REVEREND NAT'S SAINT CITRON CIDER

A.Pin: 91 PTS. (08/15/2019) 

After a long day at work, a late day appointment with a pharmacist that ran longer than normal, a puzzle geocache found in the greenbelts of Factoria and a frantic search for keys that we're only to be found at home on the bar waiting for me to take them to work...doh, I came home to find a cold cider in the fridge. Apple cider with a flavor. Now-a-days, everyone's doing it. Tieton has a really good one called Bourbon Peach Cider, Locust has another called the Vanilla Bean Hard Apple Cider, and then there's Reverend Nat's from Portland Oregon. 

Since 2004, Rev Nat's has been producing creative ciders that showcase flavor pairings such as Citron (Lemon) and Apple or a Hopricot Cider that takes hops and apricots and morphs them together. I must admit that for quite some time, I didn't get what they were doing. I was in this "traditional" cider state of mind and believe you me, I found some good "traditional" ciders. MIssion Trail from central California has one of the best dry ciders out there. Dragon Head from Vashon Island Washington has one of the best local hard ciders. Tieton's Wild Washington Apple Cider...MMMmmm Mmmm, good! So this one from Nat's was a bit hard to crack. But I was advised to pop it by my trusty beer assistant Leif Erikson! 

Leif, being from a different world, suggested I branch off from my "traditional" hard cider head-space and find things that are outta-this-world. He thought this cider would be a good start. I popped it open, poured it into my new Mac & Jack's pint glass and gave it a whiff. Not much of anything, at first. I then simply tried it. YEEEEESH!! Lemon, tart, lemon, tart, Citron, tart, then bland, a long bland and here comes the citron again!! "Weird!", I thought. Not sure what Leif was thinking about!?!? I let it sit while I looked at the Reverend Nat's website. Read a few things, downloaded a photo and without thinking I picked up the glass and tried it again. Not more than 2 minutes after first trying it. Oh boy, was it different!!

My second round of Reverend Nat's Saint Citron was much more pleasureful. Big medium european citron flavors that wouldn't stop beating up against the sides of my tongue midway through my mouth, the long long well balanced apple-lemon finish, still sitting there for about 40 seconds after I had swallowed it. "Yep!", I thought, "I can dig this!" Leif was right and I can stand behind it too. Good cider! Cheers!