Spire Mountain Dark & Dry

Let me start by saying that I really wanted to like Spire Mountain's Dark & Dry. I was hopeful. Spire is owned by Fish Brewing and I have enjoyed their fine organic ales for several years. Furthermore, I like to support local and regional businesses, even ones from Washington. However, it didn't happen. Not only was the cider egregiously sweet but it was downright flat and syrupy, leaving behind a thickish mouthcoat. Spire's website describes the Dark & Dry as having an assertive tartness to it that is "balanced" by a "hint" of molasses and brown sugar. In reality, the reverse is true. It's all sappy and sweet with a vague notion of tartness. Someone on ratebeer.com described the flavor as tasting something like apple pie filling. They're not wrong.

I picked up six of these babies for two reasons. First, it was on sale for $2 less than the regular price of $10.95, and second, because I confused it with Ace Hard Cider, a cider a friend recommended. I was also encouraged by the claim of dryness. Calling this cider dry is like saying it's dry on the Oregon coast or that Dane Cook has a dry sense of humor (or any sense of humor at all), which is to say that it is not dry even in the slightest... I suppose they did get the dark part right. It's a pretty reddish amber verging on maroon.

Perhaps I'm a snob or I just don't get it but sweet ciders remind me of top 40 pop music. They are massively popular and seem specifically designed to appeal to a simple palate. One that isn't discerning. One that prefers a steady diet of pre-digested pap to variety and complexity. With each candied cider sold, America further embraces it's rabid and borderline pathological addiction to sugar.

Spire isn't new to the game, they started making their cider back in 1985 and they claim to be America's oldest operating craft cider maker, and they certainly aren't the leading cider maker by reputation, consumption or sales, but they are in the running for sweetest. I mean seriously, it tastes like they grabbed some cans of frozen Tree Top apple juice concentrate and let them sit in a cooler in the sun all summer. I think they might just be mashing up red deliciouses and letting them ferment in carboys in a garage somewhere. Perhaps they did. There is no information on their website about the process they use to make their cider or what varieties of apples they use. I did find a blog where someone wrote about their attempt to make a mimic cider of Dark & Dry (http://www.beerik.com/spiredark.html) and they used Kirkland's apple juice the first time and Tree Top the second time - don't ask me why they went back to the well a second time. It's baffling to me why someone would go through so much trouble to make something that tastes so specifically pedestrian.

In the end, this is a great cider for someone who is just starting to drink alcohol, would prefer an apple soaked in sugar or is trying to ween themselves off of Capri Suns. If that sounds like you, run out to the nearest market and grab yourself a few. Cheers!


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For more information on Spire Mountain ciders, you can visit them at http://www.fishbrewing.com/spire-mountain-cider/