#30DaysCider: Tas Reviews 30 Days of Cider
Getting to Know Original 13 Cider
April 30, 2021
Getting to Know Banter Cider
May 6, 2021
From Tas Frazer (@girlwithaciderreview)
At the beginning of the month, I set out on a journey….to complete 30 Days of Cider! My plan was to try and review a different cider every day for a full month in order to do some “spring cleaning”. My cabinets had been overflowing and I thought it was time to catch up! I also enlisted the help of my cider peers and challenged them to keep up with me by also posting a review each day with the hashtag #30daysofcider. Each post would be entered into a draw to win one of two gift cards to a local cidery of their choice. I figured it would be a great way to clean up and get prepped for the summer!
However, I can tell you I may or may not have numerous cider orders in the mail, so it could have defeated the purpose. While it seems I just removed ciders to replace them (which may be the case) I still had a chance to review 30 different ciders throughout the month of April, and I’m here to tell you all about them. They range in style and where they are from (however most are Canadian and from Ontario). The majority I have seen in the LCBO however some will need to be ordered from the cidery directly. Let’s begin!
Days 1-5
DAY 1
Name: Eden Grove Cider “Hibiscus Blossom”
Location: Toronto, Ontario
ABV: 5.4% / Semi-Dry
It pours a golden yellow cider and is a floral cider. On the nose you get quite a strong botanical smell but the taste is apple forward. The flavour is mellow and you get subtle hibiscus in the finish. For a floral cider it was quite light and tolerable, especially for those (like myself) who are not the best with botanicals! I also enjoyed the can design, it is a stylish white can with a metallic pink hibiscus flower in the centre.
DAY 2
Name: Flying Canoe Hard Cider
Location: Ottawa Ontario
ABV: 5% / Semi- Dry
Straight from Ontario’s capital city, I am reviewing Ottawa’s first hard cider. This cider is handcrafted in small batches and is an enjoyable apple cider. The colour is deep yellow and right away you get a nice apple aroma. In terms of taste the apple is quite bold and fresh, and lasts all the way to the finish. The carbonation in this one was medium and I’d consider it a semi-dry style. The only mistake I made with this one is that I didn’t put it on ice, if I did it would have been more refreshing!
DAY 3
Name: Shale Ridge Estate Winery “Crisp Apple”
Location: Thedford, Ontario
ABV: 6.5% / Semi-Sweet
This cider I found to be quite carbonated, dry and light in its flavour. I got some apple flavour in the start, however it finished with some funk. Compared to their other ciders (which they have a large array of) I did not enjoy this as much. For me in Crisp ciders I enjoy a more fresh crisp taste the full way though. I do love their can labelling though- vibrant and eye catching. I’ll tell you more about the others- I will be reviewing 2 more in these 30 days.
DAY 4
Name: Revel “SOIF”
Location: Guelph, Ontario
ABV: 6.1% / Tart & Dry
As many of us know, Revel as industry leaders in the cider world with their extremely innovative creations. Many of the ingredients they use are daring and often result in wild ciders! This one is a gorgeous berry colour and contained 2 ciders aged on cherries, strawberry and Zweigelt grape skins. It is a semi-dry, wild -fermented and tannic. On the nose you get amazing tannic aromas of the grape. At first sip I got fresh strawberry and a finish of tart cherry. The full flavours of the fruit dominate in this cider and I was blown away, best part is that I was able to have a lot of it as I bought a bottle!
DAY 5
Name: Shale Ridge Estate Winery “Pear Apple”
Location: Thedford, Ontario
ABV: 6% / Sweet
This cider is a pear apple cider (not a perry) and I found it quite carbonated! It is yellow in colour and on the nose you get strong pear aromas. It tastes similar to a sweet pear drop candy (popular in the UK). It is definitely on the sweeter side but it was refreshing and enjoyable.
Days 6-10
DAY 6
Name: D’ont Poke the Bear Apple Cider
Location: Toronto, Ontario
ABV: 5.8% / Semi-Sweet
D’ont Poke the Bear you probably have seen often in the LCBO, in the wine section, however they also have 2 ciders. This cider is one of them, the other being their Berry. D’ont Poke the Bear is founded by two VQA wine producers and gives back to their community through “Friends First” an anti-bullying initiative. A part of each sale of their products goes towards this initiative, so it is definitely something to feel good drinking. This cider was a semi-sweet and on the nose you smell pleasant apple aromas. The whole way though you receive fresh crisp apple tastes that linger through the finish.
DAY 7
Name: Front Road Cellars “Lakeside Hard Cider”
Location: St. Williams, Ontario
ABV: 6% / Semi-Dry
This cider is light yellow in colour with medium carbonation. It is fresh, crisp and has a clean apple flavour. I’d classify it as a semi-dry with honey hints in the finish. This one i’d recommend as a good starter cider (that is not a commercial brand). If you are getting into the cider game and want a carefully crafted fresh apple cider, this is one to try. Front Road Cellars / Blueberry Hill Estates has some delicious wines (and many other ciders). This was a favourite visit of mine when able to travel the province!
DAY 8
Name: Ace Cider Company “Honey”
Location: Sebastopol, California, USA
ABV: 5% / Sweet
This Ace cider is the first American cider I am reviewing throughout these 30 days, and it is a fierce competitor. Ace cider is the first cider company to be available in all 50 states of the USA, it is slowly making its way across the border with products in both BC and Alberta. This cider is one of their newest seasonal releases and is made with Sonoma county apples and Gipson’s golden wildflower honey. For those floral haters, there is absolutely no floral taste. It is mead like in style which is also a new trend coming on scene. I found it was apple forward and smooth. The honey couples perfectly with the apple and the sweetness lingers in the finish.
DAY 9
Name: KW Craft Cider “Wild Cherry”
Location: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
ABV: 6.4% / Semi-Dry + Tart
KW has so many ciders out (some in packs), some sold individually- but this is their newest. It is perfect for spring (due to the colour and flavour). It pours a pink-red with light carbonation. It is closer to the drier side I would say but not bone dry in any sense. With cherry, it can be a hard flavour to do in ciders as sometimes it can come across syrupy sweet. This one is crafted to be both crisp with apple and a lovely tart cherry finish. I think this is my favourite from KW right now. Fun Fact: they use fruit sourced from the Niagara region (great to be supporting local!).
DAY 10
Name: Hardway Cider Company “Ramboozle”
Location: Bath, Ontario
ABV: 6.5% / Bone Dry
The next 3 days of the series feature Hardway Ciders. Before this challenge, I had never tried any of theirs. Their cans are slender and labels feature intricate metallic animal art so it was extremely aesthetically pleasing. This one featured an octopus! On the nose I did not get much of an aroma, but in terms of taste there is some fun stuff! It was a medium-carbonated cider with a dry crisp apple taste, and the tiniest tartness of raspberry. The finish was strong and left a lingering taste. This is likely due to the aging in rum barrels.
Days 11-15
DAY 11
Name: Hardway Cider Company “Rogue”
Location: Bath, Ontario
ABV: 6.5% / Dry
This Hardway cider featured a brilliant metallic bull and was one of their dry ciders. What worried me about this one was that it listed having “oak notes” (not my forte). I was pleasantly surprised to find it was apple forward in taste and the oak was subtle. It was also carbonated with tiny bursts of caramel notes here and there. It was a great classic dry cider which can be hard to find nowadays.
DAY 12
Name: Hardway Cider Company “Whiskey Rebellion”
Location: Bath, Ontario
ABV: 9% / Bone Dry + Strong
This last Hardway cider in the series was sadly not my favourite of the bunch. This cider came with an artsy metallic eagle on the front, so I figured…what could go wrong? This cider i’d say is not for the faint of heart and is a wicked high ABV for a cider. It is aged in whiskey barrels and said to have notes of molasses, vanilla and oak. This one was also a still cider. At first I tasted apples followed by a strong alcohol taste. I really adore whiskey mixed with cider, however this one missed the mark from me. I prefer more spiced/caramel sweetness to blend out such harsh flavours.
DAY 13
Name: No Boats on Sunday “Mixed Berry”
Location: Nova Scotia, Ontario & BC (Three Versions Made in Canada)
ABV: 5% / Semi-Sweet
This berry cider pours a super pretty light pink and has a bit of a floral smell to it. I found it to be light in taste and on berries and apples. It was easy to drink and on the sweeter side!
DAY 14
Name: Ace Cider Company “Mango”
Location: Sebastopol, California, USA
ABV: 5% / Sweet
As with many of the Ace ciders this one is on the sweeter side and is the third of their tropical trio. The other two are their staple, the pineapple (which was one the first I tried) and their guava which was released last summer. Mango is my favourite tropical fruit so I was enticed by the idea of this one…and it did not disappoint! On the nose you get a strong mango scent. In terms of taste it has a tiny bit of apple followed by full-force juicy mango. It is sweet, however it mimics the real fruit.
DAY 15
Name: Double Shovel Cider Co. “Forget Me Hopped”
Location: Anchorage, Alaska, USA
ABV: 6.6% / Dry & Hopped
This cider was a gift from a friend who was able to vacation to Alaska pre-pandemic. Double Shovel is actually Alaska’s first microbrewery so I feel honoured to be able to try a cider from them. It pours a caramel colour and is made with 3 hop varieties. The aroma was floral with a hint of citrus. In the taste, it was similar to the smell in terms of the botanicals and some orange. I found it to be highly carbonated as well and clean tasting. Sadly, it didn’t make the cut of my favourites but hopped lovers might enjoy it!
Days 16-20
DAY 16
Name: Lost Craft Brewery “Dry Rose”
Location: Toronto, Ontario
ABV: 6% / Dry & Tart
This cider was Lost Craft’s second cider, and their newest spring release. The can is a beautiful metallic rose gold and is classy looking! It will also soon be finding its way into the LCBO, so keep watch. It pours a berry colour and has a sweet berry smell. The first sip was apple forward and finished tart. I’d attribute the tartness to the red wine added. I found it overall dry and full bodied, perfect to sip throughout a relaxing evening.
DAY 17
Name: Newfoundland Cider Company “Cloudy Scrumpy”
Location: Lethbridge, Newfoundland
ABV: 4.6 % / Dry
Representing the east coast of Canada we have this Cloudy Scrumpy cider! Traditionally, scrumpy’s are a type of cider from West England. They are usually still and use unselected apples and can have a harsher taste. Other types have a more mature full bodied taste. This one was cloudy, carbonated and unfiltered. The smell was a tad bit harsh however in taste it was apple forward, smooth and dry.
DAY 18
Name: Ernest Cider “Wild Blueberry”
Location: Newmarket, Ontario
ABV: 5.9% / Semi-Dry
Ernest has quite the variety of ciders now available in the LCBO and I am all for it. As it stands, my current favourites are probably “Impeachment” and “Bumbleberry” however this blueberry is also tasty. It is made from 7 varieties of apple, wild blueberry juice and local wildflower honey. It pours a dazzling deep berry colour and has a floral fragrance, with light carbonation. In taste it is tart with both apple and blueberry taste. It is then balanced with a soft sweet hug of honey.
DAY 19
Name: Thornbury Craft Cider “Rose Apple”
Location: Thornbury, Ontario
ABV: 5.4% / Semi-Sweet
For sweet lovers, this Thornbury cider was delicious! It is a blend of their craft apple cider and red wine. It pours a pretty coral pink with a little sparkle. It smells dry, however it is not in the slightest. I could taste crisp apple and berry hints throughout but it finishes with a lingering sweetness on the tongue. PS: It also pairs well with donuts for some extra sweetness.
DAY 20
Name: Tattiebogle Cider Company “Blurberry”
Location: Acme, Pennsylvania, USA
ABV: 8.3% / Semi-Dry
This high ABV cider is a semi-dry blueberry cider. It smells of light berry and an overall dryness. At first sip you get a burst of tartness, smooth berry and a finish of subtle apple notes. Tattiebogle has so many unique ciders including a spiced pear one I tried earlier in the year!
Days 21-25
DAY 21
Name: Revel Cider “Spirit of the Woods”
Location: Guelph, Ontario
ABV: 6.5% / Dry & Botanical
I was super interested in this cider, I think because of the labelling which is this spooky skeleton tree. The cider is made with ontario ingredients: juniper, lemon thyme, basil and lavender. On the nose I received a citrus & gin aroma. I tasted citrus as well but also got a rush of floral / herby notes with a light berry flavour. Sadly it was not my cup of tea but it has quite the following, especially by lovers of gin (and botanicals).
DAY 22
Name: KW Craft Cider “Chai Spiced”
Location: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
ABV: 6.7% / Dry & Spiced
Here is the second KW cider in my 30 days, and it was also another tasty one. It is a unique blend of spices (chai, cinnamon, cloves and more) but also vanilla and peach notes. It pours a light yellow with medium-light carbonation. On the nose you get a strong spiced aroma but it is subdued at first sip. It is a drier spiced cider but i’m not complaining!
DAY 23
Name: Duxbury Cider “Five Meter Scrum”
Location: Meaford, Ontario
ABV: 6.5% / Dry
This Duxbury cider was made in honour of the Toronto Arrows Rugby team. It is a double oaked cider and pours a light yellow with medium-light carbonation. On the nose you get hints of spice but the cider is full bodied in apple taste. It was smooth and crisp to the finish….and no oak taste!
DAY 24
Name: East Street Cider Co “Harvest Botanical”
Location: Goderich, Ontario
ABV: 6% / Dry & Botanical
The first of two East Street ciders is their botanical. It is a blend of Ontario apples, rose hips, hibiscus and lemongrass. It pours a peachy yellow and smells of dry apple. It is carbonated and has an apple citrus taste paired with a herby flavour. I found it to be well-balanced as far as botanicals go and it was enjoyable. It pairs well with sushi (which I had a lot of this evening).
DAY 25
Name: East Street Cider Co “Landmark Dry”
Location: Goderich, Ontario
ABV: 6% / Semi-Dry
This cider pours a cloudy pale yellow and is highly carbonated. It was light and refreshing, and crisp/clean to the finish. It is a drier cider however you get some sweet smoothness in it as well.
Days 26-30
DAY 26
Name: County Cider Company “Waupoos”
Location: Picton, Ontario
ABV: 6.5% / Dry & Tangy
This brand was created over 20 years ago to celebrate the history of the area’s indigenous peoples. Waupoos is Ojibwe for rabbit due to the large amount of wildlife in the area. The cider poured a bright yellow with medium carbonation. It is dry and tangy as well which shocked me at first. It holds a freshness to it, the whole way through and was bright and tannic.
DAY 27
Name: Thornbury Craft Cider “Road Apples”
Location: Thornbury, Ontario
ABV: 5.1% ABV / Semi-Dry & Tart
This cider is Thornbury’s newest release and is a collaboration with the Tragically Hip, celebrating the 30 year anniversary of their album of the same name. It pours a bright yellow and is “tart, dry and appley” in the words of Thornbury Cidermaker Doug. They used their original cider and tweaked parts of the recipe to fit the style of the Hip. It was tart, semi-dry and fresh tasting. It is a limited release so i’d stock up if you can!
DAY 28
Name: Shale Ridge Estate Winery “Cherry Apple”
Location: Thedford, Ontario
ABV: 5% / Semi-Sweet
The Shale Ridge Cherry cider is one of my favourite sweeter cherry ciders. It is a rosey pink red colour and has medium carbonation. It smelled cranberry notes so I anticipated it was dry. At first sip you get a splash of apple followed by tangy cherry. It was also light in taste which I enjoyed.
DAY 29
Name: Somersby “Spritz”
Location: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
ABV: 4.5% / Sweet
This second last cider is quite the controversial one, as it is the only that is clearly labeled not vegan. On the nose you get spiced hints and a sweet lingering smell. There are small bubbles and it is a vibrant orange colour. The colour is a natural dye created from “Cochineal”, a scale insect. It was fizzy and has a strong confusing taste. I would say it was a combination of aperol, ginger, orange, and cinnamon. I was mostly put off by the dye, however I wouldn’t say this was a cider for me!
DAY 30
Name: Lake City Cider “Strawberry Red Head”
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
ABV: 8.5% / Semi-Sweet
I absolutely adored this cider from Lake City. They have such a variety, but so far this one and their “Forest Glory” are favourites of mine. It is made with their flagship cider and strawberry wine. On the nose you get strawberry hints and subtle apples. The taste is comparable to strawberry jam balanced with crisp apple. It is perfect for summer, and while on the stronger side, it is bound to be finished quick!
