Cidre 99 was established only in 2015 by Jakub Neuls and Peter Krajčík in a small village of Roštín in the heart of Zlín, Czech Republic. Why 99? The name 99 comes simply from the property number, which is 99. Anyway, at Cidre 99 they have a traditional approach to cider making but with a modern twist. Apples are harvested from the company’s own old orchard, pressed and slowly fermented at cold temperature to preserve more of the aromatics. The result is a dry cider that meets owners expectation for taste.
Company: Cidre 99
Place of Origin: Roštín, Zlín, The Czech Republic
Apples: Moravian apple from their own orchard
Sweetness as per label: dry
ABV: 7%
Package type: draught
Recommended type of glass: pint glass or flute
Appearance: pours a lightly hazy straw yellow with a tiny head, which quickly reduces to a ring around the glass. Light natural fizz. Body is also light.
Aroma/Nose: the nose is rather weak and yeasty, earthy and exhibits fermenting apples, and green apples.
Taste: it begins slightly watery with a moderate acidity and only traces of residual sugar, indeed bone-dry. Taste of yeast, earth, sulphur and fermenting apples on the mid-palate. The finish is also dry with a touch of astringency and light lingering grapefruit-like bitterness.
Overall: I remember that last year, when I tried this cidre at Slavnost Cideru 2016 for the first time, it tasted EXTREMELY sour. I’m sorry to say that, but it was the least palatable cider of the last years’s edition of the Cider Festival in Prague. Having not the best last year’s experience in mind, I have decided nevertheless to give Cidre 99 another go this year. Cidre 99 taste-wise indeed improved, as the level of acidity significantly reduced making it drinkable, crisp und thus refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. But, Cidre 99 still tastes average. Moreover, these yeasty, sulphuric and earthy notes didn’t exactly contribute to the palate. I must emphasise that Cidre 99 tasted significantly better than the Carboy Cidre, another cider I tried at Slavnost Cideru 2017. Since I could observe a rising trend in the improvement of taste, I trust that Cidre 99 will taste better next year. 2.5/6
Availability: in many bars, restaurants in The Czech Republic. Locally in Prague from InCiderBar or Dobry Cider. From Kralupská pivotéka U Chameleona in Kralupy nad Vltavou. Online from Opily Jabko.
Price: had 0.2L at Slavnost Cideru 2017 at 25 CZK (1 EUR)
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I always think it is interesting that a cidery can stay in business when they make a style of cider which doesn’t seem to have mass appeal, such as something that is dry and sour. However, at least here in the NW part of the U.S., farmhouse-style rustic sour ciders seem to be getting popular, if the increase in the number of cideries which make them and even specialize in them is any indicator. I’ve tasted a number of them and still haven’t developed a palette for them, but some seem to really like them.
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I actually like sour and dry ciders. But Cidre 99 had just too many off flavours, which were not appealing to me. As for ciders that don’t appeal to mass audience, I entirely agree with you. Perhaps cider preferences in The Czech Republic are closer to the these from the Frankfurt area in Germany and Cidre99 found a gap to fill with their cider. Or Cidre99 is just considered a local alternative to overly sweet commercial ciders.
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