If I was in charge of a big multinational beverage firm, the first thing I would be doing, would be pouring money into research on fruit flavoured ciders. Bacardi Beezers and other such alcopop drinks seem to have fallen out of fashion. Cider is on the up and it seems like a perfect combination, cider and say blueberries or raspberries or even say Strawberries and Lime in the same bottle. That is exactly what those clever Swedish cider producers Rekorderlig have done. Rekorderlig Premium Strawberry-Lime cider is on the shelves here in Sydney. What a great idea! Yes, yes I know a boy from Somerset should be horrified by flavoured cider. Well, yes and no. OK, it certainly was not to my taste, too sweet with definate red cordial characters and the lime was in there somewhere, however it runs a distant second to the strong strawberry characters. However, put this in a trendy bar for young folk and I can see it selling really well. At only 4% alcohol it will not knock you around. Watch the shelves as flavoured cider is a thing for the future. Not for cider lovers, but people who just want a sweet unsophisticated drink. I can just see it now Bens Pink Grapefruit Cider.
My taste - 3 apples out of 10
Young folks taste - 9.5 out of 10
I am going to cover off another cider here. I have got behind on my cider drinking and blogging. Summer is nearly here in Sydney and soon the weather will be perfect for a cheeky cider or two.
Mercury Cider is an Australian institution; established in 1911 in beautiful Tasmania. If you enjoy fresh, fresh air, beautiful scenery, fabulous food and drink, Tasmania is for you. We were down there in January of last year and went to the unforgetable Taste of Tassie Festival in Hobart. THE best food and wine show around. We certainly waddled out of there. Get yourself down there next January.Anyhoo, this slightly blurry photo was taken in the kitchen by my good self. I sort of like the blurry effect. Mercury Dry Cider, all 750mls of it.
Unfortunately, this cider does not live up to the rest of Tasmania. It lacked colour and taste. It is a cheap cider designed for the mass market and it tastes that way. Yes it was dry but still could not excite me. I suggest you pay a little more for a better cider.
3.5 apples out of 10.
Interesting comments about the Swedish so-called cider, but I can tell you, you wouldn't be so positive about alcopops maskerading as cider if you lived in Sweden, where you can't even buy dry cider because the majority of people don't know any better and really do believe that cider is a synonym for alcopop! I've seen the Swedish so-called cider starting to make inroads into english pubs and I'm afraid horrified it exactly what I am!
ReplyDeleteBy the way I'm an englishman living in Sweden, brewing my own cider - hence my interest in the topic.
Cheers,
Ben