More than just boozy fruit juice, these diverse hard ciders—some with wine-like complexity and others with novel ingredients like sake and hops—are versatile enough to drink straight, pair with dinner or even mix into old school shandies.

Aspall Dry Premier Cru Suffolk Cyder

What: This dry cider from Suffolk almost doubles up as a light sparkling wine, with its delicate fruity flavor, moderate body and tannic astringency. While most commercial ciders taste “loud” and unsophisticated, this one is quite restrained.
When: Pretty much a crowd-pleaser, plus it tastes more expensive than it is. It’d be perfect packed up with cold cheese and fruit for a picnic.
Verdict: √√√√√

$8.50 from The Cider Pit.

Anthem Hops

What: The bottle looks pretty boring, but open it up and you’ll find yourself inundated with the herbal, floral smell of hops. Basically, it tastes like a hybrid between craft beer and cider (albeit with a thinner body), only subtler, more complex and aromatic. Here’s the surprise: everyone, even beer haters, love it.
When: Impress your beer snob friends, or make this your contribution to the next boys’ night out. Even the most solid of dudebros need to express their sensitive sides now and then.
Verdict: √√√√

$21.90 from Thirsty - The Beer Shop.

Crispin Artisanal Reserve Cho-tokkyu

What: A cloudy American cider with a distinctive twist—its base of unfiltered apple juice is developed with sake yeast and finished with organic rice syrup. Though the drink lacks body, its strong sour notes and funky, fermented taste make it a divisive drink that people either love or hate.
When: It’s a lot of fun to watch the varied responses to this. Try pairing it with clean, seafood-centric plates, as one would with sake.
Verdict: √√√

$19.90 from Thirsty - The Beer Shop.

Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché Brut de Normandie 2011

What: Not a cider for beginners, this unfiltered, unpasteurized specimen from Normandy is musty, earthy and tastes of leather. But we love it! The lovely soft amber color and fine consistent effervescence are big pluses too.
When: Its funky barnyard aromas mean that it can stand up to even pungent cheeses (think a nice stinky livarot). Pick up a couple of bottles for your next tasting party.
Verdict: √√√√√

$20 from Tippletown.

Napoleone & Co Apple Cider

What: This bottle’s crafted by winemakers (Punt Road Wines in Australia’s Yarra Valley) and it shows. Dry and sharp, it reminds us very much of a good trocken riesling. The light clear drink is made of a mix of apples—including plenty of Granny Smith—and the green apple flavor comes through beautifully.
When: Have it with dinner. It’d go great with some elegant poached chicken. Also, the almost bracing acidity would complement spicy Asian salads.
Verdict: √√√√

$7 from The Providore.

Thatchers 2011 Vintage Cider

What: Pumpkin-colored, with a ripe juicy red apple flavor, this initially seems a pretty standard. But what makes it interesting is the bittersweet balance: Aged in oak barrels, the stuff has a faint smokiness, which balances the sweetness.  
When: The smokiness would pair well with a well-browned, caramelized grilled cheese sandwich. And—this is a little déclassé—it could also work in cocktails like the Snakebite (stout and cider).
Verdict: √√√

$9.50 from Brewers’ Craft.

Azur

Café & Bar Gavroche stocks a wide range of over 50 types of pastis, some of which make its way into pretty mixed drinks like the Azur (blue pastis and Champagne). Chef-owner Frederic Colin says, “The color of blue pastis reminds me of the Mediterranean Sea, and when mixed with bubbly, the liquorice flavor is very fresh on the palate.” The joint’s also offering a Viva La France Indoor Picnic ($118 for four) basket—including camembert, pork rillettes, pâté en croûte and sweet madeleines—on July 13.

$18 at Café & Bar Gavroche

Pastis Manguin

On sale for $6 each (it usually goes for $10) at O Batignolles’ Bastille Day Party (July 13), are three kinds of pastis from Avignon producer Distillerie Manguin, in the colors of the French flag: white (original), blue and red (each macerated with different herbs). Bar owner Antoine Rouland says, “It is fantastic craft pastis from the south of France. They’ve been distilling since 1949, so they’re masters of the process. The production is also quite small as they are independent. We met them directly in Avignon and love the aromatic profile of their product.”

$6 at O Batignolles

Pernod Ricard

The special Bastille Day set menu ($78)—available for lunch and dinner, July 13-14—at Balzac Brasserie starts with an aperitif of ever-popular Pernod Ricard pastis. Served in a rocks glass with water jug and ice cubes on the side (for you to dilute it to taste), the classically French meal also includes a starter platter of oysters, saucisson brioche and eggs mayo followed by traditional mains like roast chicken and baba au rhum for dessert. Assistant restaurant manager Mohit Bahuguna says, “We choose Pernod Ricard as its famous throughout France: The French consume around 130 million liters of the stuff each year.”

$14 (or $78 with set meal) at Balzac Brasserie