Hard Way Cider

Kingston now has its own cider maker - Hard Way Cider Company located at 748 Development Drive. VisitKingston has a good article on the company. Open Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00. They started out to create really dry ciders, and their range expresses that. Different from most cider makers, they age the cider in oak barrels. They have some unusual flavours; for instance, one cider is aged in old tequila barrels.

I tried the Rogue cider and found it very dry but flavourful with a more complex flavour due to the barrel aging. Quite nice though I would prefer with food because of the extreme dryness.

MacIvors Traditional Dry

An Irish cider that I tried in Dublin - on tap. Made from 100% fresh pressed apples. This is probably the same as the Dry Irish I had in Northern Ireland in a bottle. Quite good. 7/10

Traditional Dry

Dry Irish

Thatchers Haze Cloudy Somerset

In Edinburgh at a pub, I tried this bottled cider. Its tagline is "made with the sweetest apples." Despite that, it is not as overly sweet as I feared it might be, and it was not bad when served cold. Strong apple taste that fades after a few sips, and there is not an overtly sweet aftertaste. Refreshing. Made from Jonsgold apples. 6.5/10

High Diver

Had this on tap in England. Very pale green-yellow colour and lightly cloudy, which may be from the tap pull adding micro-bubbles. A nice off-dry, light, crisp cider.

Stowford Press

Tried it both bottled and later on tap at a pub in Keswick. Made by Westons Cider in Herefordshire. "Stowford" refers to the particular blend they use for this cider. They also make a 0.5% ABV version. This one is 4.5% and is quite good. 7.5/10

Kingstone Press

An okay standard commercial cider. 6.5/10

The Taunton Cider Co. First Press Dry

Taunton is a dry cider with a pronounced astringent after taste. Good but would be best chilled and with food. 7.5/10

Aspall Suffolk Draught Cyder

A popular cider available on tap in many pubs. Aspall Draught is a standard commercial with a medium body. Pretty good. Okay 7/10

Hawkes East by Southeast

Has a medium-dry taste sweeter than I like. It has a light but noticeable cinnamon taste that is a little off-putting that may be from tannins. 6.5/10

Moonshine Crisp Premium

On tap, this is cider has the tagline "made somewhere in the west country." It is quite different. A pale yellow colour, almost clear with a very light bouquet. The taste is a strong and little sweet. The sweetness disappears to a quite astringent finish. It was just cool when I tried it; it would be better and more refreshing if really chilled. 6.5/10

Chatsworth Somerset Orchard

Tried this at Chatsworth House, a cider made for them and, I assume sold only on the premises. A nice, light crisp cider with a light apple flavour, off-dry. 7/10

Kopparberg Pear

One of Sweden's premier cider makers, this pear cider has a nice light pear bouquet but is too sweet and has an odd pear taste. I wouldn't care for a second. 6/10

Cullen's Traditional Irish Cider

 As nice easy drinking ordinary commercial cider, just off-dry. 6.5/10