Hard Way – Rogue

Cider Profile:

Name:  Hard Way – Rogue
Sampled July 2018 (Updated July 2020)

Brand:  The Hard Way Cider Co. Type:  Apple – Barrel Aged Location of Brewing: Bath, Ontario ABV: 6.5% Website Link: hardwaycider.com Ingredients: Apples, organic cane sugar, sulphites Gluten Free: Yes Sugar Content: N/ASize(s) available: 500ml Bottle Availability: Retail Store and Kingston Farmers Market Flavour: Apple Colour: Cloudy sunshine yellow Carbonation: Strong, frequent streaming bubbles

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Cider Crate Tasting Notes:

Smell: Medium, fleshy acidic apple. Some oak notes from barrels, somewhat earthy and musty. Acitic.
Initial Taste: Bite from acidity and carbonation, dry peel sensation of musty apples.  Earthy with some vanilla notes.
After Taste: Becomes more woody and oakey in aftertaste. Long-lingering with some tartness.  Some astringency. Apple flavour dissipates quickly, leaving other elements on the palate.
On ice: Carnation cut, slightly thinner mouth feel.  Little difference beyond that. Earthiness more pronounced.

Additional Notes:  The Hard Way Cider Co. puts a lot of effort into their barrel aged ciders.  This earthy and acidic cider has a reduced apple flavour but a lot of other characteristics such as the barrel aging woodiness, carbonation and earthiness that are showcased. Sophisticated but not extreme, you can tell this is a farm influenced cider.

Rated on a scale of 1-5
Sweet – 2.5
Sour – 2
Crisp – 3
Dry – 3.5
Fruity – 2.5

Next recommendations:
More Sweet – Duxbury Side Road Cider
More Sour – Spirit Tree Draught Cider
More Dry – 401 Cider – Sparkling Oaked Cider
More Crisp – Great Cider – Nice and Dry

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