Back to Western Australia, back at The Cidery. This week I’m looking at their Spider Cider.
First things first. Let me clarify. Unlike a disturbing trend in the UK where spirits like vodka and whisky are added to something they like to call cider (spirit plus cider makes Spider). The Cidery don’t use spirits in their spider.
Check out the ingredients list. This is what I like to see on a bottle of cider. Apples and Yeast. Made in Australia
Instead this Spider Cider is made mostly of Pink Lady apples as well as a few other local varieties. The juice is fermented until it’s dry. In order to keep floral notes intact, the fermentation takes place under a blanket of carbon dioxide. The Cidery doesn’t let the fermentation happen for too long, lest it becomes one of The Cidery’s other products.
The Nose
This is pretty unusual scent, super ripe, sweet apples and apricots. Touch of cider vinegar however that dissipates pretty quickly leaving the ripe apples.
The Taste
Dry is right. It has a habit sucking the moisture out of your mouth. Everything here is bold. Bold ripe apples offset by the tartness I’ve come e to expect from the Cidery. The apples present as if they were used at the last possible moment. imagine if the apples minute longer on the tree would have seen them go soft. The result is masses of ripe apple flavour.
The finish is unbelievable clean, which is surprising. I thought that the big floral hit would leave more residual flavours lingering, but everything ends so sharp and abruptly.
Final Thoughts on The Spider Cider
Many dry ciders are very subtle and take on spicy soda water like qualities. This is something I quite like. The Spider Cider has a very different spin. The soda dryness is not the story. The hero is the towering, bold, ripe apples. It has weight without being heavy.
I’ve been trying to work out why it’s called Spider Cider. It’s not sticky like a cobweb, at 5.5% it’s not like a Red Back out to get you. It is a bit moreish though, something I’ve never said about any other arachnid I may have consumed.
| Product | Spider Cider |
| Company | The Cidery |
| Sweetness | Off Dry |
| Alc/Vol | 5.5% |
| Website | thecidery.com.au |
| Country of Origin | Australia |
| Region | Western Australia |
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August 12, 2015
Wow this cider sounds really interesting! Pink Lady apples, huh? I don’t typically go for dry & tart though, and I doubt I could find that one here in the U.S. (Seattle WA). Cool bottle/label too, and its awesome they include all that info on how its made. I wish more ciders would have detailed labels with their processes, residual sugar or Brix, etc. Thanks for sharing!
August 13, 2015
I think i might start to use my hydrometer to help provide that information.
August 13, 2015
Great idea!