Review of Crispin Rosé.  It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Original, Pacific Pear, Blackberry Pear, The Saint, Bohemian, Honeycrisp, Venus Reigns, Steeltown, 15 Men, Browns Lane, and Bourbon Char.

Cider:  Rosé
Cidery:  Crispin
Cidery Location:  Colfax CA
ABV:  5.0%
How Supplied:  six pack of 12oz bottles
Style:  American commercial cider from apple & pear juices, with rose & hibiscus petals

  

Availability:  wide release, since Jan 2018 – see their cider locator

Cider Description:  Blend of 50% apple cider & 50% pear cider and. Rose petals and Hibiscus give a light tannic quality and “Provence style” Rose’ Wine color. Hints of fresh Strawberry and Honeydew with a tickle of sweetness.

Ingredient List:  filtered water, fresh-pressed hard apple cider, fresh-pressed hard pear cider, pear juice concentrate (finishing sweetener), natural flavors, malic acid, contains sulfites

Cidery Description:  Crispin® ciders are naturally fermented using the raw, unpasteurized juice of fresh-pressed American apples and pears. Through classic cold-fermentation and specially selected wine yeasts, we always stay true to the fruit with authentic flavors and unique aromatic notes that are only present in fresh-pressed cider.

Price:  ~$2 single bottle ($7.99-$8.99 / six pack)
Where Bought:  Total Wine
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  browsing

First Impression:  Still.  Light pink hue.  Smells mild, sweet and fruity.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry.  Light to medium bodied.  Moderate tartness.  Low acidity.  No sourness, funk, tannins, or bitterness.  Notes of granny smith applies with hints of berry, floral, and dried pear.  Quick finish.  Low pear and apple flavor.  Low to moderate flavor intensity and complexity.  High sessionability.

My Opinion:  I thought this was pretty average.  I liked that it was drier, but probably because of that, it was lacking in flavor.  I was a bit puzzled as the description said they used hibiscus and rose petals, but they weren’t on the ingredients list (only “natural flavor”).

Most Similar to:  a slightly drier and blander version of Angry Orchard Rosé

Closing Notes:  I think Crispin is a great cider option for folks who live in areas which only get mass produced ciders, as they are a bit drier and less commercial (more real) tasting.  Ace is a bit similar, a commercial cidery with offerings that include some on the drier side, and which taste less commercial.  Crispin’s Original is probably my favorite commercial cider.

Have you tried Crispin Rosé?  What did you think?