cherry hard cider

Washington Gold Cider Cherry Hard Cider

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Review of Washington Gold Cider’s Cherry Hard Cider.

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Cider:  Cherry Hard Cider
Cidery:  Washington Gold Cider
Cidery Location:  Chelan WA
ABV:  5.5%
How Supplied:  750ml clear glass flip-top bottle
Style:  American hard apple cider with cherry juice

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Availability:  Year round in Washington and Southern California until it sells out (as they only make it once a year).  However, their Original variety is more commonly found.  See here for further information.

Cider Description:  None given, but I was told they use fresh pressed apple juice with Washington cherries.

Cidery Description:  Crisp, refreshing, and steeped in our family’s rich apple-growing tradition, Washington Gold Cider is crafted from the best apples in the world. Farm fresh. Family-owned. Proudly made in Washington State. Washington Gold Cider…The world’s best cider, made from the best apples on Earth.  Try our Heritage, Original, and Cherry Hard Cider today.

Price:  $12.99
Where Bought:  Total Wine
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  They were tasting their entire line-up of three ciders (Heritage, Original, and Cherry) at Total Wine in August.  This was by far the winner for me, and I decided to buy a bottle.

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First Impression:  Deep cherry hue.  Low carbonation with small bubbles.  Rich cherry scent, sweet with a hint of tartness.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-sweet (although at 26.5 grams of sugar in 12.7 ounces, it would probably be rated sweet).  Moderate tartness and acidity.  No sourness, bitterness, or funk.  Cherry is the only flavor I pick up in this (the apple is well-hidden), so its a rather simple cider.  Full-flavored.  Light bodied.  Quick finish.  Highly sessionable.

My Opinion:  Yum!  I love how strong the cherry flavor is, and that it tastes like real cherries.

Most Similar to:  Other cherry ciders, although this has a stronger and truer cherry flavor than everything I’ve tried so far (which includes cherry ciders from Woodchuck, Locust, Tieton, Apple Outlaw, Elemental, Jester & Judge, Julian, and Original Sin).

Closing Notes:   This is definitely my favorite cherry cider so far.  Reminds me of summer!  (which is why I saved it for this time of year, when it always seems to be dark, damp, and cold in WA)

Do you have a favorite cherry cider?