Review of Locust’s New England Amber.  It is my first time trying this, but I previously tried their Original Dry, Green Tea Infused, Sweet Dark Cherry, Washington Dessert Apple, Bittersweet Reserve, Pumpkin, Thai Ginger, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Winesap, Alder Smoked Apple, Mango, Elder & Oak, Wabi Sabi, Apricot 1, Sweet Aged Apple, Berry Session, Smoked Blueberry, Vanilla Bean, Winter Banana, Chili Pineapple, Seckel Perry, Hibiscus, Honey Pear (drier), Apricot 2, Watermelon, Pineapple, and Honey Pear (sweeter).

Cider:  New England Amber
Cidery:  Locust
Cidery Location:  Woodinville WA
ABV:  7.1%
How Supplied:  four pack of 12oz cans
Style:  American craft New England style cider from dessert apples, with brown sugar and dates

 

Availability:  seasonal (winter), with semi wide distribution in the U.S.

Cider Description:  Inspired by New England style ciders, Washington apples are blended with brown sugar and dates for a complex but smooth and balanced flavor.

Cidery Description:  Family owned and operated out of Woodinville, WA since 2015, we believe in making real cider accessible for real people.  We specialize in modern ciders made with all locally sourced Pacific Northwest ingredients, adding an innovative spin on classic cidermaking methods to bring out the best in the everyday apple.

They have a cidery & taproom in Woodinville WA, taprooms in Seattle and Tacoma WA, and a cidery & taproom in Ft Worth TX.

Price:  ~$3 / single can (runs $8.99 / four pack of cans)
Where Bought:  Total Wine
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  browsing – Total Wine is awesome as you can get a single can/bottle from most any multipack

First Impression:  Moderate pumpkin amber hue.  Nearly still (very low carbonation).  Smells sweet and rich.

Tasting Notes:  On the drier side of semi-sweet.  Light to medium bodied.  Low to moderate tartness and acidity.  Hints of bitterness and tannins.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of rich apple, caramelized sugar, molasses, honey, and orange.  Moderate length finish.  Moderate apple flavor, complexity, and flavor intensity.  High sessionability.

My Opinion:  I really enjoyed it.  Nice flavor and even some complexity, but not too sweet.  Dates were substituted for raisins here, which would be more traditional, but I think it was a nice choice.  I didn’t specifically pick up date flavor, but I imagine it added to the overall profile.  The ABV was lower than is typical for the style.

Most Similar to:  Cockrell Colonial Winter

Closing Notes:  This is a great selection at an awesome price.

Have you tried Locust New England Amber?  What did you think?