Shauna Steigerwald

ssteigerwald@enquirer.com

Over-The-Rhine Cider Co. will make its debut at Taste of Cincinnati this weekend.

The company, a division of Christian Moerlein Brewing Co., is launching with two hard cider styles – Original and Crisp.

Both are 6 percent ABV (alcohol by volume). They'll be sold on draft – you can already get them at Christian Moerlein's Over-the-Rhine taproom, 1621 Moore St. – and in six-packs of 12-ounce cans at grocers and bottle shops.

Here are the brewery's descriptions of the new products.

Original: "The fresh orchard aroma of juicy Honeycrisp and Red Delicious apples is joined with a natural sweetness and slight acidity to give this cider a delicious balance."

Crisp: "With a delicate aroma reminiscent of Granny Smith apples, this cider is accented by a dry, crisp finish, and a moderate but pleasingly effervescent champagne-like finish."

Greg Hardman, owner of Christian Moerlein, said the company spent two years developing the ciders, including hand-selected the ingredients from among hundreds tested. The champagne yeast used, for example, "really sets this product apart," he said. "It really has an aromatic flavor."

Hardman said he sees ciders as having staying power in the marketplace.

"Ciders have had a great growth pattern for 25 or 30 years, and there's no reason to think they're not going to continue to grow," he said.

To sample Over-the-Rhine Cider company at Taste, which runs Saturday through Monday, visit Booth 626 at the corner of Fifth and Sycamore streets.

For more information, visit the company's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/OTRCiderCo.