Review of Foggy Ridge’s Serious Cider.  It is my first time trying anything from this cidery.  I picked it up at a cruise port stop in San Francisco CA last fall.

Cider:  Serious Cider
Cidery:  Foggy Ridge
Cidery Location:  Dugspur VA
ABV:  7.0%
How Supplied:  750ml bottles
Style:  American craft cider from heirloom & cider apples

 

Availability:  At least in NY, MD, DL, DC, VA, NC, SC, TN, AL, and GA (and CA)

Cider Description:  Foggy Ridge Cider began in 1997 with a cider apple orchard in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains. Founder Diane Flynt “grows ingredients”—bitter and acidic apples like Hewe’s Crab, Harrison, Tremlett’s Bitter, Ashmead’s Kernel and Dabinett, all full of complex flavor. For over a dozen years, the Foggy Ridge crew has crafted traditional cider apples into fine cider using all the skill and expertise of modern fermentation.

Cidery Description:  Serious Cider mixes traditional English cider apples like Tremlett’s Bitter and Dabinett with tart American favorites like Ashmead’s Kernel and Roxbury Russet. This crisp light food friendly cider is a refreshing aperitif paired with cheesy nibbles.  Cidermaker Notes: “Rich apple and citrus aroma with a touch of apricot and apple blossoms. Serious Cider is bright and lively on the palate with creamy layers. It is full bodied with soft minerality and hints of peach and lime zest. Focused acidity combined with textured dusty tannin create a long and pleasantly dry finish.”

Price:  $19.99
Where Bought:  The Jug Shop in San Francisco CA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing.  I had heard of Foggy Ridge, but haven’t seen them in WA.

First Impression:  Light straw yellow hue.  Low carbonation.  Smells mild, of acidic tropical fruit.

Tasting Notes:  On the sweeter side of dry.  Light bodied.  Low to moderate tartness.  High acidity.  Hints of bitterness and tannins.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of pineapple, stone fruit, white grape, green apple, lemon, and mineral.  Long acidic finish.  Low apple flavor and sessionability.  Low to moderate flavor intensity.  Moderate to high complexity.

My Opinion:  I liked it.  However, dry acidic ciders just aren’t a style I love.  I was hoping for some rich bittersweet apple flavor, but I only picked up the heirloom apples (high acidity with hints of bitterness and tannins).  All in all this is well made and will likely appeal to folks who enjoy dry acidic ciders.

Most Similar to:  Eve’s Beckhorn Hollow

Closing Notes:  Unfortunately Foggy Ridge is no longer making cider, as their lead cidermaker Diane Flynt recently retired.  You may be able to still find some of their bottles in stores for a bit, but they have stopped online sales (out of inventory).

Have you tried Foggy Ridge cider?  What did you think?