Coffin Ridge‘s Forbidden Artisanal Hard Cider first crossed my palate towards the end of the evening during last summer’s Toronto Beer Fest. I think it was the only cider I tried that night, but I’m not entirely sure. I went on a quest to the cider section of the Summerhill LCBO recently and found a familiar brand.

Located in Grey County along the shores of Georgian Bay, Coffin Ridge is the first winery in this region of Ontario. In fact, wine is their main product, with a small selection of fruit wines, one cider and one non-alcoholic verjus rounding out the product line. I decided to give the cider a try. We split a 473 ml can between two standard pint glasses so we could both give it a shot.

Appearance: Delicate and pale yellow colour, highly effervescent pour.

Aroma: Appetizing apple aroma.
Taste: Very dry mouth feel with a strong apple aroma. Not as carbonated as I expected, a of carbonation seems to have been lost with the pouring.

Aftertaste: Tart and dry finish, a little sour for the aftertaste. I like my ciders on the dry side, overly sweet options such as Sommersby leave my teeth feeling weird, like I have a sugar high and need to repent at the dentist.

Overall: This cider lacks complexity, but at a refreshing 6.5%, I would be happy to have some on hand for my gluten-free friends. It will not be my immediate go-to cider but it will certainly find its way into my fridge again in the future.

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Shawna O'Flaherty

Shawna is a 30-something Montreal native transplanted to Toronto in 2010. Wine loving, beer sniffing and rum swilling come naturally to her, and she is also a certified Irish whiskey taster. She has hosted beer and cheese pairing events in the past.

Shawna has visited vineyards in 8 countries on 3 continents, and has a knack for finding the hoppiest beers around. A dedicated Booze Hound, Shawna completed the Wine Specialist Certificate at George Brown College in 2018.

She can be found drinking alka-seltzer and coconut water in the morning.

Email: [email protected]

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