Maker: Vander Mill Cider Mill & Winery, Spring Lake, Ottawa Co., Michigan, USA
ABV: 7%
Appearance: light gold, not much in the way of legs. Lightly effervescent.
Nose: Dry, a bit of yeast at first, but it dies down shortly.
On the palate: light and dry. A little sweetness and some delicate apple flavors, but mostly dry and light.
Finish: Fairly sweet, but mostly dry. Very pleasant.
Parting words: This is a fine table cider. It’s not overly sweet or heavy, and pairs very well with food. Serve it as you would a Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Riesling. Kudos to Vander Mill for using all Michigan-grown fruit and producing hard cider at all, frankly. It is a constant puzzlement to me why more Cider mills and orchards in Michigan don’t produce hard ciders but opt instead to become petting zoos and doughnut bakeries. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Vander Mill Hard Cider gets a recommendation. They make a variety of ciders, include fruit-juice flavored ones and a Wit made with Belgian ale yeast and spices. Hopefully I can review those someday soon!
Sipology 