Samuel Smith Old Brewery Organic Cider
What the brewers say
“A medium dry cider with brilliant straw color, light body, clean apple flavor, and a gentle apple blossom finish. Made at a small, independent brewery, the oldest brewery in Yorkshire.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “A big blend of red and green apples with light sugar, a bit of alcohol, and low spicy yeast elements. It’s very bright with light hints of grape and floral notes. Slight chardonnay-like fermenta- tion esters and a touch of malic acidity.”
Flavor: “Super clean fermentation char- acteristics and big apple flavors lead to a medium-dry slightly tannic finish with lingering tart/sour notes. Slightly bitter in the finish, but not off-putting. Appropriate low alcohol warming and moderately low carbonation mitigates the bitterness. Light apple, fruity, with a touch of that grape from the nose.”
Overall: “Full-flavored cider with big apple flavors that still tastes ‘crushable.’ Simple and straightforward, the apple is so clear and obvious, but finishes crisp with a cleansing carbonation and acidity. Strong apple aroma and other esters make this a pleasant drink that you can drink for some time.”