Difference between revisions of "Styles of Cider"

Cider/Hard Cider

There are a number of styles of cider recognized by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) organization and the Brewers Association, two of the most prominent organizations supporting home brewers that compile and publish style guides.

Standard Cider & Perry

27A. Common Cider

Aroma: Sweet or low-alcohol ciders may have apple aroma. Dry ciders will be more wine-like with some esters.

Appearance: Clear to brilliant, pale to medium gold in color.

Flavor: Sweet or low-alcohol ciders may have apple flavor. Sugar and acidity should combine to give a refreshing character, neither cloying nor too austere. Medium to high acidity.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. Some tannin should be present for slight to moderate astringency, but little bitterness.

Overall Impression: Variable, but should be a medium, refreshing drink. Sweet ciders must not be cloying. Dry ciders must not be too austere. An ideal cider serves well as a "session" drink, and suitably accompanies a wide variety of food.

Comments: Entrants MUST specify carbonation level (still, petillant, or sparkling). Entrants MUST specify sweetness (dry, medium, sweet).

Varieties: Common (Winesap, Macintosh, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Jonathan), multi-use (Northern Spy, Russets, Baldwin), crabapples, any suitable wildings.

27B. English Cider

This includes the English "West Country" plus ciders inspired by that style. These ciders are made with bittersweet and bitter-sharp apple varieties cultivated specifically for cider making.

Aroma: No overt apple character, but various esters that suggest apples. May have "smoky (bacon)" character, from a combination of apple varieties and MLF. Some "Farmyard nose" may be present but must not dominate; mousiness is a serious fault. The common slight farmyard nose of an English West Country cider is the result of lactic acid bacteria, not a Brettanomyces contamination.

Appearance: Slightly cloudy to brilliant. Medium to deep gold color.

Flavor: No overt apple character, but various flavors that suggest apples. May have "smoky (bacon)" character, from a combination of apple varieties and MLF.

Mouthfeel: Full. Moderate to high tannin apparent as astringency and some bitterness. Carbonation still to moderate, never high or gushing.

Overall Impression: Generally dry, full-bodied, austere.

Comments: Entrants MUST specify carbonation level (still or petillant). Entrants MUST specify sweetness (dry to medium). Entrants MAY specify variety of apple for a single varietal cider; if specified, varietal character will be expected.

Varieties: Kingston Black, Stoke Red, Dabinett, Foxwhelp, Yarlington Mill, various Jerseys, etc.

Vital Statistics:OG FG IBUs SRM ABV 1.050 - 1.075 0.995 - 1.010 - - 6 - 9%

Commercial Examples: (US) White Oak Traditional and Kingston Black, Westcott Bay Vintage, Farnum Hill Farmhouse and Kingston Black; (UK) various from Hecks, Dunkerton, Burrow Hill

27C. French Cider

This includes Normandy styles plus ciders inspired by those styles, including ciders made by various techniques to achieve the French flavor profile. These ciders are made with bittersweet and bitter-sharp apple varieties cultivated specifically for cider making. Traditional French procedures use small amounts of salt and calcium compounds (calcium chloride, calcium carbonate) to aid the process of pectin coagulation. These compounds may be used, pre-fermentation, but in limited quantity. It is a fault if judges can detect a salty or chalky taste.

Aroma: Fruity character/aroma. This may come from slow or arrested fermentation (in the French technique of d̩f̩cation) or approximated by back sweetening with juice. Tends to a rich fullness.

Appearance: Clear to brilliant, medium to deep gold color.

Flavor: Fruity character/aroma. This may come from slow or arrested fermentation (in the French technique of d̩f̩cation) or approximated by back sweetening with juice. Tends to a rich fullness.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full, mouth filling. Moderate tannin apparent mainly as astringency. Carbonation moderate to champagne-like, but at higher levels it must not gush or foam.

Overall Impression: Medium to sweet, full-bodied, rich.

Comments: Entrants MUST specify carbonation level (petillant or full). Entrants MUST specify sweetness (medium, sweet). Entrants MAY specify variety of apple for a single varietal cider; if specified, varietal character will be expected.

Varieties: Nehou, Muscadet de Dieppe, Reine des Pommes, Michelin, etc.

Vital Statistics:OG FG IBUs SRM ABV 1.050 - 1.065 1.010 - 1.020 - - 3 - 6%

Commercial Examples: (US) West County (various), Rhyne Cider; (France) Eric Bordelet (various), Etienne Dupont.

27D. Common Perry

Common perry is made from culinary/table fruit.

Aroma: There is a pear character, but not obviously fruity. It tends toward that of a young white wine.

Appearance: Slightly cloudy to clear. Generally quite pale.

Flavor: There is a pear character, but not obviously fruity. It tends toward that of a young white wine. No bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Relatively full, low to moderate tannin apparent as astringency.

Overall Impression: Mild. Medium to medium-sweet. Still to lightly sparkling. Only very slight acetification is acceptable. Mousiness, ropy/oily characters are serious faults.

Comments: Entrants MUST specify carbonation level (still, petillant, or sparkling). Entrants MUST specify sweetness (medium or sweet).

Varieties: Bartlett, Kiefer, Comice, etc.

Vital Statistics:OG FG IBUs SRM ABV 1.050 - 1.060 1.000 - 1.020 - - 5 - 7%

Commercial Examples: (at present, no known true perries in North America)

27E. Traditional Perry

Traditional perry is made from pears grown specifically for that purpose rather than for eating or cooking. (Many "perry pears" are nearly inedible.)

Aroma: There is a pear character, but not obviously fruity. It tends toward that of a young white wine.

Appearance: Slightly cloudy to clear. Generally quite pale.

Flavor: There is a pear character, but not obviously fruity. It tends toward that of a young white wine. Some slight bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Relatively full, moderate to high tannin apparent as astringency.

Overall Impression: Tannic. Medium to medium-sweet. Still to lightly sparkling. Only very slight acetification is acceptable. Mousiness, ropy/oily characters are serious faults.

Comments: Entrants MUST specify carbonation level (still, petillant, or sparkling). Entrants MUST specify sweetness (medium or sweet). Variety of pear(s) used must be stated.

Varieties: Butt, Gin, Huffcap, Blakeney Red, etc.

Vital Statistics:OG FG IBUs SRM ABV 1.050 - 1.070 1.000 - 1.020 - - 5 - 9%

Commercial Examples: (At present, no known commercial US perries) Bordelet "Poire Authentique" and "Poire Granit" are French perries available in the US.

Perry