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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW 'A kidney to spare' ... Police arrest suspect in carjacking; reward offered for second man ... Oregon town not ready to relinquish Braves name, logo ... 'A kidney to spare' ... Police arrest suspect in carjacking; reward offered for second man ... Oregon town not ready to relinquish Braves name, logo ... DINING Hard apple cider not for everyone Hard apple cider is becoming increasingly popular, but the taste isn't for everyone Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Aug 28, 2015 at 11:51 AM Posted Aug. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Aug 28, 2015 at 11:51 AM Are you a cider fan? --> Are you more of a fan of hard ciders than our reporter? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comment space with this story at www.mailtribune.com/tempo or online on our Facebook page, www.facebook.co... » Read more X Are you a cider fan? Are you more of a fan of hard ciders than our reporter? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comment space with this story at www.mailtribune.com/tempo or online on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/mailtribune . » Social News For days I was looking forward to trying a variety of hard apple ciders as I picked up bottles at Rogue Valley grocery stores. For thousands of years, humans have been allowing the sugar in apple juice to ferment and convert into alcohol, yielding hard apple cider. The traditional alcoholic drink is making a comeback, with new companies springing up and hard ciders popping up everywhere from brew pubs to grocery store shelves. Fresh-pressed local apple cider at growers' markets is one of my favorite fall treats, and I expected hard apple cider to have a similar taste — just with an added kick. But when a friend and I tried samples of the different hard ciders, we were disappointed. They lacked the fresh, juicy, fruity flavor of apple cider and had an unpleasant alcohol taste. First in our line-up was Angry Orchard Seasonal Summer Honey Hard Cider, which cost $2.28 for a 16-ounce can at Food 4 Less in Medford. Inspired by the centuries-old tradition of European cider-making, the makers at Angry Orchard use a mix of European and American apples — including Pacific Northwest apples — to make their drinks. The company describes its seasonal Summer Honey cider as light and refreshing, with subtle notes of wildflower honey. With its small bubbles, my friend and I agreed it had a taste and mouth-feel similar to champagne. I was disappointed that it didn't have a strong apple taste, while he detected flavors of vinegar and honey. Next was Apple Outlaw Original Hard Cider, made locally by Thompson Creek Organics, which operates an Applegate Valley apple orchard. It cost $5.48 for a multi-serving 22-ounce bottle at Food 4 Less. Since Thompson Creek Organics is a local company with an organic orchard and presence at area growers' markets, I wanted to like their cider. However, it had a strong alcohol taste and slightly off, sour taste. My friend was more harsh, saying it tasted like grain alcohol had been mixed with fermenting apples. Third in line was 2 Towns Ciderhouse Bright Cider. A 16.9-ounce bottle at Shop 'N' Kart in Ashland was $4.54. Based in Corvallis, 2 Towns Ciderhouse describes its hard cider as clean, crisp and made exclusively with fresh-pressed Northwest apples. Again, much of the apple taste was missing from this cider, which had a sour flavor. My friend described it as more bitter than the others. With an illustration of a slice of apple pie on the front, a bottle of Julian Hard Cider's seasonal Apple Pie was last. We purposefully put it at the end — like a dessert wine tasted after dry red wines — so it wouldn't throw off our perceptions of the other hard ciders. A 22-ounce bottle cost $7.64 at Shop 'N' Kart. The label promised a harmony of sweet and tart apple flavors, with lively effervescence and cheery spice notes. The fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg wafting from the open bottle was promising. However, the cider had a harsh, chemical flavor, as if the spice notes came from artificial flavorings, not real spices. My friend also thought the cinnamon flavor was too heavy, and the alcohol taste too overpowering. With the rebirth and popularization of hard cider still in its relative infancy, hard ciders may improve over time. But for now, I'll be sticking with regular apple cider. — Vickie Aldous MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 28, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated Aug 28, 2015 at 11:51 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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