--- title: "Somersby Apple Cider: Tasting Notes and Recommended Pairings" description: "In 2012 it grew fastest among the world's top ten cider brands, per Carlsberg, and it now sells in over 40 countries in versions tailored to each market." url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/somersby-apple-cider-tasting-notes-and-recommended-pairings/ date: 2026-10-11 modified: 2026-10-11 author: "Carlos Uhart M." image: https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Botella-y-vaso-de-sidra-Somersby.png categories: ["Opinion"] tags: ["Cider", "Denmark", "Opinion", "Tasting Notes"] type: post lang: en --- # Somersby Apple Cider: Tasting Notes and Recommended Pairings Somersby Apple Cider is the 4.5% apple cider that Carlsberg Group launched in Denmark in 2008. In 2012 it was the fastest-growing of the world’s top ten cider brands, according to Carlsberg, and today it is sold in more than 40 countries in versions adapted to local tastes. ![Somersby Apple Cider](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Botella-y-vaso-de-sidra-Somersby.png)*Somersby Apple Cider* The version reviewed here is the one the brand sells in continental Europe, which differs from the semi-dry cider Carlsberg developed for the United Kingdom. With its dessert apple fruit, fresh acidity and almost imperceptible tannin, it fits the Common Cider category, the same family of modern ciders we cover in our guide on [what cider is and its varieties](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/what-is-cider-history-production-varieties-characteristics/). Contenido - [General Information](#General_Information) - [Tasting Notes and Impressions](#Tasting_Notes_and_Impressions) - [1. Appearance](#1_Appearance) - [2. Aroma](#2_Aroma) - [3. Flavor](#3_Flavor) - [4. Mouthfeel](#4_Mouthfeel) - [5. Overall Impression](#5_Overall_Impression) - [Suggested Pairings](#Suggested_Pairings) - [1. Main Courses](#1_Main_Courses) - [2. Cheeses](#2_Cheeses) - [3. Vegetarian Dishes](#3_Vegetarian_Dishes) - [4. Desserts](#4_Desserts) - [Frequently asked questions (FAQ)](#Frequently_asked_questions_FAQ) - [1. Is Somersby a cider or an alcoholic soft drink?](#1_Is_Somersby_a_cider_or_an_alcoholic_soft_drink) - [2. How much alcohol and how many calories does Somersby Apple have?](#2_How_much_alcohol_and_how_many_calories_does_Somersby_Apple_have) - [3. Is UK Somersby the same as the European one?](#3_Is_UK_Somersby_the_same_as_the_European_one) - [4. At what temperature should Somersby Apple be served?](#4_At_what_temperature_should_Somersby_Apple_be_served) - [5. Where is Somersby from?](#5_Where_is_Somersby_from) - [Recommended](#Recommended) ## General Information **Name:** Somersby Apple Cider **Producer:** [Somersby (Carlsberg Group)](https://www.somersby.com/) **Origin:** Denmark **Style:** Common Cider (BJCP C1A) **ABV:** 4.5% **Sweetness:** 7.8 to 10 g of sugar per 100 ml **Calories:** 200 kcal **Apples:** Not declared by the producer **Glassware:** Balloon glass or cider glass ## Tasting Notes and Impressions This modern, sweet cider is designed above all to refresh. Its profile revolves around ripe apple and the balance between sugar and acidity. ### 1. Appearance Pale gold with straw highlights against the light, clean and bright, with no trace of haze, and a steady stream of bubbles rising from the bottom and gathering in the center of the glass. ### 2. Aroma It opens with a frank nose of ripe apple juice and freshly cut green apple, light compote notes appear mid-nose over a soft floral background, and toward the end ripe apple takes center stage again, clean and free of any cellar notes. ### 3. Flavor The entry is sweet, with juicy apple in the foreground, mid-palate a fresh, moderate acidity holds up the sugar and keeps the whole from turning cloying, and toward a short, clean finish the apple returns with a faint citrus echo and a fruity aftertaste that fades quickly. ### 4. Mouthfeel Light to medium body with a simple structure, moderate carbonation that lightens the sweetness and adds freshness, an almost imperceptible tannin, no astringency and no alcohol warmth, going down quickly and easily. ### 5. Overall Impression Somersby Apple is dessert apple in its most direct expression, sweet, fruity and gently acidic, a cider that gives up the complexity of those from Asturias, Normandy or Somerset to be understood at the first sip, made to be served very cold and drunk without pause on a summer terrace, and in that well-executed simplicity, with no rough edges or flaws, lies the reason Carlsberg has taken it to more than 40 countries. ## Suggested Pairings Its sweetness and acidity make it a good companion for rich savory dishes and fruit desserts, as long as the dish is not sweeter than the cider itself. ### 1. Main Courses Roast pork loin with apples or glazed ribs are the most natural pairing, because the cider’s acidity cuts through the fat of the pork and its sweetness meets the caramelized notes of the roast, while the carbonation cleanses the palate between bites. ### 2. Cheeses A young brie or camembert works very well, since the bubbles and acidity clear away the creaminess of the bloomy rind, and a mild cheddar adds a salty contrast that lifts the fruit of the cider. ### 3. Vegetarian Dishes A green leaf salad with walnuts, goat cheese and mustard vinaigrette finds in the cider’s sweetness a counterpoint to the acidity of the dressing, and a mildly spiced vegetable curry becomes gentler alongside it. ### 4. Desserts An apple pie or an autumn fruit crumble extends the cider’s profile, and it is best to choose desserts of moderate sweetness so the drink does not seem flat or sour by comparison. ## Frequently asked questions (FAQ) ### 1. Is Somersby a cider or an alcoholic soft drink? In most continental European countries it is sold as cider, made with apple wine, water, sugar and concentrated apple juice. The recipe changes by market, and in Germany the label declares fruit wine instead of apple wine. ### 2. How much alcohol and how many calories does Somersby Apple have? It is 4.5% alcohol. Its European labels declare between 59 and 63 kcal per 100 ml, about 200 kcal per 330 ml bottle. ### 3. Is UK Somersby the same as the European one? No. In 2012 Carlsberg launched a version adapted to the British palate, semi-dry and free of artificial flavorings and sweeteners, with a recipe different from the one sold in continental Europe. ### 4. At what temperature should Somersby Apple be served? The brand does not give an exact temperature. We recommend serving it at 4 to 6 °C, in a balloon glass or cider glass, and over ice if you want a longer drink. ### 5. Where is Somersby from? It is a brand of Carlsberg Group, the Danish brewer headquartered in Copenhagen. It was launched in Denmark in 2008 and is now sold in more than 40 countries. ## Recommended - [What Is Cider? History, Production, Varieties and Main Characteristics](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/what-is-cider-history-production-varieties-characteristics/) - [Ice Cider, The Nectar of Frozen Apples](https://www.thebeertimes.com/sidra-hielo-nectar-las-manzanas-congeladas/)