Farmgate – Founders Reserve

Cider Profile:

Name: Farmgate Cider – Founders’ Reserve
Sampled February 2020

Brand:  Farmgate Cider Type:  Apple – Dry Location of Brewing: Arnprior, ON ABV: 7% Website Link: farmgatecider.ca Ingredients: Estate Apples Gluten Free: Yes Sugar Content: N/A Size(s) available: 750ml (bottle) Availability: Direct from Farmgate Website and Ottawa Farmers Markets (Lansdowne or Carp) Flavour: Apple Colour:  Mostly translucent. A rustic golden yellow. Carbonation: Large bubbles, semi-streaming.

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Cider Crate Tasting Notes:

Smell: Semi-strong aroma. Pretty sweet, a slightly earthy and caramelized apple.
Initial Taste: Light bite from acidity. Starts off semi-sweet and quickly turns to a Normandy-like rustic apple blend  with the thickness of a standard Normandy cidre.  Apples similar to a semi-juicy crab-apple.
After Taste: Becomes tarter and slightly sour. Finishes very acidic and dry at the end. Long lingering flavour.
On ice: Thinner but more acidic and puckering. Less carbonated.

Additional Notes:  The Farmgate Cider – Founders’ Reserve is similar to a Normandy cider from Europe, but with more acidity.  It’s pretty sour and full flavoured, almost tastes like you’re eating dry crab-apple but that is juicer than the apple itself. Long lingering, and definitely from an older orchard and aged trees compared to most others in Ontario.

Rated on a scale of 1-5
Sweet – 2.5
Sour – 4
Crisp – 2.5
Dry –3.5
Fruity – 3.5

Next recommendations:
More Sweet – Windswept – Crimson Crisp
More Sour – Kings Mill – Scrumpy
More Dry – Settlers Cider – Golden Russet 
More Crisp – Niagara Cider – #1 Dry Apple Cider

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