2 Towns Blueberry Daze

June 29, 2020June 29, 2020 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, 2 Towns cider, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, blueberry cider, Blueberry Haze, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Blueberry Daze (with blueberries, grapes, and lavender). It is my first time trying this, although I have had most of their ciders (see here).

Cider: Blueberry Daze
Cidery: 2 Towns Ciderhouse
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 5.3%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with blueberries, grapes, and lavender

Availability: limited release, Spring 2020 ? , in select areas where 2 Towns is typically sold (Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Chicago, and parts of Minnesota & Montana)

Cider Description: Blueberry Daze is a rich, smooth, soft, velvety, lush, and crazy aromatic cider. Yes. All those adjectives. The unfiltered, fresh-pressed Pacific Northwest blueberry juice is dark and full of rich berry-licious flavor. The addition of Muscat grapes lend the cider an incredibly fruity and floral aroma, while the lavender finishes the cider with deep, floral, and intoxicating notes.

Cidery Description: At 2 Towns Ciderhouse we believe that the long history of cidermaking demands respect and deserves to be done right. Starting with the highest quality whole ingredients from local farms, we take no shortcuts in crafting our ciders. We never add any sugar, concentrates or artificial flavors, and instead use slow, cold fermentation methods to allow the fruit to speak for itself. As a family-owned company, we are committed to the growth of our team and enrichment of our communities. We take pride in producing true Northwest craft cider.

Price: ~ $6.99
Where Bought: Costco
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing

First Impression: Deep purple-red hue. Little to no carbonation. Smells of lavender with a hint of berry.

Tasting Notes: On the drier side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate to high acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of blueberry, lavender, tart green apple, and a hint of grape. Moderate length tart finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity and overall complexity. Moderate to high sessionability.

My Opinion: Awesome! The flavor was superb, with some nice complexity for a modern cider (one made from dessert apples, often with adjuncts). I wouldn’t have minded a tad more sweetness, although as-is its super sessionable.

Most Similar to: Finnriver Lavender Black Currant, except with blueberries & grapes instead of black currants (both are semi-dry and tart).

Closing Notes: I wish this was a year-round canned release.

Have you tried 2 Towns Blueberry Daze? What did you think?

2 Towns Branch & Barrel

December 26, 2019December 25, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, Branch & Barrel, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, heirloom cider, imperial cider, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Branch & Barrel, an Imperial-style cider made from heirloom apples, then barrel aged. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve had most of their line-up (see here).

Cider: Branch & Barrel
Cidery: 2 Towns Ciderhouse
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 8.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft Imperial-style cider from heirloom apples, barrel aged

Availability: seasonal, in fall, in select states where 2 Towns is typically sold (Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Chicago, and parts of Minnesota & Montana)

Cider Description: Pomona, goddess of orchards, blessed our crop this year with a bounty of eclectic heirloom apples which, when fermented & aged in French oak foeders, yield a deliciously aromatic cider fit for the gods!

Price: $6.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing; I was surprised to see this on shelves vs. usually receiving samples of their new releases in the mail (they did however send me an awesome holiday gift – a bottle of their Pommeau!)

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, dry, of complex heirloom apples.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. Notes of heirloom apple, stone fruit, and honey. Moderate length tart finish. Moderate apple flavor, sessionability, flavor intensity, and complexity.

My Opinion: I liked it, especially because they went a bit sweeter with this one than their others and its flavor profile. It tasted sweeter than it smelled. My husband was also a fan, especially due to it being Imperial-style (higher ABV), which is his favorite.

Most Similar to: Tieton SV Harrison and Snowdrift Forefathers

Closing Notes: 2 Towns is always a good choice, as they make so many different varieties of ciders, and they are all pretty middle of the road, to appeal to the masses.

Have you tried 2 Towns Branch & Barrel? What did you think?

2 Towns Cosmic Currant

December 2, 2019December 1, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, black currant cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Cosmic Currant, cranberry cider, hard cider, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Cosmic Currant, a new fruit seasonal with cranberries and black currants. It is my first time tying this, but I have had most of their line-up (see here).

>>This is a review of a sample can provided to Cider Says by 2 Towns. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received it for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

Cider: Cosmic Currant
Cidery: 2 Towns Ciderhouse
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz cans (and 500ml bottles and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with cranberries and black currants

Availability: seasonal (winter), in Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Chicago, and parts of Minnesota & Montana

Cider Description: Crafted with a transcendent blend of Oregon-grown cranberries, black currants, and Northwest apples, Cosmic Currant’s complex profile takes you on a voyage to the cosmos. Deep ruby red hues radiate with a hint of cane fruit sweetness and earthy cassis liqueur, finishing with a robust cranberry tannin. This brilliant winter warmer creates a celestial cider experience best enjoyed on a crisp, clear night under a blanket of stars.

Cidery Description: At 2 Towns Ciderhouse we believe that the long history of cidermaking demands respect and deserves to be done right. Starting with the highest quality, whole ingredients from local farms, we take no shortcuts in crafting our ciders. We refuse to add processed sugars, concentrates or artificial flavors, and instead use slow, cold fermentation methods to allow the fruit to speak for itself. As a family-owned company, we are committed to the growth of our team and enrichment of our communities. We take pride in producing a true Northwest craft cider.

Price: retails for ~ $11.99 / six pack
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Medium red hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, of tart berry.

Tasting Notes: Dry to semi-dry. Light bodied. High tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No funk or sourness. Notes of cranberry with hints of black currant, green apple, and lemon. Long tart finish. Low apple flavor. Low to moderate complexity. Moderate sessionability and flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I’m not a big fan of cranberry, drier ciders, or tart ciders, so I wasn’t really into this. However, my husband loved it, as he likes all of those things.

Closing Notes: Its interesting that they only put currant in the title when it tastes more like cranberry.

Have you tried 2 Towns Cosmic Currant? What did you think?

2 Towns Hollow Jack’d

October 7, 2019October 5, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, pumpkin cider, spiced cider, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns’ Hollow Jack’d, a seasonal imperial-style pumpkin and spice cider. I sampled a non-imperial (lower ABV) version of this previously (see here), and I’ve tried most of their line-up (see here).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by 2 Towns. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received it for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

Cider: Hollow Jack’d
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 8.4%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles, kegs
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with caramelized heirloom pumpkin, sweet potato, honey, and spices

Availability: October 2019, in Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Chicago, and parts of Minnesota & Montana. See their Cider Finder.

Cider Description: Extra mischievous, Hollow Jack’D takes our fall classic of fresh-pressed apples, caramelized pumpkins and sweet potatoes that are finished with local honey and spices to a whole new level.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $6.99 / 500ml
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: I first tried it at Cider Summit Seattle 2016, but this time it just showed up

First Impression: Hazy straw yellow hue. Nearly still (low carbonation). Smells of caramelized apple and spice.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of baked apple and spices, with hints of pumpkin, sweet potato, and caramel. Moderate length boozy finish. Low to moderate sessionability and apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity and complexity. Low to moderate pumpkin & sweet potato flavor and spice.

My Opinion: Although I’m not a huge pumpkin / spiced cider fan, I liked this one.

Most Similar to: Doc’s Draft Pumpkin cider (although that was a full sweet) and Tieton’s Smoked Pumpkin cider (although that was quite intensely flavored compared to this). I’ve also tried pumpkin ciders from Ace and Woodchuck.

Closing Notes: Unlike many pumpkin ciders (and beers), this one is actually made with pumpkin. Many just add the pie spices but still call it a pumpkin cider (or beer). Also, it is well balanced, with both the pumpkin and spices remaining light.

Have you tried 2 Towns Hollow Jack’d? What did you think?

Cider Summit Seattle 2019 Post 2/2 – Tasting Notes

September 11, 2019September 11, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, Alpenfire, Archibald James, Bauman's, Bembel with Care, Chatter Creek, Cider Riot, Cider Summit, French Cider Inc., Herb's, Manchester Road, Newtopia Cyder, One Tree, Pear UP, Pierre Huet, Portland Cider, Rev Nat's, review, Seattle Cider, Soundbite, Union Hill, Wildcraft cider, cider event, cider review, cider summit, cider summit seattle, cider tasting, hard cider, seattle, tasting notes

This is post 2/2 on Cider Summit Seattle 2019, with tasting notes on 21 ciders. Post 1/2 covered the event.

The Tasting Notes

2 Towns Ciderhouse (Corvallis OR) Kingston Black – A draft-only special release. Semi-dry, tannic, lower acid, with a woody earthy flavor.

Alpenfire Cider (Port Townsend WA) Kingston Black – A small batch bottled release. Semi-dry, with a lighter flavor than expected for a KB single varietal, with notes of citrus and wood, and mild tannins.

Archibald James (Leavenworth WA) Smash Apple – Their sweeter (1.5% residual sugar) flagship canned/bottled offering. Semi-dry and very apple forward. High level of flavor for the lower sweetness.

Bauman’s Cider (Gervais OR) Kir Royale – A black currant and cherry barrel aged cider. Semi-sweet to semi-dry, with bold cherry and oak flavor.

Bembel with Care (Germany) Apfelwein Pure – A flagship canned release. Dry to semi-dry. Yeast-forward, and reminiscent of beer.

Chatter Creek Cider (Woodinville WA) Kingston Black – A special bottled released. Dry and acidic, with citrus and wood notes, but less complexity.

Cider Riot (Porland OR) Kingston Black – A special bottled release. On the sweeter side of dry. Rich bitter tannic flavor with caramel, leather, and orange.

Herb’s Cider (Bellingham WA) Forte – A keeved golden russet single varietal (which is unique as typically only French bittersweet apple juice is keeved), Cognac barrel aged. Semi-dry but tastes even sweeter, smooth, and apple-forward with hints of tropical fruit.

Herb’s Cider (Bellingham WA) Fruit Challenge – A one-off Foeder aged bittersweet plum jerkum. Dry but fruity, more berry than plum (but I’ve never been able to pick out plum flavor in a cider).

Manchester Road Cider (Chelan WA) Apple Sox Red – A flagship bottled offering with beets added for color. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Apple forward and non-specifically fruity.

Newtopia Cyder (San Diego CA) Passionate Mishap – A draft-only cider with passionfruit. Semi-dry to semi-sweet, with notes of tart passionfruit and some citrus.

One Tree Cider (Spokane WA) Passionfruit Guava – A one-off fruit cider challenge entry. Semi-sweet to sweet, and full flavored, with more passionfruit than guava.

Pear UP (East Wenatchee WA) Peargria II – Take two on a one-off margarita-inspired perry (from 100% pears, no apples) for the fruit cider challenge. Semi-dry to semi-sweet, with notes of lime, pear, and other fruit.

Pierre Huet (France) Calvados – This apple brandy is aged 5-10 years, and imported by French Cider Inc. I’m not big on spirits, especially served neat, so I’ll defer to my husband, who loved it. I can however say it was smooth for the high ABV. However, I think I’ll stick to cider and Pommeau.

Portland Cider (Portland OR) Peach Berry – A new canned release. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. More generally fruity than specific peach & berry, reminiscent of their Sangria, but slightly drier and less complex. Speaking of their Sangria, I heard it will be going to draft-only for awhile due to lower sales, which is sad as its my favorite from them.

Reverend Nat’s (Portland OR) Saint Citron – A new canned release. Semi-dry and citrus-forward, primarily grapefruit, with a hint of ginger.

Seattle Cider Company (Seattle WA) Strawberry Guava – A limited release with strawberries and guava. Dry, with mild fruitiness, but low flavor intensity.

Soundbite Cider (Everett WA) Two Plums Up – A limited release with plums. Semi-dry and fruity, more strawberry-rhubarb than plum I thought.

Union Hill Cider (East Wenatchee WA) Pinkheart – A blend with Red Fleshed, Cripps Pink, and Dabinett apples. Semi-dry, with subtle fruity citrus flavor.

Union Hill Cider (East Wenatchee WA) Hard Harvest – A blend with Cripps Pink, Dabinett, Porters Perfection, Kingston Black, and Snowdrift Crab apples. Dry to semi-dry, with subtle earthy citrus flavor.

Wildcraft Cider Works (Eugene OR) Rome Beauty – A single varietal of Rome Beauty apples. Measurably dry but it tastes sweeter, apple-forward (cooked) and non-specifically fruity, and completely clean. I liked the level of flavor (high) vs. sweetness (low).

I also had some 2 Towns Pommeau and Eden Heirloom Blend Ice Cider, because we still had tickets left, and they are awesome.

In Summary

It was impossible to taste all the ciders at the event, or even one from each producer, so I’d also like to share previous tasting notes and reviews of ciders from the other cideries I didn’t get to highlight: Alter Ego, Anthem, Avid (previously Atlas), Bad Granny, Brownrigg, Browar Polska Imports (Possmann & Ruwet), Capitol Cider, Caple Road, d’s Wicked, Double Mountain, Dragon’s Head, Eaglemount, Eden, Finnriver, Greenwood, Idun, Independent Cider, Incline, Jester & Judge, J. Seeds, Liberty, Locust, Longdrop, Miloslawski, Samuel Smiths, Schilling, Sea Cider, Snowdrift, Swift, Tieton, Ulee’s, Virtue, Wandering Aengus, and Washington Gold.

My favorites were Schilling Guava Mint (which I actually tried the night before but I’ll count as it was made for this event), Herb’s Forte, 2 Towns Kingston Black, and Alpenfire Kingston Black. Two of those were draft only, but I picked up bottles of the other two. Speaking of Kingston Black, single varietals from KB were popular, with at least 5 cideries offering them.

This event is always the highlight of Washington Cider Week, and the biggest and best cider event of the year in Western Washington.

Preview of Washington Cider Week 2019

August 2, 2019August 2, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, Bad Granny, Bauman's, Dragon's Head, Finnriver, Herb's, Liberty, Nashi Orchards, Pear UP, review, Snowdrift, Tieton cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Northwest Cider, NW Cider, tasting notes, wa cider week, Washington Cider Week

I was recently invited to a preview of Washington Cider Week for media and industry folks. The 9th annual Washington Cider Week is September 5th-15th 2019, and will include numerous cider events, with Cider Summit Seattle being a highlight (see my posts here). The preview event was hosted by the NW Cider Association, and held in the orchard at Dragon’s Head Cider on Vashon Island in WA.

It was a sweet invite-only event, and I enjoyed the excuse to take a half day off work and taste cider with my husband from about a dozen cideries, and chat with cidery reps. New for this year they had a panel discussion, hosted by Erin James (of CiderCraft and Sip NW magazines), featuring Emily Ritchie (the Director of NW Cider) and folks from PCC, Zeek’s pizza, and Teku Tavern, who shared about the role of cider in their businesses.

Erin James shared some interesting facts, like that cider grew 10 fold in 10 years (faster than craft beer did), 6-8% of beer sales in WA are cider (vs. 1-3% in most other states), and 1/3 of NW cideries are orchard-based (like Dragon’s Head).

NW Cider also showed off their new interactive map of NW cideries, categorized the list of tasting options by United States Association of Cidermakers cider styles, and shared about the Certified Cider Professional program.

They had some nice swag too – a bottle tote bag, brochures, keychain bottle opener, and a bottle stopper (as the NW Cider association is pushing the idea of bars & restaurants offering cider from bottle pours, not just kegs, especially as many of the smaller heritage cideries don’t keg their ciders).

Now, on to the cider!

2 Towns (Corvallis OR) Suns Out Saison (5.6%): Their 2nd fruit seasonal release of the year, from dessert apples and peaches, fermented with Saison beer yeast, a re-release of the 2016 version (see my review here). Semi-dry with notes of peach, citrus, yeast, and earth. I learned their 3rd fruit seasonal will be Cosmic Currant, made with black currant and cranberry. I was also told to be on the lookout for Marissimo later this year, a limited release marionberry barrel aged Pommeau. A tasty summery cider with flavor but not to much sweetness.

Snowdrift (Wenatchee WA) Forefathers (7.5%): A new draft-only release, from a combination of apples including both cider and dessert apple varieties. On the sweeter side of semi-dry, with notes of citrus, floral, and honey, and a hint of tannins. Approachable.

Pear UP (Wenatchee WA) Grapefruit: A new canned release, a grapefruit perry (from 100% pears, no apples). The grapefruit was stronger on the nose than the flavor. Very refreshing, almost like a grapefruit soda, but only mid-level sweetness, and nearly still. I wouldn’t have guessed it was perry.

Tieton (Yakima WA) Single Varietal Harrison: A new release, bottled & kegged, a single varietal from Harrison bittersharp cider apples. On the sweeter side of semi-dry, with notes of citrus & honey. I really enjoyed it, as its more approachable than a lot of other heritage ciders, being sweeter. I was surprised with the lack of sharpness and/or bitterness. Awesome.

Finnriver (Port Townsend WA) Fire Barrel: A whiskey barrel aged cider from cider apples. I’ve tried this before (see here), but I think this is a newer vintage. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Super rich, with notes of smoke, oak, and orange. I really enjoyed it, but prefer the original vintages (see here).

Finnriver (Port Townsend WA) Golden Russet: Made from ‘russeted’ cider apples, primarily Golden Russet. Dry to semi-dry, acidic, with notes of citrus and earth. A bit nuanced for my tastes.

Bad Granny (Wenatchee WA) Reserve: A new release using cider apples, and for the first time for them, methode champenoise, a traditional labor intensive method to make a naturally sparkling cider. Dry to semi-dry. Light fluffy texture with lots of bubbles. Notes of sharp apple and citrus with hints of bitterness and tannins. Also a bit nuanced for my tastes.

Bad Granny (Wenatchee WA) Honey Crisp: A flagship offering, but per my notes I actually haven’t tried it. On the sweeter side of semi-dry, apple-forward, with a bit of honey flavor. Nice.

Herb’s (Bellingham WA) Blue Note: Made from heirloom apples and blueberries, co-fermented (vs. being added in a secondary fermentation). Fully dry. Very light blueberry flavor.

Herb’s (Bellingham WA) Traditional Bittersharp: Made from bittersharp & bittersweet cider apples. Dry. Sharp and rich.

Herb’s (Bellingham WA) Crescendo: Made from Cox Orange Pippin apples. Dry. Lots of orange with a hint of floral notes.

I was impressed with all 3 selections from Herb’s as they had some awesome flavor profiles, but I wish they had a bit more sweetness.

Nashi (Vashon WA) Idyllacres Bittersweet Cider: Made from English & French bittersweet cider apples. On the sweeter side of dry. Tannic and complex. Notes of apple pomace, orange, caramel, and leather. Quite lovely.

Nashi (Vashon WA) Chojuro Asian Pear Perry: Unique scent, of spice / black pepper. However, the flavor profile was lemon and floral, with only a hint of pear. Semi dry. Perplexing.

You can tell what order I tasted these in, as I forgot to get photos of the last few…

Bauman’s (Portland OR) Dry: Made from a variety of apples, including dessert and cider. Dry, with notes of citrus & floral, and hints of bitterness & tannins. A bit nuanced for my tastes.

Bauman’s (Portland OR) Orange Blossom: Made with oranges and a hint of pineapple. On the sweeter side of semi-dry, tannic, with notes of orange. Great.

Bauman’s (Portland OR) Loganberry: Made with loganberries. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Berry forward with mild tartness and hints of tannins. I enjoyed the unexpected complexity.

Liberty (Spokane WA) Lafayette: Made using French bittersweet cider apples and keeved, which creates a naturally sweet apple-forward flavorful cider. On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Rich and tannic, with notes of bittersweet cider apple pomace and orange. Awesome.

Dragon’s Head (Vashon WA) Heritage Rosé: Made from Redfield and Mountain Rose red-fleshed apples. Amazing fruity scent. Semi-dry, with notes of strawberry and rhubarb. Tasty, with more complexity than flavored rosé ciders.

Dragon’s Head (Vashon WA) Heritage: Made from English and French cider apple varieties (previously named ‘Traditional’). Dry to semi-dry. Earthy, with sharp citrus heirloom apple flavor. A bit nuanced for my tastes; I seem to remember the Traditional being sweeter.

Stay tuned for more posts on Washington Cider Week 2019 (especially Cider Summit Seattle) at Cider Says.

For those in WA, check out the WA cider week event calendar for Sept 5-15.

Also, for cider industry folks in the NW, save the date for the first-annual NW Cider Symposium, which has been announced for March 10th 2020 in Tacoma WA.

2 Towns Afton Field

May 30, 2019May 29, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, Afton Field, cider, cider review, cider tasting, farmhouse cider, hard cider, oregon cider, tasting notes, Traditions

Review of 2 Towns Afton Field, part of their Traditions line. I previously at least tried this on tap (see here), plus I’ve had most of their cider lineup (see here).

Cider: Afton Field, 2017
Cidery: 2 Towns Ciderhouse
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 375ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft heritage farmhouse-style dry cider, barrel aged 1 year, bottle conditioned (soured) with Brettanomyces yeast

Availability: limited release, yearly in April [in Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago, and parts of Minnesota & Montana (see their cider finder)]

Cider Description: Inspired by farmhouse ciders of the pioneer West, Afton Field is a testament to the tenacity of these settlers and their enduring orchards. Fresh-pressed, hand-picked Wickson crab, Newtown Pippin and other pioneer apple varieties are fermented, aged in oak barrels, and bottle conditioned with wild Brettanomyces yeast. Bone dry, unfiltered and uncompromising, this farmhouse cider is wild at heart and at home on the rustic table.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $10)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Slightly hazy light straw yellow hue. No carbonation. Smells of musty sharp apple.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. High tartness. Moderate to high acidity. Moderate funk. Low sourness and tannins. Hints of bitterness. Notes of sharp crab apple, lemon, must, straw, mineral, and a hint of herbs. Moderate length finish. Moderate apple flavor and sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Moderate to high complexity.

My Opinion: This isn’t a style that personally appeals to me. I’d recommend this for fans of bone dry farmhouse-style (sour, rustic) ciders and/or beers.

Most Similar to: other bone dry farmhouse-style ciders, such as Alpenfire Pirate’s Plank, Gitche Gumee Ciderworks Entropy, Number 12 Sparkling Dry, Runcible Cider Light of the Moon, Angry Orchard Walden Hollow, and Sietsema Traditional Dry

Closing Notes: I think moving their ‘Traditions’ line from a separate brand of large ~$20 bottles to smaller ~$10 bottles under the 2 Towns brand (but differentiated by bottle type/size and label format) a couple years ago was a very smart move, as they are an easier sell.

Have you tried 2 Towns Afton Field? What did you think?

2 Towns Camp Clementine

May 28, 2019May 25, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, Camp Clementine, cider, cider review, cider tasting, clementine, hard cider, passionfruit, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Camp Clementine. It is my first time trying this, although I have had most of their line-up (see here).

Cider: Camp Clementine
Cidery: 2 Towns Ciderhouse
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with clementines and passionfruit

Availability: seasonal (released April 2019), in Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago Illinois, and parts of Minnesota & Montana – see their cider finder

Cider Description: Juicy & Bright, Camp Clementine is an easy drinking summer cider packed with California clementines and yellow Maracuyá passion fruit. Sit back, relax and uncap some fond camp memories, or better yet, get out there and make some new ones!

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $6.99 / bottle)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: No carbonation. Light yellow hue. Smells of citrus and passionfruit.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate to high tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of passionfruit, citrus, and green apple. Long tart finish. Low apple flavor and complexity. Low to moderate flavor. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it, but would have preferred a bit less tartness.

Most Similar to: 2 Towns Passion Statement, plus citrus

Closing Notes: I actually noticed more passionfruit than clementine flavor, despite the cider’s name.

Have you tried 2 Towns Camp Clementine? What did you think?

2 Towns Two Thorns

April 1, 2019March 31, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, raspberry cider, raspberry rose, tasting notes, Two Thorns

Review of 2 Towns Two Thorns. It is my first time trying this, but I have had most of their line-up (see here).

Cider: Two Thorns
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and cans and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with raspberries and rose petals

Availability: Spring seasonal, possibly in Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago, and parts of Minnesota & Montana (see their cider finder)

Cider Description: Tart and floral, Two Thorns unites fresh-pressed Northwest apples, raspberries and rose petals. The result is a uniquely fragrant cider with a vibrant red hue.

Price: n/a (probably ~ $5.99 / 500ml bottle or ~ $11.99 / six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Moderate red hue. Still. Smells of tart raspberry.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate to strong tartness. Moderate acidity. No sourness, funk, bitterness, or tannins. Notes of raspberry with hints of green apple, floral, and lemon. Moderate tart finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. Low to moderate complex. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it. Nice tart raspberry flavor, and super fruity for how dry it is (only 6g of sugar / 12oz).

Most Similar to: Most raspberry ciders I’ve had were much more sweet. However, this is most similar to a lower ABV version of Blue Moon Winery Apple Raspberry, which was also tart and dry.

Closing Notes: They had a previous cider with this same flavor and name which was only available in downtown Portland Oregon, a collaboration with the Portland Thorns women’s soccer team.

Have you tried 2 Towns Two Thorns? What did you think?

2 Towns Easy Squeezy

March 21, 2019March 17, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Easy Squeezy, hard cider, raspberry lemon cider, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Easy Squeezy, a new year-round lemon raspberry cider, a spin on their previous limited release Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve had most of their lineup (see here).

Cider: Easy Squeezy
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and 6 packs of 12oz cans, and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with lemon and raspberry

Availability: year round, starting in Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago, and parts of Minnesota & Montana (see their cider finder)

Cider Description: Citrusy and refreshing, Easy Squeezy is crafted with fresh-pressed Northwest apples, Meyer lemons and raspberries. Bringing the pink lemonade vibes, this cider goes down easy peasy!

Cidery Description: At 2 Towns Ciderhouse we believe that the long history of cidermaking demands respect and deserves to be done right. Starting with the highest quality whole ingredients from local farms, we take no shortcuts in crafting our ciders. We never add any sugar, concentrates or artificial flavors, and instead use slow, cold fermentation methods to allow the fruit to speak for itself. As a family-owned company, we are committed to the growth of our team and enrichment of our communities. We take pride in producing true Northwest craft cider.

They were founded in 2010 and have a tap room in Corvallis Oregon.

Price: retails for ~ $5.99 / 500ml bottle or ~ $11.99 / six pack
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Hazy pink lemonade hue. Still. Smells of tart lemonade.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate to high tartness and acidity. No tannins, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of lemon, raspberry, granny smith apples, and grapefruit. Quick finish. Low apple flavor. Low to moderate complexity. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I really liked this. A bit less mouth-puckering tart than the previous release.

Most Similar to: an alcoholic version of a less sweet than normal raspberry lemonade

Closing Notes: Glad to see they are doing this in cans in time for spring and summer!

Have you tried 2 Towns Easy Peasy? What did you think?

2 Towns Boysenbarrel

February 28, 2019February 25, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, barrel aged, Boysenbarrel, boysenberry, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Boysenbarrel, a barrel aged boysenberry cider. It is my first time trying this, but I have had most of their lineup (see here).

Cider: Boysenbarrel
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis Oregon
ABV: 8.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft with from dessert apples with boysenberries, barrel aged

Availability: seasonal (winter), in some states (see their cider finder), plus online sales

Cider Description: Tart and complex, Boysenbarrel is packed with Pacific Northwest grown boysenberries. Aged on heavy toasted French oak for a strong tannic backbone, this rich and tangy berry treat is perfect for the winter season.

Price: $6.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: I first read about it online

First Impression: Purple-red hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells of tart berry.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of berry with hints of lemon and green apple. Long tannic oaky red wine finish (although I’m guessing the red wine flavor was just tannic berry + oak barrel, as they didn’t specify red wine barrels were used). Low apple flavor and barrel influence. Moderate flavor intensity, complexity, and sessionability,

My Opinion: I liked it. However, it was a bit too red wine-like for me.

Most Similar to: a non-sour version of 2 Towns Traditions La Mure (marion blackberry cider aged in red wine barrels), and Seattle Cider Red Wine Barrel Berry

Closing Notes: I’d recommend this for folks of berry and barrel aged ciders, especially wine lovers.

Have you tried 2 Towns Boysenbarrel? What did you think?

My Favorite Ciders of 2018

December 27, 2018February 3, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, Alpenfire, Central City, Eric Bordelet, favorite ciders, Ferme de Beau Soleil, Finnriver, Fresh Cut Cider, Herout, Kystin, La Chouette, Liberty, Manoir du Parc, Merridale, misc, Newton Court, Oliver's, One Tree, Phillippi, Pierre Huet, Portland Cider, review, Schilling, Somersby, Tieton, Woodbox, Woodchuck 2018, cider, cider list, cider review, cider tasting, favorite ciders, favorite ciders list, hard cider, tasting notes

Happy New Year! Now that it is nearly 2019, it is time for a list of some of my favorite ciders of 2018. This is a tradition here at Cider Says; see here for my list from 2017, here for my list from 2016, and here for my list from 2015. To make it a bit different and easier, I put them into categories instead of trying to do a top ten list or similar.

Note that I wouldn’t try to make a list of the best ciders, just those I enjoy, as it would be an impossible task to try every cider out there and be impartial. The cider world is very regional, so likely only readers in the NW would have a similar selection. My only criteria for this list is that I drank the cider in 2018. Some of the categories overlap. However, I cheated a bit, as I made the list first, then determined categories to put them in!

barrel aged: Tieton Bourbon Peach – This has more juicy peach flavor than bourbon, but the two go well together, and there is some nice complexity for being made from dessert apples.

botanical-infused: Finnriver Lavender Black Currant – This mouth-puckering tart cider is primarily black currant flavored, but also has hints of lavender.

brewery-made: Central City Limited Edition Imperial Cider – Most ciders I’ve tried that were made by breweries were disappointing, but this one was awesome, complex, imperial-style, and bourbon barrel aged.

canned commercial: Woodchuck 802 Collection ‘Lil Dry – Many commercial ciders are overly sweet and uninspired, but this was semi-dry, flavorful, and craft tasting.

cyser: Merridale Cyser – This cyser was imperial style and had some nice flavor and complexity, beyond just tasting like apple and honey.

draft commercial: Somersby Apple Cider – As much as I enjoy craft cider, sometimes a commercial cider really hits the spot, plus often that is all you can find. This cider is from Denmark but I tried it in Canada on vacation. Apple forward and not too sweet.

everyday English cider: Newton Court Gasping Goose – I’m a huge fan of English cider, and this was a go-to of mine, although unfortunately it is no longer available. Tannic, rich, flavorful, clean, and sessionable.

fancy English cider: Oliver’s Gold Rush batch #2 – This cider is crazy rich and complex, and a lovely deep hue too. A steal at $15/bottle. Wish I could find more. I picked some up on vacation, and got lucky when I returned the next year and they still had 1 bottle left, but haven’t seen it locally.

French cidre: Eric Bordelet Sidre Brut Tender and Ferme de Beau Soleil Cidre Fermier Bio Brut – I’m also a big French cider fan, and tried a number of great selections this year, but these stood out.

French perry: Pierre Huet Poire Demi-Sec – This French perry is unique, with its fluffy texture, tartness, great real pear flavor, and a bit less sweet. I haven’t found any American perries like the French ones I’ve had.

French Pommeau: Hérout à Auvers Pommeau de Normandie AOC – I tried this awesome Pommeau (cider + apple brandy) at Cider Summit. I’m looking forward to opening the bottle of it that I bought.

fruity: Portland Sangria – Very fruity, with unexpected complexity, a fruit salad sort of cider.

ginger-infused: Kystin Kalysie – I’m not a ginger fan, but I actually enjoyed the hint of ginger in this French perry.

ice cider: Woodbox Double Barrel – This is a less sweet ice cider, with rich concentrated flavor, and a twist, having been whiskey barrel aged.

large craft cider made with cider apples: Schilling Excelsior – This was made using bittersweet cider apples in addition to regular varieties, but remains beginner-friendly, staying a bit sweeter and clean and such. I’m seeing more mainstream ciders being made using cider apples, although often it seems like it must have been a small amount. The cider apple influence was definitely noticeable in Excelsior though.

New England style: Alpenfire Tempest – The style is characterized by the use of brown sugar and raisins, and this is a great example. It even reminded me of English cider.

pineapple cider: 2 Towns Pacific Pineapple – This cider is bursting with real fresh pineapple flavor, yet its less sweet.

Pommeau: Phillippi Fruit Snow Dance – This U.S.-made Pommeau is super flavorful and complex, and reminiscent of cyser.

rosé: Manoir du Parc Authentic Rosé and La Chouette Cidre Rosé – Both of these sweet French rosés are made from red-fleshed apples plus pears, and have a lovely fluffy texture. I’m not sure if I could even tell them apart in a taste comparison, they are so similar.

single varietal: Liberty Kingston Black – Made from only Kingston Black cider apples. Tart, rich, and complex, with a hint of sweetness, which I appreciated, as often these sorts of ciders go completely dry.

tannic cider: Finnriver Fire Barrel version 1 – Super tannic, flavorful, and complex, reminiscent of English cider. I wasn’t as much of a fan of their more recent version 2 of it though.

tropical: One Tree Staycation – I loved the complexity of this, which was unexpected for a cider from dessert apples. I drank way too much of this over the summer!

unexpected: Fresh Cut Watermelon Cider – Based on the can design and flavor, I was expecting this Canadian cider to be fake and syrupy, but this was superbly done, real tasting and semi-dry.

unique: Kystin Cuvée XVII – 16 varieties of apples plus chestnuts are used in this unique, complex, tannic, and nutty French cider.

Well, there you have it, a list of 26 of my favorite ciders from 2018. They have a lot in common – most are mid-level sweetness, rich, complex, and full-flavored. What are some of your favorite ciders?

Pick Cider Ideas for Thanksgiving 2018

November 19, 2018November 19, 2018 cidersays 2 Towns, AEppelTreow, Alpenfire, Bertolinos, Dan Armor, Domaine de la Minotiere, Eden, Eric Bordelet, Eve's Cidery, Kystin, La Chouette, L’Hermitiére, Liberty, Manoir de Grandouet, Pierre Huet, review, Slyboro, Snowdrift, Tilted Shed, Wandering Aengus, Whitewood cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, pick cider, pickcider, thanksgiving, thanksgiving cider

I actually remembered to do a Thanksgiving cider article this year, so here it goes! A list of some suggestions (at least for folks who can get these in their area) for Thanksgiving-dinner friendly ciders. Besides pairing with a variety of foods, I think the ideal holiday cider will appeal to a wide audience (presuming you will share it with the table). However, these selections will of course sway towards my personal tastes.

French ciders – French ciders are inherently food-friendly, and have a wide appeal, typically being mid-level sweetness and apple-forward, but often having surprising complexity. Its fun to share something unique (imported) with guests too. Plus, they have a lower ABV, which can be ideal for meals earlier in the day. Some of my favorites are from Domaine de la Minotiere, Eric Bordelet, Kystin, La Chouette, L’Hermitiére, Manoir de Grandouet, and Pierre Huet. I recently picked up a 5L mini keg of Bordelet, but I’m saving that for Christmas. The easiest French cider to find for some may be Dan Armor, sold at Trader Joe’s, and at only $5 / 750ml, its an excellent value, and something I wouldn’t hesitate to serve at my house. My top American-made French-style cider pick is 2 Towns Cidre Bouche.

AeppelTreow Appely Doux – This Wisconsin methode champenoise (naturally sparkling) selection is mid-level sweetness with a flavor profile of citrus, green apple, honey, and floral. It would make a nice champagne alternative anytime.

Alpenfire Spark! – This Washington cider is a great introduction to heritage ciders, with some rich notes of apple pomace, honey, orange, and leather, but remaining mid-level sweetness and clean.

Bertolinos Hard Cider – This Italian cider is mid-level sweetness, has some good fizz, and notes of honey, pineapple, and grapefruit. Especially wide crowd appeal from my experience.

Eden Specialty Ciders – This Vermont cidery may have started with ice ciders (which I cover later), but they make some amazing regular ciders with wide appeal, such as their super complex Sparkling Semi-Dry, rich Guinevere’s Pearls, or new canned Heritage cider, which has to be the highest quality cider I’ve ever seen in a can.

Eve’s Rustica – This New York mid-sweetness cider has some unique notes of honey, cream/vanilla, and fruit, all expertly crafted just from the apples and yeast.

Liberty Kingston Black – This Washington single varietal is made only from the iconic Kingston Black apples, yet I think it would have a wide appeal, as it retains some sweetness (semi-dry), is flavorful, and doesn’t cross over into funky/sour/bitter territory.

Slyboro Old Sin – This New York semi-dry cider has some rich tannic flavor reminiscent of English cider, with notes of butterscotch, caramel, and tropical fruit, and is another selection which would make a great introductory heritage cider. Lovely color to it too!

Snowdrift – This Washington cidery has several Thanksgiving-worthy crowd-pleasing cider selections, such as their Cidermaker’s Reserve (semi-dry, sparkling, fruity, and complex), Seckel Perry (mid-level sweetness, made only from Seckel pears), and Cliffbreaks Blend (semi-sweet, tart, and fruity).

Tilted Shed Smoked – This dry cider hails from California, and is unique, nuanced, oaky, and slightly smokey. Probably a bit less likely to be widely appealing, but I think it would be appreciated by certain audiences, and to me seems uniquely suited to Thanksgiving dinner.

Wandering Aengus Bloom – This Washington cider is mid-level sweetness and made from heirloom apples, but has widely appealing familiar notes of honey, green apple, and tropical fruit.

Whitewood Jonathan – This Washington cider is a single-varietal of Jonathan apples, and dry to semi-dry, but super approachable, being apple-forward with notes of citrus and honey.

ice cider – For a special treat with dessert, try ice cider. It is made from naturally concentrating apple juice using cold to increase the sugar content before fermenting, resulting in a higher ABV sweet dessert cider bursting with flavor. One of my favorites is Eden Brandy Barrel Aged Heirloom.

Pommeau – Also, Pommeau (cider + apple brandy) is another great dessert cider option. It is made by fortifying cider (either fermented or unfermented juice) with distilled apple juice (brandy). Like ice cider, it is a nice sipping option, although it is available in a wide range of sweetness. Some of my favorites are from 2 Towns, Etienne Dupont, EZ Orchards, Herout, and Wandering Aengus.

Visit the Pick Cider campaign website for lots more great info, and try your local fine bottle shop or online, such as through Cider in Love or VinoShipper. No matter which cider/s you choose, I’d encourage you to pick up some extra bottles, as a good cider can easily turn even those who have sworn off cider into cider lovers, holidays are holidays, and plus with the lower ABV, a bottle doesn’t go as far as wine.

Cider Summit Seattle 2018 Post 2/2 – Tasting Notes

September 12, 2018September 7, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, Angry Orchard, Blue Mountain, Brownrigg, Chelan Craft, Cider Riot, Cider Summit, D's Wicked, Herb's, Herout, Idun, Manoir du Parc, Miloslawski, Ole Swede, One Tree, Pear UP, Possman, review, Ruwet, Schilling, Seattle Cider, Tieton cider, cider summit, cider summit seattle, cider tasting, cider tasting event, hard cider, seattle, tasting notes

This is post 2/2 on Cider Summit Seattle 2018, with tasting notes on 21 ciders. Post 1/2 covered the event. Sorry some of these photos aren’t that great, but this isn’t a photography blog…

The Tasting Notes

2 Towns (Corvallis OR) Pommeau – I’ve had their Pommeau (cider + apple brandy) a number of times (see my full review here), and have a bottle in my “cellar”, but its probably my favorite U.S.-made Pommeau. Both me and my husband didn’t want to pass up a sample. Semi-sweet, rich, easy to drink despite the high ABV, and awesome as always.

Angry Orchard (Walden, NY) Dear Brittany – This is one of the small batch ciders made at their Innovation Cider House, a French-style keeved cider. Semi-dry, tart, and funky, with a hint of sourness, although I picked up more heirloom than bittersweet apple flavor. As expected for a keeved cider, it was very apple-forward and flavorful in general for not being very sweet.

Blue Mountain (Milton-Freewater, OR) Pete Limely – Semi-dry to dry with notes of tart citrus (especially lemon-lime). This was a bit too dry and mildly flavored for me, but I liked the overall flavor notes.

Brownrigg (Seattle WA) Rum Barrel Aged – This is apparently not a new cidery (I read they started in 2014), but this is my first time seeing them, and my first time trying their cider. Dry. Very mild flavor, slightly tart, with a rum finish. I think I would have liked this better if it was a bit sweeter.

Chelan Craft Cider (Chelan WA) Cider with Lemon – This is a new cidery, and my first time trying their cider. Semi-dry, with lots of tart refreshing lemon flavor. I liked it. ~~I’m curious how they will do in the market though, as their bottles were listed for $23 / 750ml~~ [update – I was told that was a mistake and the real price is $15/bottle]. I couldn’t tell what type of apples they used – maybe dessert, maybe heirloom. The price would be more in-line with heirloom~~, but still on the high end of what I see in store~~s.

Cider Riot! (Portland OR) Everyday Passionfruit – Awesome tropical scent, on the drier side of semi-dry, but the passionfruit flavor was very mild and mostly on the finish, which was a bit of a let down.

d’s Wicked (Kennewick WA) Tropical – On the sweeter side of semi-dry, tart, with notes of orange, pineapple, and passion fruit. I liked how flavorful it was without being sweet.

Herb’s Cider (Bellingham WA) Triplet Special Reserve French Oak Aged Semi-Dry – This is a new cidery, and my first time trying their cider. Semi-dry to dry, thin bodied, super mild flavor intensity, with notes of heirloom apples and hints of oak. This was a bit too mildly flavored for me.

Hérout à Auvers (Normandy France) Pommeau de Normandie AOC – Imported by Beauchamp Imports (French Cider Inc.) – they have online sales too by the way. This Pommeau is made from 3/4 apple cider and 1/4 Calvados (French apple brandy), then aged at least 14 months in oak barrels. Semi-sweet, both rich/oaky/earthy and fruity (both my husband and I agreed on strawberry), clean (no funk or sourness), easy to drink for the higher ABV, and overall awesome. I bought a bottle to take home, and think it was an awesome value at $40 / 750ml (as most local Pommeaux run $25 / 375ml). Pommeau keeps very well by the way, and you can leave a bottle open for months and just have a bit at a time – I think this will be perfect at cellar temp in my cider fridge. They also brought La Chouette Rosé, Kystin Opalyne, and Herout AOC Cotentin Extra-Brut, which I’ve previously sampled.

Idun Cider (Seattle WA) Heirloom Dry – This is a new cidery, and my first time trying their cider. They currently only have this single flagship release. On the sweeter side of semi-dry, medium bodied, very apple forward, but overall mild in flavor. I didn’t really taste the heirloom apples (this is listed as having Gravenstein, Winesap, and Newtown Pippin), but I kinda liked it.

Manoir du Parc (Normandy France) Authentic Rosé – Made from red-fleshed apples and pears. Semi-sweet, lovely fluffy natural carbonation, and notes of strawberry, watermelon, and pear. Very reminiscent of La Choute Rosé. Awesome!

Manoir du Parc (Normandy France) Authentic Cidre – I also re-tried their flagship cidre. On the drier side of semi-dry, funky and tannic, apple and yeast forward, with a hint of sourness. My husband surprisingly liked this (usually he dislikes funk, like I dislike sourness). I think it was because the cidermaker? (or at least some very knowledgeable French dude) was telling us all about it during the tasting. That sort of experience is what makes me love Cider Summit.

Miloslawski (Poland) Perry – Imported by Browar Polska Imports. Semi-sweet to semi-dry, with a very mild canned pear flavor. I surprisingly liked it. I was expecting it to be super sweet, but it was a perfect sweetness level for me.

Ole Swede (Tonasket, WA) Bada Bing! Cider – 90% apple and 10% cherries, co-fermented. Semi-dry, tart, with a mild real cherry flavor. They also have a Cherry Perry, which I thought I had tried, but I can’t find anything that I wrote about it, so I guess not!

One Tree (Spokane WA) Tropical – Semi-sweet, full bodied, juice-like, with a very very similar flavor to Schilling’s Imperial Passionfruit that I tried the night before (as it was made using the same puree from Oregon Fruit Products), but with a hint of pineapple (which One Tree added in addition to the puree and apple juice). I really enjoyed it, and think it would have been awesome to use it in a cocktail with rum.

Pear UP (Wenatchee WA) Barrel Hoppin Pear – A barrel aged version of their hopped perry (100% pears, no apple). On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Smooth, mild flavor, with hints of pear, hops, and oak. I usually don’t go for the mild flavored ones, but that worked well for this one, as hops isn’t something you want to go too overboard with.

Possmann (Germany) Pure Cider Rosé Black Currant – Imported by Browar Polska Imports. Semi-sweet with a light fruity flavor, although I couldn’t specifically identify black currant. I surprisingly liked this, despite the commercialness.

Ruwet (Belgium) Cidre – Imported by Browar Polska Imports. Semi-dry, mild overall flavor with apple & citrus. It tasted a bit commercial to me though, and I would have liked more flavor intensity. I think this is my first Belgium cider, very cool.

Schilling (Auburn, WA) Red Wine Barrel Aged Pommeau (paired with chocolate) – Semi-dry, smells of red wine barrel, but for me the flavor was mostly apple-flavored alcohol burn. A bit too boozy for my liking. My husband was a bigger fan. They also have this on tap at Schilling Cider House right now.

Seattle Cider (Seattle WA) Red Wine Barrel Berry – On the drier side of semi-dry, super mild, with hints of berry, oak, and botanicals, and a red wine finish. Characteristically Seattle Cider. Surprisingly complex, but for some reason I didn’t really like it, although I couldn’t say why.

Tieton Ciderworks (Yakima, WA) Oak Barrel Aged Cider Summit Collaboration – Semi-dry, higher carbonation, tart, super mild smooth citrus & oak flavor.

In Summary

It was impossible to taste all the ciders at the event (or even one from each producer), so I’d also like to share previous tasting notes and reviews of ciders from the other cideries I didn’t get to highlight: Alter Ego, Anthem, Avid (previously Atlas), Bad Granny, Chatter Creek, Double Mountain, Dragon’s Head, Eaglemount, Eden, Elemental, Finnriver, Hi-Wheel, Incline, Jester & Judge, J. Seeds, Liberty, Locust, Longdrop, Louis Raison, Maeloc, Montana, Moonlight Meadery, Portland, Reverend Nat’s, Samuel Smiths, Sea Cider, Snowdrift, Steelhead, Swift, Wandering Aengus, Washington Gold, WildCraft, and Worley’s

My favorites of the day were Herout Pommeau, 2 Towns Pommeau, One Tree Tropical, d’s Tropical, and Manoir du Parc Authentic Rosé.

This event is always the highlight of Washington Cider Week, and the biggest and best cider event of the year in the Seattle area!

2 Towns Pearadise

June 25, 2018June 22, 2018 cidersays 2 Towns 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, imperial cider, pear cider, Pearadise, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Pearadise, Imperial Getaway, their new spring seasonal imperial-style cider from apples and pears then finished with white grape wine. See the article here. It is my first time trying this, although I have had their Bright Cider, Bad Apple, Serious Scrump, Out Cider, Cherried Away, Made Marion, Cidre Moscato, Throne of Thorns, Cider Master Reserve Batch No. 01 – Barrel Select Blend, Prickle Me Pink, Nice & Naughty Nice & Naughty Bourbon Barrel Aged, Dark Currant, Riverwood Brut 2014, Rhubarbarian, Pommeau (2013 Harvest, 2015 Release), Ginja Ninja, Sun’s Out Saison, Return of the Mack, Hop and Stalk, La Mûre, Cot in the Act, Hollow Jack, Traditions Cider Bouche 2015, Traditions Riverwood 2015, Flight of the Kiwi, Prickle Me Pink ^2, Afton Field, Traditions Cidre Bouche 2016, Man Gogh, Pacific Pineapple, Passion Statement, Easy Peasy.

Cider: Pearadise
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 8.6%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American imperial-style craft cider from apples, D’Anjou pears, and Muscat grapes

Availability: Spring seasonal, in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago and parts of Minnesota (see their cider finder)

Cider Description: Fruity and complex, Pearadise is found in this distinctly Northwest libation. Fresh-pressed pears are fermented together with local apples, then finished by blending in a touch of white wine, resulting in a sophisticated imperial style with plenty of panache.

They were founded in 2010 and have a tap room in Corvallis Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for $5.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Light gold hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells mild, of sweet pear and white grape.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of pear, white grape, wood, and pineapple. Long warming white wine-like finish. Moderate pear flavor, flavor intensity, and complexity. Low apple flavor and sessionability.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it. I had this in my cider fridge, so I first tried it at cellar temperature. However, I quickly found this, like most imperial-style ciders, is a variety best drank very cold. Once it properly chilled, it was much easier to drink. Lots of flavor, starting with pear with a hint of apple, then finishing like a white wine, with grape and some alcohol-forward warmth. I would have guessed it was barrel aged as I got a distinct wood/oak note, but they didn’t describe it as that, plus the price point is quite low on this, so I’d be surprised if it was.

Most Similar to: The grape aspect of this reminded me of 2 Towns’ own Cidre Moscato. However, I can’t remember ever having an imperial-style pear cider, nor could I find any but this in an online search.

Closing Notes: It is surprising with how many dozens of cider varieties 2 Towns has made, how few have been made with pears. They had a previous version of Pearadise in 2012 (as mentioned in this article), and more recently, Passion Statement (with pear and passionfruit), and now this, but that is about it.

Have you tried 2 Towns Pearadise? What did you think?

2 Towns Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

June 11, 2018June 10, 2018 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Easy Peasy, hard cider, Lemon Squeezy, raspberry lemonade, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy, a new seasonal lemon raspberry cider. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve had their Bright Cider, Bad Apple, Serious Scrump, Out Cider, Cherried Away, Made Marion, Cidre Moscato, Throne of Thorns, Cider Master Reserve Batch No. 01 – Barrel Select Blend, Prickle Me Pink, Nice & Naughty Nice & Naughty Bourbon Barrel Aged, Dark Currant, Riverwood Brut 2014, Rhubarbarian, Pommeau (2013 Harvest, 2015 Release), Ginja Ninja, Sun’s Out Saison, Return of the Mack, Hop and Stalk, La Mûre, Cot in the Act, Hollow Jack, Traditions Cider Bouche 2015, Traditions Riverwood 2015, Flight of the Kiwi, Prickle Me Pink ^2, Afton Field, Traditions Cidre Bouche 2016, Man Gogh, Pacific Pineapple, and Passion Statement.

Cider: Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with lemons and raspberries, soured with lacto

Availability: seasonal, in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago and parts of Minnesota (see their cider finder)

Cider Description: Citrusy and refreshing, Easy Peasy will have you leisurely drifting your way through summer. Crafted with fresh-pressed Northwest apples, Meyer lemon, raspberries and soured with lactobacillus, it’s summertime and the livin’s squeezy!

They were founded in 2010 and have a tap room in Corvallis Oregon.

Price: retails for $6.99
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Hazy pink lemonade hue. Still. Smells of lemon and raspberry.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. High tartness and acidity. Hints of sourness and bitterness. No tannins or funk. Notes of lemon, raspberry, granny smith apples, and grapefruit. Quick finish. Low apple flavor. Low to moderate complexity and flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I really liked the flavor, and the sweetness was spot-on, but it was a bit too mouth-puckering tart for me. I didn’t read that this was soured with lacto until after trying it, and I wouldn’t really have guessed, as it was mostly front of the palette tart, not back of the palette sour. Good for me, as I don’t like true sour ciders (like Spanish sidra and rustic/farmhouse-style).

Most Similar to: an alcoholic version of a less sweet than normal raspberry lemonade (my favorite lemonade is Crabbie’s Cloudy Alcoholic Lemonade, which like this is less sweet than typical, but I can’t seem to find it anymore)

Closing Notes: I’m surprised they are only releasing this in bottles (at least for now), as I imagine this would be a great cider to have in cans for summer.

Have you tried 2 Towns Easy Peasy? What did you think?

2 Towns Passion Statement

March 12, 2018March 12, 2018 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Corvallis, hard cider, oregon, Passion Statement, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns’ newest limited release, Passion Statement. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve previously had nearly every cider they’ve ever made (see here).

Photo Mar 06, 4 02 48 PM.jpg

Cider: Passion Statement
Cidery: 2 Towns Cider House
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 5.2%
How supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, D’Anjou pears, and Yellow Maracuyá passion fruit

Photo Mar 06, 4 03 12 PM Photo Mar 06, 4 03 23 PM Photo Mar 06, 4 03 34 PM

Availability: limited release, in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago and parts of Minnesota (see their cider finder)

Cider Description: Sensational & exotic, Passion Statement stands out from the crowd, pairing stunning Yellow Maracuyá passion fruit with fresh-pressed Northwest pears and apples. With a pleasant tropical tang, this show stopping cider will turn heads, and pint glasses!

They were founded in 2010 and have a tap room in Corvallis Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $5.99 / 500ml bottle)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

Photo Mar 10, 5 31 48 PM

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. No carbonation. Smells intensely of sweet passion fruit.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate to high tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness. No sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of passion fruit, pineapple, canned pear, lemon, and green apple. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Low to moderate complexity. Moderate flavor intensity and sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it. However, it was a bit tart for my tastes. I think more sweetness could have helped smooth out the initial mouth-puckering tartness. Interestingly, it was much less tart the second day, after being left in the fridge overnight, and I enjoyed it more then.

Most Similar to: Reverend Nat’s The Passion, which I prefer (although it is sweeter, less tart, and also has vanilla and coconut). Portland Cider Passion Fruit, which is milder. Also, Schilling Pineapple Passion, although that is more pineapple than passion fruit.

Closing Notes: 2 Towns has been on a role, releasing many popular ciders. Everyone won’t like every cider, but I think they do a great job creating ciders that have a wide appeal.

Have you tried 2 Towns Passion Statement? What did you think?

2 Towns Pacific Pineapple

February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Pacific Pineapple, pineapple cider, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns’ newest release, Pacific Pineapple. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve previously had their Bright Cider, Bad Apple, Serious Scrump, Out Cider, Cherried Away, Made Marion, Cidre Moscato, Throne of Thorns, Reserve #1 Barrel Select Blend, Prickle Me Pink, Nice & Naughty, Nice & Naughty Bourbon Barrel Aged, Dark Currant, Riverwood Brut 2014, Rhubarbarian, Pommeau, Ginja Ninja, Sun’s Out Saison, Return of the Mack, Hop and Stalk, La Mûre, Cot in the Act, Hollow Jack, Traditions Cider Bouche 2015, Traditions Riverwood 2015, Flight of the Kiwi, Prickle Me Pink ^2, Afton Field, Traditions Cidre Bouche 2016, and Man Gogh.

Cider: Pacific Pineapple
Cidery: 2 Towns Cider House
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 5.0%
How supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs and cans)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with Costa Rica gold pineapples

Availability: year round, in Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago and parts of Minnesota (see their cider finder)

Cider Description: Juicy and tropical, Pacific Pineapple rolls ripe Costa Rica golden pineapples into fresh-pressed Northwest apples. This refreshingly juicy and easy drinking session cider will relax your state of mind, no matter your locale!

Ripe Costa Rica Gold pineapples drop in on a fresh-pressed wave of Northwest apples in Pacific Pineapple, a tropical cider made possible by the diverse climate of the vast Pacific. Temperate conditions of the Pacific Northwest nurture apple orchards, whereas proximity to the equator further south creates the consistently warm temperature required to grow pineapples. Connected to apples only by name, pineapples have a radical history traveling the world after being discovered by Western explorers, who named them for their resemblance to the pine cone. Popular wherever it landed, the pineapple was regarded as an exotic delicacy, even becoming a symbol of hospitality, as only the most generous of hosts presented their guests with a pineapple. So #BeMorePacific and show your friends the hospitality of a Pacific Pineapple!

They were founded in 2010 and have a tap room in Corvallis Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $5.49 / 500ml bottle)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Medium yellow hue. Smells of fresh pineapple. Very low carbonation.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of fresh pineapple (not pineapple juice) and citrus. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor and complexity. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Great! Refreshing, with real pineapple flavor. This would be especially nice in summer, and at 5% and not being too sweet, it would be almost too easy to drink. Its a tad drier than all the other pineapple ciders I’ve tried, but just as flavorful.

Most Similar to: Reverend Nat’s Viva La Pineapple (and to a lesser extent, Schilling Pineapple Passion, Jester & Judge Pineapple Express, Locust Pineapple, and Ace Pineapple)

Closing Notes: I’ve been really impressed with 2 Towns lately, as they have delivered many flavorful ciders at just the right level of sweetness for me.

Have you tried 2 Towns Pacific Pineapple? What did you think?

My Favorite Ciders of 2017

December 29, 2017February 3, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, Alpenfire, Angry Orchard, Cidrerie du Vulcain, Cockrell, Dan Armor, Domaine de la Minotiere, Eden, Eve's Cidery, favorite ciders, Finnegan, Finnriver, Henney's, L’Hermitiére, Newton Court, Pierre Huet, Ramborn, review, Schilling, Snowdrift, Spire Mountain, Woodbox 2017, cider, cider list, cider review, cider tasting, favorite cider list, favorite ciders, hard cider, tasting notes

Happy New Year! Now that it is 2018, it is time for a list of some of my favorite ciders of 2017. This is becoming a tradition; see here for my list from 2016 and here for my list from 2015. To make it a bit different and easier, I put them into categories instead of trying to do a top ten list or similar.

Note that I wouldn’t try to make a list of the best ciders, just those I enjoy, as it would be an impossible task to try every cider out there and be impartial. The cider world is very regional, so likely only readers in the NW would have a similar selection. My only criteria for this list is that I drank the cider in 2017. Some of the categories overlap. Truth be told, for the most part, I made the list first, then determined categories to put them in!

Budget-Friendly French Cidre: Dan Armor Cuvée Spéciale Cidre Brut (Brittany) or L’Hermitiére Cidre Brut (Normandy) – These selections retail for $4.99 and $7.99 respectively. The Dan Armor is only sold at Trader Joe’s. Both are on the sweeter side of semi-dry and are true to their respective styles (although the Normandy one is more beginner friendly than many others, as it lacks sourness and only has minimal funk). The Dan Armor is one of my top picks to introduce folks to good cider with, as it is different from sweet commercial selections, but not so out there as to turn folks off to it. Its also a nice gauge on sweetness, as it is in the middle of the range.

Fancy French Cidre: Domaine de la Minotiere Cidre Fermier Bio Doux or Pierre Huet AOC Pays D’Auge Cidre – I tried so many amazing French cidres this year that I had to include more than one! These selections cost a tad more than the previous two, $12 and $19.99 respectively, but also have more complexity. Both of these are low ABV selections, and the Doux was significantly sweeter, as expected for the classification.

English Cidre: Newton Court Gasping Goose (330ml bottles) or Henney’s Vintage (500ml bottles) – Both of these English imports are very budget friendly and tasty. A bit sweeter than some English ciders (on the sweeter side of semi-dry), rich, and tannic, but not bitter. Newton Court is available in Seattle, but I’ve only seen the Henney’s in Portland (and only tried the one bottle).

Swiss cider: Cidrerie du Vulcain Premiers Emois – This cider from Switzerland reminds me of French cidre, but has a style all its own. It was made from Organic native heirloom apples, and wild yeast fermented using traditional methods. The result was a semi-sweet cider with an awesome fluffy texture and complex fruitiness (but with less apple and yeast forward flavor as most French cidres).

European-Style U.S. cider: 2 Towns Traditions Cidre Bouche – This cider is by far the closest to a French cidre than any other U.S. cider I’ve tried. It was a noticeable improvement from last year’s vintage as well. Lots of rich ripe bittersweet apple flavor. Unfortunately it costs more than most French cidres, as even with the import cost, their production costs are lower, as cider apple varieties aren’t rare like they are here.

Perry: Ramborn Perry – I tried two selections from Ramborn Cider in Luxembourg. This perry was complex and amazing, with notes of canned pear, dried pear, mango, pineapple, and guava. Like most perries, as pears have unfermentable sugars, it was a bit sweeter, semi-sweet to semi-dry.

New England style: Cockrell Colonial Winter – This cider is of true New England style, a high ABV cider with the addition to raisins and brown sugar. Rich, complex, and perfect for winter. It is my favorite version of this style so far.

Food-Friendly Cider: Eden Semi-Dry or Eden Guineveres Pearls – Of these, the Semi-Dry is drier, much easier to find, and less expensive. Both however are excellent selections, quite flavorful, but without anything that would overwhelm or clash with most meals. They are also some of the most tannic on this list, same as the English selections.

Rosé: Alpenfire Glow – This sweet cider is made from rare red fleshed apples, and similar to Eve’s Rustica (listed below), is amazingly fruity, with a high flavor intensity. Here the flavor notes were watermelon, strawberry, and rhubarb. It was a perfect Valentine’s Day cider (a gift from my husband – he knows me well)!

Barrel Aged: Finnriver Fire Barrel – Note that this pertains to the previous releases of this cider. I haven’t been nearly as big of a fan of Fire Barrel once they moved to 750ml bottles, as it was not nearly as flavorful (plus the price increased significantly). In the older version, I love the complexity, intense barrel aged flavor (which is rarely found in cider), and high tannins.

Fruity: 2 Towns Prickle Me Pink ^2 – This cider was made using prickly pear cactus fruit, plus, new for this year, watermelon. The result is a fluorescent pink fruity cider which is surprisingly complex and flavorful, yet fairly dry.

Rich: Angry Orchard Maple Wooden Sleeper – This cider was made from bittersweet apples, with Crown maple syrup, then bourbon barrel aged for 12 months. It resulted in a 12% ABV cider, super rich and complex, with a flavor profile including caramel, brown sugar, maple, oak, vanilla, bourbon, and molasses. This was a truly artisan small batch cider, worlds away from their typical commercial releases.

Spicy: 2 Towns Man Gogh – I’ve never been a fan of spicy ciders, but I finally found one I could enjoy! Here the hint of spice (from habaneros) was balanced by the fruitiness, sweetness, and acidity of the cider with mango. This was an imperial cider, but way too easy to drink.

Commercial: Spire Mountain Dark & Dry – I typically drink craft ciders, but I still drink commercial ciders from time to time. This one is far from dry (more like semi-sweet), but is dark, and has some great molasses flavor. It pairs really well with greasy food, like a burger or fish & chips.

Unique: Eve’s Rustica – This is Eve’s sweetest cider (besides their ice cider), and my favorite. I loved all the flavor they were able to showcase without any additions (just apples & yeast), with notes of honey, cream, vanilla, melon, strawberry, watermelon, pineapple, and peach.

Unexpected: Snowdrift Cidermaker’s Reserve – This cider was made from heirloom & cider apples, but in contrast had a very unique unexpected flavor profile, with pomegranate, white grape, stone fruit, leather, butterscotch, and citrus notes. It is unique, complex, and bubbly. My husband is also an especially big fan of this cider.

Value: Schilling King’s Shilling – I’ve picked up a 22oz bottle of this for as low as $4 (at Total Wine, actually cheaper than at the Cider House), which is a steal for a tasty barrel aged brandy infused cider. This is more sessionable than you’d expect too. Semi-dry and semi-sweet, with notes of honey and citrus, plus hints of maple syrup, oak, and spice.

Unexpected & Value: Finnegan Cider Harvest Blend – This was another unexpectedly awesome cider which was also a great value. I picked this up in Portland, for just over $7 for 500ml of cider from cider apples. Semi-dry, with richness, high carbonation, and notes of rich ripe apples, caramel, leather, orange, stone fruit, honey, oak, and apple brandy.

Favorite from a New-to-Me cidery: Woodbox Double Barrel Whiskey Barrel Ice Cider – This was the first (and only) cider I have tried from Woodbox, at Cider Rite of Spring in Portland. I bought a bottle, but haven’t wanted to open it yet. Lots of whiskey flavor in addition to caramel, vanilla, oak, and more. It was rather budget-friendly for an ice cider too, at $17 / 375ml.

Pommeau: 2 Towns Pommeau – This remains my favorite Pommeau. Super flavorful, rich, and complex, with notes of ripe apples, oak, dried fruit, leather, brown sugar, caramel, burnt sugar, vanilla, tropical fruit, and peaches.

Ice Cider: Eden Cellar Series The Falstaff – This year I was spoiled with an amazing treat, a bottle of Eden’s 7! year barrel aged ice cider. This ties with Alpenfire Smoke for the most complex cider I’ve ever drank. The flavor was all over the place, from molasses, caramel, and brown sugar, to tart green apple and lemon, to raisin, to pie spices.

Overall: Alpenfire Smoke – This 16% ABV sipping cider has an amazing complexity, with rich oaky smokey flavor. If I had to name just one favorite cider, this would be it. However, it is not an everyday sort of cider. They recently released a new batch of it, but I haven’t tried it yet (I’m still working on my stockpile of the old version).

Other: Also, while I’m at it, my favorite cider event in 2017 was Cider Summit Seattle, my favorite (and only) class was by Rev Nat, and my favorite bottle shop & bar was Schilling Cider House.

Well, there you have it, a list of 26 of my favorite ciders from 2017. They have a lot in common–most are rich and full-flavored. What are some of your favorite ciders?

2 Towns Man Gogh

December 8, 2017December 8, 2017 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, imperial cider, Man Gogh, mango cider, oregon, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns’ latest new limited release cider, Man Gogh, a tropical mango and habanero imperial-style (high ABV) cider. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve previously had their Bright Cider, Bad Apple, Serious Scrump, Out Cider, Cherried Away, Made Marion, Cidre Moscato, Throne of Thorns, Reserve #1 Barrel Select Blend, Prickle Me Pink, Nice & Naughty, Nice & Naughty Bourbon Barrel Aged, Dark Currant, Riverwood Brut 2014, Rhubarbarian, Pommeau, Ginja Ninja, Sun’s Out Saison, Return of the Mack, Hop and Stalk, La Mûre, Cot in the Act, Hollow Jack, Traditions Cider Bouche 2015, Traditions Riverwood 2015, Flight of the Kiwi, Prickle Me Pink ^2, Afton Field, and Traditions Cidre Bouche 2016.

Cider: Man Gogh
Cidery: 2 Towns Cider House
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 8.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft imperial-style cider from dessert apples, with mango and habanero

Availability: ~ Dec 2017 thru Jan 2018, limited, primarily in Oregon, Washington, and California (see their cider finder)

Cider Description: 2 Towns Ciderhouse releases Man Gogh, a tropical-inspired Limited Release Imperial Cider, available starting this week. Tangy and equatorial, Man Gogh is a true masterpiece, artfully bringing together tropical fruit and peppers. Fresh ingredients with opposing characteristics work together to whisk you away to paradise. Van Gogh himself once said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

“2 Towns created this cider as a ray of sunshine for the cold, dark days of winter,” says Matt Dickason, cellar manager. “The freshness of the juicy mango blends seamlessly with the hot habaneros. We went easy on the habanero burn and worked to capture the fruity profile of the peppers. The result is a work of art. ” We suggest pairing Man Gogh with Christmas tamales and Baja cuisine, like Wahoo tacos.

They were founded in 2010 and have a tap room in Corvallis Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $7.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells mild, of mango juice.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness. Low to moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of mango, pineapple, citrus, and a hint of habanero. Long warming finish (from both the high ABV and the habanero). Very low spiciness (not really noticeable until you drink a few sips, and mostly in the finish). Moderate sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity and complexity. Low apple flavor.

My Opinion: Great! I was really surprised I enjoyed this, as I was expecting it would be quite spicy, like every other cider I’d had with habanero, jalapeno, sriracha, etc. The flavor and sweetness were spot-on. I was also surprised how easy this was to drink, unexpected for an imperial-style spicy cider.

Most Similar to: I’ve tried spicy ciders before, such as Carlton Cyderworks AHH!!! Apricot Honey Habanero, Cockrell Raspberry Habanero, Elemental Jalapeno Lime Cilantro (Margarita), Schilling Sriracha Lime, Finnriver Habanero, and Schilling Peach Grapefruit Habanero. I’ve also tried mango infused ciders, such as Atlas Pineapple Mango, Bull Run Mango, Cider Brothers William Tell Apple Mango Muscat, Elemental Mango, and Locust Mango. Compared to those, this one was most similar to Elemental’s mango cider as far as flavor and sweetness, except with a hint of spice, on a similar level to Elemental’s Margarita.

Closing Notes: I can see this becoming a very popular release.

Have you tried 2 Towns Man Gogh? What did you think?

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