1. Purchase a bottle of any Red Sky Appellation Cider with a Glass Above neck tag at a participating NSLC Store – while supplies last.
2. Bring the neck tag (just the tag — no need to bring the bottle!) to any of the following participating cideries:
- Annapolis Cider Company
- Island Folk Cider House
- Lake City Cider
- Beausoleil Farmstead
- Chain Yard Cider Inc
- Moonrise Ridge
- Spurr Brothers Farms Ltd
3. Receive your FREE NSL sampling glass — one per neck tag, while supplies last.
It’s that simple! Grab yours before they’re gone
See below for a complete list of Red Sky Appellation Ciders.
ANNAPOLIS CIDER RED SKY
Our Red Sky is a blend of heirloom dessert apples from Killam Orchards in Kentville and Hennigars orchard in Greenwich. We fermented low and slow with ancient wild type yeast to maximize the expression of the terroir.
LAKE CITY RED SKY
The perfect cider to share with friends while enjoying warm summer nights.
SPURR BROTHERS RED SKY
Introducing our Red Sky, made with 10 apple varieties straight from our orchard. Fresh, crisp, and well balanced. It’s a true reflection of Nova Scotia’s finest apples in every sip.
BEAUSOLEIL FARMSTEAD RED SKY
Our aim with the inaugural vintage of Red Sky is to highlight the unique Maritime terroir of Nova Scotia’s distinctive apple-growing region and celebrate the exceptional growing season and harvest in 2024. The apples of this vintage had a spectacular depth of flavour while retaining their signature tart profiles, perfectly suited for crafting a cider that showcases a diversity of apples from the Annapolis Valley.
ISLAND FOLK RED SKY
Red Sky is a love letter to Nova Scotia. To its salt-kissed orchards and the wild abundance that grows where land meets sea. This semi-dry, aromatic cider is made from Nova Scotia apples, handpicked during the 2024 harvest. Including apples foraged from long-forgotten trees along Cape Breton’s coast, blended with Dolgo crabapples - with soft pink flesh and an intensely floral aroma, Dolgos create subtle complexity.
PAY DAY RED SKY
(Only Available at Canning House Cidery. Not currently available at NSLC.)
Our Red Sky showcases a curated blend of premium apples with the Northern Sky variety as its leader. The result is remarkable balance and structure, crisp yet rich, with layers of flavour that unfold on the palate. Each bottle tells the story of generations of farming wisdom combined with cutting-edge artistry. A liquid gold from extraordinary Annapolis Valley apples.
CHAINYARD RED SKY
Our Red Sky highlights both large and small farms in our province. The chosen apples bring fruit forward and complex elements to the cider. We use traditional cider apples grown in small quantities along with more abundant culinary apples, all grown In Nova Scotia. We choose a yeast that enhances fruit characteristics while doing a long, slow ferment. The cider is aged in stainless steel to develop more complexities.
MOONRISE RIDGE RED SKY
Our Red Sky is a small batch, appellation designated cider that captures the essence of Nova Scotia’s terroir. It is crafted exclusively using apples grown in our Ocean Crisp Apple Co, orchards. The Annapolis Valley is recognized for its unique maritime climate, glacial soils and multi generational apple growing techniques and traditions. The apples in our Red Sky are specially chosen and hand picked for this special cider.
This traditional weather proverb suggests that a red sky at night indicates good weather is coming, while a red sky in the morning signals that bad weather may be on the way. The rhyme has been used for centuries by sailors to predict weather conditions. It is rooted in meteorological patterns, as red skies at sunset often occur when clear weather is approaching, while a red sunrise can be a sign that a storm or inclement weather is moving in.
The history of cider in Nova Scotia is deeply connected to its maritime heritage, from the arrival of apples and seeds via ships to the role of cider in supporting sailors and coastal trade.
Nova Scotia has a rich agricultural heritage and is known for its quality produce. Now Nova Scotia is poised to showcase its unique terroir through the art of cider-making.
Red Sky Appellation is a designation that identifies ciders made in Nova Scotia using locally grown apples and adhering to specific quality standards. Red Sky Appellation celebrates the distinct flavours and characteristics of Nova Scotia’s world-class apples. It helps protect the region's cider-making traditions, ensuring authenticity, promoting sustainability and fostering growth within Nova Scotia's cider industry.
To obtain the Red Sky Appellation designation, all ciders must be made from 100% Nova Scotia-grown apples, follow a strict set of standards, and be approved every year by an independent blind tasting panel.
For more detailed information, guidelines, and product specifications contact:
Nova Scotia Cider Association at admin@nscider.ca