Carlton United Breweries’ low carb beer brand Pure Blonde has released the “Pure Blonde Crisp Apple Cider” low carb cider. Claiming 60% sugar and 50% fewer carbohydrates than regular cider. Wait what? What the hell is a regular cider? And exactly how much sugar is in Pure Blonde’s Cider?
Full credit to Carlton United Breweries (CUB) they list some of the nutritional facts for all their products on their website. This includes sugar and carbs. Sadly no actual ingredients list. Hey CUB, I challenge you to list a full ingredients list to the same standard as any food you buy in the supermarket.
Anyway, they tell us that the Pure Blonde Crisp Apple Cider has 2.0g/100ml or 20g/litres. Plug that into VinoCalc and we get a standard gravity of 1.008SG. So if Pure Blonde Crisp Apple Cider were to be entered into this year’s Australian Cider Awards it would slot neatly into the New World Medium Cider (1.004 -1019SG). The key word here is Medium. Not sweet cider, not dry sweet but right in the middle of the market spectrum. Would a medium be a regular cider? This was the biggest category at this year’s awards. To me, that’s a “regular cider”. So the claim that the Pure Blonde Crisp Apple Cider is 60% less sugar than regular cider is, well, crap.
Maybe then, CUB mean something from their own range? I looked up and down the list to find a cider approximately 60% higher in sugar than the Pure Blonde Crisp Apple Cider. Congratulation Bulmer’s, you’re a regular cider!
The Nose
Sulphur and chalkboard dust. The only thing that is remotely apple-ish is a stale old fruit bowl stink. Not good.
The Taste
What the hell is this? It tastes like a rotten apple that was sucked up by a vacuum cleaner and left there for a week. I’m expecting to get a hair in my mouth at any moment. It’s watery yet, overpoweringly horrid. You can tell it’s made by a low carb beer brand it has that same apathy to good taste. The Pure Blonde Crisp Apple Cider is slightly beery, mildly fizzy, medium sweetness and not enough apple flavour to comment on if its real, concentrate or artificial. I’m not finishing this rubbish.
Final Thoughts The Pure Blonde Crisp Apple Cider
If you want a low sugar cider there are some truly fantastic option on the market, I found one last week that has even less sugar.
In all honesty, this is one of the most undrinkable “ciders” I’ve ever tried. Carlton United Breweries can not be serious about this crap. They have recently sacked a large number of staff mainly electricians and fitters then tried to hire them back at lower wages.
Don’t bother. Between the way they treat staff and the quality of this drink Just don’t bother.
| Product | Pure Blonde Crisp Apple Cider |
| Company | Pure Blonde, Carlton United Breweries |
| Sweetness | Medium |
| Alc/Vol | 4.5% |
| Website | pureblonde.com.au |
| Country of Origin | Australia |
| Region | Made in Australia from imported and local ingredients. |
Don’t forget to get your Real Cider Reviews merch
You Might Also Like
November 17, 2016
Carlton United Breweries, your Pure Blonde Apple Cider was a huge let-down. Not much flavour at all. Disappointing. :'(
November 23, 2016
When I buy apple cider ,I expect it to taste like apple cider! I absolutely loath the fast of beer! Why the hell would I want my apple cider to taste like beer! Big disappointment !!
December 15, 2016
Shaz, Cider connoisseur says it is undrinkable. If you like cider you won’t like this. If you like this you’re a moron.
December 18, 2016
I don’t think I have ever tasted anything less like apple cider in my life. Bet the apple was waived over the bottle to get such little flavour! As for sugar, what sugar? It’s got the after taste of saccharine. Huge disappointment and definitely wouldn’t buy again and highly recommend you don’t either!
January 9, 2017
Apparently CUB is unable to produce cider or beer with artificial sugars, so that rules out fake sugar. (spoke with consumer relations about this as I too was curious re the “low sugar” description).
January 18, 2017
It’s just horrible, from the first attempt at finding an aroma, to the flat mid and aftertaste .
This is a fail on so many levels ,and agree with all above. CUB should be ashamed at producing this awful stuff. Maybe I can use it for cleaning my BBQ?
January 20, 2017
I wouldn’t risk my BBQ like that 🙂
January 29, 2017
I have recently been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes and thought Pure Blonde would be for me but after reading your review i’m not so sure.What was the one you mentioned that had less sugar ?
January 29, 2017
Great question Barry. There are a few really good quality dry ciders with almost no sugar left in them, hitting the market at the moment. Willie Smith’s Bone Dry is a good place to start, it’s available at the bigger bottle shops like Dan Murphys.
I have a new review out later today of another very good dry cider. Stay tuned for that.
March 19, 2017
Well, I just returned from Australia and I absolutely love Pure Blonde Apple Cider and am so disappointed that I can’t buy here in the states! I’m not a beer drinker. I found this uniquely different and refreshing so send me your leftovers!
July 25, 2017
My husband is Coeliac and Pure Blonde Apple Cider was recommended to him in Deniliquin by one of the pics there.
Is this cider Gluten Free please.
We need to know. I cannot do d out from the ingredients list.
Thank you.
July 25, 2017
Most Australian craft ciders will be gluten free. A good cider is only made from apple juice which is gluten free. Some of the name ciders made by the multinationals may have other weird ingredients including wheat make it clear.
Look for the small brands and family business ciders they will proudly state they are made of 100% apple juice. There are plenty of examples in this site.
August 27, 2017
I just sat down at the footy with one. I love cider. This tastes like mineral water that’s had a bottle of apple juice waved over the top of it. Utterly disappointed that I’ve got to finish the cup so at least I don’t waste my money on the alcohol that’s hidden in there somewhere.
September 4, 2017
Worst cider I’ve ever had surely this crap is a joke
October 4, 2017
Couldn’t find ingredients list anywhere ! Doesn’t taste nice and has made my coeliac daughter very ill.
Need to know for sure if this product is gluten free
October 4, 2017
I can’t be 100% certain that it is gluten-free because it is not made for 100% real fresh apples instead concentrates and artificial flavours. Sometimes wheat-based products are used make the drink crystal clear. Many of the other small-scale ciders I have reviewed are gluten-free as they are only made with proper fresh apples.
Check out my Barossa Valley review. The makers say it’s gluten-free and it’s pretty widely available at places like Dan Murphies https://www.realciderreviews.com/australian/the-barossa-valley-cider-co-squashed-apple-cider/