Dickens Sparking Cider

It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a real Australian cider so I’ve decided to have a look at what the Tamar Valley in Tasmania has to offer. Dickens Sparking Cider is the second cider I’ve looked at from the cold store house. Their Old English cider was pretty enjoyable so I’ve got high hopes for this real cider.

Dickens Sparking Cider is a cloudy cider fermented in the bottle cider at the Cool House. The Cool House is, as the name suggests, a cold store that has been re-purposed by the Dickens team and now functions as the cider house.

The Sparking Cider gets the apples from 2 orchards close to the cidery. The mix of apples is predominately made up of eating apples like Granny Smiths and Pink Ladies. The final stages of the fermentation happen in the bottle. This process traps the last of the CO2, from the yeasts fermentation process, into the liquid cider. When the cap is popped the pressure in the bottle is released setting free a flurry of bubbles. So full marks to you if guessed that Dickens Sparkling Cider would be bubbly.

The Nose

This holds nothing back. It’s all about that big earthy minerals and even bigger animalistic funk. This doesn’t wait for you to bring the pint glass to your face, Dickens Sparking goes on the hunt for your nose.

The Taste

The brilliantly bright straw-coloured cider is generously bubbly with just a small amount of sediment to make this a cloudy cider. As soon as the cider hits your taste buds; the barnyard funk hits you, BAM. If this was a piece is music it would be James Brown putting on a show. Although, the dryness makes me think that it might be an acoustic set. Strong acids from the jonogold, pink lady and granny smith apples are Mr. Browns backup singers while the tannins are on the drums holding the show together. As the taste progresses it becomes darker and more brooding, almost smoky. So it’s James Brown doing a cover of 30 Seconds To Mars cover. Okay, so this analogy is going off the rails, what I’m really trying to say is it doesn’t taste like a 7.5% cider but I like it.

Final Thoughts on Dickens Sparking Cider

I like dry cider with attitude. There is nothing offensive or overpowering about the Sparkling Cider. It is approachable but still has a big thumping taste. The problem with Dickens is they made their Sparking Cider very approachable. And they made it a proper cider at 7.5%. So approach it slowly. If I have one criticism it is that I don’t like the label, but what does that matter? This should be drunk from a pint glass so you can get a good nose full of that funk.

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