COMPARATIVE LIT ESSAY:
I’ve had all these ciders before and liked them, but never tried drinking them side by side to see which one I preferred and why. Tonight, I figure it out. So, to break them down let’s start with my least favorite of the four—Strongbow’s Gold Apple which gives you a mouthful of bubbles with a bright and sweet taste. It’s really good. Strongbow’s Artisanal Blend, however, is better than its standard Gold Apple. It is cloudier, bubblier and more jammy. It has a really strong fruit finish that raised up in the back of the palate pretty late. I also got hints of grapefruit.
I like the Artisanal Blend and Smith and Forge about the same but there are differences. First off Smith and Forge has a beautiful deep amber color in the glass and is really inviting. However, it does not have as nice of a bouquet as the others. It has a really thick foam header, but it loses its bubbles pretty quick. It has a great caramel apple taste, and has the boldest flavor of the four, but it also does not have much of a finish.
My winner tonight, though, is Gumption. It has a sweetness that stays on the tongue longer. It is smoother than Gold Apple and slightly more tart in your mouth than Smith and Forge. None of these are fancy, but if you want a simple, sweet and refreshing hard cider, I think Gumption is the ringleader. /[My first comparative review, not sure I knew what I was doing at this point./]