CATALYST 

MK II ~ WEST AVENUE CIDER

Catalyst cider is a dry-hopped (with Santium), barrel fermented with Ontario Montmorency Cherries. Sampled on draught the cider pours bright amber – pink. The nose has lots of tart green apple smell along with a kriek like notes from the cherries. The taste has some complexity to it. The cider starts quite tart, slightly sour with a touch of funk followed by a definite hop presence and cherry at the tail end and in the aftertaste. There is a lovely balance between the elements of this cider: hoppiness - sweet and tart. The cider is Semi dry with lively carbonation. Another cider win!

6.5% from Flamborough, Ontario

Photo courtesty of West Avenue Instagram

CARDINAL ~ REVEL CIDER

This year seems to have a bumper crop of great ciders this one is no exception! Cardinal is a wild fermented cider using Cortland apples, with hibiscus and citra hops. The cider contains no added sugar – just the sweetness of the apples is all that’s needed. Sampled on draught the cider is the most beautiful rich reddish-coral blush. The nose has floral notes along with tart apples, hay, a bit of funk and hops. The cider has a full mouthfeel, with lots of fruit, sweet hibiscus, and flavours of berries and white wine. There is a lovely sour lambic tartness and subtle hops. Very refreshing, and flavourful!

6.9% from Hamilton, Ontario

LUCY IN SKY ~ REVEL CIDER

I am not usually a cider person, but this one is superb. Lucy in the Sky is a citra and Perle hopped sour apple cider, made with a wild fermented Cortland base. Fermentation happened outside in the spring when the temperatures began to climb. A bit of brett was also added too giving it a bit of complexity. Sampled on draught the cider poured a pale yellow with hints of green. Both sourness and citra hops hit you on your first sip, this mellowed as I continued to sip. The nose contained citra hops, fresh green sour apples and lots of farmyard funk and earth. The taste is quite sharp and sour at first with lots of green apple, funk and notes of green grapes and grapefruit. Mid glass I began to get some gose –like salty notes. A recommended summer sipper - Look for it!

6.9% from Hamilton, Ontario

Photo: Revel Instagram

TRIPLE  X CIDER ~ CLIFFORD & REVEL & WEST AVENUE

This cider is a collaboration between three Hamilton breweries/cideries. It is aggressively hopped using several different types of hops. The brew masters brewed the cider more like beer, by bring it almost to the boil and adding high alpha acid hops at different times to extract the hop bitterness. Galaxy, Citra and Hop X from Clear Valley Farms, were used in the process. The cider pours a hazy blonde with a minimal head. The nose is primarily apples but also a bit of Brett. Taste is of tart apples and Brett, with a hint of lemon tartness. The hops are well hidden but have reduced the sweetness of the cider. Nice clean dry finish. A very enjoyable cider.

6% from Hamilton, Ontario       34 IBU