Southbrook Organic – Hopped Cider (2020)

Cider Profile:

Name: Southbrook Organic – Hopped Cider (2020)
Sampled May 2022

Brand:  Southbrook Vineyards Type: Flavoured – Hopped Location of Brewing: Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON ABV: 6% Website Link: southbrook.com Ingredients: N/A Gluten Free: Yes Sugar Content: N/A Size(s) available: 750ml (bottle) Availability: Southbrook retail + online store Flavour: Hops Colour:  Translucent golden yellow with deep orange trub and hues Carbonation: Small very frequently streaming bubbles. Foam that lingers.

---

Cider Crate Tasting Notes:

Smell: Strong aroma. Cellaring + mustiness. Some citrus and mature apples.
Initial Taste: Medium bite from carbonation + foam. Mature blended apples. Funk and woodsy.
After Taste: Cellaring and hops come through – adding citrus and dank elements. Apples become a bit more forward and caramelized. Ends on fermentation notes that linger.
On ice: Reduced carbonation. Thinner body. More traditional apple cider forward. Less hops notes.

Additional Notes:  Southbrook Organic’s 2020 Hopped Cider is an elevated hopped cider that stands out in an increasingly crowded field of hopped ciders in Ontario. Being very carbonated and with a lot of foam, it seems to draw from the wine world a lot (especially since this is a winery first). Has funk, wood and cellaring aspects, with some of these and fermentation notes that linger. The apples taste bruised and mature, but do become slightly more caramelized in the finish. Hops are present but not dominant/overpowering – seem to add mild grit and some citrus flavours and could be confused for a barrel-aged traditional cider if you were not aware.

Rated on a scale of 1-5
Sweet – 2
Sour – 2.5
Crisp – 2
Dry – 4
Fruity – 3

Next recommendations:
More Sweet – Pelee Island – Hopping Apple Cider
More Sour – Kings Mill – Hopped Cider (Still)
More Dry – Rice Lake – Slo-Hopped Dry Cider
More Crisp – Heemans – Dry Hopped Cider

Links to Other Stories
Links to Pairings
Links to Cocktails
Links to Comparisons