The name of this craft cider might give a clue about the hoppy quotient (triple hops within) but only locals will get the reference to the Malahat—Vancouver Island’s dividing mountain between Victoria and the southern tip, and everything else. The cute name isn’t all that’s local about Tod Creek Craft Cider, Victoria’s brand new artisan cidery. Though their grand opening was in late June, owner and cider maker Chris Schmidt has been working on this project since 2007 when he purchased the eight-acre farm near Prospect Lake, BC. His small-lot, all-apple juice blends are sourced from his own orchard, his neighbors in Victoria and from BC’s fruit basket, the Okanagan Valley. Mala-Hop is true to form, with gentle but present earthy hops along with perfumed apples, a subtle dose of maple syrup and a smooth (though unfiltered) body that finishes dry. Tod Creek is Vancouver Island’s third commercial cidery—let’s hop hope there are more to come shortly.
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