Number Six

Number Six Dry 99

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Review of Number Six Hard Cider Dry 99.  Its my first time trying this cider, although I’ve tried a couple others from them (see here).

Cider:  Dry 99
Cidery:  Number Six Hard Cider
Cidery Location:  Seattle WA
ABV:  4.2%
How Supplied:  four pack of 16oz cans
Style:  American craft dry sessionable cider from dessert apples

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Availability:  Western Washington

Cider Description:  None given.  It is marketed as a dry low calorie cider (99 calories per 12oz serving).  Note however that any dry low ABV cider will have a similar calorie count.

Cidery Description:  Whats Number Six?  It’s a tunnel in the mountains. But this is no ordinary tunnel. This mile of rail at 7000 Sierra Nevada feet connected east to west like no other. In 1867, Transcontinental Tunnel Number 6 finally broke through solid granite after 2 years of hand picks, dynamite, willpower and a startling disregard for safety. Number Six was the most deadly and ambitious railway tunnel ever built. What used to take 25 days to cross, now could be done in a matter of hours. People, materials, and cider now flowed freely.

Number 6 Hard Cider is a tribute to hard fought progress and the connections it creates. Come taste our flagship True Cider and crafted seasonal releases at our rail-side cidery and taproom. 100% Washington apples and a relentless toil for perfect taste is what we’re made of. Raise a cold, crisp pint to progress. Onward!

They have a tasting room in Seattle Washington.

Price:  ~ $2.50 / single can
Where Bought:  Total Wine
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing.  I hadn’t tried it, and was picking up some Reverend Nat’s Tepache (fermented pineapple juice with spices), and this sounded like it would mix well.

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First Impression:  Medium straw yellow.  Completely still (no carbonation).  Smells mild, of sharp apples.

Tasting Notes:  Dry.  Light to medium bodied.  Low tartness.  Moderate to high acidity.  Low astringency.  Low bitterness.  No sourness or funk.  Sharp bite.  Notes of lemon, honey, mineral, and floral.  Moderate length finish.  Low to moderate apple flavor.  Moderate sessionability.  Low flavor intensity.  Low complexity.

My Opinion:  I found this to be an average dry sessionable cider.  As expected, it wasn’t overly flavorful.  It did however mix well with Reverend Nat’s Tepache (although it didn’t add much to Tepache’s 3.2% ABV).

Most Similar to:  Original Sin Extra Dry (which I prefer as I found it to be more complex) and Ace Joker (which is carbonated).  It is becoming easier to find drier ciders, even on the more commercial end of the industry.

Closing Notes:   If you are in Washington and a fan of dry sessionable ciders, this may be something you’d enjoy.  Although this is on the conservative end of Number Six’s lineup, they also have some ciders which push the envelope, like their Cold Brew Coffee cider (which I haven’t tried yet, although I have tried Schilling’s take on it, Grumpy Bear, which is now available in Nitro cans).

Have you tried Number 6 Dry 99?  What did you think?

Number Six True Cider

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Review of Number Six Cider Company’s True Cider.  I tried this quite awhile ago, but wanted to give it another go.  This is their flagship cider, although they recently came out with a drier version (Dry Ninety-Nine).

Cider:  True Cider
Cidery:  Number Six Cider Company
Cidery Location:  Seattle WA
ABV:  6.0%
How Supplied:  four pack of 16oz cans
Style:  American craft cider made from dessert apples

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Availability:  Western Washington

Cider Description:  This strong, dry cider is perfect for true cider lovers. With a level of sweetness that is best enjoyed from a glass. Enjoy with family and friends.

Cidery Description:  What’s Number 6?  It’s a tunnel in the mountains. But this is no ordinary tunnel. This mile of rail at 7000 Sierra Nevada feet connected east to west like no other. In 1867, Transcontinental Tunnel Number 6 finally broke through solid granite after 2 years of hand picks, dynamite, willpower and a startling disregard for safety. Number Six was the most deadly and ambitious railway tunnel ever built. What used to take 25 days to cross, now could be done in a matter of hours. People, materials, and cider now flowed freely.

Number 6 Hard Cider is a tribute to hard fought progress and the connections it creates. Come taste our flagship True Cider and crafted seasonal releases at our rail-side cidery and taproom. 100% Washington apples and a relentless toil for perfect taste is what we’re made of. Raise a cold, crisp pint to progress. Onward!

They have a tap room in Seattle Washington.

Price:  $10.99 / four pack
Where Bought:  Total Wine
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  I’ve known about this cider for awhile and tried it at a tasting event last year.

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First Impression:  Light orange pumpkin amber.  Very low carbonation.  Smells rich, apple-forward, and a bit like French cider.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry to semi-sweet.  Medium bodied.  Nearly still.  Mild tartness and acidity.  No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins.  Slightly rich.  Apple and yeast forward.  Hints of honey, mango, pineapple, and pear.  Quick finish.  High sessionability.  Moderate to high apple influence.  Moderate to high flavor intensity.

My Opinion:  Yum!  I liked how rich, fruity, and flavorful this cider was.

Most Similar to:  French cider, except with less carbonation, and more fruity than yeasty.

Closing Notes:   I enjoyed this cider…more than I remembered.  I may have to pick up a full four pack (although I tend to have bad luck with buying a cider for a second time and not liking it as much).

Have you tried Number Six cider?  What did you think?