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

Cider 38!

Coldstream Apple Cider

Australian; 5% Alcohol Content.

$3.50 (AUD); Dany Murphy's (West Perth, WA)

Coldstream is reminiscent of the Strongbows and Magners of the world; tasty, crisp, good, solid ciders, but nothing too mindblowing about it (unless of course you have only been drinking beer and then you came across Coldstream). I like it and if I saw it again I would buy it or recommend it to a friend, but like I said, nothing remarkable.

Rating 8.5

Number Thirty Seven

Apparella Dolce Cider

Australian; 4% Alcohol Content.

$2.99 (AUD); Liquorland (Victoria Park, WA)

This cider has a few surprises up its sleeve. Because it's a "dolce" or sweet cider and the fact that it is made by the Cruiser company (as in alcopop vodka crusiers), one might expect an overpoweringly sugary fruity drink, but Apparella is pleasantly refreshing. The taste is bursting with apples ('100% Crisp Australian Apples' to be exact); it almost tastes like a mildly alcoholic carbonated apple juice... it even makes you more thirsty once you finish drinking it! An all around good pick.

Rating 8.3

36.

Frosty Jacks Cider

English; 7.5% Alcohol Content.

$10.25 (AUD); Botanica Liquor Barn (Innaloo, WA)

Frosty Jacks Cider (FJC) is the second and hopefully last two litre plastic bottle of cider that I will ever come across. Once again, this is a case of quantity over quality; FJC tastes like lightly carbonated water with a hefty dose of alcohol mixed with some sort of heavy diluted apple juice from concentrate. Poor taste, but useful if you want to intoxicate yourself on a watery, scrumpy cider.

Rating 5.6

Thirty Five Ciders Down; 65 to go...

Snowies Blonde Cider

Australian; 4.5% Alcohol Content.

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

Snowies stands out a bit because it actually lists the kinds of apples used in its production (Pink Lady, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith); I'm not really sure what difference the type of apple used makes to the taste, but definitely something to keep in mind for the future. As for the brew itself; it's pretty good. The cider has a sweet taste, but isn't overly sugary, it is a bit watery and lacking in the strong, biting carbonation that I really enjoy. A nice Sunday afternoon summer cider, but nothing remarkable.

Rating 8.4

Cider 34!

Napoleone & Co Apple Cider

Australian; 5.9% Alcohol Content.

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

This is one of the best ciders that I have tasted in quite a few weeks! It has a truly quality apple taste, not manufactured at all, and the carbonation is just right; it's only failing is a slightly bitter/ scrumpy aftertaste. It's not too sweet, it's just nice; Cate says, "it's nice balance between all of the great qualities in a cider." I highly recommend this one, if you ever see it (it's pretty rare in Perth, I have only seen it once), buy it!

Rating 9