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Far From The Tree is always creating adventurous combinations and pushing the boundaries of the hard cider world. Did you know that they even make various tea infused ciders? I first tried their fall seasonal release “Apple of my Chai” this November and was so blown away by it. They also re-released “Earl Grey” just a couple weeks ago, and of course I’ve got you covered with that too.
Apple Of My Chai
Okay, let’s honest for a second…if you’re not drinking PSL’s in the fall, then you probably have a chai latte in hand, am I right? Fortunately, FFTT thought about all of you chai lovers out there as the temperatures (and the leaves) began to drop as they released a chai tea spiced cider.
Apple Of My Chai smells of crisp, tart apples and contrasting warming fall spices immediately upon opening the can. As you pour the cider, you’ll notice a translucent, light gold liquid with light to medium carbonation. As you bring the glass toward your mouth to sip, you’ll first notice a strong yet comforting whiff of chai tea.
On the tongue it is sweet, but not sugary, tart, but not sour. This cider found the perfect balance between the cool, crisp apples fresh off the trees and the cozy, warming chai spices that make you want to cozy up and fight off the bite of the cold approaching. It is very fall-esque with the forwardness of the chai spices, which smell like comfort in a can. I would even go as far as to recommend gently heating it until warm, without letting it reach a boil, and actually enjoying it like a cup of warm tea or mulled cider…after all, it really is the best of both worlds.
Overall Rating: 4.25/ 5
Earl Grey
Who would’ve thought that cider and tea could go so well together? You may have noticed a few of your favorite cideries experimenting with earl grey ciders, and FFTT is one of them! “Earl Grey” is an off-dry cider mixed with black tea and oil of bergamot to give it that classic earl grey tea flavor in tribute to FFTT’s time spent living in the UK.
“Earl” pours a straw yellow with mild carbonation. On the nose, you’ll pick up a blend of apples and spiced citrus. The subtle earthy, almost bitter undertones in the flavor combined with the smell give just the right amount of earl grey feel to this cider. On the tongue you’ll get a citrusy bite reminiscent of citrus peel rather than the fruit itself to start off, followed by a true cider flavor through the remainder of the sip.
If you are a tea drinker, you know that the flavor is meant to be refined and understated. I believe this cider does just that as well. It stays true to its cider roots while giving you enough of an expanded flavor profile to pick up on the black tea and bergamot flavors. By brewing an off-dry cider, they allow the flavors of the apples and of the tea to complement each other without ever overpowering one another. When I had a friend try it he responded with “I wish there was an aftertaste,” which I would argue against as it’s the subtlety of the tea that makes this a great blend.
So what’s next for FFTT, you ask? Well, I’m not quite sure but the tea and cider trend is something we at CiderScene can get behind. I’m going to gently suggest that
