Duke’s Cider – Tree Brewing Co.

One of the new-comers to the LCBO this year, Duke’s Cider is produced by Tree Brewing. From Kelowna BC, Duke’s Cider uses a blend of Okanagan apples in its juice. Last year Duke’s was the number one craft cider in BC. It is on LCBO shelves as of this week, and it won’t surprise anyone if it does really well here, too.

Duke's Cider - Fireweed Brewing Co.

Duke's Cider - Tree Brewing Co.

Disclaimer: I work for North American Craft, an agency that represents, among others, Duke’s Cider. My review will be as objective as any other I post, but feel free to seek other opinions if you fear I might be fleecing you.

From a 355ml with a best before stamped on the bottom rim, Duke’s Cider pours a golden honey yellow. Some fizzy head drops immediately to a still surface, occasionally disturbed by a bubble of carbonation. Aroma is a medley of apples. I get sturdy starchy cooking apples (think Northern Spy), tart crisp apples, a sweetness a bit like cooked apple sauce and a hint of wildflower honey. Taste is immediately rich and a little earthy, hinting at apple peels, but right away it dries out and gets quite tart. The sharp bite nearly hints at sour cherries, or under-ripe apples, but there is a bit of sweetness to keep it comfortable and balanced. The finish is a mellow warm baked apple sweetness with a lingering tart sensation on the cheeks. With its medium body and low carbonation, this is a weighty enjoyable cider.

Over Ice: chilled over ice, as I often find, the aroma all but disappears. Some warm apple tones come through, but not much else. Taste is much more subdued as well, a little tart, but much thinner and less interesting. Still some nice crisp apple notes pop through, and a little bit of something sugary, like bubblegum, but the finish is much quicker and the linger is just a bit of a tart feeling on the palate. If you must drink it on ice, go ahead, but it is a much more interesting drink at 5C.

Cheers to Duke’s. A lovely product, and one I’m proud to sell.

About The Cidery

A company focused on quality, excellence and creating great tasting beer, Tree Brewing Company has been taking craft brewing seriously for 15 years. Located in beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia, Tree brews in small batches using only water, malt, hops and yeast to produce the highest quality, all natural, unpasteurized beer. The Tree family of Craft beers include Hop Head India Pale Ale, Thirsty Beaver Amber Ale, Cutthroat West Coast Pale Ale, Kelowna Pilsner, Beach Blonde Lager and Vertical Winter Ale. Special releases also make brief appearances depending on the inspirations of Brewmaster Stefan Buhl. In 2011, Tree Brewing also introduced its first cider to the lineup; Dukes Dry Apple Cider is the only 100% BC-produced Dry Apple Cider available on the market. For more information on Tree Brewing and its award-winning lineup, please visit www.treebeer.com.

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