Cider Review: Citizen Cider’s Ruby Sipper

From moving fast to being grounded, my week has been a whirl and a shift. I’m in a boot and instructed to stay off my right foot for a few weeks as of this morning. I’d been experiencing increasing foot pain for about a month, but I’m hopeful that with the boot I can keep it immobilized for a while. Obviously, this is not what I’d like to be doing right now. I need to cut the blooms off of my basil, harvest from the garden, mow the yard, and care for all of the pets and people and house in my life. This slow down isn’t negotiable, so it’s time for me to literally put my feet up and see what work I can do from this position.

Happily, before I got this news, I was able to enjoy a fun new cider spotted in my local grocery store. Rhubarb and Hibiscus are two of my favorite flavors, so when I saw what Citizen Cider uses for the Ruby Sipper, I had to pick up a pack. I’m often fond of what this Vermont-based cidery creates, so I’ve reviewed several. More background info on the cidery is available in these earlier reviews. Here’s the full list. 

For Shore: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/06/cider-reviews-bellwether-rhode-island.html

Tree Tapper: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/02/cider-review-citizen-ciders-tree-tapper.html

Northern Spy: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/09/cider-review-thornapple-brewings-rough.html

Sur Lies: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-citizen-cellars-sur-lies.html

Tulsi: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-fable-farms-greensboro-and.html

The Wood: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/07/cider-review-citizen-ciders-wood-and.html

Companion Sour Cherry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-citizen-ciders.html

Wit’s Up: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-citizen-ciders-wits-up.html

Barrel Aged: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/02/cider-review-citizen-ciders-barrel-aged.html

Citizen Cider bRosé: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/02/cider-review-citizen-cider-brose.html

My visit to Citizen Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-great-vermont-cider-tour-day-2.html

Here’s a link to Citizen Cider’s website, where you can find info on all of the cider releases: https://www.citizencider.com/

I’ll share the full description of the Ruby Sipper from Citizen Cider’s website. 

Introducing the Ruby Sipper - a cider in technicolor. This unique rosé seamlessly blends the wild aromas of Brettanomyces with notes of candied cherry, vanilla, and strawberry. Buckle up, because the Ruby Sipper is funky, fruity, and entirely out of this world.

Alcohol 4.20%

Appearance: ruby, brilliant, very few visible bubbles

My gracious! The Ruby Sipper has a lovely intense ruby red hue. Why on Earth is this cider sold in cans? This color was meant to be seen! The cider is brilliant, and I saw very few bubbles in my glass.

Aromas: rose hips, hibiscus, ripe apples, red grapes, mineral dust

This cider doesn’t have the most bold aroma but what’s there is enticing, The Ruby Sipper smells most immediately of rose hips, hibiscus, ripe apple, and red grapes. My cotaster said it smells like a sweeter cider. Lurking in the background I can detect mineral dust and creamy yogurt. 

Sweetness: Semi-dry to semi-sweet

This falls on the sweet side of semi-dry or the driest edge of semi-sweet. What sweetness is there is very fruity and juicy.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, ripe apple, sparkling, leather finish, rhubarb, hibiscus, smoky

Wow, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this cider based on the mention of Brettanomyces in the description. That’s honestly not what I taste. Instead, in the Ruby Sipper I get loads of high acid, plenty of fruit, and a specifically leathery finish. The fruit is a beautiful blend of apple and rhubarb and is clear in the taste in a way that was less so on the nose. 

There are elements that taste a bit smoky even meaty; they are phenols that I taste often in higher concentrations in heritage style English ciders. The Ruby Sipper has a pleasingly rich mouthful, but it’s not sticky or overwhelming. My co-taster commented that it reminded him of a sweet ripe tomato.

I enjoyed this with a wild rice and veggie salad that included tomatoes from my garden, tangy cheese, and all manner of ephemeral summer flavors.

Cider Review: Stormalong Cider's Berry Perry

I certainly cannot say that I’m settling into any sort of routine. May is a whirlwind,  but it’s wonderful. I go from judging cider to celebrating to covering all the tender bedding plants with sheets to protect from the last few frosts of the year. If a single plan changes (and some always do), then I must play Tetris with the week to fit it all in. Surely, I’m not the only one. What’s fun though is bringing cider to many of my plans and sharing it with friends and family. Recently, I got to share Stormalong Cider’s Berry Perry with a co-taster who is occasionally a bit reluctant to try perries. 

It was Stormalong’s excellent reputation that encouraged this big of adventurousness! This Massachusetts Cider often does really fun and tasty things. Stormalong ciders often make their way to me, and I’m always glad to review them. Here’s the full list. You can find lots more background info on Stormalong in the ealier entries!

IPC Collaboration with Exhibit A Brewing: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/02/cider-review-stormalong-ciders.html

Pearman Quince(my #10 cider of last year): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-pearmain.html

Unfiltered: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/04/cider-review-stormalong-ciders.html

White Mountain Magic: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/02/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-white.html

Bittersweet Symphonie: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/10/cider-review-stormalongs-bittersweet.html

Wicked Little Wickson: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/08/cider-review-stormalongs-wicked-little.html

Winesap: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/04/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-winesap.html

Happy Holidays: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/11/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-happy.html

Esopus Spitzenburg: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/08/cider-review-ravens-moon-craft-ciders.html

Ashmead’s Kernel: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-review-brannland-just-cider-and.html

Peariful: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/05/cider-review-left-foot-charleys-fortis.html

Legendary Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/cider-review-stormalongs-legendary-dry.html

Kingston Black: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/08/cider-reviews-ninepin-light-cider.html

Light of the Sun: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-descendant-cider-company.html

Mass Appeal: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-prospect-ciderworks.html

Boston Heirloom: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-boston.html

Here's how Stormalong describes it, "Berry Perry is a fruit bursting collaboration of Bosc Pears, Raspberries, Blueberries and a hint of Hibiscus. It is slightly sweet, slightly tart and 100% refreshing taste bud tantalizing experience. Alcohol 6.80%"

Online you can find out about Stormalong’s current releases and full lineup: http://stormalong.com/.

Appearance: tawny, ochre, brilliant

I don’t see a lot of bubbles in the glass, but the Berry Perry is a wonderfully intense shade of ochre. The perry is also beautifully brilliant.

Aromas: blueberries, pears, and peanuts

What a surprising snack! The perry smells like blueberries, pears, and peanuts, so in the end I’m reminded of a peanut butter and blueberry jelly sandwich. Not a lot of hibiscus.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

I appreciate the balance of sweet ripe fruit and just enough mellow acid to keep things lively and in check. It comes across as semi-dry to semi-sweet, perhaps just a nudge on the semi-sweet end. 

Flavors and drinking experience: pronounced blueberry and blackberry, ripe pear, rounded, full bodied

I love what a surprise this cider was for me. I expected something with both more intense sweetness and acidity, but instead this feels so much more natural, floral, and true to perry. The perry’s medium acidity is helpful but never pointed or too zingy. Instead it just keeps the full-bodied perry rounded and juicy without being limp. This feels tremendously true to blue berries and pears as neither of them is the racy tart fruit that will pucker your mouth, but rather something gentle and subtly perfumed and fruity.

In terms of flavor, it’s tremendously fruit forward: very pear and very blueberry. I don’t get as much fermentation character as with some perries, but what’s here is totally delicious. I found this perry utterly magical with soft cheese. I recommend pairing this perry with gentle mellow flavors so that its nuances won’t be lost. Even my co-taster was won over!

Cider Review: Two Town's Ciderhouse's The Baddie

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on 2 Towns Ciderhouse’s The Baddie. Things have gotten only marginally springier since last week, but according to the calendar it’s now Spring. I’ll believe it once I see my first daffodil. Since I’m waiting for Spring, I’m excited to enjoy the botanicals and florals that are the absolutely crucial to this newest release from 2 Towns Ciderhouse. 

I have 16(!)  previous reviews of ciders by 2 Towns Ciderhouse! I include more background in several earlier reviews, I recommend checking them out to find more about Oregon’s 2 Towns Cidery. Here’s the full list of reviews. Gosh, this makes me what to think back to which 2 Towns have been my favorites over the years!

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

2 Towns’ Ciderhouse has a website that’s a great place to learn about all the cidery’s releases and events: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

There’s a whole page about The Baddie and how this cider came to be. I recommend reading the whole thing to learn about this awesome project from 2 Towns Ciderhouse benefiting the Pink Boots Society: https://2townsciderhouse.com/the-baddie/.

Here’s some info strictly about the cider. 

In order to make the cider pink and live up to its name, the R&D team added hibiscus among other floral botanicals that created an elevated cider with flair, depth, and sophistication.

I did a little inquiry to find out the full list of apples, florals and botanicals and here it is, “ Pink Lady® apples, hibiscus, rose, jasmine and chamomile.” Thanks so much for the info, Danelle!

Appearance: Coral pink, hazy, bubbly

2 Towns has created a lovely cider here. The color reminds me of spring sunrises with its coral pink hue. The cider has lots of tiny bubbles and a slight haze. 

Aromas: Sweet, grapefruit, cherry, rose, & hibiscus

Different elements of this bouquet of aromas stood out to different tasters. I noticed the rose and cherry notes along with ripe apple. My co-taster found that the grapefruit and hibiscus notes stood out more to them. Either way, it’s a smooth blend of flowers and fruit. We agreed though that there is plenty of sweetness in The Baddie’s scents.

Sweetness/Dryness: Sweet!

This is a sweet cider. It’s a fun one with plenty going on, but it’s definitely sweet.

Flavors and drinking experience:  Hibiscus, white grapes, grapefruit, hibiscus chamomile

With The Baddie, 2 Towns has created an inviting blend of sweet grapefruit, rose, hibiscus, white grapes, and chamomile. It’s easy to detect so much of what was present in the cider’s aromas in the flavors as well. I love how it’s herbal yet floral like chamomile white still also offering as much vibrant fruit flavor as one could ask for. 

I liked how the hibiscus brought some tannins and high acid to the cider. I just love the hibiscus here. What makes it really come together though is that in addition to being sweet, the Baddie is bubbly and full bodied. All in all, this cider is aiming to be fun and approachable yet with some real complexity, and it totally succeeds. We had ours with a homemade fisherman’s pie, and it was a delightful pairing. 

Cider Review: Eve's Cidery Northern Spy and Stormalong Cider Red Skies at Night

The season has finally turned here in Upstate New York. It felt like spring over the weekend; I can’t count the signs of spring as they arrive anymore. They are too numerous. Plus, I always feel so grateful and energetic after recovering from illness, so I’m still thrilled to feel good.

Today, let’s begin with Eve’s Cidery Northern Spy.

Eve’s Cidery operates in Van Etten, New York and has since 2002. The cider apple orchard the founders planted has to be one of the most mature in the country at this point.

I’ve reviewed several ciders by Eve’s cidery before, stretching all the way back to 2013.

I started with Autumn’s Gold: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/06/cider-review-eves-ciderys-autumns-gold.html

Beckhorn Hollow Dry:http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/cider-review-eves-ciderys-beckhorn.html

Albee Hill Still and Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-eves-cidery-albee-hill.html

I got to try the Perry Pear with a Murray’s cheese board:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt3-eves-cidery-wyders.html

Autumn of Eve’s led a group of us cider nerds on an Orchard Tour and picnic back in Fall 2016:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/cider-event-twilight-walk-talk-and.html

This past November, I served the Darling Creek at my Thanksgiving meal and then it made my top 10 of the year:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-ciders-eves-ciderys.html
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-favourite-10-ciders-of-2018.html

You can read all about Eve’s Cidery on the website: https://www.evescidery.com.

Here’s the official description for this particular batch of Northern Spy: “Aromas of apple pie with buttered crust, savory herbs, summer plum and sun dried linen. On the palate, soft sumac flavors hang on a frame of grippy tannin. The finish juicy and persistent with wet stone, sea salt.” ABV 7.1%.

Appearance: unpopped popcorn, brilliant, so very bubbly

This cider looks just as bubbly as I’ve ever seen a cider! Every photo i took shows a blur of bubbles racing to the surface of the cider. The color looks deep in a way that leads me to anticipate rich flavors and tannins. The color reminds me of unpopped popcorn kernels. It’s brilliant which shows off the color and the bubbles even more.

Aromas: caramelized lemon, overripe apples, spices

Remembering how this cider smells makes my mouth water all over again. I love The Northern Spy’s overipe apple smell. It also had sweet citrus that reminded me of caramelized lemon or even blacked lemon peel. I also got oodles of baking spice.

Dryness/sweet: off dry

This is a gorgeous off dry cider. It has enough sweetness to unfold all the flavors within but not one hair more.

Flavors and drinking experience: super bubbly, Golden raisins, tart, lemon

I love super bubbly ciders! It’s a weakness of mine, and the Northern Spy suits it absolutely.  Gosh, I’m grateful. I got some wonderfully rich flavors as well, including golden raisins, citrus tartness, lemons and honey. It’s just a little bit funky, but only enough to give the experience some tooth.

I enjoy this dry, very tart, fermented, cider with a lemon finish. I’m not always the biggest fan of a single variety cider because they can suffer from lack of balance, but I just adore this. I paired with a springy asparagus and potato bake. It was delicious!

Let's move to Stormalong Cider's Red Skies at Night. This sample was shared with me by the kind folks of this Massachusetts cidery.

I started with the Legendary Dry:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/cider-review-stormalongs-legendary-dry.html

I also tried The Light of the Sun:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-descendant-cider-company.html

Visit the website to learn more about the cidery and Stormalong’s other offerings: http://stormalong.com/

Red Skies at Night

Official Description, “A delectable cider made with passionfruit and hibiscus.  Tart and juicy, tropical, and satisfying.” 5.8% ABV. Apple varieties used include Idared and Golden Delicious.

Appearance: Persimmon, brilliant, and bubbly

This cider is too pretty to come in a can! I hope everyone who cracks one open pours this rich orange red cider into a glass, so as to appreciate that gorgeous color. I’ll call it persimmon but it lives right on that hazy sunset area of red and orange. What a color! It’s also bubbly and brilliant.

Aromas: Passion fruit, coconut, guava, hibiscus, and apple

Red Skies at night smells so tropical! This cider smells like what it entails: passionfruit, hibiscus, and apple, but I also get other tropical notes that remind me of guava and coconut. I am so happy that the apple still comes through in this vibrant mix.

Dryness/sweetness: Semi dry

From the aromas, I expected a sweeter cider, but this was a nice surprise.

Flavors and drinking experience: zingy, red fruit, herbal

This is such a satisfying cider!  I love that Red Skies at night tastes so zingy; it causes a pronounced salivary reaction. What starts of dry and tart does develop into a sweet finish. The overall experience is one of  apple plus red fruit. This cider tastes herbal but simultaneously fruity. The Red Skies at Night consistently offers up lots of acid, making it very refreshing!

Cider Review Roundup: Common Cider Co. Hibiscus Saison, Finn River Dry Hopped, Two Towns Bright Cider, and Henney's Dry Cider

When kids come back from school, one always imagines them writing the essay, "What I did on Summer Vacation." Though summer isn't over yet, I only had one big bit of travel in my summer. This three day vacation was spent doing Family Reunion with my husband's very entertaining family on Lake Tahoe. This is how it looked.

But you guys don't want to hear about that! You're here to read about cider, so I'm going to share with you what I drank on summer vacation!
To be more specific, I explored a local beverage place between the airport and the lodge and picked up a few things I'd not seen before. These are ciders I cannot find easily in New York. Some family members were interested in trying some ciders, so we set up an informal tasting. I had no idea how many folks would be interested or I would have gone a lot more crazy in the store. But that simply tells me that people who aren't committed cider folks are still really excited to experiment with new tasty beverages, and that is a very good thing.

Cider #1: Hibiscus Saison

Common Cider Co. http://www.commoncider.com/

Official description: "Hibiscus Saison pours a rosy red color with a bubbly head. The aroma is light & floral with hints of sweet apples and hibiscus."

Aromas: Peach and citrus, dark acidity, strong smell of fresh green wood, a nice note of mineral

Flavors and drinking experience: sweet, acidic, easy drinking, fun. Some folks tasted a bit of funk on the nose initially, but it fades fast. We all found this cider sweet, and the saison yeast is very subtle. Our beer expert at the table (of Latitude 42) said he couldn't taste it. It has very high acid, owing to some degree from hibiscus. A few tasters noted a juicy tea aftertaste; this is Red Zinger, the cider. It had a light mouthfeel with no tannins.

Cider #2: Dry Hopped

Finn River http://www.finnriver.com/

Official description: "Bright cider, made with heirloom and organic dessert apples, blended with the bold citrus tang of organic Cascade hops. Some say it's like sipping a meadow; some say it's like chewing on grass. A hopped adventure. Alcohol content 6.5%. Dry."

Aromas: very hoppy, bits of grapefruit, lychee, green apple a whole hop smell

Flavors and drinking experience: We can definitely taste grass and green tea; the cider is floral and very fresh. I found it off-dry. The hops have some astringent qualities in a pleasant way. This has medium tannins and high acid, high enough to cause significant salivary gland response. In terms of texture, there's just a little bubble; petillant. I did taste some rhubarb notes.

Cider #3: Bright Cider

Two Towns  http://2townsciderhouse.com/

Official Description: "Clean and crisp, The BrightCider is made exclusively with fresh-pressed NW apples. BrightCider, always a bright idea!"

Aromas: A note of sulfites—it blows off. We all found it minerally and bright indeed! The smell reminded most of a freshly-bitten Granny Smith; just a dash of green apple candy though.

Flavors and drinking experience: The Bright cider tastes sweet, with very high acid; the malic acid is very strong. I noticed a pronounced lemonade aftertaste. Alex described a wet mouthfeel. Others found it Somewhat soda-like; gentle carbonation.

My favorite 2 Towns is still their Hop and Stalk which I reviewed back in 2014: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-hop-and.html

Cider#4: Dry Cider
Henney's http://www.henneys.co.uk/

Official description: "Henneys Dry Cider is our best selling cider. Smooth, light and refreshing. Sweet, appley aroma. Palate has a delicious bittersweet apple character with some spicy bite and a bit of a tannic grip. Very fruity and quite pure, with a nice savoury twist."

Aromas: We noticed all sorts of things. I'll just let the list speak for itself: fresh tobacco, caramel, very ripe apples, kim chi, fruit esters, funk, sun-warmed hay, rawmilk goatcheese, the freshly washed feet of an English milkmaid. Slightly silly, but there were reasons for these observations.

Flavors and drinking experience: Most everyone noticed a strong caramel presence, some barnyard funk, but not distastefully much. One sibling said: Ghetost. The cider was low acid, medium high tannins. I loved that it was darkly semi- sweet. I tasted new bruised apple, but found it so interesting.

All of these ciders went super well with family and sunshine and relaxing, but even better than that, sitting down to do a tasting after a ropes course felt magnificent. Highly recommended.

Cider Review: Awestruck Premium Hard Cider Hibiscus Ginger

The weekend before Halloween seems like the perfect time to talk about Awestruck Cider because a couple of their ciders are like apples transformed by more than simply fermentation! Today I'm sharing my review of Awestruck Cider's Hibiscus Ginger.

Here are a few things about Awestruck Cider. They are based out of Walton, New York. Awestruck is a relatively young cider company. They use an intelligent tone in their prose and use a cleanly modern graphic design to great effect. This is what I found most worth dissecting a little bit from their description of how they got into the cider world.

 But here’s the truth, we got into this because hard cider is a delicious, confusing mess right now and we wanted to sort it out while bringing some new hotness into the mix.  Really, how can one dry cider contain 8 percent sugar, while yet another dry cider is so completely lacking in sweetness it will suck the teeth from your head?  We don’t think either is bad, its just all a bit unclear.  So we stepped in to help out.  We want to guide you and hold your hand right at the shelf.   In addition to lengthy verbal descriptions, every bottle comes with its own set of slider bars to help you graphically decide if this is the right cider for you. 

It sounds casual and zippy, not unlike a lot of promotion writing in the beverage field, but it also addresses a real issue in the market: clarity. I love that they set themselves apart by identifying a problem and offering a solution: a relative graphical representation of 3 different elements of the cider. Yep. I'm curious at this point.

Awestruck Cider also makes a point that they use New York state apples and name a few  dessert varieties, but they don't seem to base ideology or brand identity on it.

They have a cleanly designed website with good information and no clutter. Find it at:  http://www.awestruckciders.com

The first cider of theirs I'm reviewing is their Hibiscus Ginger; it was sent to me this spring along with their two other varieties: Eastern Dry, and Lavender Hops. Their brief teaser for this cider says, "We crafted Hibiscus Ginger to excite and refresh the  palette." This makes sense when one thinks about either hibiscus or ginger as ingredients.

Here's the full description: 

As a result, inside this bottle you’ll find 750ml of liquid gusto – a delightfully piquant, refreshingly tasty, beautifully rosy-hued, impossible-to-resist hard cider. We tint our cider naturally by steeping it with dried hibiscus calyces and, for a dash of zing, we lightly infuse it with freshly peeled and sliced ginger root.

 This cider is perfect served chilled, garnished with the fresh slice of citrus, and enjoyed with friends.

Appearance: hazy, few visible bubbles, fascinating orange/pink color

I love this color; it reminds me of persimmons, watermelon, and copper. The photo doesn't come close to representing this bewitching shade. You couldn't read text through it, but the cider didn't show sediment. it just wasn't completely clear. A few bubbles appeared but not many.

Aromas: ginger, spicy tropical flowers, apple

The way it smells like both ginger and flowers, its like an exotic mixed drink, a little apple if you're looking for it. The floral notes though are very particular more like plumeria or orchid rather than rose or lavender; plenty of tropical spicy florals.
 
Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

I'm not going to mince words. This cider is decidedly a semi-sweet, but it's really a lot of fun with just little bits of bitter and dark to the flavor. This really is a halloween cider!

Flavors and drinking experience: Ginger, spice, bitter, honey, orange, fall berries

Wow! The Hibiscus Ginger has a very aggressive ginger, to the edge of spicy, with a little bitterness; honey and brown sugar sweetness—a lot like molasses.  The overall effect is like a powerful ginger beer or a gingersnap cookie, but more floral than either. The hibuscus is part of the bitter tartness, like a zinger note or an agua fresca: a citrusy bitter edge.  Notes of orange and peach and tart red berries—raspberry and cranberry.  Good for autumn.  The complex notes die away, leaving a dark sweetness.  Lots of little sparkles, but not overly carbonated. It shows higher levels of acid and no tannins. Neither of these fact should be a surprise.

I paired it with my last rhubarb strawberry pie (rather out of season) and it was crazy good. I'd have it again gladly alongside a veggie roast with cauliflower, brussel sprouts and butternut squash.