CIDER OR SELTZER: Which beverage is more popular?

DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) -- Many Northlanders have been debating which beverage is more popular this time of year, cider or seltzer. On Saturday, hundreds of people put their taste buds to the test, answering that question.

A dozen local, regional, and national beverage vendors were lined up at the DECC for the Cider vs. Seltzer event. They shared their creations with over 600 attendees who voted on which drink they prefer.

For 12 of the people we asked, the fizzy and fruity taste of a seltzer was more their speed on a sunny day.

“Seltzer is more fun, and your breath doesn’t smell as bad,” said Brandon Jones, who lives in Dubuque.

“I would say seltzer,” said Jamie Rosenthal, who lives in Mahtomedi. “Cider upsets my stomach if I drink too much of it, and seltzer has never done that to me.”

For the 27 other people we asked, the timeless and smooth taste of cider is what they favor.

“I am a cider gal,” said Lucie Amundsen, the director of communications at the DECC. “I love that it is made from something that’s grown locally.”

“I usually like ciders because it’s not as fizzy and carbonated, it’s a little smoother,” said Ashlee Anderson, who lives in Cloquet. “Plus, you don’t get made fun of for being a basic white girl. "

Cider won by 15 votes, but that is only the opinion of a few people who enjoy cracking a cold one on a summer day.

For one vendor, Josh Gazelka, his love for cider pushed him to start his own business a year ago.

“In Minnesota, it’s still such a new market,” said Gazelka, owner of Woodlore Cider. “There’s not a lot of cidery’s out there. It’s fun that we can all work and collaborate together.”

Gazelka said he has noticed ciders gaining popularity over the past year, most of his customers enjoy the natural taste of it.

“Cider is made from apples, and that’s it,” said Gazelka. “We use only fruits and that’s what develops into a really good product. It’s very comparable to wine making.”

But no matter the winner, many in attendance agreed drinking a cold one is the best way to enjoy a warm summer day in Duluth.

It was the first Cider vs. Seltzer event hosted by the DECC.

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