Review of Tin City’s Liliko’i Volume 2.  It is my first time trying anything from this cidery.

Cider:  Liliko’i Volume 2
Cidery:  Tin City
Cidery Location:  Paso Robles CA
ABV:  7.5%
How Supplied:  750ml bottles
Style:  American craft cider co-fermented with passion fruit, oak aged

 

Availability:  limited, likely only in Northern CA, although they have online sales of some of their canned ciders

Cider Description:  Liliko’i is fermented with locally-grown passion fruit, then barrel-aged in French oak barrels for four months, and bottle-conditioned. This process produces a fantastic, semi-dry cider that is perfectly balanced and delicious.

Cidery Description:  As a collaboration between three California wine makers, Tin City Cider was founded in Paso Robles, CA to make fantastic ciders using only the best west coast apples.

Price:  $17.99
Where Bought:  The Jug Shop in San Francisco CA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  browsing, while on vacation last year

First Impression:  Hazy dark yellow.  Very high carbonation.  Smells of sour passion fruit.

Tasting Notes:  Dry to semi-dry.  Light to medium bodied.  Moderate tartness and acidity.  Low sourness and funk.  Hints of bitterness and tannins.  Notes of passion fruit, orange, lime, earth, and heirloom apple.  Moderate length finish.  Low sessionability and apple flavor.  Low to moderate flavor intensity.  Moderate to high complexity.

My Opinion:  This isn’t a style of cider I enjoy.  It was more in line with my husband’s tastes, so I was happy to let him drink it instead.  Super fizzy at first, and it was impossible to open the bottle without it foaming over, even after letting it sit.  Then we had to let it sit again to get the copious yeast sediment to settle.  I would recommend this for folks who enjoy drier ciders which are wild fermented / sour / rustic / farmhouse style.

Most Similar to:  A drier, milder flavored, and sour version of 2 Towns Passion Statement or Reverend Nat’s The Passion.

Closing Notes:  I’d like to give Tin City another try if I find a cider from them which is of a different style.

Have you tried Tin City cider?  What did you think?