COMPARATIVE LIT ESSAY:
My three pineapple ciders tonight all come from the center of America, about as far away from the ocean as you can get in the country. But who doesn’t love the taste of a sweet and juicy pineapple? Each of these cider makers has tried their hand at a pineapple cider, but use a different element to try and elevate the dink in unique ways. Glacial Till of Nebraska has tried incorporating another fruit (passionfruit), while Pivot of Kentucky’s Taj Mahalo has gone the spiced chai route (though cinnamon is most prominent to my nose and tongue) and Michigan’s Blake’s Cider’s Rainbow Seeker claims sage notes in the description of their pineapple cider (though, honestly, none was detected). So how do these three compare?
Glacial Till is a pale straw, Rainbow seeker a nice golden straw, and Taj Mahalo a light amber that is slightly hazy. The best nose is the yummy vanilla aroma of the Rainbow Seeker. Taj Mahalo is the most intriguing as it smells likes pineapple pie and the Glacial Till is just too sweet and artificial smelling. That aroma is complemented by an overly sweet taste that is so sugary it masks everything else. Rainbow Seeker is the bubbliest and has a thicker mouthfeel than Taj Mahalo. It is also creamier and softer. Lastly, the Taj Mahalo is bolder and has a more sustained flavor throughout all three phases. It is also the most savory of the three with those cinnamon and chai notes.
For me, Glacial Till is just not in the running as its sweetness level is too out of control. Its artificial sugariness masks the subtleties of the passionfruit and to a lesser degree, the punch of the pineapple. The mouthfeel is nice, and its smoothness is noteworthy, but for most cider drinkers it’ll be too sugary sweet. That leaves Blake’s and Pivot. I found both of these very good and graded them similarly (though neither made it into the top echelon of pineapple ciders for me). But one has to chose. Both add more savory elements to the pineapple—creamy vanilla for Blake’s and a spiced pie feel for Pivot. I think if I was wanting a more chill cider for just hanging out with friends or relaxing by the beach, the Rainbow Seeker would be my choice. It isn’t too sweet or too fruity. For those who want it bold and to spice things up a bit, Pivot gave me something I haven’t had before, a baked pineapple pie and the sensation of tart and cinnamon at the same time. So, if you’re looking for something unique, something interesting, and think you’d like both sweet and savory in a single swig, say yes and thank you to Pivot’s Taj Mahalo.