Nightingale Cider Company has launched Light Bird, a low-alcohol cider coming in at just 1.5% ABV. It’s wild-fermented from Discovery apples.
Rather than compromise on taste, Nightingale has focused on producing a flavour-forward cider that sits comfortably alongside full-strength options, says the maker.
Light Bird marks Nightingale’s first official venture into the world of lower-alcohol cider. Made in small batches, it is designed to celebrate fruit at its prime.
Delicate and radiant in the glass, the cider glows a light pink. The nose bursts with strawberries and cream, with a hint of morello cherry. On the palate, juicy ripe strawberries lead the way, lifted by a sparkling sherbet twist.
“Light Bird was born very simply out of what I love to drink,” said Max Fulgoni, head cidermaker at Nightingale. “It’s a snapshot of my favourite moment in fermentation — bright, fruity, and floral — when apples are just becoming cider and you get the best of both worlds.
“I’ve always wanted to make cider more accessible and inviting for as many people as possible, and lower-alcohol cider is a great way to do that, while still pushing the boundaries of what cider can be and showing people, through great-tasting drinks, what’s possible.”
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He added: “Like the rest of our range, Light Bird is rooted in the orchard and shaped by wild fermentation, but it’s unique in that it really expresses the yeast and the work they do, rather than just the apple alone.
“Making it from 100% juice and allowing it to ferment wild is essential. It preserves the natural aroma and flavour, rather than diluting the cider, as many industrial low-alcohol methods do.
“With a whole community of yeasts and bacteria working together, we’re able to capture that microbiological diversity and translate it into real complexity in both flavour and aroma.”
Cider expert Gabe Cook — AKA The Ciderologist — said: “Low- and no-alcohol cider has grown rapidly over the past few years, largely driven by brands from the major producers. Now, we’re beginning to see truly craft low- and no-alcohol ciders emerge, and Light Bird is a standout example.
“With an incredible Turkish delight and lychee aroma leading into flavours of raspberry pavlova, this is a bold, fruity, and playful exploration of lower-alcohol drinks.”
