The Bad Apple

[2/21/15] Draught at Winter Brew Fest 2015 in San Diego. Clear golden. Sweetish aroma of apples. Great sourish green apples flavor with mild sweetness. Very nice.

Bomber from Whole Foods in Davis, CA. Gold pour with a white smear. Aroma is apple with a very, very slight hint of brandy, if you really inhale deeply. Maybe a touch of oak too. Med body. First flavor is tannic wood and apple skin, but there does seem to be some honey. Why do people put honey in otherwise good stuff? It does have a woody tannic note, and there’s still a light brandy aspect, but that is somewhat spoiled by the honey. Recommendation: No honey and more time with the wood. If it wasn’t for the high ABV, I’d be more negative.

Bottle from Made in Oregon. Clear, pale gold body. Pretty sizable, lingering head for a cider. Smells of pears, sharp florals, handsoap. Brown sugar. All too familiar Woodchuck-like apple scent on the back. Taste upfront is green, tart, acidy cider apples. The brandy slides on thick about halfway through. Carbonation dies & this heavy, woody caramel is just shellacked onto the back of your tongue. Light, prickly carbonation. Returning acid. Oxidized, grainy, vanilla finish. This was probably an okay cider before the wood hit it. Bad Apple. Bad!