The first cider I tried was their flagship hard cider: Handlebar Hard Cider. You are greeted immediately with a full apple nose and only a hint of natural sweetness. The palette is unlike any I have experienced with hard cider due to the robust and fresh apples base; you feel as though you experiencing the meatiness of the apples themselves with hints of natural tannins from their skins. The taste remains extremely fresh and clean throughout due to there being very little added sugar and no additives. This is such a pure form of cider I am unsure I will ever find one quite as good.

What really blew me away however was Old Mine’s Hopped Up Handlebar Hard Cider. This is the same cider as above but dry hopped with all Citra hops. The nose is similar to the regular Handlebar, but this time you are treated to a full bouquet of floral notes due to the hops. The taste has no bitterness whatsoever from the hops, just the floral aspects that are first experienced on the nose. The added hop notes really balance the mild natural sweetness of the apples well creating a ridiculously balanced brew that I will enjoy for a long time to come. Hopped Up Handlebar Hard Cider is an exceptional bridge between craft brews and hard cider for beer enthusiasts.

Right now the best way to get Old Mine’s ciders is directly from their Cidery in downtown Erie Colorado, but more distribution is expected soon. I really recommend the trip if you are a craft beer lover who has not found a cider yet that speaks to your soul, you won’t be disappointed. In the meantime if you want to try both Handlebar and the Hopped Up variety be sure to check them out at Sesh Fest in Denver this Saturday, August 5th.

The post The Old Mine Cidery: Craft Cider for Beer Drinkers appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Redd’s Wicked Apple Ale poured into a standard pint glass has a beautiful rich golden amber color, but no matter how vigorously I poured it no head whatsoever would build. The nose is unsurprisingly dominated by fierce apple notes but on first whiff it is not overly sweet, it has a delicate balance with malt undertones. The Ale that Redd’s Wicked is based on is dominated with maltiness with no discernible hop-bite or bitterness; this will be loved by some and hated by others. I find myself fairly indifferent because it tastes a bit more like an aggressive cider than true fruit ale. The finish is sweet, a bit too sweet but not enough to ruin the crispness of the apples.

The limited release Redd’s Wicked Strawberry Kiwi Ale is very similar to the Apple mainstay but the strawberry and kiwi notes give it a bit more dimensionality. This version brings Redd’s Wicked even further from the Ale category and closer to cider, yet many drinkers will love its purely sweet accessibility. I would recommend the Strawberry Kiwi for anyone looking to get away from beer this spring yet still want something familiar and accessible.

I could easily find myself drinking Redd’s Wicked Apple or Strawberry Kiwi Ale on many warm spring afternoons; it is sweet and accessible and in no way challenging. This sadly result in losing a bit of dimension and complexity that I like in my warm weather brews. I feel that if you go into the drinking experience with the proper outlook that this is more of a malty cider than true Ale you will not be disappointed, plus the 8% abv packs quite the wallop that will get you going in no time.

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Orange Blossom has the classic Strongbow dry cider yeast base that creates a not too sweet yet refreshing palette that is opened up by the orange aromas on both the nose and in taste. It finishes extremely smooth with just the right amount of citrus on the end creating a delectably subtle experience.

Cherry Blossom pours a deep and bright red that is reminiscent of rosé wine and it leaves a red tinge on the otherwise bright white foam head that forms. Cherry notes dominate the nose yet in true Strongbow fashion the taste is in no way overly sweet; it is the perfect balance of sweet notes, cherry tart, and dryness added by the yeast. Cherry Blossom is the closest in style and taste of the three new flavors to the original Gold Apple as apple notes provide the base that the cheeky cherry notes rest atop. Cherry Blossom is definitely my favorite flavor other than the classic Gold Apple.

Strongbow Honey is actually my least favorite of the three new flavors since the natural honey notes dominate the palette a bit and make it a bit too sweet for my taste, but this could be a huge plus for many cider fans. Floral notes accent the honey and apple base well making a surprisingly complex experience.

My favorite of the mini four pack is the original Gold Apple; while the other varieties are great this is the true OG of the cider world and there is no apple cider that beats it. Gold Apple pours a brilliant transparent golden color that refracts light splendidly as rich yet dry apple notes dominate the nose. The palette is defined by the taste of many different apple varieties that are dry in nature but with a bit of sour acidity on the front end; this creates the perfect flavor profile that is exciting yet easy to drink.

I honestly cannot recommend the Strongbow Limited Edition Mini Pack enough; the 5.1 oz cans are the perfect size to sample all the flavors and at only $1 per pack they make a great deal. Pick up a mini can pack to find your next favorite cider, just be warned you will probably want to return immediately to get a full six pack of the flavor you enjoy the most.

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