...97...

The Hills Cider; Apple

Australian; 5% Alcohol Content.

$3 (AUD); Corker's Cellars (East Victoria Park, WA)

Ah-ha!  The cider quest continues!

The Hills Cider; Apple (THCA) is almost too crisp in its apple taste; it almost causes you to wince with each sip.  With that said, THCA is a pretty good pick!  It has good carbonation levels and the sharp sourness of the apple taste is balanced with the sweetness of the cider.

Rating 8.3

Cida Numba 96

Organic Etienne Dupont.  Cidre Bouche' Brut de Normandie

French; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$18.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (Kelmscott, WA)

Sadly, I think that this might be my final cider review.  I have just not been able to find other hard apple ciders and I only have a few days left in 2011.  Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in the final four, but it's not looking good...

Well; this cider smells scrumpy, but only has a scrumpy aftertaste.  There is certainly some pleasantness in the initial apple flavors, but it is lacking in the high carbonation and sharpness of my favorite ciders.  Neat because it's organic, French, and comes in champagne bottle... but that's about it.

Rating 7.1

Cider 95

Batlow Premium Cider

Australian; 5.5% Alcohol Content.

$5.50 (AUD); Camperdown Cellars (Darlinghurst, NSW)

Batlow Premium Cider almost tastes as bad as a scrumpy cider; there's not much sweetness or carbonation; not quite as bitter as scrumpy, but still not a great cider.

Rating 6.9

Cider 94!

Samuel Smith's Cider

English; 5% Alcohol Content.

$9 (AUD); Camperdown Cellars (Darlinghurst, NSW)

There is a subtle sweetness in this smooth, mildly carbonated cider.  Samuel Smith's Cider has a taste that is not common, but with that said, it still is not a special cider.

Rating 7.2

The 93rd Cider

Fat Ass Scrumpy

New Zealand; 9% Alcohol Content.

$9.99 (AUD); Cellabrations (Kings Cross, NSW)

This is a pretty typical scrumpy... vinegar overtones, somewhat bitter, sour apple taste.  However, as Cate says, "Not the worst scrumpy I've ever had."  With that said, a litre of cider for ten dollars is a great deal... if you like scrumpy ciders, but as you know, I don't.

Rating 6.9

#92

Bilpin Original Cider

Australian; 4.7%

$4.99 (AUD); Cellabrations (Kings Cross, NSW)

This is a GREAT cider!  Good balance between all of the sweetness, sharpness, carbonation and sourness that a wonderful cider experience encompasses.  This cider company was established this year, so if you can find Bilpin, go get it and enjoy!

Rating 8.7

Cider Ninety One

Custard Scrumpy Cider

Australian; 6% Alcohol Content.

$4.99 (AUD); Corker's Cellars (East Victoria Park, WA)

When I purchased this cider, the shop attendant asked me if I had tried it before.  I told him that I had not, but I was familiar with scrumpy ciders.  He replied that this was not like British scrumpies; it was unique.  He was correct.  While this cider maintains the characteristic bitter. apple-vinegar essence of the scrumpy cider, there's a pleasant spiced apple cider feeling as well.

Rating 7.3

Cider 90.

Crisp Apple Cider by Maxx

New Zealand; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$3 AUD; LiquorLand (East Victoria Park, WA)

Crisp Apple Cider by Maxx (CACbM) is a cider produced by a far more prominent beer company (Maxx).  However, unlike the 5 Seeds range produced by Toohey's, CACbM is a bit of a let down.  There's a good carbonation level, but the apple flavor in general is somewhat weak and there are light overtones of the bitterness that is a trademark of scrumpy ciders.  This cider is a let down, but perhaps I just placed too many expectations on the narrow shoulders of CACbM.

Rating 7.2

88 and Eighty- Nine.

Elephant's Rock Cider Company: Apple Cider and Sweet Cider

Australian; 6.5% Alcohol Content.

$5 (AUD); The Toffee Factory and a Bit on the Side (Denmark, WA)

The 'Apple Cider' is a bit on the scrumpy side, maybe even just downright bitter and vinegaresque. A let down. Rating 6.9

The 'Sweet Apple Cider' is still more bitter than I would prefer, but as expected, sweeter than the apple cider. Somehow, the sweet apple cider is very smooth, but in an unpleasant way. I don't like this one either. Rating 6.9

Cider Number Eighty- Seven

Cidre De Normandie Brut Dry Dumanoir

French; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$11.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (Kelmscott)

An interesting cider; I thought the scent was unpleasant initially, almost scrumpy, but the taste was nice. Not much carbonation and the taste is a little scrumpy, but it's not bad. An acceptable drink, but sadly, nothing special.

Rating 7.2

86

Cidrerie d' Anneville Cidre Doux Variete Binet Rouge

French; 2.5% Alcohol Content.

$16.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (West Perth, WA)

Fancy bottle. Low alcohol. Apple juice with a bit of carbonation. That's it.

Rating 8.2

Number 85.

5 Seeds Cloudy Apple Cider

Australian; 5% Alcohol Content.

$2.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (Kelmscott, WA)

Upon discovering this cider in the depths of a Dan Murphy's shelf, I was instantly consumed by an inner conflict. 5 Seeds is one of my favorite ciders, but generally, I hate cloudy apply ciders; 5 Seeds Cloudy Apple Cider (5SCAC) is obviously both; my greatest enemy and closest friend, all in one cleverly marketed bottle. As for the cider itself, 5SCAC is a good pick; it still retains most of the crispness of the original 5 Seeds while reducing the carbonation levels and adding a richer apple taste (no doubt courtesy of the apple detritus that make 5SCAC 'cloudy'). I cannot really complain about this cider; if you liked the original 5 Seeds, you should like this too, but because it's cloudy, you can give yourself a pseudo-organic-product-supporter pat on the back.

Rating 9.2

The Eighty Fourth Cider

Thatchers Katy Rose

English; 5.4% Alcohol Content.

$11.95 (AUD); The Re Store (Leederville, WA)

Thatchers Katy Rose (TKR) is singular amongst ciders for several reasons. For starters, TKR is a rose' cider, I have never seen or heard of such a thing, yet, here we are. I can't quite put my finger on taste either, it's almost weak; maybe I'm just expecting a rose' wine... actually, I think that's what we have here. A weak rose' wine with apple overtones and a nice amount of bubbly. Certainly interesting, but not a great cider.

Rating 6.9

Cider #83

Ecusson Normandie Brut

French; 5% Alcohol Content.

$9.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (West Perth, WA)

Like sparkling apple cider (ie; Martinelli's) except instead of being super sweet and delicious (and non-alcoholic), Ecusson's is slightly scrumpy leaving a bit of an aftertaste. Not terrible, but not great either.

Rating 7.1

Number 82

Cider Works Apple Cider: Dry

Australian; 6.5% Alcohol Content.

$3.95 (AUD); The Re Store (Leederville, WA)

"That is bad." That was my honest initial reaction; I can't even figure out what Cider Works Apple Cider: Dry (CWACD) tastes like, but it's not good. I had to check the expiration date to make sure that my drink was not rotten (it wasn't); the taste is so sour and bitter, but not like a scrumpy; I can deal with a bottle full of scrumpy cider, but not CWACD.

Rating 6.3

#81

Elephant's Rock Cider Company: Scrumpy

Australian; 8% Alcohol Content.

$4.95 (AUD); The Re Store (Leederville, WA)

Scrumpy Warning! Elephant's Rock Cider Company: Scrumpy (ERCCS) is slightly better than the average scrumpy cider because of the dash of carbonation and the gentle sweetness in the apple flavor. Sadly, I cannot recommend this cider to anyone who is not already a scrumpy connoisseur because the harshness of the bitter vinegar tones of ERCCS cannot be overlooked.

Rating 6.6

Hard Apple Cider 80.

Thatchers Cox's Somerset Cider

English; 5.3% Alcohol Content.

$7.50 (AUD); The Re Store (Leederville, WA)

80 ciders... 80% of the way to the ultimate goal; there are still three full months in the year, but I just don't know if I'll make it to 100, nevertheless, here's to number 80!

Thatchers Cox's Somerset Cider (TCSC) is an interesting cider. I think I like it, but something is holding me back from fully committing. The initial taste is very nice; pleasant apple flavor and moderate carbonation. The aftertaste lets TCSC and me down; a hint of bitterness can be acceptable especially when it's on the tart apple side, but this aftertaste is just unpleasant.

Rating 7.2

Cider 79.

Dirty Granny

Australian; 5.5% Alcohol Content.

$3.50 (AUD); The Subi Liquor Store (Subiaco, WA)

Dirty Granny (DG) is a great cider! It has the perfect amount of apple tartiness without bitterness or hints of vinegar (with that said, there is a slight bitter aftertaste, but hardly worth complaining about). It has a wonderfully refreshing amount of carbonation and is an excellent cider overall. HUGE bonus points for the branding and Made-In-Perth cred.

Rating 9.4

76, 77, 78...

Reef Donnybrook Apple Cider: Mull, Dry, and Scrumpy

Australian; 4.5%, 5.8%, and 8.1% Alcohol Content Respectively.

$3.17 (AUD Each); The Real River Company (Donnybrook, WA)

Mull- This is a very interesting tasting cider that I think might be best served hot on a cold winters day. As one might expect from the name, there are strong cinnamon flavors mixed in with the bold fresh apple burst in each sip. In fact, in the words of my wife, it tastes like you are biting into a slice of apple pie. A good novelty cider and like I said, would be great in a specific context, but definitely not an all purpose cider. Rating 7.5

Dry- Sadly, the dry cider in this series was the one for which I held the highest hopes, but it failed me. This 'dry' should be labeled a 'dry scrumpy' or maybe just 'drumpy,' that captures the mood of the drink; slightly better than the scrumpy, but only slightly. Rating 6.3

Scrumpy- What more can I say about scrumpy ciders? Apple-Vinegar flavor (heavy on the vinegar), no carbonation, and high in alcohol; this one even has sediment at the bottom which is reassuring from a natural production standpoint, but I suppose that I just enjoy a more modern cider. Rating 6.1

Cider Number 75!

St. Hellier Apple Cider

English; 5% Alcohol Content.

$7 (AUD); The Bottle-O (East Victoria Park, WA)

In the words of Cate, St. Hellier Apple Cider (SHAC) is, "drinkable; I could drink it." That about sums it up for SHAC, nothing too special, but it's by no means a "bad cider;" below average carbonation levels, pretty good apple flavor, slightly bitter aftertaste, moderately sweet.

Rating 7.6

Cider Seventy Four

Kingstone Press Cider

English; 5.3% Alcohol Content.

$6.99 (AUD); Corker's Cellars (East Victoria Park, WA)

Kingstone Press Cider (KPC) is pretty good; nice carbonation levels, apple overtones and the only drawback is a slight weakness in overall flavor, but generally refreshing and great if you want to share.

Rating 7.4

Ciders 70 to 73; The Strongbow Range.

Strongbow; Original, Sweet, Dry, and Clear

English; 5% Alcohol Content.

$3.49(AUD) Each; Liquor Land (Subiaco, WA)

Back in the dark ages of 2009, the only alcoholic beverages that I had come into contact with were spirits, wine, and beer. In those days, I would rarely reach for or order anything other than a beer, but at my local pub, Riley's, there was a product which I assumed was a beer that I had never heard of, but on that fateful night for the sake of trying something new, I ordered a Strongbow. My first cider experience was absolutely mind blowing. Not only had I just finished a pint of some random beer, keep in mind that nearly exclusively drank beer; that first Strongbow was nothing short of a beverage revelation. The sweetness and apple juiciness of that cider were so welcome, but compared to the feeling in ones mouth after drinking beer, the sheer refreshing powers of that cider must have been doubled or trebled. A few years on, I have obviously expanded my alcoholic beverage canon quite a bit, but I will always cherish my first cider experience (with Ben Sommer, in Saint Louis, at Riley's, on August 24th, 2009; ok I made up the date, but everything else about that night is vivid in my memory).

Original- Not nearly as refreshing as I originally remembered it, but an original Strongbow will always hit the spot on a summer's day (or night). With that said, and with nine months of exotic cider sampling under my belt, it's just a bit too... normal. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, but it falls solidly into the category of the majority of the ciders I have reviewed, just good, but not mind blowing. Rating 8.1

Sweet- I am not a huge fan of the sweet Strongbow; first of all, it is too sweet for my tastes; but more significant than it's sweetness perhaps, is it's lack of bite. The neck label reads, "Sweet: naturally refreshing cider with a rich smooth taste." I don't want a smooth cider, I want a sharp hit of carbonation with a big hit of apple taste without becoming bitter. Sweet Strongbow just doesn't cut it for me. Rating 7.4

Dry- I just can't seem to win with Strongbow; the dry range is too dry and not sweet enough; great carbonation levels, but because of the dryness, it's almost lacking in taste to a certain extent. Rating 7.6

Clear- I have seen the Clear Strongbow around during my time in Australia and I always wondered how it would taste, sadly, it is a great disappointment; I didn't have any expectations (other than that of the Strongbow name), but this is really just poor. In fact, the clear range is almost scrumpy... not much carbonation, a little bitterness, no sweetness, no apple taste. I'm not sure what is good about this cider other than the classy label; but that's about it. Rating 6.9

Cider #69.

Cheeky Rascal Apple Cider

Australian; 7.5% Alcohol Content.

$5.29 (AUD); 1st Choice Liquor Superstore (Bentley, WA)

Cheeky Rascal Apple Cider (CRAC) is an interesting cider. The initial taste is good, bold apple flavor, good carbonation levels, just a tad sweet. However, once the aftertaste kicks in, CRAC really falls flat; it almost has a bitter, scrumpy aftertaste; a disappointing finish to an otherwise good cider.

Rating 7.4

The 68th Cider

Henney's Vintage Still Cider

English; 6.5% Alcohol Content.

$8.99 (AUD); Corkers Cellars (East Victoria Park, WA)

Henney's Vintage Still Cider (HVSC) is undoubtedly in the scrumpy family, but the bitterness or sharpness of many scrumpy's is somewhat muted here. HVSC has a freshly pressed apple taste that is very pleasant; I imagine this cider would beautifully complement a basket of fish and chips on a hot summer afternoon, but it is not fantastic on its own.

Rating 7.1

The 67th Cider

Henney's Apple Sweet Cider

English; 5.7% Alcohol Content.

$8.99 (AUD); Corkers Cellars (East Victoria Park, WA)

Henney's Apple Sweet Cider (HASC) is a fantastic cider! HASC has a great amount of apple flavor and a good dash of carbonation. I honestly, do not have anything negative to say about this cider except maybe the price, but it is ultimately refreshing; one of the best ciders that I have had in a long time, if not ever. If you see this cider, buy it and lovingly enjoy it.

Rating 9.4

Cider #66

Henney's Dry Cider

English; 6% Alcohol Content.

$7.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (West Perth, WA)

Henney's Dry Cider (HDC) is in the scrumpy family; little carbonation, vinegar overtones, high alcohol content. With that said, if you like scrumpy ciders then you would probably like HDC, it has a good sweetness level and apple flavor; very refreshing if you can overlook the bitterness. Bonus points for the simple elegance of the bottle/ label combination.

Rating 6.9

The Sixty- Fifth Cider of the Year!

Westons Cider Oak Conditioned Medium Sweet

English; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$7.99 (AUD); Thirsty Camel (Maddington, WA)

This cider has a nice flavor and a pleasant twist because of the oak conditioning; you can really taste the woody essence. It lacks a bit of carbonation as far as I am concerned, but it is very drinkable and a refreshing brew.

Rating 7.6

Ciders 61-64; Rae & Shane's Wedding!

The Blackwood Valley Brewing Company; The Cidery

Australian; Sweet Rosie- 4.5% Alcohol Content, Bittersweet- 6.5% Alcohol Content, Spider Cider- 5.5% Alcohol Content, and Scudamore's Scrumpy- 8% Alcohol Content.

$3 (AUD) for Sweet Rosie, Spider Cider, and Scudamore's Scrumpy. $4.50 (AUD) for Bittersweet; The Cidery (Bridgetown, WA)
The Cidery holds a special place in my heart. Two years ago, not long after I arrived in Australia, their beverages were my first boutique cider experience. At that point in my hard apple drink journey I had only sampled Strongbow (not a knock on them, but it is certainly one of the most mass produced/ generic ciders on the market). In addition to their eye opening ciders, I will always think fondly of The Cidery because of the inextricable link they have with Donnelly River/Bridgetown and now the wedding of my sister-in-law and my new brother-in-law. Congrats Rae and Shane; these ciders are all a toast to you and your amazing weekend at Donnelly River!

Spider Cider- This cider has a very refreshing apple taste, my favorite Cidery cider. It has great carbonation, good sweetness levels, and no aftertaste. A great all around cider.
Rating 9.

Sweet Cider- As the name would suggest, this cider has a sweeter taste than Spider Cider. It also possesses a much richer apple flavor and less alcohol. In fact, drinking Sweet Cider is a bit like pouring freshly pressed apple juice in your mouth while gargling a bit of alcoholic soda water. That sounds a little gross, but I meant it as a positive assessment; I'm not a huge sweet cider drinker, but if you are you'll love this one. If it's any consolation, Sweet Cider was a HUGE hit at the wedding reception.
Rating 8.6

Bitter Sweet- Bitter Sweet has quite an interesting taste; the first splash that hits your lips is that of sour apple, but it's not like the candy sour apple flavor, it's fuller. Honestly, I'm not even sure how I feel about this one since I do not like sour/ bitter apple flavors in general, but this one is still pretty good.
Rating 8.4

Scudamore's Scrumpy- My struggles with scrumpy ciders are well documented, but I had an enlightening conversation with a brewmaster at The Cidery that gave me pause. She spoke of the importance of the scrumpy cider to the genre as a whole; how it was/ is the genesis of ciders as we know them today. Even after she dropped her knowledge, I told her that I appreciated all that she said, but still didn't like scrumpies. We agreed that the scrumpy cider was an, "acquired taste," and went our separate ways. With all of that said, I re-sampled the first scrumpy cider that ever passed my lips years ago with a greater appreciation for the history and tradition of hard apple ciders. To be honest, this is the BEST true scrumpy I have tasted during my tour-de-force of ciders. Scudamore's Scrumpy still has that apple- vinegar feature of most scrumpies, but somehow this one is more palatable and I could actually imagine how a scrumpy enthusiast would truly enjoy it.
Rating 7.5

Cider Sixty.

Thatchers Old Rascal

English; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$7.99 (AUD); Thirsty Camel (Maddington, WA)

Maybe I am just looking too hard or perhaps it's the head cold with which I am currently afflicted, but I really like Thatchers Old Rascal. It has pretty much everything a good cider should contain, except that it's a bit light on carbonation. Interestingly, this cider is something of a reverse- scrumpy; bitter to start and then a sweet aftertaste.

Rating 8.1

Cider 59

Badger Apple Wood Cider

English; 6% Alcohol Content.

$6.99 (AUD); Thirsty Camel (Maddington, WA)

Badger Apple Wood Cider is a bit on the scrumpier side of life, but not too bad. It's another cider that's in the average range, still on the lookout for something GREAT...

Rating 6.9

#58

Old Mout Cidre

Kiwi (New Zealand); 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$4.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (West Perth, WA)

Old Mout Cidre has a strong apple taste, good carbonation; a quality cider, but like most, it does not quite blow me away. However, if you are out buying ciders and want to impress your friends with something that is unique, good, but not too scary, go with Old Mout Cidre, you won’t be disappointed.

Rating 8.4

The Fifty Seventh Cider

Old Mout Cider; Scrumpy

Kiwi (New Zealand); 8% Alcohol Content.

$4.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (West Perth, WA)

Upon registering in my mind that this cider was scrumpy I prepared myself for a negative experience. With that said, maybe it’s just the fact that my expectations were so low, but I really enjoyed this cider! It is not very carbonated, but the taste is wonderful. No scrumpiness (ie; bitterness/ vinegar flavor/ general crappy taste) and better than the original Old Mout Cidre, or more accurately, it has a more singular taste.

Rating 8.6

56

Herrljunga +46

Swedish; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$11.99 (AUD; Six Pack); Dan Murphy's (Kelmscott, WA)

Herrljunga +46 Apple Cider is a very sweet candy apple cider. I wish I knew what the ‘+46’ or even the ‘Herrljunga’ means. But honestly, this cider is just too sweet, too standard, and too candy flavored. I like the description, “Created by Herrljunga, brewed in the Kingdom of Sweden, from European apples.”

Rating 6.6

Cider Numba Fifty Five!

Kopparberg Apple Cider

Sweedish; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$5.99 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (Kelmscott, WA)

Another Sweedish cider that tastes like taking a bite out of an apple. Not my ideal cider, but solidly in the average range; just not carbonated enough and too sweet for me.

Rating 6.8

54

Heil Cider

German; 5.3% Alcohol Content.

$3.99 (AUD); Corkers Cellars (East Victoria Park, WA)

I believe that this is first German cider that I have ever tried and given the German expertise in beer, I expected a high quality cider. However, while not a bad cider, once again, this one is just standard. Solid, but not great in every category that matters to me; good apple taste, light on the carbonation, no aftertaste. It’s actually a bit like slightly carbonated alcoholic apple juice.

Rating 7.1

Cider Fifty Three

Black Rat Cider

English; 4.7% Alcohol Content.

$3.99 (AUD); Corkers Cellars (East Victoria Park, WA)

Not bad, but nothing spectacular; a pretty average cider. It has moderate carbonation and a slightly bitter aftertaste. It has a disconcerting name/ packaging combination… it looks like the ‘home brand’ of ciders. This cider is in a can, and until now, I thought that the aluminum tinge improved the cider experience, but it just turns out that the other canned ciders I sampled were good and happened to be in a can. This is ok at best.

Rating 7

52

Harvest Gisborne

Kiwi (New Zealand); 4.7% Alcohol Content.

$3.50 (NZD); Super Liquor (Auckland City, New Zealand)

This cider was bizarre because of the incredibly high levels of carbonation; I actually could not put my finger on a taste because there was so much foam and fizz filling my mouth with each sip, no matter how small or slow. I think it tasted good, but honestly, I was never certain.

Rating 6.6

Cider #51.

Johnny Arrow

Kiwi (New Zealand); 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$2.50 (NZD); Super Liquor (Auckland City, New Zealand)

I cannot remember why I did not write more about Johnny Arrow at the time that I drank it, but it was a pretty run of the mill hard apple cider, nothing too great, nothing too terrible… nothing ventured, nothing gained. The label is pretty cool though.

Rating 7.5

50! Fifty! The Fiftieth Hard Apple Cider!

Whew, half way home and it has been a battle. I'm not sure if I'll make it to 100 ciders, but it will be closer than the doubters would have believed. To commemorate number fifty, I'll switch gears and jump down to New Zealand for a few ciders.

The next three ciders were each hastily (partially) consumed at a bus stop on Karangahape Road (commonly known as K' Road) in Auckland. Normally, I am not a street drinker, but I bought these ciders during a 12 hour layover in the fine Kiwi city and I could not resist checking out the local cider scene.



'Sweet As' Cider

Kiwi (New Zealand); 9% Alcohol Content.

$2 (NZD); Super Liquor (Auckland City, New Zealand)

'Sweet As' Cider (SAC) has a very unique taste; almost like a sweet champagne. The taste is enjoyable, but unlike any cider I have ever tasted before, the high alcohol and carbonation truly make SAC an apple champagne in a can. SAC has a few aesthetic benefits as well; for starters the name is awesome and very culturally relevant; secondly, it's in a can which is always unique and a little fun; finally, SAC is super cheap! $2 in New Zealand is about $1.70 in Australia which is unheard of for a cider, unheard of for anything except an old can of Foster's.

Rating 7.9

The 49th Cider.

Hornsby's Draft Cider

American; 6% Alcohol Content.

$6.99 (USD(For a six pack!)); Schnucks (Ladue, Missouri, USA)

Hornsby Draft Cider is not bad; a little light on the carbonation and slightly bitter in its aftertaste, but a generally good cider and definitely the best American cider that I have tried thusfar; which is not saying a whole lot, but I gotta root for the US to have at least a decent cider... can’t beat the price either!

Rating 7.7

Number 48!

Farnum Hill Extra Dry Cider

American; 7.5% Alcohol Content.

$13.99 (USD); The Wine & Cheese Place (Clayton, Missouri, USA)

This cider is definitely scrumpy in taste, but there is something else intriguing in the taste; something that I cannot define. For Cate’s take, “Yuck! Actually, it’s not bad, but not good.” That pretty much sums up my feelings towards Farnum Hill Cider as well; part of me likes it, but most of me does not.

Rating 6.8

47.

Oliver's Herefordshire Dry Cider (Matured 8 Months in Oak Casks)

English; 8.1% Alcohol Content.

$9.99 (USD); The Wine & Cheese Place (Clayton, Missouri, USA)

Upon pouring this concoction to share with my family, I instantly had a bad feeling as there was no carbonation at all. Once the liquid hit my lips, my suspicions were confirmed. This cider is beyond scrumpy; in fact there’s almost no apple flavor at all… This cider is somewhere between a dry white wine and olive juice/ vinegar. I should have read the label before I drank it to prepare myself… “A very astringent intense tasting cider that lingers in the mouth." Correct me if I'm wrong but 'astringent' is not a word that I ever want to associate with anything I put in my mouth, let alone drink to supposedly enjoy. This was one of the worst cider experiences I have ever had.

Rating 5.4

Cider Forty Six

Oliver's Herefordshire Dry Cider (Bottle Conditioned)

English; 8.1% Alcohol Content.

$12.99 (USD); The Wine & Cheese Place (Clayton, Missouri, USA)

Very woody taste, still a bit odd however. The apple taste is almost hidden beneath the slight scrumpiness; it’s better than the other Oliver’s, but still not good.

Rating 6

Number 45...

Kerisac Hard Cider

French; 2.5% Alcohol Content.

$7.99 (USD); The Wine & Cheese Place (Clayton, Missouri, USA)

Kerisac Hard Cider is a sweet, sparkling apple cider that has an imperceptible dash of alcohol. Tasty, but not special and reminiscent of Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider.

Rating 7.3

The 44th Cider

Ace Joker Hard Cider

American; 6.9% Alcohol Content.

$4.29 (USD); The Wine & Cheese Place (Clayton, Missouri, USA)

Imagine with me for a moment; you are drinking a standard hard apple cider and all the while, you are sucking on a freshly hewn block of Pine or Oak, maybe even Jarrah. That’s what Ace Joker Hard Cider tastes like. Cate says, “it tastes a bit like fermented watermelon… in a bad way.” I’m not sure if I would recommend it, it’s not bad, but certainly a bit odd.

Rating 7.1

Forty Three

Crispin Cider: Lansdowne

American; 6.5% Alcohol Content.

$5.49 (USD); The Wine & Cheese Place (Clayton, Missouri, USA)

My initial reaction: “this tastes like burnt caramel popcorn… with alcohol.” The cider is very unusual both in color and taste. Strong molasses and stout beer flavors, while still maintaining an apple cider feel/ taste/ vibe. If you like stout beers or scrumpy ciders, then this might be a good pick for you, but it is absolutely not for everyone.

Rating 6.9

42

Overall, my USA cider experience was underwhelming. There were certainly many different varieties, most of which I had neither seen nor heard of in my cider blogging days, but sadly, in this case, diversity did not equal quality, just a lot of different kinds of mediocrity. Thankfully, the worst cider that I tasted was English… I just bought it in America. Enjoy the next few reviews!

Crispin Cider: Honey Crisp

American; 6.5% Alcohol Content.

$5.49 (USD); The Wine & Cheese Place (Clayton, Missouri, USA)

Crispin Honey Crisp is a color that I have never confronted when drinking cider. It looks like a cloudy apple juice, but paler. Surprisingly, given its name, it lacks a distinctive taste of honey or apple for that matter. Another disappointing American cider, especially given the quality of their packaging/ marketing.

Rating 6.2

Cider 41

Black and Gold Cornish Orchards

English; 5% Alcohol Content.

$7.50 (AUD); Botanica Liquor Barn (Innaloo, WA)

This is not a good cider. It's a bit scrumpy in taste and consistency (little to no carbonation). It tastes cheap, which might be expected from the tackily minimalistic label and the fact that the brand is 'Black and Gold,' but it cost $7.50! Disappointing experience all around.

Rating 6.4

XXXX

Thatchers Gold

English; 4.8% Alcohol Content.

$7.49 (AUD); Vintage Cellars (Perth, WA)

Cider number 40, not a bad pick. I could do with a bit more carbonation, but this is one of the better English ciders that I have had in a while. It definitely does not have an artificial taste, but there's something not quite right about the cider, maybe it feels a bit weak, maybe it's just got that splash of bitterness. It's good, but far from perfect.

Rating 7.1

#39.

Genesis

Australian; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

$3.79 (AUD); Dan Murphy's (West Perth, WA)

Genesis is one of those ciders that is just bursting with apples; it just has a nice organic taste and feeling about it. If you prefer a strong apple taste, this is probably the cider for you. Not that I have ever done it, but Genesis seems like the kind of cider that you might drink on a chilly autumn day with a warm bowl of clam chowder after you just chopped some logs for your fireplace. Yeah.

Rating 8.4