Mac's Cloudy Apple

Tried in Auckland, New Zealand and made by Lion in Auckland. A cloudy yellow colour with a light slightly musty apple bouquet. Taste is slightly musty apple though not horrible. 4.2% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

The Marlborough Cider Co

Tried in Auckland. Has a very pale yellow colour like a white wine and a very light apple bouquet. Taste initially tart that finishes with a very light tart apple flavour. 5.9% ABV. My rating 7/10.

Zeffer Crisp Apple

Tried at the Leuven Belgian Beer Cafe in Wellington, New Zealand. Zeffer Cidery is located in Hawke’s Bay. Pale yellow-green clour with a light fresh green apple bouquet. Semi-sweet with an up front green apple taste that finishes with a light tartness. Light and refreshing. 5.0% ABV. My rating 9/10.

Frank’s Summer Pear

Tried in Hobart. Very pale amber colour with a light and sharp pear bouquet. Semi-sweet with a light pear taste that finishes a little drier, exceptional for a perry. 5.0% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

Pagan (250)

My 250th cider is a pear and apple cider from Tasmania that I tried in Hobart, made by Pagan Produce Pty of Cradoc, Tasmania. They note that this is barrel aged. Pale yellow colour with a sharp pear and apple bouquet. Semi-sweet taste with pear slightly over apple with a smooth finish. Good for its type. 4.5% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

 

Bruny Island Apple & Pear

Tried in Hobart. The blend is made from pears from the Tasman Peninsula and apples from Bruny Island. light yellow colour with a barely perceptible pear/apple bouquet. Very light pear taste and not that sweet for a pear cider, even though this is a blend and not a perry. Least pear flavour of any perry that I've had. 5.1% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

 

Bruny Island

Tried this in Hobart. Made in Alonnah on Bruny Island, they note this sparkling cider is made from fruit from Bruny Island and Huon Valley. Pale yellow colour with a light fresh apple bouquet. Light fresh apple taste that slightly semi-sweet throughout. 5.3% ABV. My rating 7/10.

Frank’s Summer

Tried in Hobart. This maker from Franklin, Tasmania is a sixth generation cider maker beginning in the 1830s. Pale yellow colour with a light fresh apple bouquet. Semi-sweet with a good combination of fresh and old apple taste that holds through to the finish. 5.0% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

Mercury Double

Tried in Hobart, this cider comes in a small 250ml probably because of its high alcohol content at 10.0%! Dark amber colour with a light apple bouquet. Taste is thicker than any cider I've tried and the alcohol noticeable, almost overpowering the light old apple taste. 10% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Mercury Dry

Tried in Hobart and they note that they are the oldest cider maker in Australia. Medium-light amber colour with very light apple bouquet. Very light apple flavour with a touch of astringency on the finish. 5.2% ABV. My rating 7/10.

Plenty

Tried in Hobart but made in Plenty, Tasmania. Medium amber ginger ale colour with a light fresh apple bouquet. Light apple taste just off-dry with a fresh apple finish. 5.0% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

Mr Bridges Cloudy

Tried in Hobart, made from 100% Tasmanian apples with headquarters in Kettering, Tasmania. As the name states, it is cloudy - a cloudy yellow-amber with a distinct old apple bouquet. Taste has more body than most. It is semi-sweet with an odd aftertaste, almost like sour pear. 5.0% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Willie Smith’s ciders

Willie Smith’s is a large cider maker in Tasmania making a wide range of ciders, pure apple as well as flavored. They have been making ciders since 1888. I tried three: Gold, Organic and Bone Dry. Gold is made from Royal Gala, Pink Lady and Southern Bliss apples. Organic and Bone Dry are made from Royal Gala, Pink Lady and Fuji apples. Non-alc is made with water, apple juice, cider and lemon juice.

Bone Dry - slightly cloudy light amber colour with a light fresh apple bouquet. taste is definitely dry, bone dry! On second taste not as dry but a very light taste that then finishes less dry. 6.5% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Organic - cloudy with a pale amber colour and old apple bouquet. taste is off-dry with a pleasant smooth apple taste and finishes with fruit forward. 5.0% ABV. My rating 7/10.

Non-alc (non-alcoholic) - Pale yellow-amber colour with a faint apple bouquet, slightly artificial. Taste is mostly of light apple juice with a very slight "cider" flavour. Not unpleasant but not much different from diluted apple juice which is not surprising given the ingredients. 0.5% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

Gold - slightly cloudy pale amber with a light old apple bouquet. Initial astringent and dry mouth feel with a light old apple finish. Easy drinking. The best low alcohol cider I have had. 3.5% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

5 Seeds Lower Sugar

Made by Lion Beer Spirits & Wine Pty, Sydney. Made of imported and local apples. Very light colour and bouquet. Light fresh apple taste just off-dry. Light and refreshing if not a lot of apple taste. 5.0% ABV. My rating 7.5/10

Strongbow Hard Cider

A variety of Strongbow I hadn’t seen until I found this in Perth, Australia. It is made in Australia. It looks like the regular Strongbow and seems to have the light bouquet of the original. Taste is a little lighter than the original. 8.2% ABV. My rating 7/10.

 

Bertie

By the CBCo Brewing of Margaret River, WA, Australia. They note that they use no artificial colours or flavours, nor do they use concentrates. Light yellow colour with a very light apple bouquet. Taste is very light taste that is initially semi-sweet but finishes lightly tart. 4.6% ABV. My rating 7/10.

 

Monteith’s Crushed Apple

Tried this cider at the Belgian Beer Cafe, corner of King and Murray Streets in Perth, Australia, but it’s actually the cider is from New Zealand. It’s made by DB Breweries of Auckland. It was on tap; the only local cider they had was in the can. $14 for a pint! Very light colour like a vino verde and extremely with a light bouquet. Taste is light semi-sweet fresh apple with a slightly less sweet aftertaste. 4.5% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

 

Val de Rance Cidre Bouché

From the Côtes d'Armor region of France. Deep amber colour with a heady old apple bouquet. Taste is intense old apple, semi-sweet balanced with a light astringency. I usually like drier ciders but this one is one of the best quaffers I have tried! 4% ABV. My rating 9/10

 

Loch Mór - The Danforth Rd Blend

Another excellent cider from Loch Nor. This one has a medium white wine colour and an intense dark apple bouquet. Taste is a strong old apple with light tannins like a French cider. 6.4% ABV. My rating 8.5/10.

Waupoos Premium

From Waupoos Cider Company of Waupoos, Ontario comes this full-flavour cider. It has light white-wine colour and a fresh apple bouquet. Taste is a medium fresh apple. 6.5% ABV. My rating 7.5.

 

Eric Bordelet Sidre Brut Tendre

From Normandy, this sparkling cider was created, according to the cider maker, as "a compromise between the raw and the tender." It is medium-dark amber colour with an intense apple bouquet that is a mixture of fresh an old apple. Taste is semi-sweet (but not too sweet) with an intense old apple taste. 6% ABV. My rating 8/10.

 

401 Brewery

From Northumberland County, Ontario comes this premium (according to them) cider. Very pale yellow colour with a slightly astringent tart apple bouquet. Taste is initially tart with light apple flavour. Finishes lightly astringent with a lingering light apple. 5.5% ABV. My rating 6.10.

Hopping Cider

From Pelee Island Winery. Made with 100% apple juice.

Pommies Dry Farmhouse

Another Pommies cider though drier than the original. Pale yellow colour with a fresh apple bouquet. It has a fresh apple taste that is originally semi-dry then finishes drier. 6% ABV. My rating 8/10.

Ramblers 'Happy Camper'

From Palatine Hills Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario comes this cider with a very pale yellow colour and a very light apple bouquet. They refer to it as "dryish" and first taste is of a slight astringency that lingers but with hardly any discernible apple flavour. 5.5% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Kingston Black Apple Aperitif

An English apple spirit by The Somerset Cider Brandy Company. The name of this drink comes from the Kingston Black apple from which it is made. Lighter than a brandy but stronger than a cider at 18% alcohol similar to Berentzen Apfelkorn. Taste is heavier than Berentzen and has more of an old apple taste as well. My rating 7.5/10.

Armagh Craft Ciders

Armagh Craft Dry
Pale amber colour with an almost French style bouquet of old apple. A nice old apple initial taste, off-dry though they call it dry. 4.5% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

Armagh Craft Medium
Pale amber colour with an almost French style bouquet of old apple. A nice old apple initial taste that is not overly sweet. 4.5% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

For both ciders, Armagh Cider Co. makes these ciders specially for Aldi, where I bought them. They also note that they are made from hand picked apples in the county of Armagh. It is noteworthy that the county of Armagh is in Northern Ireland and I bought this in a Aldi’s in the Republic.

Dry

Medium

Loïc Raison Brut Intense

From Brittany comes a cider with a medium amber colour and a dark apple bouquet. Taste is a little lighter than the colour would suggest. Taste is initially a little dry and finishes drier, and has a nice apple skin light tannin finish. 6% ABV. My rating 7/10.

Chouette Organic Blond

From Normandy comes an organic cider that has a light amber colour with a pronounced old apple bouquet. Strong old apple taste with a hint of ripe cheese in the aftertaste. Probably better with food (perhaps cheese) than by itself. Good for its type but not to my taste. 5.0% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Appie Brut

Medium amber colour with a medium lightly old apple bouquet. Has that “French” nice old apple taste and body. Just off-dry and continues drier with a lightly tannic finish. 4.7% ABV. My rating 8/10.

Ramborn Original Medium Dry

Made in Luxembourg from local apples by Ramborn Cider Co. Pale yellow with a light fresh apple bouquet. Fresh apple beginning which is on the drier side for a medium dry. Finishes a little drier. This is the “Original” Medium Dry to distinguish it from the Farmhouse Medium Dry. They also make a perry and an ice cider. 5.8% ABV. My rating 7/10.

Vilkmergés Craft Semi-dry Sidras

From Panevéžys, Lithuania. Pale amber colour like ginger ale with a light natural apple bouquet. Semi-sweet taste of light apple of a general generic commercial type but not too much. "Pusiau sausas" means semi-dry, and "obuolių skonio" means apple flavour. Ingredients are apple juice, water, sugar, CO₂, citric acid, flavorings, etc. 5.4% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

Iļģuciema Premium

From Riga, Latvia were I tried it. Made from water and apple concentrate. Dark amber colour with a fairly strong apple bouquet, slightly artificial. Has a typical commercial sweet apple taste though not too artificial. 5.7% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

Piebalgas Semi-dry Pear

From Juanpiebalga, Latvia. Very pale yellow colour with a light pear bouquet. Initially light but natural pear taste and semi-sweet but not overly sweet for a perry. One of the better perries that I’ve tried. 5.0% ABV. My rating 7/0.

Lielvārdes Sparkling Semi-sweet Craft Sidrs

This cider is made by a company based in Riga. Pale amber colour like ginger ale with a “commercial” apple bouquet. For a semi-sweet cider it is not overly sweet. Taste is somewhat artificial apple but better than most. Label on can also refers to this as “sparkling cider with apple flavour,” but does not list ingredients. The company’s website states that they were trying to emulate English ciders. 5.6% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

Happy Joe Extra Dry Pear

Dark amber colour unusual for a Perry and with an intense pear bouquet. Lightly sweet pear taste. Ingredients are water, cider, concentrated pear juice and sugar. 4.5% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Happy Joe Dry

Pale amber, like ginger ale, with a sweet artificial bouquet. For a “dry” cider it is initially sweet with an artificial apple taste and with an odd aftertaste. Labelled as “premium English style cider” - which it is definitely not. 4.7% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Tanker Õunasiider

Tanker is an Estonian cider maker. Their basic apple cider is labeled dry. It is dark amber in colour with a fresh apple bouquet. Taste is light apple, a little artificial; it is off-dry and finishes a little sweeter. Õuna means apple. 5.5% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

Mull Kuiv Siider

From by OÜ City Cider in Tallinn, Estonia, made from 100% Estonian apples and 100% juice. Pale yellow in colour with a nice old apple bouquet. There is an initial old apple taste that finishes a little sweeter to off-dry with a lingering clean varietal apple flavour. Kuiv means dry. 5.5% ABV. My rating 8/10.

Vaski Muusa 8 Ice Cider

From Finland this is an ice cider made from frozen apples and refrozen juice. Aged briefly in oak barrels. Amber colour with a light sweet apple bouquet. Taste is sweet light apple with a slight nutty sherry-like taste. 8.0% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.

Vaski Punomo

Medium yellow colour with an old apple bouquet. Taste is a strong old apple, off-dry, which lingers. 4.5% ABV. My rating 7/10.

Vaski Sour Cider

A very different cider, noted as being inspired by the ciders of Spain, especially the Basque region. It is fermented completely dry and unfiltered so it is slightly cloudy. They also note the “twist of vinegary bite.” The colour is light amber with a sharp bouquet that is lightly acidic or vinegary. Taste is very dry and tart with a light vinegar aftertaste. Very intense so may be okay with certain foods but not on its own. 6.5% ABV. My rating 6/10.

Vaski Saaga

This is medium amber with a pronounced old apple bouquet. Taste is firm old apple with a drier slightly astringent finish. Dry enough to be better with food. 7.5% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

Vaski Sauna

I visited Vaski Cider in Halikko, Finland where I met the owner and master cider maker, and tried 5 ciders. Here are a couple of Facebook videos with the owner: One & Two.

This cider is medium yellow colour, slightly cloudy with a light old apple bouquet. Taste starts dry and lightly apple flavour and lightly astringent. It then finishes drier. 5.0% ABV. My rating 6.5/10.

Crowmoor Dry

Light amber in colour and and a light apple bouquet. Taste is off-dry with a light musty aftertaste. 4.7% ABV. My rating 6/10.