Celebrating tonight as I have accomplished a milestone. I have passed the entry level exam to be a certified competition cider judge.

Several months of study and tasting (hard) ciders have paid off. I still have to pass a tasting exam for full certification. However, as of today, I am a certified entry level competition cider judge.
Color of light amber. Moderate carbonation.
The bottle says European Style Cider, we would classify it as French Style Cider.
Semi-sweet, medium bodied, with a pleasurable fruity component in the nose and on the palate. Balanced with moderate tannins and mouthfeel.
4.5 % ABV
How would we grade this one in competition. It’s a really nice drinking cider, fairly true to it’s style. I’d score this one as a high silver medal winner.

The cider certification exam consist of 100 questions and only 30 minutes are allowed to complete. A passing score is 70.
The questions are really technical and one could not pass without significant study.
Therefore, admittedly I’m really excited! Cheers!
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