles