1818 Cider – Golden Hour (2024)

Cider Profile:

Name: 1818 Cider – Golden Hour (2024)
Sampled May 2025

Brand:  1818 Farm & Cidery Type: Apple – Spirit barrel aged Location of Production: Carp, ON ABV: 9% Website Link: 1818farmandcidery.ca Ingredients: Apples (Golden Russets), sulphites Gluten Free: Yes Sugar Content: N/A Size(s) available: 750ml (bottle) Availability: 1818’s retail and online stores, select Ottawa-area farmers markets Flavour: Apple (Golden Russet) Colour: Translucent murky mustard yellow Carbonation: Fine, streaming bubbles

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Cider Crate Tasting Notes:

Smell: Medium aroma. Pulpy golden russet. Hint of barreling.
Initial Taste: Light bite. First elements are astringent with some acidity. Booziness from brandy barrel aging is present, with some natural bitterness – likely from barreling. Quick hit of focused fermentation notes. Some yellow apple peel notes.
After Taste: Apples become more defined and more characteristically Golden Russet, as stronger process notes diminish.  Peel and flesh apple notes. Some lingering bitterness and barreling.
On ice: Apple base watered down. Also a bit thinner overall.

Additional Notes:  1818’s sophomore-year cider Golden Hour is a complex but also straightforward cider – that is balanced and yet rich. Starting off more heavily with the French brandy barreling elements, its Golden Russet base really shines in the aftertaste. Upfront, you get balanced barreling and booziness from the French brandy – as well as a hint of woodiness – but this is not too bold or distracting – but the astringency is there for sure.  It really leads into the peel and flesh from the Golden Russet in the ending, becoming more yellow/golden tasting as it goes along. Some bitterness and clean fermentation notes add depth. Barreling and apples are in sync/balance with one another, but both also uniquely shine and are strong on their own. 

Rated on a scale of 1-5
Sweet – 1.5
Sour – 3.5
Crisp – 3.5
Dry – 4.5
Fruity – 4

Next recommendations:
More Sweet – Slabtown – Vanilla Bourbon
More Sour – Daughters Cider – Golden Russet
More Dry – 
More Crisp – Niagara Cider – Maple Whisky Oak Aged

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