Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Dagger from Rocky Ground Cider 2 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9.5
187 mL bottle, 2021, drunk 9/4/23. Is...is this a lambic?? Lactic, vegetal, pepper, heavy mineral. Salinity and light honey with a bit of watermelon juice? Stunning, just stunning. Sweet apple sugars with pepper, flesh, star fruit, watermelon and more rich honey lingering alongside peppery notes. Champagne-like carbonation propels vanilla, apple skin, light autolysis and heavy mineral with a touch of alcohol. Just mind-blowing stuff. A cider, but doesn't even taste like a cider in a lot of ways.
SaltyGrog (4618) reviewed Oracle from Rocky Ground Cider 3 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Pricey 375ml bottle from Cellar D'or. Lo-ball back at the hotel. Murky rich gold pour. Wet leaf mulch, a little barnyard, faint ammonia, still fermenting apples. Pithy, bittersweet, earthy, juicy, a civilized wild flavor, a touch of vinegar, very French. Semi-sweet with a dry finish. Smooth. Very soft but consistent carbonation. Vinegar builds as it warms. Not bad.
SaltyGrog (4618) reviewed Zuzu (2019) from Rocky Ground Cider 3 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6
375ml bottle from Cellar D'or. Lowball tumbler. Somewhat hazy with floaties. A dull, pale gold. Dank, lime, floral, cigarette butts. Lime, apple skin, a little vinegar, big plant-y/green bitterness, very acidic, very slight sweetness on the finish. Complex & dirty. Dry for the most part, strong carb, heavy body, boozy. Okay, if a little too stiff. One & done.
nimbleprop (16712) reviewed Pips from Rocky Ground Cider 5 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5
187ml bottle in Portland, ME. My bottle says 7.5%, but their info says 6.9%. Mine is the 2018 pressing, 2019 bottling, consumed end of July 2020. Nose jumps right out of the glass, apple pie, apple juice, lots of spice too, the maple is around, but ginger and nutmeg dominate. Flavor really just fades to apple juice and sweetness, green apples, sweet apple candy too, spice is gone, so is the maple. Finishes off dry. Promise more than it delivered.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Creature from Rocky Ground Cider 7 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9
Pressed 2015, bottled 2016, released 2017, drunk 2018 (12/24/18). Sparkling.
White head slowly dissipates atop a bronze-golden-maize body with fine bubbles and high clarity.
Beautifully expressed Brett, like the Blue Raincoat is basically everything you want from Brettanomyces. Woven in are funky, fleshy, tart and even juicy apple notes with low oak, no toast and no heaviness from sugar or wood. Really lets the apple and Brett do the talking, just as in their other ciders. Tropical notes mix with deep funk, horseblanket and light band aid. But it's bright and not even dominated by it, sharing space with the apple character that increases with complexity and expression as it warms and breathes. No alcohol or flaw.
In the mouth it's lightly tart, juicy, soft and with an incredibly comforting texture, yet not too sweet, no real sugar and certainly no syrup. Tannins help lend texture and it's incredibly juicy with strong mineral, must, horseblanket and bright band aid tinged Brett notes. Just phenomenally complex apple notes with fleshy characteristics lingering on the end, almost as if tasting the very complexities of the barley itself in a beer. Perfectly balanced and endlessly drinkable with tight carbonation and perfect attenuation. Just so amazed by this husband and wife cider team. These are the best ciders I've ever had and I am so excited to try all of them, both still and sparkling.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Freight Train from Rocky Ground Cider 7 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
2015 pressing, 2016 bottling, 750mL sparkling version drunk 12/28/17.
Clear brass with even a slight head formation due to plentiful carbonation.
Soft brett with umami and light earth. Yep, the first bottle I had wasn't a fluke (not that I thought it was), this is the real deal. Boisterous, fleshy "yellow" appleskin and heady, elegant light oak make for a highly aromatic nose that shows no toast, artificiality or excess sugar. Brett is well-integrated with the powerful fruit and light honey-like juice character lingers long on the finish as more and more earthy, funky notes emerge.
Juicy, fleshy, lovely apple juice melds perfectly with neutral oak notes in the mouth. An elegant, almost wine-like character is created with the help of the lightly tart Brett acidity. Tannin-rich texture is kept light and ebullient by the tight, champagne-like, natural carbonation. Big fruit flavors, soft funk and light earthy tones linger on. Rich and rewarding, yet properly attenuated and still dry overall. More "fun" than Blue Raincoat, if slightly less polished and elegant. Absolutely outstanding in its own right.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Blue Raincoat from Rocky Ground Cider 7 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9.5
750mL bottle from a 2015 press, bottled 2016 and drunk 11/11/17.
High clarity, leaving sediment behind, with champagne-like bubbles briefly forming a small, white head. Brassy-gold appearance with goldenrod and maize hues throughout.
Soft, even, well-lagered Brett mixes with mild oak as the apple character ranges from lightly spicy to vanilla-tinged. Seemingly dry and fully-attenuated from the nose, as expected, with soft barnyard funk transitioning to more spice, floral character and interesting fruit notes. Again, my powers of description fail when I leave the beer realm, but this stuff is beautifully done, well-aged and shows no aggressiveness, no oak dominance, very well-developed wild yeast characteristics and a variety of apple and spice character. No alcohol or flaw whatsoever.
If the nose was exquisite, then I'm even happier and stunned by how magnificent the flavor is. Light oak sets a backdrop for chewy skin tannin, soft spice, mild Brett and a perfect mix of juicy-tart that leaves a lip-smacking finish. Fantastically complex and yet quite mild and not overly big on the tartness. Incredibly drinkable; I had to try to slow down and savor it when all I wanted to do was guzzle this stuff. Lingering tannin, funky apple notes and mild Brett last to perpetuity. Perfectly spritzy, natural, champagne-like carbonation and a soft, "chewy" almost, tannin-full texture. So glad I found this little cidery and this bottle was one of those rare experiences that make you remember why you stick with this hobby.