Review of Boulevard Brewing Company’s City Market Cider.  This is my first time trying anything from this brewery.  City Market Cider is their first cider, and was released in November 2017.

Cider:  City Market Cider
Cidery:  Boulevard Brewing Co.
Cidery Location:  Kansas City, MO
ABV:  6.2%
How Supplied:  four pack of 12oz bottles
Style:  cider from dessert apples, with concentrate added

 

Availability:  semi wide release (see here)

Description:  The city market represents a place where chefs and home cooks come together to show and taste the best flavors in the region. Our brewing team captured this spirit in City Market Cider, our first ever cider release. This local blend combines juice from Jonathan and Fuji apples sourced directly from Sibley Orchard & Cider Mill in Sibley, Missouri. City Market Cider is fermented with our house English ale yeast strain resulting in a crisp, dry cider with just a touch of sweetness contributed by juice held back for blending.

Pouring a slightly hazy golden, City Market Cider offers bright aromas of sweet/tart apples that are answered by bold, juicy flavors with Jonathan apples taking the spotlight with Fuji supporting with a soft acidity reminiscent of apple skin tartness. Featuring a slight blend back of fresh Fuji juice (2.8% of the total blend) to lend a balancing sweetness, City Market Cider’s finish lingers, alternating between sweet and tart apple character that begs for another sip.

Price:  ~$3 / bottle?
Where Bought:  Special Brews
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  My husband put this in my Christmas stocking.

First Impression:  Light orange amber hue.  Low carbonation.  Smells very mild, of apple juice.

Tasting Notes:  On the sweeter side of dry (4g sugar / 12oz).  Light to medium bodied.  Moderate tartness and acidity.  Low bitterness.  Hints of tannins.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of watered down unsweetened apple juice, apple pomace, yeast, and orange.  Moderate apple flavor and sessionability.  Low to moderate flavor intensity.  Low complexity.

My Opinion:  I thought this was rather average.  I think I would have liked it a bit sweeter, because as-is it was lacking a bit on flavor.  However, that is pretty typical for a cider from dessert apple varieties, and why they are very commonly flavored.

Most Similar to:  A low quality drier less carbonated French cider (due to the apple and yeast forward flavor).

Closing Notes:  I’m curious about how well this will sell.  Compared to what is available in the Northwest, this isn’t too impressive.  However, there are fewer local ciders in the Midwest, so with less competition, this may do better there.

Have you tried City Market Cider?  What did you think?