Review of Shacksbury’s Citrus Cider Spritz.  It is my first time trying anything from this Vermont cidery.  I picked this up in San Francisco last fall.

Cider:  Citrus Spritz
Cidery:  Shacksbury
Cidery Location:  Vergennes VT
ABV:  3.8%
How Supplied:  12oz cans
Style:  American craft session cider with a tincture of citrus and rose petal

 

Availability:  limited (they do have some online sales, but at the time of review I didn’t spot this one)

Cider Description:  Dry, light and refreshing with a vibrant citrus nose.  Apples grown at Sunrise Orchards in Cornwall, Vermont.  Tincture (citrus and rose) produced by Alice & the Magician in Burlington, Vermont.  2016 harvest.  Slow cool fermentation.  Pairs with tapas, oysters, brunch, lawn game.

Cidery Description:  Far from ordinary, apples are the most diverse food plant on earth. Unfortunately, only a handful of varieties are cultivated at scale in America, and all of those are designed for eating, not cider making.

At Shacksbury, we believe cider can, and should, be daring and complex. From gnarled trees on New England farmsteads to Old World orchards in England and Spain, our cider will change the way you think about this amazing fruit.

Price:  $3.29 / single can
Where Bought:  K&L Wines in San Fransisco
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  browsing

First Impression:  Pale pink-brown hue.  Low carbonation.  Smells of roses.

Tasting Notes:  On the sweeter side of dry.  Moderate tartness and acidity.  Low bitterness.  Hints of tannins.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of rose, lemon, orange, and pomegranate.  Moderate length finish.  Low apple flavor.  Low to moderate flavor intensity and complexity.  High sessionability.

My Opinion:  I wasn’t a fan of this due to the rose flavor; to me, it was overpowering and bitter.  I tasted much more rose than citrus.  I would have also preferred slightly more sweetness (it is listed as only 3 grams sugar / 12oz).  I liked the general idea of the cider though.

Most Similar to:  I’ve had some other ciders with rose (usually rose petals in secondary fermentation, not a tincture), but in all the others, it was very subtle, unlike this one.

Side Note:  They also have a Ginger Spritz variety.

Closing Notes:  I’d be interested in trying one of Shacksbury’s more traditional ciders, although in general it appears their cider style (dry, often wild yeast fermented) isn’t the best fit with my personal tastes.  Thankfully we have so many cider options – something for everyone.

Have you tried Shacksbury Spritz?  What did you think?