Cider: WILDCIDE Hard Cider

A most excellent cider

As the cider market explodes in America, many craft breweries are getting in on the action, and that’s a good thing. More variety means more experimentation, and this new brew from Gordon Biersch (under their new Aurum Cider imprint) has something unique going for it. Using nature as it’s inspiration, WIldcide is flash-pasteurized, meaning there’s no sulfites added to preserve the product. This is a more natural cider without chemical additives. Ingredients? Apples. Period. How cool is that?

I was lucky enough to be able to taste this fine cider for you, dear readers, and here’s my review, done as I review any craft beer.

Appearance: Pours from the bottle a pale clear-yellow in color, with very little retention or lacing on my pint glass. I attribute the watery look to a lack of artificial coloring that may be present in some of the more mainstream ciders. Good on Wildcide.

Aroma: Fresh, juicy apples, pure and simple. Can’t argue with that.

Taste: Clean and smooth, and clearly more mellow than the competitors. This is a combination of 4 kinds of apples (Fuji, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Golden Delicious), and maybe that (along with the lack of harsh preservatives) makes this one so much cleaner and satisfying. The finish is dry and certainly not too sweet, either. Wildcide is all about balance, and for that I give this one high marks.

A premium cider that’s, in my eyes, a better cider in just about every way. Prost to Aurum Cider Co. and to Colin Baugh/Emblem for getting this cider to my belly!

Aurum Cider Co

Angry Orchard Hard Ciders

Fall is a fitting time to enjoy the wonders of cider. In other terms, it's harvest season, and apples are one of the season's most beloved crops. Having been a casual fan of the pre-eminent "hard" cider, Woodchuck, for many years, I've never properly compared or reviewed their many varieties. This year, with the rise of other craft cider brands, as well as a fascination with the historic significance of cider, I set out on a mission to sift thru these often-found, but seldom-discussed beverages.

I began my mission with the new cider brand on the block, Angry Orchard, who are produced by the Boston Beer Company (aka Samuel Adams). Having appeared on the scene just about a year or two ago, Angry Orchard is clearly the biggest competition for Woodchuck in the states. These are their three mainline varieties.

Angry Orchard - CRISP APPLE

This clear amber cider pours with a little fizz, and an aroma of apples and alcohol. Not bad, but not great, either. Tastes like a rip, red apple with a hint of sulfite. This one has a bit of tartness, but overall this is like straight apple juice (albeit alcoholic). I thought this one was a wee tad too sweet overall.

Angry Orchard - TRADITIONAL DRY

This one is an old English-style cider, and discernibly more sour than the "Crisp Apple" variety. I get a more green apple feel here, and I did find it better balanced between the sweet and tart. Enjoyable.

Angry Orchard - APPLE GINGER

I vote this to be my favorite of the Angry Orchard line, easily. The aroma has a slightly spicy warmth to it, and the addition of ginger to the sweet apple provides a great and unique palate experience. A great blend, and one I'd pick up again.

Angry Orchard website