I love Brett yeasts & funky beers. This was my first take on a cider fermented by those little bugs. It also employs McIntosh apples which are not sufficiently acid to work in ciders. Instead, a strain of Lactobacillus was used to give the sourness it needed.
“The wild yeasts leave a strong signature on the cider…”
Alma Cidre Jaune
Brewed by: Alma Compagnie de Cidres
Type: Specialty Cider - Farmhouse; Other ingredients
Region: Frelighsburg, Quebec, Canada
ABV: 6.5%
Apples: McIntosh
Other ingredients: Wild yeasts, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pears, Chardonnay
Appearance: 6/10
The cider comes in a green bottle with yellow printing which gives a unique & simple impression although the opacity of these bottles has been known to be insufficient in protecting the aromas of most alcoholic beverages. There is a lot of information on the label which is always appreciated. The liquid in itself has a cloudy pale straw tone with a faint crown for a head that disappears almost instantly. The carbonation escapes the glass rapidly leaving place to a flat cider. I would have like it if it would have come in a darker shade of green or in a brown bottle. A little more effervescence and it lasting longer would have made the experience a bit more enjoyable, although the colour was really appealing.
Nose: 11/15
The nose revealed some intense funky, mushroom-like flavours which are attributed to the wild yeasts & bacteria used to ferment the cider. There is a hint of sweet apples, reminiscent of ice cider aromas such as compote, dried fruits & apple pie. The Chardonnay and the pears are pretty quiet on the nose. In fact, I do perceive some faint orchard fruits, still I couldn’t point out the flavour as being pears. The same goes for the Chardonnay, I’m able to pick up some vinous aromas but it’s vague, I was expecting it to be more powerful. I do appreciate the funkiness of the yeasts as it gives a pretty unique perfume not commonly found in ciders and pairs really well with the apple compote & dried orchard fruits.
Mouth: 11/15
The rustic & funky aromas are still what hit first. There is a slight earthiness coming along with the mushrooms making the backbone of this beverage. The apples unfortunately fall behind and leaves only a vague impression of sweet & dried fruits. The Chardonnay is bolder on the palate with stronger vinous & vegetal notes. The pear is practically absent which is a bit disappointing. The cider is dry with low effervescence & mild lactic sourness. Again, the funkiness is appreciated but it seems that it is too overwhelming drowning the other flavours.
Finish: 8/10
The medium finish leaves some rustic notes of stables, mushrooms & wet earth, with the same subtle orchard fruits as on the nose. A faint spiciness makes it way through along with some nature Greek yogurt.
Overall: 72/100
It’s unfortunate the apple flavours aren’t quite as pronounced as one might hope to in a cider, however given the use of non-cider apples & relying on bacteria to provide the sourness, this turned out pretty good. The wild yeasts leave a strong signature on the cider making it the dominant flavour.
3 word description:
Funky, Earthy & Apple.
The Reference
Photo from @almacidre Facebook page.
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