Merridale House Cider

Brewed by Merridale Estate Cidery
Style: Cider
Cobble Hill, Canada

1 L bottle courtesy Capflu. Pale straw yellow colour, very low carbonation – almost still. Pleasant green apple and slight cinnamon aroma. Sweet apple, light honey and spice flavours. A similar spicy heat in the finish to Merridale’s Cyser – perhaps their house character? Light to medium bodied, sticky, quite fizzy mouthfeel despite its still appearance, but refreshing. A step up from average, though the sweetness might not be for everyone.

Alright cider. Tried it at the Great Canadian Beer Festival and have never had it or even seen it in a bottle. At least it’s dry. The world needs more good ciders.

Light greenish-yellow colour. Aroma in redolent of sulphury, stank armpit. With light, sugar-coated apple. Thankfully, the flavour is much cleaner with a sweet apple taste and distinctive nutty note. Once you get past the nose, this is a pleasant, sweetish, simple pub cider.

(Draught) I was amazed to see that they sell these ciders in clear plastic bottles - I wonder what that does to their aging? The House is sold in a 2 litre plastic which makes you wonder if you are expected to break-out this 6.9% momma at the family picnic? I cannot image that the remainder wouldn’t go flat within a normal consumption period of this cider. In sampling this cider, I noticed that it was mildly sedimented in its clear golden body. There was actually a thin white head as well. The nose was slightly iodine and thin which translated into a watery, general consumption cider. Average.

Pale golden colour with fizzy carbonation. Sour apple aroma, with faint barnyard and horseblanket aromas. Crystal clear. Flavour is slightly sweet but still quite tart. Very different and much better than macro ciders that I’ve had.