Let’s change things up a little bit. Let’s look at another refreshing, fermented beverage: cider.

From what I can tell, Ontario produced 133,130 metric tonnes of apples in 2014.  Ontario also has a population of 13.4 Million people. That’s just slightly less than 10 Kg of Ontario apples per capita, which really doesn’t sound like a lot of apples if you ask me. With that in mind, I’m not sure where Forbidden Dry Cider gets all its apples, since it’s made of 100% Ontario apples. Maybe I’m misreading the statistics. Maybe I’m messing up my math.

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Forbidden was one of a few Ontario craft ciders I picked up on my latest trip to the LCBO. They’re produced by the Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery located in Annan, just outside Owen Sound. I had never heard of them before, probably because I’m not much of a wine drinker but I’m always in to try something new. This is their only hard cider, but they also produce a sparkling pear wine and other wines of the normal…erm, grape variety.

The cider pours a very light yellow colour with a head that quickly dissipates. I read some reviews of this cider where people commented on the head dissipating too quickly, but I don’t think ciders generally have head retention, because they don’t have grain/gluten. I do like my ciders dry, and in that department Forbidden delivers. It’s fresh and intensely tart, and even sour. There are some pleasant citrus notes. I’d like to know more about how this cider is produced, and how it influences the flavour. With cider, there are so few ingredients, and I’m curious how (aside, obviously, from adding fruit or other adjuncts) one cider is different from another.

Maybe someone who knows more than me can fill me in in the comments. I can’t help but think it’s a closer cousin to wine than to beer, and I have a lot to learn about wine.