Rice Lake – Original Dry Cider

Cider Profile:

Name: Rice Lake – Original Dry Cider
Sampled January 2021

Brand: Rice Lake Hard Cider  Type: Apple – Dry Location of Brewing: Baltimore, ON ABV: 6.2% Website Link:  Ingredients: Fresh pressed sweet apple cider, natural cane sugar, malic acid, yeast, sulphites Gluten Free: Yes Sugar Content: N/A Size(s) available: 355ml (can) Availability: Rice Lake Retail + Online Store Flavour: Apple Colour:  Hazy, straw yellow Carbonation: Small, frequently streaming bubbles

Cider Crate Tasting Notes:

Smell: Strong aroma. Aged apple notes with earthy elements. Blend of heritage and dessert apples. 
Initial Taste: Strong bite, sharp carbonation.  Semi-strong fleshy and musty apple (slightly sweeter than it smells). Earthy notes present with some dry peel flavour and tannins. Bitter sharp and heritage apple notes here.
After Taste: Apple remains the same and diminishes, leaving a light lingering aftertaste focused on some of the earthy, fermentation notes.
On ice: All elements and flavours are reduced by a somewhat large amount.

Additional Notes:  The Original Dry Cider by Rice Lake is a straightforward craft cider that checks a lot of boxes for various elements present. It starts with a somewhat forceful carbonation that entices for the drinking journey. With a seemingly medley of heritage and dessert apple notes, its got a decent tannin presence and some peel flavour and grit. Crisp and semi-clean finish. Satisfying craft drinking that refreshes.

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

Next recommendations:
More Sweet – Spirit Tree – Applelager Cider
More Sour – Steel Town – Session Cider
More Dry – Kings Mill – Scrumpy
More Crisp – Shale Ridge – Semi-Sweet

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