Review: 2019 Son of Man Sagardo

In the marketing monarchy of cider, packaging is king. He serves with a powerful hand, too — considering language has changed in the last few months in regards to cider — so what strikes the consumer over the head more than anything is what that package directly and deliberately says to them. The sparkly new 2019 release of Oregon ciderhouse Son of Man‘s Sagardo not only strikes the consumer with what’s inside the can, it also guides them in how to enjoy it.

More than 22 Hood River-and Willamette Valley-grown apple varieties go into Sagardo (the Basque word for cider) that undergo native fermentation, which is left unfiltered, free of sulfites and carbonated naturally. The new canned packaging also helps the consumer in drinking the Basque-style cider in just three steps. First, shake the can well. Secondly, do the long pour (from three feet overhead the glass). And finally, drink it with food.

Bright in lemon rind, slightly tart with wafts of earth and yeast, this cider is first and foremost, clean and pure apple. The 2019 release is about as direct — but far from simplistic — as it can be, with clear-cut packaging to boot.