WINDFALL ~ REVEL CIDER

Another brilliant offering form Revel Cider! Windfall is a apple cider made with Ontario Blackberry, wildflower honey and maple syrup and juniper berries. Sampled on draught, the cider poured a bright reddish pink hue – it looked almost like a rosé. A beautiful melange of flavours in this – the blue berry presence is not overpowering but does lend a beautiful flavour and colour to the cider. The juniper berries were very subtle. The finish is smooth and has a subtle honey sweetness to cut the tartness. Definitely order this – if you see it on draught!

6.4% from Hamilton, Ontario

Photo courtesy or Revel Cider

BLACKBERRY PEACH CIDER ~ COUNTY CIDER COMPANY

What a delicious treat! This Blackberry and peach cider, seems to be a one-off from County Cider, the people who make Waupoos. I believe the base of this cider is apple, and peach and blackberry juice have been added. The cider pours a light golden yellow. Tons of fresh peach on the nose, along with a subtle berry tang, tree fruits and white wine like wafts. This cider is incredibly flavourful with layers of flavour, but is also quite sweet and a little juice like. A syrupy mouthfeel is due to the peach nectar used. This is quite east drinking and the ABV is well hidden. I think this would be awesome cut with a little soda water to quench thirst in hot July weather.

6.5% from Waupoos, Ontario

HARVEST ALE BLACKBERRY ~ MUSKOKA

I tried this beer on cask (hand pulled) on a very steamy hot day.  Perhaps not the best choice for a hot day. Being ‘on-cask’ the beer was chilled but not cold.  The nose was very hoppy, but also had an earthiness about it.  Strong malt backbone.  The beer was quite hoppy (piney and resiny) and had little berry taste.   At 7% it finished with a boozy bite, and had lingering bitterness.  Now that the weather has changed, I would like to return to try this.

Reading the reviews of this beer on Untapped, I wonder if each of their casks aged quite differently as peoples experiences with this beer are widely discrepant.

UPDATE:  I did return and try this beer again.  I think the kegs must have been mislabelled because this was a different beer than the one I initially tried.   I sampled this pint ‘on cask’ as well.   This one was a reddish purple hue, stained by the berries.  The berry flavour was more evident, lending only a subtle sweetness.  Hoppy boozy finish.

7% from Collingwood, Ontario