I haven’t been blown away (or even particularly impressed with) any of the ciders I’ve picked up recently, and have lacked the desire to write about my mediocre experiences– hence the month-long delay in posting. That said, I like what I’m drinking today. A lot. Lemme tell you ’bout it. How much cider could a woodchuck brew? Apparently enough to justify shipping some internationally. Woodchuck Hard Cider (5%) is a product of Vermont. According to their website, the ciderers (cideriers? is there a word for this?) have been perfecting their recipes over the last 20 years and have two other ciders on offer (which are not, it seems, available north of the border yet). Unlike some of the ciders I’ve reviewed so far, they do add extra ingredients aside from just, you know, apples. Woodchuck is made from fermented apple juice, apple flavour, caramel, sulphites, and potassium sorbate.
Now on to the Actual Review for Woodchuck Hard Cider…
The Colour: Sun-Rype. Golden yellow with a slight green tint.
The Nose: Not…awesome. It has that sort of garbage-y smell that some cheap champagnes have.
The Packaging: The design recalls the feel of older, more established brands. Nothing flashy, exciting, or new, but I don’t think that’s what they were going for (with the packaging nor the cider itself). The label is unpretentious and classic. Reminiscent of an old British brand: trustworthy, unchanging, no need to rely on trendy gimmicks.
The Mouthfeel: Lightly carbonated. I’m not even sure what to say about it– you don’t notice the carbonation, but you don’t feel like it’s too light or missing anything. I guess that means they did a good job? No noticeable “syrupy” or filmy after-feel. After-feel is a thing. Trust me. No need to look that up, no sir.
The Taste: Lovely! Sweet, not cloying. Not overly apple-y. A little sour/citrus flavour– just tart enough to balance the sweetness. The lingering flavour is more caramel-y than anything.
The Verdict: 8.5/10 — would absolutely drink again. If there’s such thing as a session cider, this would be that. Woodchuck has been weirdly difficult to rate this because, well, I like it so much. There’s nothing wrong with it, and everything is so nicely balanced that it’s been a challenge to pick out/pick on any particular characteristics. That said, nothing about it completely blew me away which is why it’s not rated any higher (which might not be fair, but I’ve already established that my rating system is completely arbitrary so shut up, it’s my blog).
Have you tried it? What’d you think? Let me know in the comments below.
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4 responses to “Woodchuck Hard Cider Review”
I’m definitely a fan of Woodchuck ciders. Woodchuck Amber was my first, and Woodchuck is an old standby selection. Plus, there are so many flavors! A new favorite of mine is Oopsy Daisy, in their Out on a Limb series (flavors rotate). An old favorite of mine is Winter Chill (seasonal). Amber is one that I always forget to buy, but when I do, I wonder why haven’t I bought it! Thanks for sharing.
It’s kind of killing me that this is the only one of the family available here (well, at the moment anyway.) It was a really solid cider, and I’d love to try the rest (particularly based on your feedback.) What’s Oopsy Daisy like?
Too bad….you might want to send them an e-mail or message on Facebook as they are really helpful in getting fans their cider. Or, maybe even better, ask the store where you got the Amber about offering other varieties.
Oopsy Daisy is a chamomile cider with some honey, although I taste more honey than chamomile. Very smooth and refreshing for summer! Their Seasonals are also quite popular, with Winter & Summer being my favorite (although oddly enough they skipped Spring this year lol).
Oopsy Daisy sounds right up my alley– I’ve really been digging floral additions lately. I’ll have to do some detective work to see if I can get my hands on some. Thanks for the tips!