Tried in Stockholm, this French cider is made by Eclor Boissons of Val au Perche, France which is in Normandy. It has a deep yellow color like an oaked Chardonnay and an intense apple bouquet. It has an old apple, typically “French” taste. Semi-sweet taste that finishes slightly drier. Very nice if a little sweeter than I usually like. 4.0% ABV. My rating 8/10.
I tried two ciders from Slovakian cider maker Opre’: regular and Metzen. They are hard to find – I finally found some at 100 piv craft beer bar & shop, Medená 33, Bratislava.
The regular cider is made from 100% apple juice. Bright yellow colour and light fresh apple bouquet. Full flavour with slight apple skin notes. Semi-sweet at first finishes drier. 4.7% ABV. My rating 7.5/10.
Metzen has a medium yellow colour like Chardonnay and a dry old apple bouquet. Taste is dry with a light old apple taste with a little tannic finish. A little too old apple for me. ABV 7.0%. My rating 6.5/10.
From their website:
"We have made this unprecedented Slovak apple cider Opre' Metzen Cider from apple fruits of exceptional yet old varieties, which are rare to find nowadays. Fermentation of 100 % apple juice in an honest craft way created a 7 % dry cider. Metzen will enchant lovers of straight cider without any flavours. Its name comes from an ancient legend in which the brave Matilda (or Metzen) knocked down a local dragon. Best served chilled."
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| Regular | Metzen |
This Croatian cider is made by a company part of the Heineken group. This might explain its very commercial formula and taste.
Tried it at The Beertija Bar in Zagreb. Stari Lisac means old fox. Deep yellow like an oaked Chard. Strong apple bouquet. Slightly artificial taste and semi-sweet. Finishes with sweet apple. Not pure cider - 1st ingredient is water. Made by Heineken or a subsidiary. 4.5% ABV. My rating 6/10.
Had in Zagreb, looks to be bottled in Croatia but part of Aspall UK (see label). Pale yellow colour; bouquet is artificial apple like Sommersby. Taste is like apple candy, sweetness is 7/10. Aftertaste is mostly sweetness. 4.0% ABV. My rating 5/10.
Tried in Sir William’s Pub, Ljubljana. Pale yellow colour like a Chardonnay. Bouquet is light slightly musty old apple. Taste is intially medium sweet with medium apple then finishes drier and quite good aftertaste. 5.9% ABV. My rating 7/10.
The Cider Explorer is a good resource for ciders around the world.
Nordic International Cider Awards in Riga, Latvia.
International Natural Cider Awards in Madeira
International Cider Challenge in London
Cider World Awards 2021 in Frankfurt
POLISH CIDER MAKERS
Cydr Radosny in Piskorzów, Poland has won awards at the Nordic International Cider Awards in Riga, Latvia, and at the International Natural Cider Awards in Madeira, Spain.
Lubelski Cider, Poland
Tabun
Cydr Chyliczki
Cydr Ignaców
Cydrownia Zywer
Pfeiffer’s Cider
Filomelos
Cydr Pełnia
Cydr Swoszowicki
Cydr Lorek
This sparkling cider is made by multi-award winning cider house, Bertrand Monnerie, that is situated just west of Rennes in Brittany in the north-west of France. They have 32 hectares of organic orchards on the edge of the Brocéliande forest.
Colour is a dark amber with a strong fresh apple and light spice bouquet. It has that very French pronounced apple flavour immediately and follows with apple skin and light spice. They don't show this bottle on their website so it may be for export (the label is in English), but, by description, it seems to be their "Raw Cider" which the darkness of the one I had would indicate. 6% ABV. My rating 8.5/10.
