In our infinite journey making an attempt ciders throughout the panorama of the US we now have run into many cideries placing out all-natural merchandise. North Nation Laborious Cider from New Hampshire takes this to coronary heart as their model ethos. They deal with ciders which can be neither historically dry or sugar bombs. They experience the outskirts with extra complex-flavored ciders that preserve construction and acidity at thoughts with out the preservatives or components. We discovered this notably true as they don’t even try to masks the apple taste behind a curtain of different flavorings however spotlight the apple they’re using. The ciders we have been capable of pattern and break down have been their Hopshire, Crabby Bastard, Honey Badger, and Wild Blue.
Their Web site: Right here
North Nation Cider’s Historical past: Right here
Hopshire
ABV: 5.5 abv
Taste: Hopped cider
What You See: This cider pours virtually like a evenly hazy beer with mild carbonation.
What you Odor: On the nostril you get candy apple pores and skin, mild floral notes and a contact of honey.
What You Style: The cider begins off easy with a little bit of sweetness and a lightweight apple taste. The end feels candy with hop presence however not overwhelming on the mouth. There are notes of a tropical IPA after a number of sips that brings a way of familiarity to beer drinkers. General, the flavour will not be too intense, easy, a bit tannic, and considerably advanced.
We have now a video the place we pair Hopshire with meals: Watch Right here
Crabby Bastard
ABV: 6% abv
Taste: Crab Apple
What You See: Hazy with a golden amber coloration with mild carbonation, there’s a medium physique to the cider as nicely
What you Odor: There’s a bit of sunshine candy honey, apple pores and skin and inexperienced sweet apple
What You Style: This cider is kind of acidic up from with some tannic physique on the end. The acid construction makes its nice with a lightweight sweetness to spherical it out. Tart and assertive for an apple mix and it lends itself nicely to be a mixer in a cider cocktail. We discover this to have the most effective acidic spine of the ciders we tasted.
Honey Badger
ABV: 4.75 % abv
Taste: Honeycrisp (Single Varietal)
What You See: Like many of the ciders on the record there’s a slight haze within the cider with a golden hue.
What you Odor: Candy sugar on the nostril, a little bit of floral apple juice.
What You Style: This cider could be very a lot what you’ll anticipate from a honey crisp single varietal cider. The flavour of the apple is current with some pure sweetness that’s not overly advanced. There’s a well-rounded mouthfeel that also feels mild sufficient with out an overpenetration of sweetness. The acidity within the cider is mild as nicely; thus, you might be getting the essence of the apple and its true colours. With out the sugars to help the cider it will lose a few of is character, so protecting the 8g of sugar from the juice was a terrific selection and gave this cider its bounty of taste.
Wild Blue
ABV: 5% abv
Taste: Blueberry & Ginger
What You See: That is probably the most uniquely coloured cider out of the bunch. It pours a deep blue/purple coloration with a really mild quantity of bubbles operating up the cider.
What you Odor: Contemporary picked blueberry on the nostril that’s hit with a pointy ginger notice to complete
What You Style: Tart, candy, and virtually candy-like berry taste comes by means of. This breaks down right into a barely tart apple/ginger taste. The juxtaposition between the ginger and the berry is what makes this explicit cider work. Whereas the ginger is there and hits your palate to wake it up, it’s nonetheless not overwhelming. This is able to be a terrific cider to combine in cocktails or to make a bbq sauce with. A little bit of sweetness from the berry and a little bit of refreshing, opening notes from the ginger — not dangerous in any respect!
