Nov 12, 2015

Wildcide Hard Cider

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know jack about ciders, hard or otherwise. They all end up looking the same with varying shades of apple juice and pretty much all come across the same on the nose to me. The flavors vary depending on the blend of apples and dryness, but again, my palate is not discerning enough to pinpoint true variations once a cider hits my tongue. Wildcide Hard Cider in all honesty tastes like every other example of the liquid I’ve had.

From the makers of Gordon Birsch Brewing, Wildcide is a new endeavor to capture a growing market. Their first offering is benign, fairly straightforward and goes down as easily and as quickly as the apple juice my daughter enjoys. That’s not a complete knock against the company — 90% of the ciders I’ve put into my digestive system have all gone down similarly.

Appearance

Pale straw in color, the cider poured with no head and light bubble activity within.

Wildcide Hard Cider photo

Aroma

The aroma is subtle with light apples (obviously) and a twinge of what I can only describe as vinegar lingering suspiciously in the background. It’s not a strong scent on the nose, but it’s there nonetheless.

Taste

Well, whatever vinegar trait was in the aroma, it’s certainly not here in the flavor. The cider is very clean on the palate, but still quite subtle. Light apple-y tartness and a moderate sweetness on the lips drive a pretty straightforward profile. A soft sharpness from the carbonation fades quickly as the cider goes down easily, finishing lightly dry.

Overall

Wildcide Hard Cider isn’t a bad first offering, but it’s also not all that risk taking considering the moniker and energetic label artwork adorning the bottle. Still, it does go down easy and refreshes as most ciders do.

Rating: 3/5

This is a review of a promotional sample.

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