Are you ready for summer? I know I am! I am ready to hang by the pool and relax. What better way to relax than with an ice cold drink? I think I have just found the perfect drink for summer – Michelob ULTRA Light Cider! When I was asked if I was interested in reviewing the new cider, I jumped at the opportunity! I love hard ciders and will often choose them over wine in the summer.
More about the new cider:
ST. LOUIS (May 7, 2012) – Anheuser-Busch’s Michelob ULTRA today announced the newest addition to its portfolio, Michelob ULTRA Light Cider, a naturally sweetened and gluten-free cider made from crisp apples. Featuring one-third fewer calories (120) and a more mellowed sweetness than traditional ciders*, Michelob ULTRA Light Cider is ideal for year-round enjoyment and provides adult drinkers a light, refreshing alternative to white wine, champagne and heavier ciders.
“As more people continue to discover cider, we’ve found that many view traditional ciders as either too heavy, too sweet or both,” said Ryan Moore, vice president of premium lights, Anheuser-Busch. “This perception has often times limited ciders to a seasonal beverage during fall and winter, but we saw an untapped potential to expand the category as a year-round option for adult drinkers. Michelob ULTRA Light Cider fills this void with a lower calorie cider with a milder, but distinct, sweetness that can be enjoyed straight or over ice.”
Michelob ULTRA Light cider will be available nationwide (excluding CO, UT, WY and OK) beginning May 7, 2012, and will be available in six-packs of 12-ounce clear glass bottles.
Michelob ULTRA Light Cider is the first cider from Anheuser-Busch to be produced and distributed in the U.S., and is produced at Anheuser-Busch’s Baldwinsville, New York, brewery. For more information, visit www.MichelobULTRA.com or www.Facebook.com/MichelobULTRA (must be 21 years of age).
To help celebrate the new launch, Michelob ULTRA has generously sent me a complimentary picnic kit and offered to give one away to a lucky reader, too!
To help launch Light Cider, they have put together a picnic (or BBQ, or summer concert) kit of must-have items to turn an outdoor gathering into an ULTRA experience. This kit includes Light Cider samples, snacks, and an array of items from the Crate & Barrel® seasonal collection like a Table In A Bag, picnic blanket, napkins and an insulated tote.
Before I get to the details of the giveaway, I want to share my thoughts on the cider. I loved this light cider! I don’t know if I can accurately describe how it tastes, but I’ll try. Michelob ULTRA Light Cider was one of the lightest, most flavorful, refreshing drinks I have had in a long time. It wasn’t overly sweet – it seemed to have just the right amount of sweetness blended with crispness. I drank one with my grilled chicken salad the other night and it was the perfect compliment to the light meal.
The Table in a Bag, blanket, napkins & tote are very cool! I can’t wait to use them all when we head to the beach later this summer! Now for the fun part! To enter to win your very own picnic kit, follow the directions below in the Rafflecopter box (you must have javascript enabled to view and enter).
***The picnic kits (the one received by me and given away to a reader) were provided by Michelob ULTRA. The thoughts shared in this post are mine and have not been influenced in any way.
****Giveaway open to US residents 21 and over only. Light Cider samples will be in the form of a $20 gift card.
My son and me, November 2000. This is before we were gluten-free/diagnosed Celiac.
Looks good!
Great giveaway, Kim! And too funny because just last night, I got a text from a friend asking if I had tried this cider yet… she had seen it in some food magazine photo.
Dang ! I got really excited seeing this alas they will not be available in Colorado. We do have a few local brewrys that produce light. GF ale. I have tried almost every cider available, after your review I sure hope there a future distribution plan for CO!
I like Mikes hard lemonade, so I bet I will love this!
I love sangria in the summer, but this sounds amazing!
My favorite summer beverage would have to be blended margaritas!
Favorite summer beverage is lime mineral water with lots of crushed ice.
Can't wait to try this!
Excited to try this!
Awesome!
I love lemonade made with fresh lemons.
It used to be Bud Light Lime, but that's off the menu now, so lately it's been margaritas
But non-alcoholic is just refreshing water, sometimes with a refreshing squeeze of lemon.
This looks great!! I love hard cider but sometimes it's a little too heavy for me!
Mmmm this looks good!
Favorite summer beverage = slushies or margaritas!
Can't wait to try it!
These all look great, I would love to try any of them!
I would love to try this! I saw your instagram photo and thought that then. I think your review is perfect – you described it well and it makes me want to try it now!
Awesome! I'm in dire need of new gluten-free adult beverage options. You should do a post on them sometime! My favorite summer drink is sangria!
My favorite summer beverage is a sidecar with extra lime if I need a real treat, or water with lime from day to day.
I like to drink sangria or prosecco with sorbet in the summer!
I like lemonade.
My favorite summer beverage is anything Cider over a tall glass of ice!
love lemonade thansk
I love Mojitos made with mint from my garden.
I love ice tea in the summer (and the winter…and the pretty much all the time)
raspberry Tea
dollhousecreation(at)gmail(dot)com
Margarita, on the rocks, sugar on the rim.
My favorite summer beverage is ice tea. But the blend of Michelob Ultra Light Cider sounds refreshing.
This drink sounds great. Would love to win it.
A lighter cider sounds interesting
My fav summer drink is anything made with mint and strawberries in the blender! Yum!
I love sweet tea!
Cannot wait to try!!!
spiked lemonade for sure!
Sweet tea is my favorite everyday summer drink butI love hard cider for special get togethers.
I'm always looking for new options, this sounds so good. Have you tried Angry Orchard cider yet? I love it!! Specifically the Apple Ginger flavor
Would love to win this. Love the summer
I love peach fuzz: peaches, vodka and limeade!
Mine is sangria!
Can’t wait to try it. My husband is Gluten free and can’t wait either.
Just picked up a six pack today and must say I am pleasantly surprised. Being a Celiac my options for a light gluten free alcoholic beverage have been slim to none. I tried Redbridge but it was too heavy and filling for me. I do however love the new Ultra light cider give it a try!
Sounds great!