Our weather is thrillingly beautiful these days, which means I want to spend time outside. We’re back to another two reviews of canned ciders which make the ideal beverage companion for outdoor sipping. These are two more shared with friends at an excellent birthday party.
I‘m starting this week with a new regional release: 1911’s Tropical Cider! 1911 operates in Layfayette, New York and supplies many varieties of cider throughout the region and beyond. The fermentations are consistently clean, and the focus is on using local fruit for well-balanced, approachable, sessionable ciders.
Find out more online: http://1911established.com/cider/
The Facebook is updated regularly: https://www.facebook.com/1911Spirits/
I have two previous reviews of 1911 ciders.
Somerset Orginal Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/06/cider-review-beak-and-skiffs-1911.html
Founders’s Reserve Hopped: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/09/cider-review-1911s-founders-reserve.html
I couldn’t find much of an official description of the 1911 Tropical, but as it says on the can, “Tart Pineapple with Hints of Mango.” 6.5% ABV.
Appearance: pale straw, brilliant, some bubbles
This cider has a subtle pale shade of straw. It’s totally brilliant and shows some bubble.
Aromas: ripe pineapple and mango, very juicy
This cider smells so very richly juice. It’s blowing my mind with the aromatic intensity here! I can smell both pineapple and mango districtly but there’s also a more general tropical punch background.
Sweetness/dryness: sweet
This is a sweet and fruity cider. No question about that.
Flavors and drinkin experience: fruity, full mouthfeel, creamy, tart,
All of the juicy wow factor I sensed in the Tropical’s aroma is present in the drinking experience and then some. This cider has a big creamy mouthfeel and so much juicy, punchy, fruity flavor. I can taste the pineapple and mango but also plums and strawberries. I get some tartness to balance the sweet fruity flavors, but they are undeniably the major force behind this cider. This isn’t a tannic cider, but there’s a lot else going on here.
It has a relatively clean fermentation and powerfully lingering finish. I had mine with cheeses, crackers and a veggie tray, but I don’t doubt that it would stand up well to stronger flavors. I think I’d recommend something spicy and creamy like a coconut milk curry.
Devil’s Bit Mountain Irish Orchard Cider
I know almost nothing about this cider. I found a pack of cans in Ohio on my way home from GLINTCAP. In 2017 this same cider won a gold in it’s glass and was 3rd best in the category overall. That’s high praise. I know it’s made by Adam’s Cider Company in Tipperary.
Find out more on the website: http://www.devilsbit.ie/
Here’s the official description.
Crafted from Dabinett, Michelin and Ashton Bitter apples from their own family orchards and pressed in their own Cidery in Tipperary, they combine the age-old technique of cider making with the traditional bittersweet cider apple to create this wonderfully refreshing beverage.
This is an award winning, gluten free medium Irish Cider with a light golden colour and crisp flavour. 6% ABV.
Appearance: brilliant, bronze, few bubbles
Intense color typical of UK and European ciders. I’ll call it bronze. The transparency is totally brilliant, and the cider shows few bubbles.
Aromas: funky, fruity, tart
This cider does have some volatile acidity going on. THe aromas are funky, fruity, and tart. I could smell ripe apples, but the leathery and solvent notes were equally strong.
Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet
This cider is semi-sweet but with lots of other flavor contributors. In the UK, this would likely be called a medium sweet.
Flavors and drinking experience: high tannins, overripe cider apples, cinnamon
This cider offers up huge tannins. If anyone has never tastes a tannic cider or gets tannins mixed up with either dryness or acidity, this is a great cider to demystify. These are grippy tannins. I get some classic English bittersweet apple phenolics like olive brine, sweat and leather. I love these characteristics.
This one was at the same fabulous cider party, so i had it with raw veggies, hummus, creeses and crackers. But this cider would do well with a huge variety of foods. I have one can left, and my plans for it involve a frittata with blue cheese, caramelized onion, and swiss chard. That sounds delish to me.
