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