Beer Challenge: 006: Strongbow Apple Ciders Honey 330mL Bottle

This week, our challenge, on the red corner, ISSSS - the STRONGBOW APPLE CIDER HONEYYY

What?! You said apple cider does not count as beer? HUH? What are you talking about? I can't hear you, hello? he..ll...o?

Oh, something weird happened, whatever, let's start our challenge!

Strongbow is a cider originated from England since 1962. So, there is a second website, I mean the official UK website for Strongbow (or choose UK in location in the global website).

Strongbow has earned the highest selling cider in Australia and the second highest in N. American in 2012, it is pretty well known, popular

However, in RateBeer.com, the rating is so low! It's 24/100, basically is a fail drink (well, compare to its brother Strongbow Cider who gets only 11/100, Honey did pretty good).

WHY is that?

Is it because people who like Strongbow cider doesn't rate it? OR

Is it because only whose who don't like Strongbow cider rates it?

Hmm, very good question though.

For sure, I cannot judge one product by only one website or in a very small pool. It is just a critical thought which everyone has its own taste.

One thing can be sure tho, how good was the marketing of Strongbow?

Take a look of its commercial from the Global website published on Apr 2015

"Strongbow over Ice", personally felt this name fail so much.

And then another one, from the UK Strongbow from Jul 2014

Much better. At least you can see a story.

Although I personally like the one in 2011 better.

It attracted me to try.

Right, then here I tried:

- Golden brown amber color, light apple acidic smell

- Sweet but not too sweet compare to Somerby (Yes, I tried it), minimal of honey favour can be tasted; 

- Sour, like apple and more than that, less than apple vinegar; 

- Medium bitterness, very obvious when drinking down.

- Carbonation, mild. Serve with ice or no ice are fine.

Good for drinking alone

Sweetness: 6/10
Sour: 6/10
Bitterness: 7/10

R Scale: 7.5/10
I think it's an okay cider, tho nothing special :P


When cider typically means the alcoholic drinks made from fermented apple juice, Strongbow has added other favours for more production lines (Go to the UK website, you can see 3 more favours that the global one didn't show!)

Next week, we will be challenging the other Strongbow product - Elder Flower, let's see if it is more special than this.

Hmmm...I should try the original one first, right eh?

Cheers! Have a great drink ever! Drink safe!