Review of Alpenfire’s 3 Pommes, made with apples, pears, and quince (which is a pomme fruit most similar to pears and apples).  It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Dungeness, Spark, Smoke, ApoCalypso, Ember, Simple Cider, Calypso, Pirate’s Plank, Glow, Cinders, Shrub, Spiced Tonic Shrub, Traditional Heirloom Cider, Flame, Tempest, Foxwhelp SV, and Rosy Pommeau.

Cider:  3 Pommes – Apple, Pear, Quince (2016 vintage, released 2018)
Cidery:  Alpenfire
Cidery Location:  Port Townsend WA
ABV:  6.9%
How Supplied:  750ml bottles
Style:  American artisan cider from estate pomme fruit (apples, pears, & quince)
Varietals:  Muscadet de Dieppe, Dolgo Crab, Vilberie, Dabinett, & Pink Pearl apples; Bosc, Hendre Huffcap, & Romanian pears; Quince

  

Availability:  likely limited to Western Washington, plus online sales

Cider Description:  A blend of estate bittersweet apples, perry & wild foraged pears, and locally grown quince. The early pears, crab apples and quince are hand pressed macerated and fermented in stainless. The late season apples are pressed and fermented then blended with the early fruit for aging. Very light bottle conditioning gives this cider a petulant carbonation, just enough to tease the nose.

Cidery Description:  We invite you to experience the distinctive flavors of our estate grown ciders. Shaped by our maritime climate’s mild summers and tempered by the foggy mist rolling off of Discovery Bay, our apples maintain the qualities they’ve been treasured for by generations of cider lovers.  Soft tannins, high sugars, hints of bitterness, and an incredible flavor range are the tools the apples bring us.  Slow, cool fermentation, lengthy maturation, and attention to detail is the way we say thank you!

Price:  ~ $17.99
Where Bought:  Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  browsing

First Impression:  Dark straw yellow hue.  Nearly still (very low carbonation).  Smells primarily of canned pear.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry.  Light to medium bodied.  Moderate tartness and acidity.  Low to moderate tannins.  Hints of bitterness and funk.  No sourness.  Notes of pear, tropical fruit, tart heirloom apples, and honey.  Long tannic finish.  Low apple flavor, Moderate pear flavor, flavor intensity, complexity, and sessionability.

My Opinion:  I really enjoyed it, and so did the others I tasted it with.  Way unique.  Wine-like.  Fruity, but barely sweet.  However, it wasn’t sparkling like I had expected per the label, although it worked as a nearly still cider, and was probably easier to drink.

Most Similar to:  I’ve had cider with quince from Eaglemount and CiderHead, and this had some of the same tart tropical & honey notes, but the pear was more prominent.

Closing Notes:  Alpenfire is one of my favorite PNW cideries, and has a wide variety of unique selections.  My favorites however are probably their richest selections, Smoke and Ember.

Have you tried cider with quince?  What did you think?