Annandale Atomic Cider and Keeping an Open Mind!

Nestled between the hamlets of Annandale-on-Hudson and Barrytown in the town of Red Hook, NY, lies the Montgomery Place Historic site. There are a series of orchards in the area that used to be cultivated by the Livingston family (they owned several mansions in the region). They are currently being used to grown apples for sale and hard cider by Montgomery Place Orchards. Fun fact: I used to work there. The MPO Farm Stand carries the Atomic hard cider as well as a wide selection of local fruits, vegetables, jams, dairy products, etc. The stand is located at the intersection of Route 9G and Route 199 in Red Hook, NY. It is definitely worth a trip.

Atomic is a 7% ABV hard apple cider. This is one of the best ciders I have tried. Am I a little biased? Maybe, but I like to think that my tastebuds tell the truth. What I usually dislike about hard cider is that the taste can be bland and harsh. The Atomic hard cider is tart and pleasantly sweet up front, but finishes crisp and dry, like a cider should. You can tell that there is some booze to it, but not overwhelming. It's actually good that you can taste some alcohol, otherwise it would be all too easy to drink too much. It is extremely refreshing and perfect for a summer's afternoon. What I really like is that you can really tell that the cider comes from apples. Some ciders taste like a bad champagne. I don't get why. It is a drink derived from apples. Make sure you can taste the apples. The Atomic cider exceeded all of my expectations, probably because they are made with some of the best apples in the region.  

If you are a beer drinker and your first thought is, "Ugh, I hate cider", that's probably because you are thinking of it as a beer. Cider is not beer. They are related, but they are very different drinks. Just keep an open mind and try something that you might normally pass by. Personally, I'm not big on ciders, but I will gladly take the opportunity to grab some Atomic cider whenever it shows up. You can find some places to get Atomic here. Give it a shot. You won't be disappointed. Plus, then you get a cool mason jar when you're finished. Just try to moderate, this stuff is strong and smooth. 

Glassware: Mason jar

Synonym Beer: It is a cider, not a beer. Doc's comes closest, but doesn't compare in my opinion.

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