Banter Cider Reviews: Overcast & Bone
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We continue our exploration of Banter’s Hard Cider. After reviewing Say New Normal Again Mutha F*cker & Swamp Frog, we have two more for you folks. Overcast and Bone are ciders that focus more on the apples than the adjuncts. Overcast is a hazy unfiltered cider while Bone is a classic dry cider. Let’s see what they have to offer!
Overcast
Their Description: Hazy Unfiltered cider with 6 varieties of PA apples
ABV: 6.9% ABV
Our Notes:
Overcast is an ode to hazy beer or a hazy unfiltered cider you would get at a farm in PA. On the pour, you get a hazy yellow color with very little carbonation or head. The bubbles that do come up are tiny and tightly arranged. Right away you smell notes of apple skin and farmhouse cider. There is a bit of fermented funk and scents of grapes which is interesting considering the blend they have here.
The flavor starts out with bright acid and a decent amount of sweetness on the palate. The juicy orchard scents are prevalent in the cider as the well-rounded flavors develop on your tongue. The apple juice front-end flavor turns to a tart, not quite sour finish that lingers on the back of your tongue. Overall, the cider brings a punchy yet delicious blend of apples that is easy to drink and apple forward. Another favorable piece of the puzzle here was the mouthfeel. The cider was very smooth and silky on the palate all the way through and made us come back for more. If we had to find something about this cider that it lacks is a diverse deep flavor since the blend is well balanced the flavor comes off a bit one noted. For some, this may be a good thing as the apples since while others may look for a bit more electric flavor.
Bone
Their Description: Unfiltered full-bodied cider with a tart pucker and green apple notes
ABV: 6.9% ABV
Our Notes:
Bone is the quintessential dry cider that most cideries will carry. This cider feels like the base cider that goes into all of the other flavors that Banter’s sells. The cider pours a slightly cloudy hazy color that is lighter in color, similar to hay. There is a bit more carbonation on this one that came through but that could be the way we poured the cider. The smell of this is a bit more yeasty than the other ciders we have tried with a sharp sour nose reminiscent of a sour beer. While this is not quite as extreme as a sour the tart and dry white wine elements are here.
When it comes to the flavor you get what you expect when it comes to a dry. The tasting notes are more subtle but there is a light tannic start that ends with a green apple tartness like a candy. Every time we took a sip you get the same pattern of flavors that are simple and nuanced tart. At a point, there are some barnyard funk notes and almost mead flavors that are in the background. Overall this is a good dry cider for those who like white wine-type flavors and prefer a tart finish.
