You would be forgiven for balking at hard cider. Though it was popular with American settlers centuries ago and is a staple in various parts of Europe, cider’s reputation in America as of late is a little soft: a drink for those who don’t like beer or can’t stomach its gluten. But if you avoid the mass-produced schlock, cider can be a beautiful expression of the fruit. Earthy, sweet, tart, bracing and refreshing, there’s no better harbinger of fall. People are catching on, too: cider sales are booming, in part because Big Beer is jumping on the train, and in part because craft brewers are turning their attention to apples. Like beer and wine (and hot sauce, syrup, coffee, etc.), some of the best ciders are aged in oak to give them structure and complexity. These five are prime examples. They can be tough to find, but they’re worth the search — and you’ll definitely see more of them at the local beer store, farmers market and brewpub in the near future.
Virtue Cider The Mitten
Tasting Notes: Mitten is a preposterously good drink, with a spicy and sweet aroma that reminded us of the forthcoming holidays. It balances sweetness and sourness perfectly: fruity, but not cloying; great body, but not too oaky; salty, coconut-y and luscious. We’d drink this all year long.
Traditions Ciderworks Bourbon Barrel
Tasting Notes: It can be hard to walk the line between subtle and boring, and we were split down the middle on Traditions. Some of us found it complex and wine-like; others, too mild and oaky, without enough of the apple flavor coming through. A little chalky. We’re open to this just being a radically different cider, terroir-wise, than we’ve had before. The jury is still out.
Good Intent Cider North Meets South
Tasting Notes: The road to hell may be paved with good intentions, but the road to Gettysburg involves a stop-off for some pretty good cider. One taster was reminded of apple-bobbing in Poughkeepsie. Almost everyone found it on the tart side, with plenty of structure from the oak and some good floral aromas.
Bad Seed Bourbon Barrel Reserve
Tasting Notes: While it, too, has good intentions, Bad Seed has a lot of funk on the nose: it smells like expired apples. One taster was concerned that it smelled “fecal”. It grew on us, though, with a really tart flavor profile and notes of citrus, orange jam and grapefruit.
Domaine Dupont Reserve
Tasting Notes: The most refined and Champagne-like of the lot, Dupont Reserve is bone dry and sprightly, with the least residual sweetness. Our crew found it smokey, citrusy, woodsy, herbal and yeasty. One drinker compared it to a saison. Textbook cider. Beautiful.
