Standard ciders are your straightforward apple-flavored, carbonated, ciders that usually have less of an emphasis on apple varietals or the use of particular techniques. This category includes many mass-produced ciders, the category of “draft ciders” as well as more highly crafted ciders that are just going for a smooth straightforward apple taste. Nearly every modern cidermaker makes at least one standard cider with their own preferred balance of acidity, sweetness, and tartness. Standard ciders are measured on a sweetness scale from dry to sweet and I have adopted a four-point scale for classifying standard ciders—dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, and sweet—though other cider producers and enthusiasts may use a slightly different scale (like the Brix Scale which measures sugar content) or terms like “off-dry” to describe these ciders. I employ two other standard cider classifications: complex and tart. Complex standards are ciders that add complexity through yeasts, blending or fermentation practices which give it an element beyond a straightforward dry or sweet apple flavor. Tart standards are just standard ciders with a prominent tart profile usually obtained through using green apples or other tart varietals.