At last, the time has come to taste the hard cider that has been fermenting and aging since last November. You may recall half was bottled with a light sparkle and half was bottled still, with only its natural flavor and some added sweetness.

The sparkling has a light tongue-tingling spritz and a mild, refreshing apple flavor – good by itself or with food. There is sediment in the bottle from the second fermentation, so careful pouring is in order.

The still seems a little too sweet (my mistake), has a darker color and straightforward flavors of fermented apples. While not as refreshing, it’s a window into hard cider from the “good old days”. There are a few months to get to know and enjoy these before making plans for the next cider season.