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Monday, July 1, 2024

Cider Review: 2 Towns Ciderhouse Sidekick Non-Alcoholic Cosmic Crisp

When sitting down to write today, I noticed that in this blog’s history that I’ve posted 600 times. That feels shocking to me. It’s so many. And though I promised experimentation in addition to a new posting schedule back in February, I’ve mostly stayed to the tried-and-true descriptive review format. My desire to try new things hasn’t changed, so I’ll redouble my efforts. 

Today, I’m happy to share one more non-alcoholic cider review in Two Town’s Ciderhouse Sidekick Non-Alcoholic Cosmic Crisp. This cider and it’s companion the Pacific Pineapple have been sweeping all sorts of awards for cider innovations, non alcoholic drinks, you name it. 

Here’s the complete roundup of all of my 2 Towns Ciderhouse reviews from the past 10 years. More background on the cidery appears in several of the earlier posts.

Sidekick Pacific Pineapple: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2024/05/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse.html

Apricot Cosmic Crisp: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2024/02/cider-review-2-towns-apricot-cosmic.html

The Baddie: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/03/cider-review-two-towns-ciderhouses.html

Crimson Bliss: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/10/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

Hollow Jack’d: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/09/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-hollow.html

Two Berry Dream: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-two.html

10th Anniversary Cider Pacific Northwest Heirloom Blend: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/01/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-10th.html

Good Limes Roll: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-reviews-two-towns-cider-house.html

Cosmic Currant: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/12/cider-review-two-towns-cosmic-currant.html

Hollow Jack’d: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/cider-review-two-towns-ciderhouse.html

Afton Field: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/06/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-afton.html

La Mûre: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks.html

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html

Cidre Bouche: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-cidre.html

Pearadise: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

Pineapple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-review-portland-cider-company.html

Bright Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/07/cider-review-roundup-common-cider-co.html

Hop and Stalk: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-hop-and.html

Here's where to find 2 Towns on the web: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

And this is what 2 Towns has to say about the Sidekick Cosmic Crisp. 

Crafted with Washington grown Cosmic Crisp® apples, this galactic shredder will have you hucking craters and airing it out big in zero-G. Using exclusively sourced Northwest apples, each batch is fresh-pressed with a custom blend of ingredients. After fermentation, the alcohol is gently removed low and slow until it reaches less than 0.5% AB. The newly dealcoholized cider is finished and blended to create a crisp, clean cider that always has your back!

Appearance: hazy, the color of a hawk’s yellow cream feathers,

Aromas: green apple, yogurt, yeast

Something sharp and crystalline that implies both green apple fruit and sweetness. A richer yogurty note supporting that. It’s a bit of yeasty fermented aroma that helps differentiate this from a soda or fresh juice. 

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is sweet. I think it’s very much like the alcoholic version of the Cosmic Crisp, so the sweetness is balanced with high acidity.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, bubbly, fruity with apple, elderflower, pineapple, peach and pear notes

This nonalcoholic cider manages to stay absolutely true to the fruity and approachable acid driven style that has made 2 Towns so successful. There are fermented notes; it’s not just sparkling apple juice. It’s full bodied, super tropical and juicy, and pleasantly bubbly. I quite like it, especially on evenings like tonight when I want to have a treat, but need to be 100% sharp.