Waitrose Low Alcohol Cider

Having taken a bit of a pop at the nation for our alcoholic ways, I felt that the responsible thing to do was to try a couple of low alcohol alternatives. Hmmm, to be honest I wasn't sure if these would even qualify as a cider outside of the USA (note - in America, they call apple juice 'cider' and cider is 'hard' cider). I am pretty sure its not going to be full juice. I haven't the foggiest idea how they get the cider down to its 1% abv. without making it mostly water...

I have a couple to try, and these will compete with all the other ciders on equal merits. Its all about the taste eh. If its really good it surely must challenge the idea of strong cider in some regard... although that would probably be riding roughshod over the full juice traditions. I note from the Waitrose bottle that 'It is matured in old oak vats and the process used to produce the cider is controlled so while that low in alcohol it is full of flavour'.

I do have an idea of who made this for Waitrose, but I am not certain by any means. It looks like it has a Weston's feel, but please don't go by that - I am not sure. I guess the best way to do this is simply to try the thing - so without trying to put it off any further I had better open it (interesting attitude isn't it... I guess that reflects our relationship with low alcohol drinks in the UK).

So, lets do this properly - if its the same as the Sainsbury's I can then just cut and paste:-) It is a faint, yellow looking cider. I would say it looks watery even. It pours out with little fizz, and you get a tannic and cidery smell with it... which for the look of it is a bit odd. There is also a chemical smell behind it too. And then its time to drink. Well, it definitely tips its hat towards cider as there seem to be remnants of cider underneath what seems to be a very sweet and syrupy taste. See, looks aren't everything; I thought it looked watery but actually the taste is syrupy.

I have to say that nothing here so far should be a surprise. You can adjust everything in a cider these days - you can buy colour, flavour and even aroma in a tin! And I think this is what is going on here - look at the ingredients list. The first ingredient is generally the biggest part, reducing as the list goes on. In this one, water is the main ingredient, followed by 'cider base' and apple juice from concentrate. OK, I think there is enough for the hardcore cider elite to ignore it - although bear in mind this is a low alcohol cider so there is no way its ever going to be a straight forward drink!

The taste of the cider is acceptable. I think low alcohol drinks have moved on in the last 20 years. However, its not exactly 'no' alcohol (0.5 units per bottle). I guess the acid test is whether, as nominated driver, I would choose it. And that answer is probably yes.

There is a sickly aftertaste to it although the juice comes through too.

So, this is a cider that has been taken apart and put back together in a slightly different format. Its OK but not exactly the pinnacle of cider making. The ingredients list reads like a horror story from the cider cellar - although this is expected from a cider in this market.

With a score of 55/100 its not on my favourites list, but its really nothing to be scared of! And, with the industry trying to shed a billion alcohol units from somewhere, this leaves three of four less to achieve (but please, lets not make cider a low alcohol drink all round:-)

Duchy Originals Herefordshire Vintage Cider

A Duchy Originals from Waitrose this one. OK, not quite. Its a cider produced for them, this time by a "family owned Herefordshire Cider Maker, established in 1880". Not much research required there then. Its on their home page. Its even in one of their bottles:-)

So, in the spirit of my review yesterday of the M&S cider, I have now gone back through the reviews and marked up the Weston's made ciders - which includes Sainsbury's (again). Well, before anyone starts to moan about how they didn't make it themselves just ask yourself this: would you want them to make it? No, me neither.

A big feature of Duchy products is their organic status. Yet another thing I could become a G.O.M. about (Grumpy Old Man for the uninitiated). It has all the labels and logo's you could want, but I can't help thinking "is this Weston's Organic relabelled?" Sorry, Weston's Organic isn't anymore is it... Weston's Wilde Wood (not sure if the e is actually correct, but it ought to be eh:-)

Now, this is a nice golden coloured cider, with a pleasant aroma. Forgetting about the organic bit (it really is much the same thing, honest!) the first thing one has to do is admire how positively clear this cider is! I have seen the numerous sheet filters at Westons and wondered why they use so many. This cider just about glows with it's brightness! Its also fairly well carbonated too - another fairly standard feature of most Westons.

Its a good cider though. OK, perhaps a tiny bit on the watery side compared to some I have tried recently. But the flavour is there and it is satisfying. Its well balanced too - mild tannin (pretty mild but not invisible) offsets the reasonably prominent acid and creates a good taste. A little engineered, but good. The aftertaste is good too, and pretty long as well.

Organic Vintage doesn't declare what is it, but I would say its a medium dry, and being a touch 'juicy' I would also say its seen some apple juice and pasteurisation.

All in all, not a bad cider. It scores 65/100 which, although its not an apple, is not a bad score either.  If you are interested, Westons Organic (as it was then) scored 60; so the two are pretty comparable. Maybe this one just caught me in a better mood (which just shows how subjective reviews really are!)

Waitrose Heston's Spiced Mulled Cider

Mulled cider is generally something that you make, but feeling in the festive spirit I have been keeping my eye out for a bottled version to add to my reviews. And I have found one! In truth, we shall see what it's like - I find some of Heston Blumenthal's output great, and some is decidedly not in my universe.

To prepare this cider, you have to warm it. So, being careful not to let it boil, 4 of us are going to give it a go. Hang on - just checking the label, it says "... great served warm or perfectly refreshing over ice."  Are they quite insane? I truly hope that this is being ironic and not a serious suggestion!

Now it is warmed up, lets see what we have. It didn't have a huge aroma prior to warming, but now it has a warming spicy smell. Sadly, this isn't backed up by a huge cider flavour; the spices do tend to dominate. It tastes warming and lovely though. After a while (and maybe it has cooled a bit) there are cider flavours coming through, although very definitely as a background feature to the mulling spices which run the show from beginning to end. This is a bit of a shame, as the cider does have a role to play too in mulled cider. Oh, and forget the 'oak matured' bit - that is lost with the rest of it.

The aftertaste is all spice too. I guess this is the same for mulled wine too - the liquid is often drowned out and its all about the spice (clove, cinnamon and ginger in here).

I am sure the cider will score differently for me, depending on whether you are drinking it properly warmed or trendily over ice - I am not sure how warming it would at a cold wassail with ice! Warm it scores 71/100, so a hot bronze apple for Hestons Mulled Cider.

Now. For those of us who would prefer to do it properly, I have included a recipe for mulled cider (I believe my scrappy piece of paper is from BBC recipes, so thanks to them):

First off, find a decent flat cider which has some good flavours going for it. Ideally, if you are buying this, you will find a dry, still cider without filtering would be ideal direct from a producer. If you are having to buy in a supermarket - well, why not search through the reviews here to find one - Henney's, a vintage Sheppy's or even Westons would do (if it has bubbles, then probably best to let these get out of the way first). As with many things, mulled cider is a sum of its parts and if you put rubbish in, you will get rubbish out.

For myself, I tend to use the last of my cider to mull. Generally this will be from the bottom of the barrel and be a bit yeasty - it all adds to the flavour. I don't like to use early cider though as this hasn't developed or matured enough (and at this time of year should be being left alone to finish fermenting!).

For this recipe, you need about 2 litres of cider (or you could use apple wine).

Now, for the mulling spices:

Presuming you are doing this with guests, stud a couple of apples with cloves all over. Also, get hold of 4-6 cinnamon sticks and 5-6 allspice berries (or a couple of teaspoons of allspice).

Now zest an orange (I also generally squeeze half the orange in too). Finally (if you want) splash in some dark rum. There are other things that work as mulling spices - a stick of ginger adds a bit of a kick (and the odd chilli can add some heat to the drink too).

Let this warm through over a low heat but don't allow it to boil. I expect it should take about 20 minutes or so. And hey presto - mulled cider without paying Waitrose prices:-)

Have a fantastic festive period!

All the best from Cider Pages

Waitrose Cox's Apple Cider (2010 Vintage)

Another single variety cider then. And a supermarket own brand (and indeed, from their own orchards too). Unless it says on the label, it is always difficult to figure out who made it for them, or whether Waitrose own their own press as well as their own orchard... oh well.

I ought to have started this review with 'Another Cox's cider' to try. I have to confess I was disappointed with the Thatchers version as being a balanced up cider. Cox, being a desert apple, must offer fairly thin, acidic cider with little tannin to counter it. So, I will be bearing this all in mind when thinking about the Waitrose cider.

Sure enough, it is a straw coloured drink with a light and acidic smell. So far so good then. I do also catch a touch of sulphite too (though this surely can vary from batch to batch).

And to drink. For all my limited knowledge, this is a fairly thin, lightly acidic cider but with an interesting character. Very definitely eastern in style there is very little (i.e. no) tannin getting in the way of an actually reasonably pleasant drink.

It has a lingering acid that goes on well after you have swallowed too. So, could this be what a Cox's cider ought to taste like?

But before I wax lyrical, hang on. It is not exactly full of flavour. I have tasted much better eastern style cider made with a blend of a number of varieties. I have tasted one or two single variety desert apple ciders that would give the Cox a run for its money too.

But, its a good representation of Cox. And it is absolutely drinkable - and will go on my list of very nearly's with a score of 69.

Waitrose Vintage English Cider (2010)

So, another Waitrose own cider. This time we are firmly in England - the vintage having been made for them in Herefordshire (doesn't say by whom but it has to be either Westons or Bulmers me thinks). Its a strong cider, although it has been filtered and (probably) gone through the usual mass market processes of pasteurisation and back sweetening. I have come to expect this in a lot of ciders available through the supermarkets:-(

It has a fairly light aroma to it - although it is pleasant. The taste is good. Its definitely a Herefordshire cider with a balance of tannin and acidity that is found in the area. It also tastes pretty darn strong (which at 7.3% it is).

The sweetness kind of kills it a little, although without I think it would be pretty stark. Along with the fizz, the sweetness brings it down a peg or two. This all works well together and its an enjoyable drink. There be Yarlington Mill in this one I think too (I do like it when I can taste particular varieties within a cider - it just demonstrates that is must have seen an apple or two in its production.

The aftertaste is mostly alcoholic. Its nice but it does smother the flavours a bit. Having said that, I would buy this one again (that it, once I have drunk every cider available in the country and reviewed it on here!! Maybe I need a break!)

Just sneaks a bronze apple with 71. I might have been a bit tough on the aftertaste, but then it was a bit on the safe side too so I think its reasonable.

Waitrose Vintage French Cider

 

Waitrose, that traditional family cider producer... no, wait, thats not right. Start again.

For those that weren’t aware, Waitrose make their own cider out of apples from the Leckford Estate in Hampshire. This was once the residence of Mr Lewis (I presume of John Lewis, the company that own Waitrose). However, on the label it says 'Made from Normandy apples' and 'Produce of France' - not that it ultimately matters, but it is a little confusing.

French cider (or the French style of cider) is different from a traditionally English cider in a couple of ways. Firstly, the process is slightly different, producing a drink which is naturally sparkling and lower in alcohol. This is done by stopping the fermentation process earlier. By stopping (or slowing down) a fermentation cider can be bottled sweeter (without adding anything more) and use the Co2 created by any residual yeast action to carbonate. Do note, though, that there is nothing intrinsically French about this process

Whilst the French styles will still use cider apple varieties, they will also use high quality desert apples – hence the cider is lighter and more acidic than your western styles of cider. Anyway, enough  babble already! What does this one taste like? 

Its described as a naturally sparkling dry cider. Well, I like natural bubbles (honest, you can tell the difference!) and I do like dry cider.It is not dry like you would find a still dry cider, the bubbles enhance whatever sweetness is left in the drink. Its also a very light cider with an easy going sharpness underlining the appley flavour. There are little or no pronounced tannins at all. Its very much a nice summer drink... which on a rainy February day does feel a little out of place!

As with most drinks, the French authorities control their cider industry fairly rigidly (even this Waitrose drink has been via the Controllee). And this is a fine example of a particular style of cider. There are better French ciders - from France, but this is easier to get hold of and well worth a try.

The score of 68 is pretty good - its a pretty good cider...