Beer Friday! - Cider Saturday?

Good morning/afternoon/evening to all, and welcome to yet another specially themed edition of Beer Friday!. I am aware that having weekly special editions takes away from the whole concept of what makes them special, but that's something you'll have to reconcile as you read along. I believe you can do it.

As I'm sure you can tell from the title of the post, the theme of this week's Beer Friday! is not actually beer at all, but CIDER. Summer is rapidly approaching here in the Southern Hemisphere, and while Dunedin does its best to cling on to the last vestiges of winter, it has stopped raining enough lately for the sun to make a cameo appearance or two. As such, I was rather feeling like a summery type drink this week, and what better than cider to fill that need? How about three different ciders? Yeah. When I wrote that little section, I was intending it to be a rhetorical question, but then I realized halfway through I had an answer. Writer's craft at its finest! Anyway, read on for the reviews...


Cider #1 - Rekorderlig Apple and Blackcurrant Cider
The first cider I purchased and consumed, this one is the not New Zealand made, instead hailing from the proud nation of Sweden. Rekorderlig is a wonderful cider producer, my fond memories of their Elderflower Cider is what actually inspired me to make this post a reality (if you can find it, I highly recommend it). Unfortunately, that particular style is not available in NZ, but when one door closes, as they say, another opens, and to continue the metaphor, the Apple and Blackcurrant Cider walked in that open door, looking all sexy and delicious.

As for the cider itself, I was surprised, nay, SHOCKED, when it poured out not gold (as most ciders) but raspberry red. I was confused, but certainly not so confused that I failed to consume it. Both smell and aftertaste were tart and crisp, much like eating a fresh, juicy apple. The taste was rather sweet sitting on the tongue, gently massaging my taste buds like soft grass on bare feet UNNECESSARY METAPHOR ALERT, but the sweetness didn't linger and was certainly not the artificial, cloying type that sweet drinks sometimes have. Good stuff all around, but one question - what do blackcurrants look or taste like? I can only picture those Sun Maid Raisins, and I know that's not right.

Cider #2 - Speight's Cider
Next up on the docket was the cider produced by Dunedin brewing giant Speight's. I've reviewed their beer range before, and much like those, this particular beverage doesn't disappoint, but also fails to really extend beyond the conventional cider. Unlike its Swedish brethren, this cider poured a rich golden colour, and had a taste evocative of Granny Smith apples - crisp, tart, and not-quite-sour-but-still-lip-puckering goodness. The smell reminded me of a white wine, and the dry finish complemented that idea rather nicely. Once again differentiating itself from the Rekorderlig, Speight's Cider isn't sweet at all, and as such, doesn't leave an unpleasant aftertaste to deal with. Like I said, a solid cider and overall rather delicious, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Cider #3 - Apple Tree Apple and Elderflower Cider

Apparently this is an elderflower. Delicious.

This cider had me the most excited of the three I purchased, all due to the presence of that delicious elderflower (though I have less idea of what elderflower is than I do blackcurrants). I poured it out and was surprised at its general foaminess, and disconcerted at the cloudy, yellow colour - it looked like pee. HOWEVAH, I looked past the possibility that I was drinking urine and went for it anyway, and was aptly rewarded with a very delicious cider. Made from hand-selected New Zealand apples (from the banks of the Rakaia River in Canterbury), it was perhaps the most sour of the three ciders, but when combined with the sweet smell of the elderflower, it delivered an intriguing and beguiling taste expereince. Overall, a wonderful choice, made all the better by the use of native ingredients.

So there you have it, a cider themed post of Beer Friday!. Thanks for reading, and I'm thinking I might have another slightly off-kilter post for next week. Cheers!