I’m a sucker for anything tropical. Pineapple, mango, coconut-scented sunscreen—GET IN MY BELLY. And as a foodie, I also love herbaceous flavors. That’s why finding this Rainbow Seeker Pineapple + Sage Hard Cider by Blake’s Hard Cider Co. had me thanking the alcohol gods in the aisle at Garfields.
Bright colors on the can = bright flavor inside. I have to admit, on the first sip, all I tasted was your typical apple cider. Delicious, not teeth-rot sweet, but not quite as dry as I typically like, especially after an afternoon of picking up rain-splattered dog poop and mowing the lawn.
Once I remembered I was writing an article and not just farting around and drinking, I let myself experience this semi-sweet cider. That’s when the pineapple flavor revealed itself to me like a shy lover.
Moment of honesty: I was raised on canned pineapple. I love my mother. She’s nearly infallible. But this and microwaveable bacon may have been her only two mistakes.
But this. This little can of ROYGBIV is nothing like canned pineapple. The pineapple is natural, real, and subtle, more of an undertone lending bright acidity than a main player, and it gives this gluten free cider that fresh-from-the-Jewel-produce-section flavor.
The sage? Nowhere to be found, I’m sorry to say. Maybe someone with a more sensitive palette can pick it up, but I can’t taste it, and it kind of breaks my heart.
At 5.5% ABV, beer bros would call this a “sessionable” cider. This zesty little can ain’t gonna slam you to the floor, which means you get to drink more than one. Hell, you can drink more than three and probably be ok to sensibly text your ex. Try it.*
Rainbow Seeker is part of Blake’s Hard Cider Co.’s Kinder Cider Series, which partners with nonprofits to give back to communities. This psychedelic colored can touts the company’s partnership with the Human Rights Campaign.
As a millennial (deal wit’ it), I like products that support causes. I like buying products from companies that support others’ wellbeing. And more than anything, I like knowing that my drunk is helping out our LGBTQ community. That means I’ll definitely be trying the rest of Blake’s Hard Cider’s collection.
*Chicago Craft is not liable for any text messages leading to the breakup of a current relationship or .
Katie O’Shaughnessy
Foreign Correspondent, Ciders
Chicago Craft 