Review of Slyboro Hidden Star, from New York.  I’ve previously only tried their Old Sin cider.

Cider:  Hidden Star
Cidery:  Slyboro
Cidery Location:  Granville NY
ABV:  6.9%
Residual Sugar: 2.5%
How Supplied:  750ml bottles
Style:  American craft cider made from heirloom apple varieties

 

Availability:  Year round in limited markets

Cider Description:  Discover the secret in the apple! Cider from historic, hearty Northern Spy apples blended with ecologically grown Liberty apples, brings a deeply rooted American tradition to the modern table for your enjoyment.
Made from apples grown at Hicks Orchard, a family farm in the Adirondack foothills and New York?s oldest U-Pick orchard. Clean, crisp, aromatic and refreshingly smooth, like a ripe apple just picked from a tree. Hidden Star pairs well with Summer barbeques, Autumn picnics, Winter festivities, and Spring frolics.

Cidery Description:  Named for the centuries-old hamlet that is home to Hicks Orchard, Slyboro Ciderhouse re-introduces the lost craft of traditional American ciders. Just as grapes are transformed into wine, our ciders are fermented from our own orchard-grown apples; unlocking the full potential of the apple by creatively blending a a distinctive range of delicious, award-winning ciders.

We at Slyboro Ciderhouse are dedicated to reclaiming cider – “true cider” – as America’s favorite drink. We invite you to explore and discover the flavors and delights of Slyboro Ciders. In any season, for special occasions, or to enrich the moment, “consider cider.”

Slyboro has a tasting room open seasonally, July through Christmas.

Price:  $17 (which is apparently $5 more than the going price in New York)
Where Bought:  Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing.  I previously tried and enjoyed their Old Sin, so I was game to try something else from Slyboro.

First Impression:  Medium straw yellow.  Smells fruity, of stone fruit and pineapple.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry.  Medium bodied.  Moderate carbonation, tiny bubbles.  Moderate tartness and acidity.  Mild tannins.  Hints of bitterness and funk.  No sourness.  Notes of honey, peach, pineapple, mineral, green apples, and a slight metallic flavor.  Long finish with some sharpness and warming (tasting higher than 6.9% ABV).  Moderate apple flavor.  Moderate flavor intensity.  Moderate complexity.  Low sessionability.

My Opinion:  I enjoyed it, although I prefer their Old Sin (which is richer).  This is a nice summery cider in flavor, although not sessionable.

Most Similar to:  Eve’s Beckhorn Hollow (although Hidden Star is sweeter and more fruity).  It even reminded me a bit of ciders which used some crabapples (such as Raven’s Moon and Dragon’s Head Columbia Crab), as it had a sharp flavor.  It also seemed a bit boozy, especially in the finish, like something Sea Cider or Eaglemount would make.

Closing Notes:   I look forward to trying more from Slyboro, and the East Coast / New York in general.  I have seen two more varieties from them locally.

Have you tried Slyboro Hidden Star?  What did you think?