Cider is a drink made from pressed apples. In the United States, cider usually means fresh apple juice that hasn't been filtered or processed much. It's thick, cloudy, and tastes strongly of apples, often enjoyed cold in the fall when apples are harvested. Many families visit orchards in autumn to buy fresh cider and pick apples.

When cider is heated with spices like cinnamon and cloves, it becomes hot cider or mulled cider, a warming drink for cold weather. Some people confuse cider with regular apple juice, but cider is less processed and has a richer, more complex flavor.