Visit the nearest apple orchard and go deep into the field. Grab a ladder and climb to the top of a tree and pick the biggest, freshest apple you can find. Take a bite, feel the juice in your mouth and you’ll have an idea of the taste of the Strongbow Gold Apple Hard Cider.

It’s almost unbelievable how much this tastes like an apple. I can taste the skin and the juice without having apple parts stuck in my teeth and without having to deal with seeds, a stem and a core at the end.

The Strongbow smells fantastic, and it really brings me back to fall. As I sit here trying to avoid the brutal Syracuse winter, the strong cider smell makes me think of the leaves changing on the trees and sweatshirt weather. But this is definitely a major departure from beer. The first thing that jumped out to me is the sweetness. The taste will almost make you purse your lips and squint your eyes as if you’re sucking on a super sweet candy.

This is far different than other popular ciders, like Woodchuck and Angry Orchard. The flavor is far more authentic, and it’s nowhere near as carbonated. It’s extremely smooth and refreshing. You can barely tell it has any alcohol in it with its 5 percent ABV. These ciders have a chance of tasting harsh or sour but the Strongbow is placed perfectly on the sweetness spectrum.

There’s a slight aftertaste, but it’s not unpleasant or too sugary, which is an issue with many similar drinks.

And while the Strongbow Gold Apple Hard Cider is enjoyable, I’m not sure if I’d ever sit through a whole bottle, and I definitely wouldn’t have multiple. Like many of its counterparts, this cider is just extremely sweet. It would mix well with some other, more concentrated alcoholic drinks like vodka or Fireball.

I recommend giving it a try, but definitely don’t buy a six-pack unless you have a major sweet tooth.