Cider Week: Cider # 1 Duke's Cider Tree Brewing

Duke's Cider

Tree Brewing Company

Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Independent
Dry Hard Apple Cider 5.0 % ABV Aluminium Can 500 ml.
$2.75 (Canadian) At LCBO 
Twitter: @TreeBrewing

Tree brewing offers this product as a gluten free alternative beverage in their line up of beers. Tree is from Kelowna a beautiful little town on the southern shore of Lake Okanagan in the interior of B.C. Kelowna is actually wine country nowadays, but it's history, like Niagara's in Ontario, is growing fruit. And boy do good apples grow in the Okanagan. Grapes, stone fruit, like cherries, and plums, plus pears and apples are all plentiful in this long valley that cuts a swathe through the province. One other thing, when you are entering Kelowna you will be greeted with this sight:

That's Ogopogo. Canada's Loch Ness Monster. Kelowna is his official home. So if you are in Kelowna look up Tree Brewing. If you partake in the right amount of beverages... you may meet the town's most famous resident.

Enough with the cryptids... on with the tasting.


Colour is a light clear gold that pours with a hint of green. A brief fizzy white head disappears almost instantly leaving virtually no trace. Aroma is fresh cut apples and cinnamon, with some clove and allspice. It smells like a pie that is unbaked yet ready to go in the oven. First sip is tart and sugary and slightly sour. Not unlike an apple sour candy. Still spicy through the taste, and the alcohol is quite warming for only 5%. Very simple and clean. I find my mouth refreshed after each sip and wanting more. An excellent aperitif... (it's actually making me very hungry!) Finish is candy like, and aeration gives us very ripe slightly bruised apples.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 

Cost: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Cider Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Experience:  6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

Wow. What a way to start Cider week off with a bang! This is a fantastic cider. Apples are the star of this drink. It is amazing the level of complexity that can be brought out in a beverage that essentially has two ingredients. This is the liquor form of fresh apple pie. warm fruity and a little spicy. Delicious guys! Keep up the good work!

Cheers

CJT


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