Sure, it makes sense to associate sweetened and spiced cider with autumn, but to me, the hard version is hot-weather, summer fare. With their new offering — a Farmhouse cider — Pommies has figured this out and created what will be my dock cider for 2015.

In contrast to the main Pommies label, the Farmhouse is really tart and quite dry. It’s a nice, clear pale gold with a contrasting white head, which quickly fades. The aroma has apple peel and deep cooked applesauce notes in the background. Overall it’s tart and balanced, if not terribly complex.

Take care when pairing this one with food. It’s perfect for simple salty bites: oysters, impromptu summer sandwiches and things dipped in other things. All that tartness will knock a more composed meal out of whack.

Each summer, new cider releases bring the category beyond its status as a gluten-free, non-bitter alternative to beer. Craft cider is definitely “a thing” and this new offering deserves to be at the head of the 2015 class.

This cider doesn’t beat west country scrumpy or the finer bottles from France, but it will serve a purpose. “Sessionable” isn’t applied as often to ciders as it is to beer, but because Pommies Farmhouse Cider is so clean and tart tasting, I can easily picture a three-can afternoon.

Pommies Farmhouse Cider, $3.05 for a 473 ml can, LCBO #418582.