Ironwood – Foraged Steeped Botanical

Cider Profile:

Name: Ironwood – Foraged Steeped Botanical
Sampled February 2022

Brand: Ironwood Cider House
Type: Flavoured – Botanical
Location of Brewing: Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON
ABV: 6.7%
Website Link: ironwoodcider.com
Ingredients: Apple, wild foraged sumac,
organic lemon thyme, house yeast

Gluten Free:  Yes
Sugar Content: N/A 

Size(s) available: 500ml (bottle)
Availability: Via Ironwood Cider Retail and online stores
Flavour: Herbals
Colour: Translucent straw yellow
Carbonation: Infrequent small bubbles, larger on glass


Cider Crate Tasting Notes:

Smell: Strong aroma. Bright apples with farmhouse funk. Some astringency. Light botanicals herb notes.
Initial Taste: Medium bite from carbonation.   Sour sumac and sour apple that’s bright but funky and rugged.
After Taste: Apple is becomes rather thin. Becomes more lemon and herb focused in the finish with some earthy dryness.  
On ice: Dramatical reduction of sourness, acidity and funk. More floral, less harsh elements.

Additional Notes:  The Foraged Steeped Botanical by Ironwood Cider House is a sour and funky offering with earthy, herby elements. A blend of sumac notes upfront, and lemon thyme to finish, it’s dry, pungent and really pops with overall funk and fermentation elements.  On ice, it’s a lot less harsh and a bit more floral. It’s one of the least sweet, most dry ciders we have ever had. Not a beginners drink, but it also still offers a semi-safe adventurous offering by not not too extreme on any tasting front. Few apples characteristics – thin, sour and fermented very dry. 

Rated on a scale of 1-5
Sweet – 1
Sour – 4
Crisp – 1.5
Dry – 4.5
Fruity – 2

Next recommendations:
More Sweet – Niagara Cider – Beekeeper’s Botanical
More Sour – Revel – Spirit of the Woods
More Dry – 
More Crisp – Duntroon – Sumac Cider

Links to Other Stories

Interview with Ironwood Cider (2021) 
Links to Pairings
Links to Cocktails
Links to Comparisons

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