Review of Hecks Tremletts Bitter, from Somerset England.  Its the first time I’ve tried their cider, although I’ve sampled many other English ciders.

Cider:  Tremlett’s Bitter
Cidery:  Hecks
Cidery Location:  Street, Somerset, United Kingdom
ABV:  5.5%
How Supplied:  750ml clear glass twist-top bottle
Style:  Somerset England farmhouse-style, single varietal from Tremletts Bitter apples

 

Availability:  Unknown.  Imported by B. United International Inc., Oxford CT.

Cider Description:  A butterscotch aftertaste is just one of the surprises of this cider from the popular Devon variety. It is sharp and dry without too much acidity, a popular choice wherever cider is made.

Cidery Description:  We have been making traditional Somerset Farmhouse cider since 1841. Today we offer a range of traditionally made farmhouse ciders, single variety ciders, farmhouse perry, single variety perry, non-alcoholic apple juices, cider vinegars and a range of other products, all produced from the harvests in our own Somerset orchards. Our products are made following family traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation, using tried and tested methods. We hope you enjoy our delicious products as much as we enjoy making them.

Price:  $14
Where Bought:  Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing

First Impression:  Medium amber.  Still (no carbonation), with a foam/bubble ring.  Smells rich, tannic, apple-forward, of must, caramel, and some funk.

Tasting Notes:  Dry to semi-dry.  Very light bodied.  Flat dull mouthfeel.  Low tartness and acidity.  Low to moderate sourness, at the back of the palette.  Moderate funk/barnyard.  Moderate bitterness.  Moderate tannins, but they were of an interesting sort, coating the teeth instead of drying the mouth, maybe due to the combination of tannins and sourness.  Notes of leather, orange, and caramel.  Moderate length finish with lingering sourness.  Moderate apple flavor.  Low sessionability.  Moderate flavor intensity.  Moderate complexity.

My Opinion:  I wasn’t a fan.  The flavor was odd and not what I expected from an English cider.  I guess I hadn’t previously tried a Farmhouse-style English cider.  I thought it smelled much better than it tasted.

Most Similar to:  This cider seemed to combine the qualities of English cider (richness & tannins) with American Farmhouse-style cider (sourness & funk).  I can’t think of anything similar.

Closing Notes:   This isn’t a style I enjoy.  However, if you like your cider with some sourness & funk, you may enjoy it.  This is the only variety from Hecks I’ve seen locally.

Have you tried Hecks Cider?  What did you think?