The Bad Apple is a strong (10.5% abv!), oaked, honey-fortified cider from Two Towns Ciderhouse. Highly carbonated, fairly dark, with a crabby bite and some oak complexity, Bad Apple certainly is bolder than many of the dry, west-coast ciders I’ve tried.

There’s some floral character from the honey, and a bit of harshness from the American oak they used–I’d like to try a version of this oaked with a milder, French oak, but it’s definitely worth a try as-is…it’s unique and interesting. It reminds me of a lot of a cider I’ve made a few times at home in which I’ve used fresh-pressed cider (culinary varieties), added a few pounds of wildflower honey, and then added some tannin extract to perk up the body. The Two Towns version is superior to mine, however.

I’m looking forward to trying more from Two Towns, particularly Made Marion and Serious Scrump. Their ciders may not exactly fit a traditional mold, but I do like their particular experimental focus thus far.

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