Kopparberg Naked Apple

We're revisiting a favorite brand with a new variety that I haven't tried yet, Kopparberg Naked Apple!

Kopparberg
The Brewery was reestablished in 1994 but its roots go back to the original brewery founded in 1882. Located in central Sweden, they are the main employer for its town of 4000 people. I first tried Kopparberg in Norway, and I have fond memories of sipping the Strawberry/Lime in Oslo. On their website they describe the Naked Apple cider as "stripped back so it actually looks and tastes like apples, without all the orange colors and oaky flavors found in other apple ciders."

Where Purchased:
Wise Owl Growler's near Town Center in Kennesaw

A locally owned growler store that has a knowledgable staff and a wide selection of beer. They have several ciders available in bottles, and this was a new one from Kopparberg for me.
Setting the Mood:
Our street was a sheet of ice during Atlanta's first 'snow-in' of the seaons, so Tidnab and I enjoyed a day of fur baby snuggles. I decided it was 5 o'clock somewhere at lunchtime. A nice fresh salmon salad and Ghost Hunters on the TV, it was time to enjoy some relaxing and a cider.

Reflections:
This cider is different than the other Kopparbergs I have enjoyed. Less sweet, than others from this brewery, I didn't find anything unique to make this cider stand out and worthy of the $5.99/bottle price tag. At just over a pint (500ml), the bottle is bigger than most and the carbs come in at 25 for the whole bottle.

Tidnab's Sip: Tidnab loves the strawberry/lime Kopparberg but found this one ok. In his words, "not too sweet, has an alcohol taste, definitely a hard cider."

Scoring:
Sweetness: 5/10
Right smack in the middle. Unlike other ciders from Kopparberg, which are much sweeter, it was a refreshing change and fit the name of 'Naked Apple.'

Tartness: 7/10
This cider was on the tart side, but not in an exciting way. I like my ciders more complex, and the 'naked' quality of this cider has it coming up short in complex flavor notes.

Smoothness: 4/10
The alcoholic taste of this cider takes away from the smoothness.

Fruit flavor: 3/10
The apple taste is not distinctive and the most prominent aspect is the tartness. Again, it lives up to the name of "naked apple," but I'm not sure that it is in a good way.

Dryness: 5/10
Not particularly dry, so if that is your thing, you may or may not like this one.

Carbonation: 8/10
Lots of carbonation in this bottled cider. The carbonation is good - maybe too good but would be perfect paired with hot wings.

Container & Size: 500ml bottle

Overall: 5/10

Meh, pretty much sums up this cider for me. It is a good solid cider, but the taste doesn't stand out which makes the price tag a bit too much for my wallet. Spicy food with more complex flavor notes would make the simplicity of this 'naked' cider stand out better. I may try it again, but at the $5.99 price tag it will have to be the perfect setting.

McKenzie's Original On Tap

I went into my first beer growler store - Wise Owl Growlers - in Kennesaw and was pleasantly surprised to find a couple of ciders on tap. After trying their selections I bought a small grower of McKenzie's Original.

Growler & Game Night!

You can find out more about McKenzie's cider at their website. They've been in business since 2011 and are manufactured in upstate New York.

Where Purchased:
Wise Owl Growler's near Town Center in Kennesaw

A locally owned growler store that has a knowledgable staff and a wide selection of beer. They always have two ciders on tap and several others available in bottles. Check them out if you are local!

Setting the Mood:
Time for some RPG'ing as our group of regular suspects gathered together to play Pathfinder. After dinner break, I decided a cider was in order.

Reflections:
I love this cider. It was sweet but not too sweet with just a hint of tartness at the end. It is smooth with hardly any hint that it is alcoholic. Beware, you'll be guzzling this one down before you know it. 

Tidnab's Sip: Because I bought a growler he got more than a sip this time. To say he loved it would be an understatement. His glass was empty before he knew it.

Scoring:
Sweetness: 6/10
Refreshing is the word I would use to describe this cider. It's on the sweet side of neutral, just right for my taste.

Tartness: 4/10
I like a little bit of tartness in my ciders, so for me a 5 is perfect. If you like a tart cider versus a sweet one, you may not be as happy with McKenzie's as I am. For me, this is almost the perfect amount of tartness.

Smoothness: 10/10
 One of the smoothest ciders I have ever had. I could drink it like water, and that would be bad.

Fruit flavor: 7/10
Taste reminds me of honey crisp apples with a second note of granny smith for the tartness.

Dryness: 3/10
If you are looking for a dry cider, you will want to go elsewhere.

Carbonation: 6/10
Good carbonation but not so much you think you are drinking a soda instead of a cider. Since it was a growler, I'm not sure how much this effected the carbonation. We drank it within a few days of purchase. I need to find it in bottles to taste the difference ;)

Alcohol content: 6%

Container & Size: I got a small growler!

Overall: 10/10

The hubby and I loved this one. When we both went to the Wise Owl Growler together we decided to purchase a big growler this time of the same. McKenzie's has several other varieties and I'm anxious to try more.

Let me know if you've tried McKenzie's!

Back in the Cider

I can't believe it's been over three years since I reviewed a cider! A lot has happened since then including some major issues with my blood sugar that made drinking cider something that had to wait. I'm happy to say that with some life changes, I'm good-to-go and back in the saddle of drinking an occasional cider.

Me at Disney's Animal Kingdom
with the Tiger that inspired my tattoo

Since I can't drink them very often, I want to make sure I'm getting the best bang for my buck. That means back to reviewing! Tomorrow my first review since November 2015 is going to post. I'm excited and already planning for the next one. A lot has happened in the cider market since 2012 and the brands and varieties available is almost overwhelming, but I'm sure I'll find a way to sort it all out! And if all the different ciders out there weren't enough, I may also throw in a whisk(e)y or Scotch when the time feels right as I have developed an appreciation. And of course, the hubby will be dropping in to give his comments about the refreshing adult beverages under review - if I give him a taste that is!

Until tomorrow - cheers!