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It seems like forever since I last had a cider. For a while, I had one after another, but their inconsistency might have been the thing to turn me off. I know that beer can be all over the place (believe me, I know) but cider is really a different boat. Few ciders get into the excellent category, and I find it hard to track them, even with this site.
The beverage is quite clear. I have tried many ciders, and they all have variations on looking like apple juice. This looks like very, very watered down apple juice. It is so pale yellow that it might be confused with a Bud Light. The head runs away as fast as you can try to take a picture of it, despite the carbonation. Yes, there are points of nucleation, but the presentation is still quite sedate. The aroma smells of granny smith apples, if I know my apples (and I don't).
First sip is appley, but it's flat. The apple bites a bit at the end, from what I can only assume is alcohol. It's dull, bland, and I'm not loving it. The bite seems unnecessary, and it's the main flavor. The apple is kind of background, and that's not what I'm looking for in my hard apple cider.
Tip-in is tart-ish, for what flavor there is and very little carbonation tingle. The middle is sweet, very lightly apple, and has enough carbonation to start a burn, but not enough to stop a smooth flow of liquid. The finish is tart, a strange alcohol bite, and vague apple stuff.
Bottom Line: I hope the other styles are a bit better.
1.75/5
