Magners Irish Cider
Figure 1. Magners Irish Cider
Introduction
Ireland may not spring to mind as a hotbed of cider production, but it has been produced there for years and producers have even received preferential tax treatment (Wikipedia, 2010). Magners have been brewing cider in South Tipperary since 1935 and now produce beverages including Magners Irish Cider, a 4.5% alc./vol. brewed from, among other varieties, Yarlington Mill, Medaille d’Or and Brown Snout (Magners Guide to Cider, 2010).
Cider started emerging in Roman records as early as 55 BC (Drinkfocus, 2010) and the Magners website offers additional background information which suggests that:
During the 14th century, children were baptised in cider – it was cleaner than water – and in the 18th century part of a farm labourers wages were paid in cider. By the year 1800, cider was said to be ‘the’ cure for stomach upset, rheumatic disease and various other diseases (Magners website, 2010).
Aim
This experiment was designed to investigate numerous characteristics of Magners Irish Cider including, but not limited to, aroma, flavor, colour, satisfaction and vessel design.
Method
A 568 ml bottle (see figure 1) of Magners Irish Cider was obtained from a local supermarket for NZ$4.99. The bottle was placed in a refrigerator to cool to 4 oC. The cap of the bottle was removed under controlled conditions using a bottle cap leveraging device. The contents of the bottle were decanted into clean glass vessels. Aroma was evaluated by smelling the liquor. Flavour was analysed by tasting the fluid and discussing it with a research collaborator at great length and, subsequently, satisfaction was assessed. The glass was held up to a standardized light to evaluate the colour and aesthetic aspects of the vessel were considered.
Results
The results of Magners Irish Cider are shown in table 1 below.
Table 1. Characteristics of Magners Irish Cider.
| Characteristic | Result |
| Aroma | Sweet, pineappley-peary fruitiness suggestive of fruit candy, possibly boiled sweets. Very strongly brings images of Leicester University Student Union Bar in the early 1990s to mind |
| Flavour | Initially, incredibly sugary sweet flavour, which is followed by a sourer, vaguely vinegary trace. Sugariness leaves the lips sticky upon drying. A large quantity of effervescence leads to rapid expulsion of voluminous gas |
| Colour | Strong, clear, orange colour, suspiciously similar to Original Lucozade |
| Satisfaction | The satisfaction is tempered by the extreme sweetness of the product. |
| Vessel Design | A classic brown bottle adorned with a fairly uncomplicated green, yellow, red, black and white label (see figure 1) |
| Head | A soda water-like cluster of bubbles rise rapidly upon decantation to disappear almost instantaneously |
| Drinkability | 4 |
Conclusion
The sweetness of Magners Irish Cider detracts somewhat from drinking pleasure, however, it is possible that intensely sweet drinks are to some people’s liking. Although both are cider, Magners Irish Cider is far removed from the more traditional scrumpy potions which are available from barns throughout south-east England, served up by merry farmers with ruddy cheeks and bulbous noses. The test subject was initially going to be awarded a drinkability score of 3, however, since it has come from Tipperary, and as you know, that’s a long way, it was awarded a bonus point for effort. It is beyond the scope of the present study to ascertain whether Magners Irish Cider would be attractive to the Goth community.
References
http://www.drinkfocus.com/articles/apple-cider/history-of-cider.php
http://www.magners.com/about-us/guide-step2.asp
Journal of Applied Drink Studies International 
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