Drank: Everybody Pogo (Cider Riot)

By Martin Cizmar

Cider Riot’s Abram Goldman-Armstrong has deep roots in the cider orchards. As a teenager, he picked cider apples in Yamhill County, then made his first batch of booze from Red Delicious apples as a freshman in college. In these parts, he’s better known as a beer guy: editor of Northwest Brewing News and organizer of the organic beer festival. But he got the detached garage at his Mount Tabor home approved for production by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, and is rolling out a line of cider starting with Everybody Pogo, a hopped New World cider designed for “the Cascadian palate.” Indeed, Pogo sips like a beer—not because it’s green or bitter, but because it comes to a remarkably lagerlike balance. This cider is squeaky clean and couldn’t be fairly called either “dry” or “sweet.” The hoppiness is restrained and noble, not unlike fresh Pilsner Urquell. You could pound it without noticing, which is especially dangerous given we paid $7 for a pint at Hopworks. Recommended.

WWeek 2015

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