Cidery: Angry Orchard
Origin: Walden, New York
Size: 35.5cl
Alcohol: 5%
Price: 30kr
Systembolaget: 89275
As soon as I was (legally) able to, I have drank cider. I have always loved the sweet, fruity liquid and as I grew older my interest also grew as I discovered many styles and varieties. Most of the cider I have tasted over the years has been from Europe but especially England and France. USA is not well known as a cider producing nation, though they do have a couple of big brands that make it over to these shores. Angry Orchard is one of the few brands that people will have heard of in this country, and for good reason. It is a massive name in the USA, holding a 50% of the entire cider market. I thought it only seemed fair to include it in the tasting to mix things up a bit!
This had a bright golden colour, with a lovely shine as the light passed through it. There was surprisingly low carbonation noted, which I didn’t expect. The aroma was more reminiscent of English cider than French, with a crisp red apple note escaping the glass. A little hay and yeast was noted, but you could tell they were trying to make this as clean as possible. Upon sipping, the sweet over ripe red apple hits mixed with a hint of soft yellow apple for a very pleasant mouthfeel. This is not a funky farmyard cider by any stretch of the imagination! There was still a mellow edge to it and left the palate refreshed, with a slightly oily film coating the throat when swallowed.
This was simply light, fresh and very easy to drink. I could say that maybe it is a little characterless, with the European ciders still reigning supreme in the complexities department. But for a simple, refreshing apple cider this does the job well.