We’re back faster than Sonic the Hedgehog’s 100 yard sprint with another cider review from our friends at Farmhaus Cider. Today’s selection will be Halbitter. They describe this offering as fresh, bright, and semi-sweet. This particular style is make from locally-sourced apples and fermented in a Germanic style. This may draw comparisons to the Trocken cider, but the flavor unlocks noticeable differences. It can be more applicably compared to a Riesling. If you are a fan of Riesling, you will likely agree, as I think it is a fair and just assumption. The knights of the round table say it’s true and, thusly, it becomes law.
Let’s take a bite out of this one and get into the seedier details. This cider pours smooth and light. Not to harp on the same word, but the body is also very light, like a white wine, with little carbonation. On the nose, it almost smelled like a spiced apple to me, which I found unique and intriguing. Once you take a gulp, you get a warm and, somehow predetermined, amount of sweetness — no sudden wallop from a sour or acidic note. It truly leaves a great apple finish with it’s gentle touch of sweetness (“Romeo, where are thou?” “I am here…with cider.” “How sweet!”).
With a 7% ABV, typical of a dry cider or a cider with lower sugar content, this drink shouldn’t be as sweet as it is. Upon further inspection of the can, I noticed there was an interesting additive, Michigan beet sugar. This leads me to believe that the sweetness and some of the spice I first noticed in the aroma may be coming from the beat sugar, an ingredient for added sweetness. With all this being said, I rather enjoyed the Halbitter. It is another simple and delicious offering that would be great for a pizza night or a get together with the guys and gals. I am giving a 3.5/5 rating for this cider as I think it has a bit more character and fits more to the taste profile that I enjoy. This one would certainly be more of a crowd pleaser than the Trocken as it will correspond to most palates, and many are still looking for that sweetness in a cider. Now go ahead and pour one up!
Check out Farmhaus Cider’s featured cidery page to learn more about this fascinating company.
Review Recap
