Julian Hard Cider – Julian, CA

Julian Hard Cider – 3/5

I was first exposed to cider in the summer of 2006 while living in London. Up until this time I thought cider was a direct threat to my manhood and stayed clear. Having said this, there was little to no variety in Australia at the time.

The UK however had a huge selection of local microbrewed and European ciders. At the time I became very fond of Magners, Bulmers and Gaymers from Ireland, all of which are a slightly dry cider.

I recently discovered Julian Hard Cider from the little town of Julian, East of San Diego. Having recently taken a drive out there with my wife Sarah and dog Charlie to sample famous apple pies, I had high expectations of this cider.

As most of the ciders I have sampled over the years were either sweet or what I considered dry, I must say it really took me by surprise. Julian Hard Cider is incredibly dry and bubbly, similar to sparkling white wine. It’s dryer than I ever knew a cider could be. Personally I prefer a mildly dry cider but I can definitely appreciate it for what it is.

I can imagine drinking this at Christmas time. I think it would pair really well with roast pork or pork chops.