Sows Ear Sparkling Cider

Brewed by Sows Ear Winery
Style: Cider
Brooksville, Maine USA

2007 750mL corked/caged bottle consumed on 4/28/07
Yes, Yes, Yes!! This is incredible beer #2 on my recent weekend in Maine. If you don’t know Maine, it’s usually few and far between to even find 1 great Maine beer any time I go up (not counting Allagash). So this was a treat...
White head is very aerated and quickly fades to partial cover, leaving strong legs on the glass. Lovely, bright clarity, with a true golden color and very fine carbonation. Looks just like champagne...
Hell yes. Lacto and brett in the nose are joined by an intensely crisp, dry, heavily attenuated apple note with some mineral notes, a bit of farm character and an ever-so-slight oily oak character. No off-notes whatsoever, no diacetyl or green apple (haha, I guess acetyldehyde would be difficult to detect in the nose of a cider). Very strong and quite lambic-like, reminding me also very much of Dupont ciders. The lacto is noted initially, though it is quite reserved and rather cheesey/soft. Brett comes on through the middle, also rather light, adding a delicious, semi-tart fruitiness. Appleskins and moderate malic acid hang on the end. Very high strength of aroma, no alcohol noted, impressively (not even any warming).
Brett is strong in the flavor, mixing with the apple notes which are staunchly dry (bone dry) and yet still give some juiciness. An interesting flavor that I can best describe as "heavy white pepper mixed with cedar" is omnipresent (a phenolic compound maybe?) and gives a chewiness in concert with the oak tannin, on the finish. But it’s a minute or so before I even note the oak. Delightfully reserved, it lets the apples do the talking (though they have plenty of help from the wild yeast). So ya, a lot like Dupont stuff, though this one seemed a little bit more reserved in flavor overall, with lots more crispness and dryness. Not as thoroughly rich as the true French ciders. But every bit as enjoyable, I thought. Carbonation and mouthfeel are akin to a champagne, not a lambic. Alcohol shockingly well-concealed.

shared by thecheeseman: pours a great filtered apple juice colour with a very small white head. aroma is a fantastic clear cider aroam good floral aroma almost like smelling fresh apple blossom and some vanilla. flavour is very upfront with a good clean apple, some acidity that plays on the tongue very good dry finish, great palate. thanks cheesman

Maybe my cider-philia is getting the better of me. Pours a crystalline golden yellow, with a steady bead coming forth. The aroma is sweet apples, yeast, floral notes. The flavor is glorious, crisp, acidic and direct. The apples are the star here, but this cider finishes very dry, with the essence of green apples, hitting you at the end. Amazingly, the 10% alcohol is virtually non-existent in the flavor, this is an awesome cider.

(750 ml bottle from the cidery) Pours clear and roughly the color of apple juice with lots of effervescence. Tall very fizzy off white head dissipates very quickly. Aroma of tart and sour apple and yeast, mild funk. Mouthfeel light, quite effervescent, actually quite soda pop-like until it settles down. Dry, but not as dry as their still cider. Flavor is tart and sour apple, hints of yeast and very slight cheesiness. A bit stronger apple flavor (less yeasty) and a bit of sweetness that the still doesn’t have. This is nice but I think I give a slight edge to the still for its more earthy, rustic character.

Thanx to Cheeseman for sharing this.Poured like apple juice with a nice apple sweetness nose.Flavor was ceisp apple juice that was we crbonated.This inised off slightly art.

Yellow with a slight chill haze. Fresh, appley nose with a slight leathery accent. Bone dry, with a faint fruitiness.

750ml bottle from Porterhouse; Nose of dark red apples with a light tart note; clear dark gold with a huge four finger head that quickly disapates to a quarter inch then lasts; flavor is tart apples with an acidic note; very dry and tart.

Courtesy TheCheeseMan. Clear light yellow color, loose white foam top. Crisp, fresh cut apples, light spice, slight alcohol. Refreshing light taste, lasting crisp, tart finish. Alcohol very well-hidden.