This Labor Day Weekend I was touring my boyfriend around my hometown and planned the ultimate Richmond day! We strolled through Carytown, rock-hopped at Belle Isle, shared flights at Buskey, and topped it off with a Flying Squirrels game (they won in extra innings). Having grown up just outside of Richmond, Virginia, I was ecstatic to hear a few years back that Will Correll, a brother of one of my then coworkers, was bringing craft cider to RVA. It’s amazing to see how much their cider selection has grown in such a short period of time!
Below I’ve included reviews, starting with my favorites, but something to note is that with zero added sugar, Buskey ciders trend on the dryer side. We enjoyed all of these on-site, but Buskey now distributes cans around Central Virginia. Check here to find a location near you!
Watermelon Rosemary – There’s no other way to describe it. This cider tastes just like a Watermelon Sour Patch Kid, but in the best way. We went through a lot of back and forth on how to rate the sweetness, because while it does remind me of the candy, it’s because of the sweet and sour combo it brings with the watermelon and herbs.
Sweetness Rating: 🍎🍎🍎 (3/5)
Fruitiness Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍎 (4/5)
CR Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎 (5/5)
RVA Cider – Their classic, 100% Virginia apple cider, is dry, crisp and refreshing. Something that you could enjoy all year round.
Sweetness Rating: 🍎🍎 (2/5)
Fruitiness Rating: 🍎 (1/5)
CR Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍎 (4/5)
Jalapeño Lime – Exactly what you want out of a jalapeño cider. It tastes just like fresh jalapeño and packs a punch without being too spicy or vinegary like other pepper ciders I’ve had.
Sweetness Rating: 🍎🍎🍏 (2.5/5)
Fruitiness Rating: 🍎🍎🍎 (3/5)
CR Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍎 (4/5)
Tart Cherry – While the cherries give the cider its blush color, the fruitiness isn’t overpowering and leaves the cider tart and refreshing.
Sweetness Rating: 🍎🍏 (1.5/5)
Fruitiness Rating: 🍎🍎🍏 (2.5/5)
CR Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍏 (3.5/5)
Piña Colada – This cider was more subtle than I expected. The coconut comes through, but it’s light on the pineapple, and has the same crisp taste of their base cider.
Sweetness Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍎 (4/5)
Fruitiness Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍎 (4/5)
CR Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍏 (3.5/5)
Heritage Blend – I was less impressed by the Heritage. Hoping for a full-bodied, wholesome cider, this cider had more of a sauvignon blanc taste.
Sweetness Rating: 🍎🍎 (2/5)
Fruitiness Rating: 🍎🍏 (1.5/5)
CR Rating: 🍎🍎🍏 (2.5/5)
BONUS CIDER: Neopolitan – By golly, they pulled it off! We used to buy Neopolitan to dish out with cake at family birthday parties, and this cider manages to capture hints of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, like the last melty bit in the bottom of the carton.