Cider Boys Cranberry Road

With the fall season upon us, we start to look at some of the more seasonal ciders that appear. Last time we reviewed a cider that brought the spices of the season. This time we review a cider that promises some of the flavors of the season: cranberries. Hawke has confessed that he has a love-hate relationship with cranberries. He generally cannot drink their juice by itself as it is too bitter for him. Cider Boys brings us their cider as part of the expanding line up. This cider promised to tone down the bitterness and merge it with a good apple flavor.

Color: Upon pouring the glass, Bailey had noticed that it was a very golden cider. It has a pleasant color to it, that it quite clear. Conversely, Hawke noted that the cider did not appear to have even the slightest tinge of red to it. Both were disappointed as cranberries are a main ingredient. This aside, there was not much to take away from its color and clarity. Hawke: 4/5 Bailey: 5/5

Smell: Bringing the glass up to her nose, Bailey inhaled a sweet almost citrus flavor. There was no cranberry smell, but there was still a little bit of apple that she detected. Hawke smelled a decidedly sweet smell, with some bitterness accompanying. He surmises that the bitterness is from the cranberries. However, he could not detect them or the apples in the smell. Hawke: 3/5 Bailey: 3/5

Taste: Trying out the cider, Hawke tasted a sweet flavor, with the slightest hint of cranberry. Along with the cranberry flavor, there was also some bitterness. Hawke expected this, but it was not as strong as he expected it. Upon drinking the cider, Bailey enjoyed the sweet apple flavor. She also felt some bitter flavors, and a small hint of cranberry. Both were expecting more cranberry flavor to be present in the cider. Hawke: 3/5 Bailey: 3/5

Aftertaste: Hawke felt that the aftertaste was very short. It was mostly sweet, was a slight bitterness and really no flavors carried over to the cider. Bailey however got mostly bitter flavor, with a little sweetness. She also felt that the aftertaste was very short. This was overall, slightly disappointing as our two had thought that the cranberry flavor might appear more present here, but it sadly did not. Hawke: 4/5 Bailey 3/5

Price: 8-10. Bailey feels that this cider is good for its price, as the quality is good and there is only one main detractor from the cider. Hawke likewise felt that the cider was decent, but that there is still room for improvement. Hawke: 5/5 Bailey: 4/5

Overall: Both agreed that this cider is a decent cider. Bailey liked it, but was disappointed that there was not more cranberry flavor. Especially considering that this cider is marked as having such. She thinks that this would be a good cider for holiday dinners. Bailey does admit that she feels that this is more a sweet or seasonal cider rather than a cranberry specific cider, and that if there was more cranberry flavor present she would of rated this cider higher. Hawke feels that this cider is good, but really lacking the flavors it should have. The cider does seem to balance the sweet and bitter flavors very well however.
Hawke: 19/25 or a yellow apple

 Bailey: 19/25 or a yellow apple