Revel Cider – Revelry [Bar Volo]

Bar Review: Revel Cider Revelry @ Bar Volo, Toronto, ON
Sampled: March 2016

We at the Cider Crate are huge fans of Bar Volo – many of our reviews have and will come from this establishment. It is a cute but atmospheric small bar seating 40 maximum in downtown Toronto on the busy section of Yonge Street. Being a champion of craft brews and rare international beverages, its selection is always changing and rotating, based on availability. (See the big board to the left; they love their kegs and casks). To help Revel Cider celebrate their one year anniversary, they were one of the partner bars that carried all four of their ‘Revelations’ series ciders for a very limited engagement.

We were only fortunate enough to try two out of the four featured anniversary ciders … we missed out on first and second week offerings (Bittersweet Freedom and Oud Blanc respectively), but we were able to taste week three, the Wild Honey Crisp cider (you can find the review here). The last of their featured ciders, Revelry, is their true anniversary blend and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate such a milestone.

Featuring Vinho Verde yeast, Revelry Cider is dark golden ale colour, with mild foam and very light carbonation. With a very acidic and tannic smell, it really intrigues the senses. The initial taste is quite unique – it really tingles the tongue. With aged apple aromas and flavours, it is acidic and slightly bitter tasting. It however becomes sweeter after a few moments, with the tingling remaining in the mouth. Caramel and vanilla notes become apparent, with it reminding us a bit of a warm apple pie. With an astringent apple juice finish, it is truly a journey from initial to after taste, with so many different flavours emerging throughout.

We are consistently impressed with Revel Cider’s creativity to make spectacular and unique ciders. From using gin botanicals in their award-winning ‘Spirit of the Woods’ to this Vinho Verde yeast – a process derived from a class of ‘young wines’ in Portugal – Revel is always taking chances to combine cider and elements from other brewing processes and beyond, to create amazing beverages.

For more information about Bar Volo, check out their site or stop in at 587 Yonge St, Toronto.

For more information on this cider (including information on its production method) and all ciders featured in the Revelations Anniversary series: http://revelcider.ca/revelations/