Schilling Cider House Visit 36 Tasting Notes

February 10, 2020February 9, 2020 cidersays Channel Marker, Cider Riot, Finnriver, Independent Cider, review, Schilling cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes

Tasting notes #36 from the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts from the cider house here.

I was here on a Monday afternoon with my husband and a friend from out of town. We skipped work to hang out with our friend at Pike Place and the cider bar. I ordered most of the ciders they had that I hadn’t previously tried. It appears that most if not all of these are draft-only.

Schilling (Auburn WA) Imperial Brut (8.5% ABV): On the sweeter side of dry, tart, with rich bittersweet cider apple flavor

Independent Cider (Dryden WA) Barreled Blackberry Perry (5.9% ABV): On the sweeter side of semi-dry, with berry, and a hint of oak (barrel), but no detectable pear

Channel Marker Cider (Seattle WA) Quince (7.8% ABV): Dry to semi-dry, tart, with mild general fruitiness

Finnriver (Port Townsend WA) Bourbon Barrel Aged Heritage (9.5% ABV): Semi-dry, with heirloom apple flavor with some tannins and bitterness

Cider Riot (Portland OR) New Wave (5.1% ABV): Dry to semi-dry with sharp heirloom apple flavor

I liked the Blackberry Perry, but wasn’t too into the others, mostly as they were on the drier / tart / sharp / bitter side. I probably should have just ordered something I knew I would like, but I like to try new ciders, especially at the lower price of a taster. I was more excited about the bottle shopping I did – I picked up a bunch of Dunkertons (an English cider which is a favorite of mine that hasn’t been available for quite awhile) and Alpenfire (a local favorite), plus a few others.

Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says. Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

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.

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?

Finnriver Lavender Black Currant

August 10, 2018August 5, 2018 cidersays Finnriver, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Finnriver, hard cider, Lavender Black Currant, port townsend, tasting notes, washington

Review of Finnriver Seasonal Botanical Series Lavender Black Currant. I’ve had this at least a few times, but hadn’t done a full review of a bottle. I’ve also tried the majority of their other ciders; see here. They have new labels, which I think look really neat, more high end and sophisticated.

Cider: Lavender Black Currant
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA (outside of Port Townsend)
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and draft)
Style: American Organic craft cider from dessert apples, with black currant and lavender

Availability: summer seasonal, sold in AZ, CA, CO, IL, MT, NV, NY, OR, TX, WA, and WI in the U.S., plus Alberta and British Columbia Canada (plus online sales, plus they have a plain Black Currant sold year round for $1-2 less)

Cider Description: Farmcrafted in our Chimacum barn with a select blend of Washington organic apples, organic black currant juice, organic lavender flowers from Olympic Peninsula farms (Jardin du Soleil, Wilderbee, and Purple Haze), and organic cane sugar.

Cidery Description: At Finnriver we ferment out dreams and pour our hearts into each bottle. Our Botanical Ciders are rooted in ancient wisdom, inspired by the seasons and crafted with a spirit of adventure! This bottle is an invitation to discover the possibilities of the apple and the earthly abundance of the farmed fields and wild meadows of the Olympic Peninsula. We are glad to share the beauty and county of the land!

Check out their website for more info. They have a tasting room on their farm+orchard outside of Port Townsend WA which is a family friendly destination, with food, games, and more. If you are heading to Port Townsend, also check out Alpenfire and Eaglemount, and I highly recommend staying at the Inn at the Resort at Port Ludlow (check out my review here, which also links to my reviews of all 3 Port Townsend area cideries).

Price: $9.99
Where Bought: Whole Foods
Where Drank: home
How Found: I first tried this on draft at Schilling Cider House

First Impression: Deep purple-red hue. Low carbonation. Smells rich, fruity, and of lavender.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate to high tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of grape, pomegranate, and blueberry (all three of which I imagine are the black currant flavor – I actually have never tried currants outside of cider so couldn’t really identify their flavor), plus hints of lavender especially on the finish. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate to high flavor intensity and sessionability. Low to moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I really enjoy this one. I usually don’t go for something this tart, but the sweetness helps balance that. It has some complexity beyond what you’d typically see for a flavored cider from dessert apples. Its also pretty neat that they can make Organic cider from local ingredients for only $10 / bottle (even less on draft).

Most Similar to: their plain Black Currant cider, except with lavender

Closing Notes: This is my favorite cider from Finnriver’s regular lineup. My other favorites are Fire Barrel (especially the previous recipe – I wasn’t nearly as big of a fan of the latest release), Farmstead, Oak & Apple, and Honey Meadow. Both this and their regular year-round Black Currant are even better on Nitro draft, tasting crazy smooth.

Have you tried any of Finnriver’s botanical ciders? What did you think?

Finnriver Fire Barrel

March 8, 2018March 8, 2018 cidersays Finnriver, review barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Finnriver, Fire Barrel, hard cider, tasting notes, washington

Review of Finnriver Fire Barrel. I’ve tried the previous version of this (see here) as well as this new version on tap (see here), but now I’m reviewing a new bottle in more detail. I’ve also tried most of Finnriver’s lineup (see here).

Cider: Fire Barrel
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA
ABV: 9.0%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle (and draft)

Availability: Limited release. Finnriver ciders are sold in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, TX, IL, CO, and Alberta & BC Canada (detailed info here). They also have an online store (which can ship to WA, OR, CA, AK, CO, MN, FL, & WA D.C.), but I didn’t see this one at the time of review.

Cider Description: A robust, bold and balanced taste of traditional cider apples— with a whisper of whiskey and rye spice; smoky aromas; notes of caramel and vanilla; and a mature, tannic finish.

100% Finnriver orchard organic cider apples: Chisel Jersey, Brown Snout, Harry Master’s Jersey, Medaille d’Or, Frequin rouge, Dabinette & Major.

Carefully farmcrafted and fermented with a blend of homegrown Finnriver orchard organic cider apples and white wine yeast in stainless steel tanks. Once the fermentation is complete, we cask the cider in Washington rye whiskey barrels for 5 months to impart depth and character. This award-winning cider was inspired by PNW cidermaker Drew Zimmerman, whose mentorship and cider apple trees helped us establish our orchard.

After chilling, allow the cider to warm slightly and serve; we favor Fire Barrel in a Belgian-style tulip glass. Try it with roasted pork, slow roasted brisket, a blue cheese burger, cured meats, smoked cheeses or any other hearty, savory fare. Caramelize an onion with Firebarrel cider and add to a dish for a feisty meal.

Cidery Description: At Finnriver we gather and ferment the flavors of the land to offer you farmcrafted hard ciders and spirited fruit wines. We are inspired by the allure of the fruit, the ancient history of the craft of fermentation and the lively traditions we now seek to revive. Our mission is to inspire a deeper connection to the land that sustains us….Some of these ciders are small-batch, seasonal and labor-intensive. Others are produced with contemporary methods and more readily available year-round…Finnriver grows over twenty varieties of traditional and heirloom apples in our organic orchard, to feature in our traditional and specialty ciders.

Finnriver has a great illustrated product guide (see here). They have a tasting room and are on the Olympic Pennsylvania cider route, along with the Eaglemount and Alpenfire cideries.

Price: $25
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: My husband got this for me for Christmas! He didn’t know I had already tried this new release, but had remembered me loving the old one.

First Impression: Light caramel amber hue. Nearly still. Smells of cider apples, caramel, and bourbon.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Very light bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Low to moderate bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of bittersweet cider apples, caramel, brown sugar, leather, orange, bourbon, smoke, and oak. Long bitter finish. Moderate apple flavor and flavor intensity. Low barrel influence and sessionability. Low to moderate bourbon influence. Moderate to high complexity.

Opinion: I enjoyed it. However, compared to the old release, this is a disappointment. The price is significantly higher, it is drier, less flavorful, more bitter, and thinner bodied. I agree to serve this at cellar temperature (between fridge & room temp), as colder would mute the flavor. I even enjoy ciders of this style at room temperature.

Most Similar to: Other ciders from bittersweet cider apples. This reminds me of English cider, but with the added bourbon and oak.

Closing Notes: I am curious about next year’s release, and if it will be more like the previous version that I absolutely love.

Have you tried Finnriver Fire Barrel? 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?

Schilling Cider House Visit 29 Tasting Notes

August 18, 2017August 12, 2017 cidersays 2 Towns, Double Mountain, Finnriver, Newton Court, review, Whitewood cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my 29th visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here.

I was there on a Tuesday afternoon with my husband, following the Washington Cider Week preview at Capitol Cider. These definitely aren’t my best tasting notes, as we were in a rush to beat the traffic home, and my husband distracted me from taking notes.

Whitewood Cider (Olympia WA) Jonathan (6.9% ABV): This is a single varietal cider from Jonathan apples, also available in bottles. Dry to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Apple forward with citrus and honey notes. This is one of my favorite dry ciders ever, as it is very approachable, without a harsh acidity, and more flavorful than expected.

Double Mountain (Hood River OR) Dry (6.7% ABV): This cider is made by a brewery, and appears to be draft-only. I tried their Jumpin Jack Heirloom Cider on draft at Cider Summit Seattle last year (see here). Dry. Low sourness and funk. Moderate tartness and acidity. Primarily heirloom apple and citrus notes.

2 Towns (Corvallis OR) Afton Field (6.4% ABV): I thought I had tried this one, but can’t find any reviews, so maybe not. Also available in bottles. This farmhouse-style cider is part of their Traditions line, and also available in bottles. Dry. Low sourness and funk. Moderate acidity and tartness. Notes of citrus and mineral.

Newton Court (Herefordshire England) Panting Partridge Perry (5.3% ABV): This is an English perry, also available in bottles, new to the Seattle area at least. They also have a bottled (and likely draft) cider available, Gasping Goose. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low sourness and funk. Pear-forward and fruity.

Seattle Cider (Seattle WA) City Fruit (6.3% ABV): This cider was made using community apples from City Fruit, and is also available in bottles (this was previously only exclusively sold at Whole Foods). Dry. High acidity. Moderate tartness. Notes of citrus and stone fruit.

Finnriver (Chimacum WA) Lavender Black Currant (6.5% ABV): I’ve had this cider on numerous previous occasions, but I never turn down having some on Nitro tap. Also available in bottles. Semi-sweet. Awesome fluffy texture. Moderate acidity and tartness. It is a yummy flavorful combination of fruity black currant and herbal lavender.

My husband’s favorite was Double Mountain Dry, mine was Finnriver Lavender Black Currant, and the most unexpected (in a good way) was Whitewood Jonathan. There were a surprising number of sour / farmhouse-style ciders (3), which isn’t my thing, but maybe I’ll eventually acquire the taste for them.

Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says! Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

Tasting Notes from NW Cider’s Preview of WA Cider Week 2017

August 16, 2017October 21, 2017 cidersays Alpenfire, Bad Granny, Capitol Cider, Dragon's Head, event, Finnriver, Liberty, Locust, Pear UP, review, Schilling, Seattle Cider, Snowdrift, Tieton, Washington Cider Week Capitol Cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Cider Week, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes, wa cider week, Washington Cider Week

I was recently invited to a Washington Cider Week preview for media and buyers. The 7th annual Washington Cider Week is September 7th-17th 2017, and will include numerous cider events, with Cider Summit Seattle being a main highlight. This preview event was hosted by the NW Cider Association, and held midday on a Tuesday at Capitol Cider in Seattle.

It was a pretty sweet invite-only event, and I enjoyed the excuse to take a half day off work! My husband even joined me; it was nice to have a driver, as there were eleven PNW cidery representatives pouring samples. Even though there weren’t many new-to-me ciders, it was a great opportunity to get some face time with the pourers, which often isn’t possible at the larger events.

Alpenfire Cider (Port Townsend WA): I’ve tried most of their lineup, which includes many favorites, but my husband requested a sample of Glow. It is one of their sweeter options, made from rare red-fleshed apples. It was a good choice as they rarely pour it at events. Awesome as always, semi-sweet, and crazy fruity flavorful without any additives.

Bad Granny (Chelan WA): This was my first time seeing them at an event (the cidery is less than a year old). I learned that they are associated with Karma Vineyards, one of the few producers of Methode Champenoise wine in the state. The cidery is a combination of their MC wine experience and their apple orchard family roots. I had tried their flagship Green Apple cider on draft previously (it is also sold in cans), which is a great simple semi-sweet cider option. They also brought their currently draft-only black currant cider, which I found to have only a very mild flavor, but overall was easy to drink, semi-dry to semi-sweet, with a fuller body than expected. I learned of their plans to release some specialty ciders in large format bottles, such as one from red-fleshed apples and one from Dabinett traditional cider apples.

Dragon’s Head (Vashon Island WA): They just released this year’s vintage of Kingston Black single varietal cider (which I tried last year). However, I decided to go for the Traditional cider, which is my favorite from them – a semi-dry cider with complex rich bittersweet cider apple flavor. I also sampled the Perry, as I wanted to compare it to the Methode Champenoise version I tried recently; I enjoyed this regular version better as it was sweeter (almost semi-sweet), and more flavorful / fruitier. Sometimes I find that a very high carbonation can impede a cider tasting for me as it makes a cider seem every drier and more acidic than it really is.

Finnriver (Chimacum WA): I tried their newish Cider Summit collaboration cider (poured at all four Cider Summit events in 2017 – Chicago, San Francisco, Portland, and next, Seattle), called “Summit Saison”. It is made with organic apples, Saison yeast, dried fruit such as apricots, and spices (which oddly enough included peppercorns). I found it hazy, semi-dry to semi-sweet, with citrus & stone fruit notes with a hint of peppercorn on the finish. I’m not a fan of pepper, even in food, so I wasn’t really sure what to make of it. My husband however was a fan.

Liberty Ciderworks (Spokane WA): This was a great opportunity to have a side-by-side tasting of their English-Style and Stonewall (barrel aged) ciders, which I’ve previously found very similar but hadn’t tried together. I preferred the Stonewall, as it was a bit smoother, with less acidic bite, and the added whiskey & oak notes. I also tried Turncoat, their hopped cider, which had nice herbal flavor without bitterness, which was my husband’s favorite.

Locust Cider (Woodinville WA): At this stop, as I said I had tried all of the regular line up (which was being poured from their new cans), I was treated to a sample of their limited release Bourbon Barrel Aged cider. It was semi-dry, and very mild at first (especially for 14% ABV), then all of a sudden Bam!, an intense bourbon finish. I thought I hadn’t tried it previously, but I actually had, over a year ago at their tap room (good thing for my Cider List!). I liked it better this time because it was served cold, but despite enjoying the flavor, its not something I would drink too often.

Pear UP – formerly Neigel Vintners / NV Cider (East Wenatchee WA): I had a chance to have a longish chat with the always energetic co-founder Kevin. He shared about the recent NW Cider trip where 10 PNW cidermakers traveled to France & England to learn about keeving (see this article). I also learned about the cidery’s packaging changes, such as new 12oz instead of 16.9oz green Aluminum bottles (with a digital wrap instead of labels), and four packs of 12oz clear glass bottles (which enables that SKU to be at a lower price point). I also learned about some new products they have released, including an interesting new partnership with a distillery, a brewery, and a label artist, resulting in Centre Ring, with an initial release of a cider and a perry, at a nice price point of $11.99 / 750ml bottle. Interestingly enough, Centre Ring doesn’t only focus on cider/perry, but craft beverages and food in general.

I started with the new Centre Ring Reserve Pear, which reminded me of a slightly drier and slightly more complex version of their flagship Pear Essentials, as it was semi-dry, medium bodied, and pear-forward with some citrus notes. Next I tried another new-to-me release (draft and bottles), Pearjito Colada; I didn’t pick up any mint, but the coconut was a fun bold flavor in the tasty semi-sweet perry. Lastly, my husband wanted to try the Pearfect Pie, which I had never tried either; it was a bit odd to drink in summer, but is a semi-sweet perry with a hint of pie spice.

Schilling Cider (Auburn WA): I tried the Grapefruit & Chill, which I learned was a different recipe than a grapefruit cider I had previously tried which was flavored with SodaJerk grapefruit soda syrup and I wasn’t a fan of; this time it was a surprisingly pleasant citrus-forward and higher carbonation semi-dry cider. I also re-tried the Pineapple Passion, which is one of my favorite Schilling varieties, with some strong tropical flavor, but it is definitely on the sweeter end (semi-sweet to sweet). My favorite from them is the King’s Schilling.

Seattle Cider (Seattle WA): I tried two new draft-only releases. First – Lavender Lemon, a semi-dry cider with the as-advertised flavor notes. Second – Cucumber Hibiscus, which was semi-dry to dry, and started with cucumber on the nose, primarily hibiscus (fruity/floral) in the flavor, and a cucumber finish. They were both more flavorful than most of the ciders I’ve previously had from them. I found both pretty average – plenty drinkable, but not something I would seek out.

Snowdrift Cider (East Wenatchee WA): No new ciders to try, but I tried the cider I had tried the least of and is the most rare – the Cidermaker’s Reserve. I learned it was made under Methode Champenoise with apples from their 2014 harvest, including bittersweet varieties, and aged 3! years. It is a highly carbonated cider with an awesome texture, on the sweeter side of semi-dry, with a very unique flavor profile – fruity with pomegranate notes, and almost grape champagne-like. I was surprised to hear it had bittersweet cider apples, as it definitely didn’t have the typical profile I’d expect. A fun and unique cider and an excellent value too, at $19 / 750ml (this was my husband’s favorite cider of the event, and he insisted we pick some up afterwards).

Tieton Cider Works (Yakima WA): No new to me ciders here either, so I re-tried the Sparkling Perry. I re-learned that this is made by keeving and is wild yeast fermented (neither of which I would have guessed nor remembered from my taste nearly two years ago). I’d describe it as a semi-sweet to semi-dry pear-forward perry with fruity citrus notes.

They had some nice swag too – tote bags, brochures, postcards, and stickers.

I did some serious cider shopping that day, about 12 bottles between Capitol Cider, the Schilling Cider House, and QFC. My coolest finds were at Capitol Cider, as I don’t get there often: EZ Orchards “Pomme” (Pommeau, a mix of apple brandy & cider), last year’s release of Finnriver Fire Barrel (which I liked better than this year’s batch), and two different single varietals from Liberty (that I only thought were available in their tasting room and online). The Schilling Cider House also had a couple new to me releases, a peach wine from Mission Trail and Gasping Goose from Newton’s Court in England. I also picked up a re-supply of Dunkertons Black Fox, my current go-to English cider, and a couple others favorites from Aspall and EZ Orchards.

Stay tuned for more posts on Washington Cider Week 2017, especially Cider Summit Seattle.

Schilling Cider House Visit 28 Tasting Notes

July 7, 2017July 7, 2017 cidersays Aspall, Finnriver, Incline, NV Cider, Portland Cider, review, Snowdrift cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, seattle, tasting notes, washington

Tasting notes from my 28th visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here.

I was there on a random Friday afternoon. There were only 2 ciders on the board out of 32 that I hadn’t tried, so that meant I got to order some of my favorites.

Incline (Auburn WA) Compass Rosé (6.5% ABV): This was the only new-to-me cider in my flight. It appears to be a year round release, and is also available in cans. Like all their ciders, it is hopped, plus hibiscus, elderflower, ginger, and rose petals were added (no grape, which is typical for a rosé). Pale pink hue. Very mild fruity scent. Notes of grape, watermelon, and strawberry to start. As it warmed up, I got a hint of hops and some floral & herbal flavor. I didn’t pick up any ginger (which is good, as I don’t like it). On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Mild flavor intensity. Interesting that I found it more fruity than floral, but maybe I was tasting what I expected (I only found out later what was added). I enjoyed it.

Finnriver (Chimacum WA) Lavender Black Currant (6.9% ABV): This is a special release, also available in bottles, which I’ve tried previously (see here), similar to their regular Black Currant (see here). This batch seemed a bit less sweet, with more lavender. Too bad it wasn’t on one of their 2 Nitro taps, as that is a special treat. I enjoyed it.

Portland Cider (Portland OR) Sangria (5.5% ABV): This is a relatively new year round release, also available in bottles, which I’ve tried previously (see here). This batch was a bit less flavorful and a bit fuller bodied, but still plenty fruity. I enjoyed it.

Pear Up / NV Cider (East Wenatchee WA) Watermelon Pear (5.3% ABV): This is a year round release, also available in bottles, which I’ve tried previously (see here). This batch had much more pear than watermelon flavor, and had a hint of vinegar flavor & sourness. I didn’t really care for it this time around with the slightly off flavor. Their raspberry perry is my favorite so far (see here).

Aspall (Suffolk England) Dry (6.8% ABV): This is an English import, available year round, also in bottles, which I’ve tried previously (see here). Their Dry is actually my least favorite of their line-up, but still plenty good. Their Imperial is my favorite so far (see here); too bad they stopped selling the black label version of it though, as that was a truly amazing cider.

Snowdrift (Wenatchee WA) Cornice (7.5% ABV): This is a year round release, also available in bottles, which I’ve tried previously see here). This batch of this barrel agsed cider was a bit more fruity / less rich. I enjoyed it.

Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says! Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

Schilling Cider House Visit 27 Tasting Notes

May 22, 2017May 12, 2017 cidersays Anthem, Aspall, Cockrell, Elemental, Finnriver, Jester & Judge, Locust, One Tree, review, Schilling cider, cider bar, cider flight, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my 27th visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here.

I was there on a Sunday afternoon, with my husband and a friend from out of town. The good thing about having folks with me was I got to order more ciders! I chose all the ciders for our group, which was fun.

Schilling (Auburn WA) Pippin (6.5% ABV): This is a draft-only special release, a single varietal from Pippin apples I believe. Semi-dry. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Mild to moderate bitterness. Hints of sourness. Lots of citrus! I wasn’t really a fan with the sourness and acidity.

Locust (Woodinville WA) Seckel Perry (6.5% ABV): I rounded out my flight with this, as I enjoyed it my last visit (see here). However, this time I found it sour, and wasn’t a fan. I’m curious if it was the same keg or not.

Anthem (Salem OR) Pear (6.5% ABV): This is a pear-flavored cider, also available in bottles. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Very mildly flavored, apple and pear. I found it plenty drinkable, but boring.

Finnriver (Port Townsend WA) Dry Hopped (6.9% ABV): I’ve tried this previously, and mostly ordered it for my husband. It is also available in bottles. Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness, acidity, and bitterness. Citrus notes with hints of floral and hops. Not bad.

Cockrell (Puyallup WA) Raspberry Habanero (7.8% ABV): This is a popular cider of theirs, also available in bottles. Semi-dry. Moderate berry flavor. Moderate to strong level of spiciness, especially on the finish. I’m not a fan of spicy ciders, and mostly tried this out of curiosity. This was the only one we didn’t finish.

Schilling (Auburn WA) Afterglow (5.1% ABV): This is a special release, also available in bottles, made with cranberries, blood orange, and rose hips. Semi-sweet. Light to medium bodied. Mild to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. Mild to moderate berry flavor with a hint of herbs. I didn’t pick up any blood orange. I enjoyed it.

We also ordered 2 more flights, with:
– Schilling Pineapple Passion (which I’ve reviewed here)
– Schilling Grumpy Bear Cold Brew Coffee (which I’ve reviewed here)
– Schilling Blackberry Pear (which I’ve reviewed here)
– One Tree Huckleberry (which I’ve reviewed here)
– Elemental Margarita (which I’ve reviewed here)
– Elemental Blood Orange (which I’ve reviewed here)
– Schilling King’s Schilling (which I’ve reviewed here)
– Jester & Judge Pineapple (which I’ve reviewed here , although this batch wasn’t so great, as it was less flavorful than usual)
– Elemental Pom-Lavender (which I really enjoyed, semi-sweet and flavorful, fruity with a hint of lavender)
– Elemental Black Currant (which I thought was good, but I like Finnriver’s better, as the flavor is more intense – see here)

We also ordered a bottle of Aspall Imperial (which I’ve reviewed here). I love that all their bottles at the cider house are pre-chilled and there isn’t a markup for drinking them onsite.

My favorite was the Aspall. After that, the Schilling Afterglow, Elemental Pom-Lavender, Schilling Pineapple Passion, and Schilling’s King Schilling.

Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says! Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

Schilling Cider House Visit 25 Tasting Notes

April 14, 2017April 14, 2017 cidersays 2 Towns, Alpenfire, Aval, Carlton, Cockrell, Finnriver, Locust, North Idaho Cider, review, Schilling, Sea Cider cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my 25th visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here.

I was there on a Tuesday when they were having a 2 Towns event (they had Return of the Mac, Made Marion, Cherried Away, Flight of the Kiwi, and Sun’s Out Saison on tap). I started with a flight.

Finnriver (Chimacum WA) Fire Barrel (9.0% ABV): This year’s Fire Barrel was just released (I’ve tried it previously; see here). It is made from cider apples (this year they are all Organic and all from Finnriver’s own orchard), then Whiskey barrel aged for 5 months (previously it was aged in charred Bourbon barrels). They have a detailed fact sheet on this and all their other ciders now too. This time around it is a higher ABV, and is being released in a 750ml corked bottle (part of their Orchard Series) for $23, instead of a 500ml bottle for $11. I prefer smaller bottles for lower prices. I think it was underpriced before (I recognize these barrel aged ciders from real cider apples cost significantly more to produce), but $23 is a bit steep.
Darker hue. Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness, acidity, bitterness, tannins, and funk. No sourness. Notes of apple pomace, caramel, and molasses. Long warming finish. Oddly enough I liked this better as it warmed up, as it seemed to have more depth (often for a higher ABV cider, they become harsh as they warm). Moderate flavor intensity, apple flavor, sessionability, and complexity. Low to moderate oak and spirit flavor. I really enjoyed it, but the previous version was better, as it seemed more complex (I didn’t pick up the vanilla this time) and had more oak & spirit flavor, likely as it was a bit sweeter.

2 Towns (Corvallis OR) Peach Saison / Sun’s Out Saison (5.8% ABV): I thought this was something I hadn’t tried, as it was labeled Peach Saison (they write whatever the keg label says on the tap list board, so sometimes it varies from the official name), but it turns out it is Sun’s Out Saison, back for its 2nd seasonal release (also available in bottles); I’ve tried it previously (see here). Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Notes of peach, pear, citrus, and green apple. Quick finish. Low apple flavor. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Moderate to high sessionability. Low to moderate complexity. I really enjoyed it. This year’s release seemed slightly sweeter and more flavorful.

Locust Cider (Woodinville WA) Seckel Perry (6.0% ABV): This draft-only perry is made from Seckel pears. Smells slightly of vinegar, sourness, funk, and citrus. Hazy hue. On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Medium bodied, with a nice texture. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Mouth-puckering without being overly tart or acidic. Hints of sourness, funk, bitterness, and tannins. Pear-forward with some citrus, even lime. I enjoyed it. Snowdrift also makes a nice Seckel Perry (see here).

Sea Cider (Saanichton B.C.) Wolf in the Woods (9.9% ABV): This is a special release cider, part of their Canadian Invasion Series, with hops and pine tips, also available in bottles (for more info see here). Dry to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low to moderate bitterness. Low tannins. Flavor notes were on the earthy and botanical side, with hops, wood, and citrus. Long warming finish, but that was the first time the ABV showed up. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity and complexity. Low sessionability. I enjoyed it.

Cockrell Cider (Puyallup WA) Call Me Dusty / Dusty Dry (6.8% ABV): This is their flagship dry cider, also available in bottles. Dry to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. Rather apple-forward and flavorful for a drier cider. Hints of peach, pineapple, and lemon. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Moderate sessionability, complexity, and apple flavor. I enjoyed it.

Alpenfire (Port Townsend WA) Traditional Heirloom Dry (8.0% ABV): This is a draft-only new cider release from heirloom apples. Dry to semi-dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low tannins. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Apple-forward flavor with some citrus and floral notes. Moderate apple flavor, flavor intensity, complexity, and sessionability. I enjoyed it. Even Alpenfire’s simpler ciders are exceptional (like their Simple Cider).

Sarah also shared a few sample ciders with me.

Carlton Cyderworks (McMinnville OR) Sidra Natural (6.9% ABV): This is a special release Spanish Sidra-style cider (first available November 2016), made from bittersweet & bittersharp PNW apples. Semi-dry to dry. Low to moderate tartness, acidity, and sourness. Low funk. Notes of citrus but not much else. Low flavor intensity and complexity. I found this rather uninspiring, plus I’m not really a fan of Sidra / sour ciders. However, this would be a good introductory Sidra for someone as it isn’t overly harsh. Interestingly, imported real Spanish Sidra can be bought around here for significantly less than local Sidra-style cider, so I’m curious how these cider styles will sell. Rustic and farmhouse-style ciders seem to be gaining in popularity in the PNW (or at least, in production).

Aval (Bretagne France) Cidre Artisinal (6.0% ABV): This is a semi widely available French cider from the Brittany region, known for sweeter and higher carbonated apple-forward ciders, typically without the sourness & funk which is common is ciders from the Normandy region. Darker hue. Smells sweet, of caramel. Unknown carbonation level (this had gone flat, but I’m guessing it was higher to start with). On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Low tartness, acidity, tannins, and bitterness. Notes of apple pomace and caramel. Quick finish. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate to high apple flavor. Low to moderate complexity. I enjoyed this; it is a very easy-drinking French cider, similar to Celt, which is a staple cider in my house and a steal at $7.99 for four 11.2oz bottles.

North Idaho Cider (Hayden ID) Logger (6.9% ABV): This cidery’s ciders are new to the Seattle area (see this article), and this one retails for ~ $7.99 / 22oz. Logger is a dry cider aged on oak and pine. Dry. Low sourness. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness. Notes of oak/wood, earth, and citrus. Mild flavor intensity and apple flavor. Moderate sessionability and complexity. I thought this was nice, and reminded me of Grizzly Ciderworks The Ridge.

For probably the first time, I actually enjoyed every cider in my flight. However, my favorites were the Finnriver Fire Barrel and 2 Towns Sun’s Out Saison. Of the bottle pours, I enjoyed the Aval best. It was awesome to have several true artisan cider selections on tap (those made from cider apples by cideries with their own orchards), as most of the draft selections tend towards ciders made from dessert apples with added flavors (fruit, hops, etc).

Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says! Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

Cider Rite of Spring 2017 – Post 2/2 – Tasting Notes

March 31, 2017March 31, 2017 cidersays 2 Towns, 7 Bev, Alter Ego, Bauman's, Elk Horn, event, Finnriver, McMenamin's, NV Cider, Rev Nat's, Runcible, Square Mile, Swift, Tumalo, Woodbox, ^ 5 Cider cider, cider event, cider review, Cider Rite of Spring, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, portland, tasting notes

This is Part 2/2 on Cider Rite of Spring 2017 in Portland Oregon, which includes tasting notes on the 18 ciders I tried. See HERE for Part 1/2, covering the event itself. Note that I have more notes on some ciders than others depending on how much of it I tried and what was going on at the event (kinda tough to take notes with one hand while holding on to your tasting glass in the other!)…its not a reflection on the cider itself.

^ 5 Cider (Portland OR) Strawbasaurus Hop, 6.9% ABV, $6/500ml: This is a flagship hopped strawberry cider, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Dry to semi-dry. Light bodied with a lot of foam. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Moderate bitterness. I couldn’t get past how overly hoppy the flavor was. The light strawberry flavor with the intense hopped flavor was also odd. I think hops are nice to enhance a cider’s flavor, but I don’t like when they overpower it.

2 Towns (Corvallis OR) Pommeau, 19% ABV, $23/375ml, VIP offering: This is an awesome Pommeau (apple brandy + apple cider, oak barrel aged for 1 year); see my previous review here.

7 Bev / Queen Orchard (West Linn OR) Green Man, 6.7% ABV, draft only: This cider is for the Willamette Ale & Cider House, expected to open in West Linn Oregon on June 15th, and is the first I’ve tried from the cidery. It was described as inspired by English cider, but I found it more farmhouse-style than anything else (none of the characteristic tannins of English cider). Hazy hue. Smells of sulfur, sourness, and funk, but those qualities oddly enough didn’t transfer to the flavor. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Low to moderate acidity. Apple-forward with citrus notes. Nice flavor, but the scent was off-putting. It could be a first production issue.

Alter Ego Cider (Portland OR) The Guardian Angel, 6.5% ABV, $8/500ml: This is a flagship blueberry pomegranate cider, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Dark berry hue. Semi-sweet to sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. High flavor intensity, with blueberry, pomegranate, and grape, but not much apple. High sessionability. Juice-like. Reminds me of Atlas’ ciders. I liked it.

Bauman’s Cider (Gervais OR) Peach Raspberry, 6.4% ABV, $12/22oz: This summer seasonal cider adds peaches and raspberries, and is the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Moderate to high flavor intensity, with rather straight-forward peach and raspberry notes. Well balanced with a lot of flavor without being too sweet. I really enjoyed it.

Elk Horn Brewery (Eugene OR) Grape Perry, 6.0% ABV, draft only: This is a perry made from dessert pears, sweetened with Concord grape juice, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Very light fruity flavor, primarily grape. I was expecting a sweeter more flavorful cider between the pear (unfermentable sugars typically lead to a higher residual sugar content even if fermentation isn’t stopped early) and grape, although you can tell even from the color than not a lot of grape juice was used.

Elk Horn Brewery (Eugene OR) Cherry’s Pie, 7.5% ABV, draft only: This is a cider with cherries added. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. I found the flavor a bit weird…kinda bitter…but I just had a sip or two shared with me.

Finnriver (Port Townsend WA) Apply Ol’ Fashion cocktail, VIP offering: Made with Finnriver’s Spirited Apple Wine (brandy-fortified cider, 18.5% ABV, $25/500ml) and Oak and Apple cider (6.5% ABV, $10/500ml). I’ve previously had both ciders on their own, but I didn’t like this cocktail in the least, and neither did my husband or friend, as none of us are fans of bitters. Its likely the proportions may have got off since they made this rather rushed…it was quite an undertaking to serve a non-pre-mixed cocktail at a busy event like this. They were also offering pours of just the Apple Wine, which is what I should have chosen. See my Oak and Apple review here. My favorite from Finnriver however is their Fire Barrel (see here); this year’s vintage was just released, and it is a great value at ~$11/500ml.

McMenamins Edgefield Winery (Portland OR) Black Cherry Cider, 6.8% ABV, draft only: Semi-sweet. Nice real cherry flavor. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. High flavor intensity. I liked it. I had previously only tried Edgefield’s flagship cider.

Pear UP (formerly NV Cider, East Wenatchee WA) Raspberry Perry, unknown ABV, $5/500ml: This is a perry (only pears, no apples) with raspberries. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Nice moderate to strong fresh raspberry flavor with a hint of pear. Refreshingly flavorful. I was surprised how much more flavorful this was compared to their Watermelon Perry, as it is only slightly more sweet. I like the flavor intensity of this best of all their perries I’ve tried, but the watermelon flavor remains my favorite (I’m a huge watermelon fan).

Reverend Nat’s (Portland OR) New Moon Mandarin, 7.2% ABV, $7/500ml: This seasonal cider is made with mandarin and tangerine juice, and finished with chamomile flowers. Dry. Light bodied. High tartness. Moderate acidity. Very mild citrus flavor. Warm boozy finish. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Runcible Cider (Mosier OR) Light of the Moon, 8.1% ABV, $17/750ml: This is their flagship cider made using heirloom apple varieties, and the first I’ve tried from this cidery. Hazy hue. Semi-dry. Low tartness, bitterness, and tannins. Moderate acidity. Hints of sourness and funk. found this to be a slightly farmhouse-style apple-forward cider with some honey and citrus notes. I liked it.

Runcible Cider (Mosier OR) Old Hoot, 7.4% ABV, $17/750ml: This is their Farmhouse-style cider, made with English cider apple varieties. Very hazy hue. Dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low funk and tannins. Hints of sourness. This was well made, but a bit too rustic for my liking.

Shoutout to Kelly McCune of Runcible Cider – she had actually heard of Cider Says prior to the event, and said she likes my blog – very cool! They are a brand new cidery (this was their first event) and have their own orchard of 500 cider apple trees, which is awesome, as so many cideries actually aren’t orchard-based. I think it takes a cidery’s cider to the next level.

Square Mile Cider (Portland OR) Rosé, unknown ABV, draft only, VIP offering: This special release cider was made with hibiscus and rose hips. Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. High tartness. Moderate acidity. Very light fruitiness, with floral and herbal notes. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Swift Cider (Portland OR) Marionberry, 6.8% ABV, $8/22oz: This is a dry flagship cider with marionberries, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Dry to semi-dry. Light bodied. Low berry flavor intensity. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Tumalo Cider (Tumalo OR) Prickly Passion, unknown ABV, $6/500ml: This is the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Very low fruity flavor intensity. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Tumalo Cider (Tumalo OR) Hibiscus, unknown ABV, $6/500ml: Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness acidity. Low flavor intensity, more fruity than floral. Slightly more flavorful than the Prickly Passion. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Woodbox (Portland OR) Double Barrel Whiskey Barrel Ice Cider, 12.7% ABV, $17/375ml: This is a ice cider (made by using freezing temperatures to naturally concentrate the flavor and sugar content in apple juice before fermenting it) aged in whiskey barrels, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Full bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. Low tannins. Rich flavor notes including caramel and vanilla. High apple flavor. Moderate to high whiskey flavor. Moderate oak flavor. Awesome! They made a sign to highlight the cider’s price as the program had a mis-print of $33, which is quite a difference.

Closing Notes:

My favorite ciders of the event were the Woodbox Ice Cider and 2 Towns Pommeau (and my husband and friend agreed).
- The ice cider was an especially good value too (often they run $30+ as they are so expensive to make), and the only bottle we ended up picking up (although our friend bought a number of ciders).
Of the non-specialty ciders, I most enjoyed Alter Ego Guardian Angel, Bauman’s Peach Raspberry, Pear UP Raspberry Perry, and Runcible Light of the Moon.
I was surprised how many dry ciders were being offered, and especially how many cideries were only offering dry ciders, which is nice. However, especially when made from dessert apples, dry ciders can often end up very subtlety flavored, while I prefer a really in-your-face flavorful cider (whether an added flavor or due to use of cider apples). I usually go for semi-dry to semi-sweet, as they tend to be more flavorful, but not too sweet.
There were also a number of cideries breaking from the pack and going more Farmhouse-style (like Runcible and Baird & Dewar), which isn’t typically as crowd-pleasing, but sticks to the roots of early American cider.
There were plenty of sweet offerings too, but mostly from the more established / larger cideries that I had already sampled (like Portland Cider Co., and the Seattle-area’s own Locust and Schilling cideries).

That will do it for Cider Rite of Spring 2017. Stay tuned for more tasting notes from my Portland trip, from Reverend Nat’s tap room and Bushwhacker Cider!

Cherry Cider Tasting

November 11, 2016November 6, 2016 cidersays Anthem, Doc's, Finnriver, Greenwood, Griffin Cider Works, Julian, Rev Nat's, review, Woodchuck Cherry, cherry cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, tasting notes

There was recently a cherry cider tasting at my house (thanks Sarah, Merce, Kevin, and Si from Cider Log for sharing all the ciders!). I took a few tasting notes.

With all of these I didn’t pick up any flavor besides cherry, and maybe a bit of green apple or citrus. The apple flavor was also none to mild.

Woodchuck (Middlebury VT) Sour Cherry (6.9% ABV): This was part of their Cellar Series (since discontinued) and hasn’t been sold since July 2014, but this bottle held up better flavor-wise than the bottle I had that I opened a year ago (review here). Semi-sweet to sweet. Mild to moderate slightly cherry flavor. Still. Medium bodied. Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. Not bad.

Anthem (Salem OR) Cherry (6.2% ABV): This is sold year round and now also available in cans. Semi-dry. Mild cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Mild apple flavor. I didn’t find it flavorful enough.

Julian (Julian CA) Cherry Bomb (6.99% ABV): This is sold year round. Semi-sweet to sweet. Moderate real cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. I liked it.

Reverend Nat’s (Portland OR) Sacrilege Sour Cherry (6.5% ABV): This is a seasonal release. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Moderate cherry flavor, slightly sour. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. I thought it was pretty average; I’d prefer no sourness.

Finnriver (Chimacum WA) Chimacum Kriek (6.0% ABV): This sour cherry cider is part of their Crew Selection series, a limited release in May 2016. Semi-dry. Mild to moderate cherry flavor, moderately sour. Still. Medium to full bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. I didn’t care for this at all, due to the sourness.

Griffin Cider Works (Westlake OH) Strong Woman (6.5% ABV): This is an English-style cider finished with cherry, sold March thru October, whose proceeds go towards fighting breast cancer. Semi-sweet. Moderate cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. Mild tannins. I thought it was pretty average. There was an additional flavor in this that none of us could identify. The tannins were unique.

Doc’s Draft (Warwick NY) Sour Cherry (6.0% ABV): This is sold year round. Semi-sweet. Moderate to strong real cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. I really liked it.

Greenwood Cider (Seattle WA) Cherry (unknown ABV): This appears to be draft only. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Mild weird cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Light bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. I thought this one was a bit strange, but ok.

Between the six of us at the tasting, the clear winner of the evening was from Doc’s. Unfortunately this variety isn’t sold in Washington in bottles, but can be found in Oregon, or sometimes on draft here. My second favorite was from Julian. What both of these had in common was they were a bit sweeter, more intense cherry flavor, and more “real” flavor (not medicinal). The least favorites were the Anthem, Greenwood, and Griffin varieties.

Finnriver Pommeau

October 28, 2016October 28, 2016 cidersays Finnriver brandy, cider, cider review, Finnriver, hard cider, Pommeau, tasting notes

Review of Finnriver’s Pommeau, which is a mix of cider and apple brandy. I tried a bottle pour of this awhile back. I picked up this bottle in February when my husband took me to Port Townsend for cider tasting for my birthday (see here, plus posts on Finnriver, Eaglemount, and Alpenfire). I’ve previously tried most of Finnriver’s line-up; see here.

Cider: Pommeau
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA
ABV: 18.5%
How Supplied: 500ml square short bottle (cork in cap)
Style: American craft Pommeau apple wine (cider + apple brandy), oak aged

Availability: Likely difficult to find outside of their Port Townsend area cidery & farm and their booth at the Ballard Farmer’s Market. In general, Finnriver ciders are sold in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, TX, IL, CO, and Alberta & BC Canada (detailed info here). They also have an online store (which can ship to WA, OR, CA, AK, CO, MN, FL, & WA D.C.).

Cider Description: Fermenting at Finnriver is a process of discovery – a blend of ancient wisdom, modern chemistry, farm ingenuity, and nature’s magic. We are inspired by the generosity of the orchard and by the possibilities of the apple. We hope this bottle of elegant, aged apple wine gives you a rich and rewarding sip of the earth’s bounty.

Pommeau in general is made from apple juice (typically unfermented but sometimes fermented) and apple brandy. This one was oak aged, and released in January 2016.

Price: $40
Where Bought: Finnriver’s tasting room in Chimacum WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: I tried this awhile back when some friends brought it to a cider tasting party at my house.

First Impression: Medium amber. Still. Smells boozy, apple forward, and of caramelized and brown sugars.

Tasting Notes: I preferred this with an ice cube or two. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, honey, leather, oak, and hints of spice. Long warming finish. Moderate to high apple flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate complexity and flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I really liked it. However, it wasn’t nearly as good as when I tried it before; the flavor seemed muted and it had an odd texture in the mouth. Maybe as this bottle had a lot of floating particulates (yeast?).

Most Similar to: Other Pommeau. Besides Finnriver, I’ve tried selections from 2 Towns (2015 release), Traditions (2 Towns, 2013 release), Etienne Dupont, and Wandering Aengus. I’d put Finnriver’s Pommeau somewhere in the middle of the list as far as my favorites go. I like the sweet flavorful ones best.

Closing Notes: This was a special treat! One of the great things about Pommeau is that due to the high alcohol content, it has a longer shelf life after opening it than other ciders, so I can enjoy this bottle for weeks to come.

Have you tried Finnriver Pommeau? What did you think?

Cider Summit Seattle 2016 Post 2/2 – Tasting Notes

September 14, 2016April 16, 2017 cidersays 2 Towns, Apple Outlaw, Aspall, Cider Summit, Coquerel Calvados, D's Wicked, Double Mountain, Dragon's Head, event, Finnriver, Incline, J. Seeds, local, Maeloc, Montana Ciderworks, Moonlight Meadery, Nectar Creek, Number Six, NV Cider, Rev Nat's, review, Sea Cider, Seattle Cider, Steelhead, Summit Cider cider, cider event, cider review, cider summit, cider tasting, hard cider, seattle, tasting notes

This is post 2/2 on Cider Summit Seattle 2016, covering tasting notes. Post 1/2 (see here) covered the event.

2 Towns (Corvallis Oregon) Hollow Jack (6.4% ABV) – This fall seasonal pumpkin cider was just released. They added caramelized pumpkin, sweet potato, honey, and spices. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness, acidity, and bitterness. Notes of pumpkin, squash, and cinnamon. It was very lightly flavored, unlike many other pumpkin (and more frequently found, “pumpkin” spice ciders, which actually don’t have any pumpkin) which are overwhelming.

Apple Outlaw (Applegate Oregon) Chocolate Raspberry (unknown ABV) – This was their fruit cider challenge entry. The chocolate was added by soaking cacao bean husks in the raspberry cider. These husks would otherwise be discarded in the chocolate making process. Smells delicious, purely chocolate and raspberry. Semi-dry. The flavor is almost all raspberry, but hints of dark chocolate shone through in the slightly bitter and tannic finish. Moderate tartness and acidity. This was a bit of a novelty, but nice.

Aspall (Suffolk England) Perronelle’s Blush (4% ABV) – Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Moderate tartness and acidity. Light to medium bodied. Lovely fruitiness with moderate blackberry flavor plus hints of cranberry and blueberry. This is a nice sessionable summer sipper without forgoing flavor. I’ve never been disappointed by Aspall.

Boonville (Boonville CA) Bite Hard Semi-Sweet (6.9% ABV) – Their semi-sweet flagship cider is a follow up to their Dry Bite Hard variety. I found it as advertised, semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Fruity, with notes of tropical fruit like pineapple, plus green apple (all from the apples). I prefer this semi-sweet cider to their drier variety, which was more wine-like (which corresponds to their wine making background and methods).

Bull Run (Forest Grove Oregon) Mango (unknown ABV) – This was their fruit cider challenge entry. This hazy cider looked like mango juice. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Very juice-like and moderate mango flavor intensity. Moderate tartness and acidity. Simple but tasty.

Carlton Cyderworks (McMinnville Oregon) Impearial Asian Pear Hard Cider (5.8% ABV) – This is a pear cider (apples + Asian pears + Hood River Oregon pears). Semi-dry. Light bodied. Light sourness. Mildly flavored with notes of pear, pineapple, lemon, green apple, and mineral. I prefer more flavor, but this would pair well with food.

Coquerel (Victot-Pontfol, Normandy, France) Calvodos Fine VSOP (40% ABV) – This was my first time trying straight Calvados, an aged apple brandy (I’ve only had it with cider, as Pommeau). Semi-dry. Definitely boozy, with a very long warming finish. It surprisingly had only a mild apple flavor, although its possible my palate was a bit overwhelmed by the alcohol. I’m not really into straight alcohol (especially when served room temperature). I think I’ll stick to Pommeau.

d’s Wicked (Kennewick WA) Cranny Granny (6.9% ABV) – This is a granny smith apple cider with cranberry juice. Hazy pink hue. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Simple with only notes of moderately tart granny smith apples and cranberry. If you like tartness and cranberry, you’ll like this cider.

Dragon’s Head (Vashon WA) Columbia Crabapple Cider (6.7% ABV) – A single varietal cider made from Columbia crabapples. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity with hints of bitterness and tannins. Sharp flavor with notes of mineral, green apple, honey, white blossom, and lemon. Wine-like and nuanced with low flavor intensity. This is the sweetest variety I’ve tried from them. Their Kingston Black or Traditional is probably my favorite though.

Double Mountain Brewery – I’ll add a bit about them as they aren’t yet distributed in Washington, only Oregon. They have brewed beer for 9 years, but just started making cider, and have one introductory variety.

Double Mountain (Hood River Oregon) Jumpin Jack Heirloom Cider (7.3% ABV) – Fully dry. Mild sourness. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild bitterness and tannins. Notes of green apple and a hint of hops (not sure if they were added, or there might have been some tap line contamination). I didn’t pick up the richness of any of the cider apple varieties they added, but there was definitely sharp heirloom apple flavor. I thought it was ok.

Finnriver (Chimanum WA) Apple Abbey (6.5% ABV) – A Belgian-inspired cider made from dessert apples. Foamy and hazy. Smells of sourness and citrus. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Yeast-forward. Notes of citrus and green apple. Hints of sourness. Moderate tartness and acidity. I liked it.

Finnriver (Chimanum WA) Pomona’s Nectar (6.5% ABV) – This is a new Crew Selection sour nectarine cider. Smells like Spanish Sidra. Semi dry. Mild to moderate sourness. Notes of lemon, yeast, and mineral (I didn’t pick up any stone fruit). I’m still trying to acquire the taste for sour ciders, but I found this one pretty tolerable; its a bit more approachable than the average Sidra.

Incline Cider (Auburn WA) Scout (6.5%) – A hopped marionberry cider. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Light marrionberry and moderate hops flavor. I think I prefer their plain Explorer hopped cider variety.

J. Seeds (Fairfield CA) Apple Cider Whiskey (35% ABV) – Whiskey made including apple cider. Semi-sweet. Apple forward and quite tasty, although I don’t have anything to compare it to as I’m not a whiskey drinker (I’ve previously found it too harsh). However, I’m not into straight booze, so I think I’d prefer it watered down or mixed. It looks to be available locally and is quite affordable. I wouldn’t mind trying this again. Being sweeter, it reminds me of what flavored sweetened vodka is to plain vodka.

Maeloc Cider (Galithia Spain) Dry (4.8% ABV) – This is a commercial Spanish Sidra. Semi-dry to semi-sweet (despite the “Dry” name). Medium bodied. Mild sourness and funk. Notes of citrus and green apple. It is a more approachable Sidra, a style I’m still learning to acquire a taste for. I learned they use apples from within 50 miles of the cidery, grown in a damp climate similar to the PNW, and use wild yeast fermentation for all their ciders. Overall it was ok.

Montana CiderWorks (Darby MT) Spartan Dry-Style (5.5% ABV) – This is a small batch oak aged single varietal made with Montana-grown Spartan apples, in the style of Northern Italy’s Sauvignon Blanc. Dry. Light bodied. Nuanced and wine-like, with high acidity, and sharp green apple, herbal, and baked apple notes. It was nice, but I prefer their fuller flavored Darby Pub cider. This is a wine-lovers cider.

Moonlight Meadery (Londonderry NH) Crimes of Passion (4.1% ABV) – A black currant seasonal cider. Semi-dry. Light sourness. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild to moderate black currant flavor intensity. I enjoyed it, although without the sourness I would have enjoyed it more. I was excited to learn they will soon be offering their How Do You Like Them Little Apples cider in cans (currently all their ciders are draft-only), starting in October/November, including in the Seattle area.

Nectar Creek (Corvallis Oregon) Honeycone (6.9% ABV) – This is a hopped mead (no apples, just honey and water). The smell is all hops, no honey. Semi-dry. Mild flavor intensity with more hops than honey. I found this sessionable lightly carbonated mead to be lacking the full flavor I enjoy in the higher ABV sweeter meads.

Number Six Cider (Seattle WA) Peach Fuzz (6.5% ABV) – This was their fruit cider challenge entry, a spiced peach cider. Semi-dry. Very full bodied (chunky and smoothie-like). Low peach flavor and moderate to high spice intensity. It was a bit too strange for my liking as it was so full bodied, and overly spiced.

NV Cider (East Wenatchee WA) Watermelon Raspberry (unknown ABV) – This perry (no apples) with watermelon and raspberry was their fruit cider challenge entry, and was served through a watermelon. Semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderately flavorful, but with more raspberry than watermelon notes, and no pear. I prefer their watermelon perry without the raspberry. Both however are refreshing options.

Reverend Nat’s (Portland Oregon) Sour Cherry (7.2% ABV) – This cider was made from granny smith apples, with pie cherry juice which was soured, pear juice, and “hint” of ghost chili peppers. Semi-dry. Moderate cherry flavor. Low sourness. Low to moderate heat/spiciness from the ghost chili peppers. I liked the cherry portion of the cider, but spicy ciders aren’t my thing (and a bit of a palate killer too). I’d love to see this without the spiciness (which I believe was new for this year).

Reverend Nat’s (Portland Oregon) The Passion (6.9% ABV) – Cider with passion fruit juice, coconut, and vanilla. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Mild sourness. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. Strong passion fruit flavor with hints of vanilla, pineapple, and coconut. I really enjoyed it. I liked how fruity it was without being too sweet. I had heard this was very sour so I hadn’t got around to trying it, but I wish I had sooner! I wonder if they did away with the sour aspect this year, as I really didn’t pick up any. I’ll have to try this again to see if my sour taste buds were busted when I tried it.

Reverend Nat’s (Portland Oregon) Whiskey Barrel Aged Golden Russet with Black Currant (9.5% ABV) – This is Wandering Aengus’ Golden Russet cider with black currant puree from Oregon Fruit Products, aged for 6 months in whiskey barrels. It was made for the Portland and Seattle Cider Summits, but will be a Tent Show cider club release in October. Semi-dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild tannins and bitterness. Moderate barrel and spirit influence. Awesome! I really loved this cider. I usually find berry ciders to be boring, but when barrel aged, they can be amazing. This reminded me of Alpenfire Calypso and Apocalypso, except more boozy, and whiskey not rum barrel aged. Too bad they weren’t selling bottles of this at the event, as I would have picked some up.

Sea Cider (Saanichton, B.C., Canada) Ruby Rose (9.9% ABV) – This summer seasonal is made with rhubarb and rose hips. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Mild to moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. Intensely fruity, with floral, rhubarb, strawberry, and watermelon notes. I really liked it! Oddly enough I didn’t find it too boozy, despite being 9.9% ABV.

Sea Cider (Saanichton, B.C., Canada) Witch’s Broom (9.9% ABV) – I got a taste from the first bottle poured in the U.S. of this fall seasonal. It was described as a “bouquet of pumpkin patch spices”. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. It was moderately spiced with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and baked apple. Mild tannins, bitterness, tartness, and acidity. Cinnamon was the most present, both in the nose and the finish. One of my favorite spiced ciders, but I’m not usually a huge fan of them.

Both of these ciders from Sea Cider are part of their Canadian Invasion Series, meant to draw attention to invasive species and their threat to farms and natural areas.

Seattle Cider (Seattle Washington) City Fruit (6.3% ABV) – This is a special release cider only sold at Whole Foods, made using apples collected in the Seattle community by the non-profit City Fruit. Dry to semi-dry. Wine-like and acid forward. Notes of red grape and mineral. Overall very mild flavor intensity. This is a wine-lovers cider, and would pair well with food.

Steelhead Cider (Manson WA) Chimera Cherry Apple (5.5% ABV) – This is a newer cidery who just started distributing (at least kegs) in the Seattle area. I previously tried their Peargatory. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Moderate to strong real cherry flavor. It was sweeter than I prefer, but I liked the intense cherry flavor.

Summit Cider – I’ll add a bit about them as they aren’t yet distributed in Western Washington (only Idaho and Eastern Washington). This cidery was started in 2014, making them the first in Idaho, and the only in Coeur d’Alene. Their bestseller is Apricot, although of late their Hibiscus cider has been popular with wine drinkers. They have a tap room in Coeur d’Alene. I met co-founder Davon Sjostrom, who has a background in Botany, which I imagine brings something new to cidermaking.

Summit Cider (Coeur d’Alene Idaho) Apple (6.5% ABV) – Semi-dry. Low tartness and acidity. Low to moderate apple flavor. Rather plain, but likeable.

Summit Cider (Coeur d’Alene Idaho) Apricot (6.5% ABV) – Semi-dry. Lots of (true) apricot flavor for the level of dryness (typically drier ciders have a less intense flavor than sweeter ciders). I really enjoyed it. Davon described testing out many varieties of apricots to find the one whose flavor came across best in cider.

Summit Cider (Coeur d’Alene Idaho) Hibiscus (6.9% ABV) – Semi-dry with nuanced light floral and herbal notes. I can see why this would be a wine-lovers cider.

Summit Cider (Coeur d’Alene Idaho) Blackberry (unknown ABV) – This was their fruit cider challenge entry. I found it semi-dry and very mild in flavor. I think with some barrel aging it would have been nice though.

In Summary

My Favorite Cider – Reverend Nat’s Whiskey Barrel Aged Black Currant

Other Favorite Ciders – Reverend Nat’s The Passion, Summer Cider Apricot, Sea Cider Ruby Rose, and Steelhead Cherry

Most Interesting Cider – One Tree’s PB&J cider, a raspberry cider with peanut butter whipped cream (I didn’t try it, but a photo is available here – more dessert than cider).

Other Interesting Ciders – Reverend Nat’s Sour Cherry, due to the use of ghost chili peppers. Schilling’s Grumpy Bear, due to the use of coffee and a Nitro can (my tasting notes here). Schilling’s Sour Raspberry Smoothie, due to its high viscosity (apparently for some of their ciders with high fruit content, they have a keg or two per batch which are smoothie-like). Apple Outlaw’s Chocolate Raspberry, due to the use of chocolate in a cider (I’ve only heard of Woodchuck doing this previously). 1o1 Ciderhouse Black Dog, due to the use of activated charcoal (poured last year, with my tasting notes here).

Finnriver Oak and Apple

July 26, 2016July 23, 2016 cidersays Finnriver, review barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Finnriver, hard cider, Oak and Apple

Review of Finnriver’s Oak and Apple, an oak aged semi-dry cider. Its been awhile since I tried this cider, and had only tried it on draft, so I was curious to give it another go. I’ve previously tried many Finnriver ciders (see here).

Cider: Oak and Apple
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA, near Port Townsend
ABV: 6.5%
Specific Gravity: 1.005
BRIX: 1.3
How Supplied: 500ml bottles and draft
Style: American craft cider from Organic Washington dessert apple varieties, aged in rye whiskey barrels

Availability: In general, Finnriver ciders are sold in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, TX, IL, CO, and Alberta & BC Canada (detailed info here). They also have an online store (which can ship to WA, OR, CA, AK, CO, MN, FL, & WA D.C.). However, this cider might have slightly less availability than some of their more common ones.

Cider Description: A foundation of bright citrus in this cider is layered with a smooth whiskey depth and spicy rye spirit. A fine, craft cider that showcases American oak, Northwest rye whiskey, and Washington organic apples. Woody astringency balances the acidity, and then finishes with lovely toasted oak and vanilla notes.

Fermented in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures to capture the full ester profile of the apples. Once fermentation is complete, this cider is then aged for 12 to 16 weeks in rye whiskey barrels from High West Distillery in Park City, Utah. The oak gives the cider a liquid gold color. Sweetened with organic cane sugar.

This is part of their new Traditional line of ciders, along with Farmstead, Apple Abbey, and Sidra.

Price: $10
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, acidic, and of oak with a hint of whiskey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied, very smooth. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low tannins. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of honey, lemon, oak, mineral, almond, and hints of whiskey & vanilla. Moderate to long finish length, slightly warming. Low to moderate apple flavor. Low barrel influence. Low spirit influence. Moderate sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Yum! However, this is on the mild and easy drinking side of oak aged ciders. I’d love to see them do a special version of this barrel aged much much longer. Side note – I had fun with this cider and tried some of it with a bit of my husband’s Peat Monster scotch, which oddly mellowed out the flavor even more.

Most Similar to: Schilling Oak Aged, especially earlier versions of it (now discontinued). Both ciders are mild and on the sessionable side for an oak aged cider. Schilling’s was aged on oak chips, while Finnriver’s was aged in rye whiskey barrels. I think Finnriver’s is better done however.

My favorite example of a heavily oak aged cider (and one of my favorite ciders ever and also an excellent value) is Sheppy’s Oak Matured. An example of a great moderately oak aged cider is Liberty Ciderworks Stonewall.

Closing Notes: I think this is a great cider. It would be a good introduction to whiskey barrel aged cider, as it isn’t overly boozy, harsh, dry, etc. Finnriver continues to not disappoint.

Have you tried Finnriver Oak and Apple? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 17 Tasting Notes

June 23, 2016June 18, 2016 cidersays AEppelTreow, Cockrell, Finnriver, Greenwood, Honey Moon, review, Schilling cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my seventeenth visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here.

I was there on a random Tuesday afternoon and enjoyed a flight of six ciders. Even though I had just been there the week before, a good portion of the taps had turned over and there were plenty of ciders to choose from which were new to me.

Schilling (Auburn WA) Rhubarb Pear (6.0% ABV): I thought I hadn’t tried this one, but I actually had (its an apple cider with rhubarb & pear, also called Lumberjack and available in cans); see here. I’ve tried many of their ciders previously (see here). Pale peach hue. Smells sweet, fruity, and mild. Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mildly flavored–rhubarb, strawberry, pear, and peach. Easy to drink. I think I liked it better canned, as it was higher carbonation and more tart.

Finnriver (Port Townsend WA) Pear Wood (6.9% ABV): This is a Crew Selection keg-only release, a rendition of their Pear cider (which I reviewed here). Its made from bittersweet apples with Malo-Lactic Fermentation and aged with oak staves, mixed with barrel aged cider, then backsweetened with pear juice. I’ve tried many of their ciders previously (see here). Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness. Notes of bittersweet apple, pear, and oak. Fairly simple.

Greenwood (Seattle WA) Cedar Cider (6.5% ABV): This is a keg-only release. I’ve tried a couple of their ciders previously (see here). Mild scent. Dry. Light bodied. Mild to moderate tartness, acidity, and bitterness. Earthy wood flavor with some bite that reminds me of crabapples. A hint of vinegar. Citrus and vanilla. Unique.

AEppelTreow (Burlington WI) Blackbird Berry-Apple (5.5% ABV): This cider is available in kegs and bottles, and is apple cider with black currant and elderberries. I’ve tried a few of their ciders previously (see here). Deep berry hue. Smells of raspberries and blackberries. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate berry flavor, more raspberry than anything else. I didn’t really detect black currant or elderberries. Moderate tartness. Low acidity. Hints of tannins and bitterness. Not overly juice-like which I notice often happens with sweeter berry ciders. I found it to be very well-balanced and its one of my favorite berry ciders.

Honey Moon (Bellingham WA) CiderHead Bourbon Barrel (5.5% ABV): This is a keg-only release. I’ve tried a couple of their ciders previously (see here). Smells sour. Dry to semi-dry. Light bodied. Mild sourness and bitterness. Moderate tartness and acidity. Vinegar and citrus notes. Mild barrel and bourbon influence.

Cockrell (Puyallup WA) Pub Cider (6.2% ABV): This is a keg-only release. I’ve tried a couple of their ciders previously (see here). Smells sweet and rich. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Frothy. Very mildly flavored and it kinda tasted watered down, although it was medium bodied. Apple-forward.

The AEppelTreow Blackbird Berry-Apple was oddly enough my favorite, probably as it was the most flavorful. I would have guessed that I’d prefer the Bourbon Barrel or Pub Cider based on my typical preferences, but I didn’t really like either (especially the Bourbon Barrel, as I don’t like sour ciders).

Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says! Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

Finnriver Farmstead Cider Traditional Semi-Sweet

March 24, 2016March 19, 2016 cidersays Finnriver, review Chimacum, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Farmstead, Finnriver, hard cider, washington

Review of Finnriver’s Farmstead Cider Traditional Semi-Sweet, from Chimacum Washington (in the Port Townsend / Olympic Peninsula area). I’ve tried many ciders from their lineup (see my reviews here).

Cider: Farmstead Cider Traditional Semi-Sweet
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle (I just love this style bottle by the way!)
Style: farmstead-style craft cider made from Washington-grown homestead, cider, and dessert apple varieties

Cider Description: Each Autumn, on World Apple Day, Finnriver invites friends and neighbors from across the North Olympic Peninsula to bring over their buckets, bins, and boxes of backyard apples. These apples, often wild and antique varieties, are full of tannins that bring out complex and bittersweet flavors. We ferment this blend of homestead harvested fruit to create an earthy taste of frontier cider tradition. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this cider will benefit local Food Banks. Enjoy with hearty food and a sense of adventure.

Price: $9
Where Bought: Finnriver tasting room
Where Drank: home
How Found: I had heard of this one before but hadn’t got around to trying it. When I saw it at their tasting room and was picking up some other bottles and merchandise, I thought I might as well since I was there.

First Impression: Medium honey straw yellow (the photo turned out a bit dark). Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of bittersweet apples with some tannins, yeast, honey, and citrus.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Low to moderate tannins. Moderate acidity. Low tartness. A hint of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Medium bodied. The flavor starts with acidity and finishes with tannins. Notes of oak, honey, yeast, citrus, spice, and vanilla. Moderate length finish. Moderate apple influence. Low to moderate sessionability. Moderate to full flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Tasty! I liked how flavorful it was without resorting to any additions to the cider (fruit, hops, spice, etc). It has some tannins but remains quite approachable, especially as it has some residual sweetness.

Most Similar to: Eaglemount Homestead Semi-Sweet (see my tasting notes here). Both are farmstead/homestead-style ciders on the sweeter side with significant tannins and honey & yeast notes. Oddly enough I’m drinking the Eaglemount cider as I’m writing this review!

Closing Notes: I enjoyed this cider, but their Fire Barrel remains my favorite (see my review here). Fire Barrel tastes similar to Farmstead, but has a bolder flavor and the added complexity of barrel aging. Plus, Fire Barrel only costs a couple dollars more if I remember correctly, so that seems like a good value. Finnriver makes many cider varieties and they are easy to find in my area, so I’ll continue to try whatever they make.

Have you tried Finnriver Farmstead? What did you think?

Port Townsend Cider Route – Finnriver Cider

March 4, 2016March 3, 2016 cidersays Finnriver, review cider, cider review, cider route, Finnriver, hard cider, Olympic Peninsula, port townsend, tasting notes

As a continuation of my trip report on the Port Townsend cider route, here is post 4/4, on Finnriver Cider. Check out here for overview post 1, here for post 2 on Alpenfire, and here for post 3 on Eaglemount. It was our third and last cidery visit of the day. Finnriver is unique in that they were a farm prior to becoming a cidery (and still are, growing produce and raising chickens for eggs). They are on 80 acres in the Chimacum Valley, south of Port Townsend. Finnriver Cidery was founded in 2008 by husband & wife Crystie & Keith Kisler and their business partner Eric Jorgensen. I learned that in May they plan to move the tasting room about 2.5 miles down the road, to their orchard location.

They also recently became a B corporation, the first winery/cidery in WA to do so. This means they promise to meet higher standards of transparency, accountability, and performance, and are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their employees, suppliers, community, the environment, etc. They believe that “all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered.” B Corp status can be compared to Fair Trade, LEED, or Organic certification, but is more comprehensive, a commitment to harness the power of their business to solve social, environmental, and economic problems.

Unfortunately they had the most restrictive tasting options of the three cideries due to the Red Wine & Chocolate & Cider event, but also the most chocolate pairings. I look forward to visiting them (and the other cideries) again soon. There is also a Port Townsend cider tasting event in August, Summer Cider Day, featuring the three Port Townsend cideries and many others, which I want to attend.

We started outside in the pavilion, with a sample of their Crew Selection Black Currant cider. It is similar to their regular Black Currant cider (which I reviewed here), but made with local black currants from Tahlequah Farm in Agnew, and aged 8 weeks in oak barrels. I found it light bodied, with moderate carbonation, semi-dry to semi-sweet, a touch of oak flavor, mild to moderate tartness, and moderate acidity. It was slightly richer and less tart than their regular Black Currant cider. They also offer a Lavender Black Currant cider (which I reviewed here) and a Black Currant Brandywine (which I reviewed here), so I think they like Black Currant!

Next we were served a beverage mixing their Cacao & Pear Brandywine with Theo sipping chocolate. It tasted like a very thick & rich hot chocolate with a boozy finish. It was paired with a Raspberry Brandywine and Cacao chocolate handpie from Crust Bakery, served warm out of their pizza oven, a buttery pastry crust with rich chocolate.

Then we moved inside and sampled Love & Bubbles, a mix of their Artisan Sparkling Cider (which I reviewed here) with their Raspberry Brandywine. I found the raspberry wine to tone down the acidity of the sparkling cider. Overall it was semi-dry, so I assume more cider was used than brandywine. Tasty!

Next up was their brand new Liberry Brandywine, made with red currants from Tahlequah Farm in Agnew, as a fundraiser for the Jefferson County library system. Sweet. Moderate acidity and tartness. Long boozy finish. I found it to have more tartness and zing than their Black Currant Brandywine.

Last was the Spirited Blackberry Wine. Its made from apple brandy and blackberries, and aged with oak spirals. Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate acidity and tartness. Long finish. It was a bit too alcohol-forward for my tastes; I prefer their brandywines so far.

I learned that their tall clear bottles of brandywines are cordial style and their shorter dark bottles of spirited wines are port style. The brandywines have more apple brandy and less fruit wine (at a lower ABV).

They also had truffles from Elevated Chocolate, which were tasty.

I bought bottles of their Pommeau (which I reviewed here, when a friend let me sample some), Farmstead cider, & Fresh Hopped (for my husband), some cute apple earrings, and a t-shirt.

My favorite ciders overall from Finnriver so far are their Pommeau, Fire Barrel, Lavender Black Currant, and Honey Meadow, and I’ve tried quite a few from them (19 per my Ciders I’ve Tried list).

This concludes my four part series on the Port Townsend cider route–thanks for reading!

Port Townsend Cider Route – Road Trip Report

March 1, 2016October 23, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire, Eaglemount, Finnriver, review Alpenfire, cider, cider route, eaglemount, Finnriver, hard cider, Olympic Peninsula, port ludlow, port townsend, washington

I finally made it out the Olympic Peninsula to visit the three Port Townsend Washington area cideries, Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver. My husband took me on a birthday weekend getaway, and we stayed the night in Port Ludlow (South of Port Townsend). This post will cover the trip as a whole, then I’ll have three other posts for tasting notes and info on each of the three cideries.

We planned this trip a couple months in advance, but it ended up being weekend 2/2 of a Red Wine (& Cider) & Chocolate Valentine’s Day thing, so unfortunately that meant I didn’t get the typical tasting experience. In addition to having a different tasting selection, the cideries appeared to be charging more for tastings (as they were offering chocolate pairings). However, that also meant that Alpenfire was open (they usually close for the Winter this time of year).

It was an early wake up for a Saturday, as I wanted to allow extra time for ferry delays or whatever just in case, although the trip is only a couple hours.

(1) We started with the 8am Edmonds to Kingston ferry, which is a quick 30 minute trip, but actually didn’t save us much time (vs. driving around to the South), but is fun and breaks up the trip.

(2) Then we headed up North to Port Townsend, did a quick driving tour of the town, and ate a late breakfast at a cute French-themed restaurant called Sweet Laurette (which was very good).

(3) Next we realized the Mount Townsend Creamery was on our route, and we had a bit of time, so that was a fun quick stop.

(4) Then, on to our first cider stop, Alpenfire! We got lucky as for this event weekend they opened at 11am instead of noon, giving us an extra hour. Also, we ended up being the only guests at Alpenfire, likely as it was so early.

I should note that this area is lovely just to take a drive, surrounded by trees.

(5) Next was Eaglemount (at their new location by the way–the cider route maps still have their old address). They are unique on the cider route as they also make grape wine and honey wine (mead) in addition to cider.

(6) After that we stopped in at the Chimacum Corner Farmstand to take a look.

(7) Last, we ended the cider route at Finnriver. We made good time and finished up there just before 4pm (so without the hour head start it would have been 5pm).

(8) Finally, we drove South to Port Ludlow to the Inn at the Resort at Port Ludlow. It appears to be the nicest accommodations in the area. There aren’t many newer / higher priced options in Port Townsend. Port Ludlow is actually closer to Finnriver than Port Townsend (and closer to the ferry), so it wasn’t really an inconvenience. The main thing it impacted was our dinner options, as Port Ludlow is much smaller than Port Townsend…we ended up at The Fireside restaurant at the Inn for both dinner and breakfast, which was very nice, but definitely added to the cost. The Inn is beautifully situated on the marina in the planned community of Port Ludlow.

I was surprised at how small it was, less than 40 rooms, although they also have several event and banquet rooms. Overall I think it was overpriced (it looked nice on the surface but the room had a lot of little annoyances like a loud heater & mini fridge and uncomfortable bed), but for the level of accommodations we are used to, it was the best option. We had time before dinner to walk along the waterfront. Its a popular destination for weddings, and I imagine they are full all summer long (even without air conditioning!). For our February stay however it was fairly quiet.

I was drawn to the restaurant’s cider selection on their online menu, but it ended up being a disappointment…they had reduced their ciders from 4 by the glass, 4 by the bottle, 1 Pommeau, and several Finnriver brandywines to only 1 by the glass (Eaglemount Ginger), 1 by the bottle (Alpenfire Glow), and the Finnriver brandywines. You’d think their best option would be to stock 500ml Finnriver bottles as to not have to keep anything open, have ciders that are widely appealing (not ginger), and have something that one person could order (plus although Glow is amazing, I’d call it more of a dessert cider than something to pair with dinner). I ended up ordering a cocktail with Prosecco and Finnriver Black Currant brandywine. The food was amazing but the service was absent at times. Overall our stay met our needs but didn’t amaze us.

Wanting to make this trip yourself? Here are my tips:

Although its doable to make it a day trip from the greater Seattle area (especially as the cideries are only typically open noon-5pm), staying overnight was great, and gave us a chance to have a leisurely dinner too instead of rushing home. However, especially in the summer, be warned that hotels book very quickly, likely as there are few options.
Definitely be safe and have a designated driver, as its a lot of cider tasting in a short period of time.
Plan your route. I’m glad I planned the order we’d visit the cideries, how long of a drive between them, etc. It wouldn’t have been fun to go on the trip and end up only making it to 2/3 cideries for example due to running out of time.
Bring some snacks, as there are very few options once you start the cider route, and cider tasting on an empty stomach isn’t wise. Apparently in summer some of the cideries may offer food though (such as pizza at Finnriver). One option is the Chimacum Corner Farmstand, which is a mix between a roadside produce stand and a mini PCC (plus they even sell garden type stuff like fertilizer outside). They are close to Finnriver and have some grab & go lunch type stuff. We stopped in but didn’t end up buying anything. Due to our large breakfast just before starting the cider route, we ended up being ok food-wise until the third stop at Finnriver, where we had some of the snacks we brought (I went a bit fancy and packed us a cheese plate in a cooler).
Cash wasn’t necessary, although it could be handy for tasting fees and tips. All three cideries used the credit card payment app Square on an ipad (no extra fee).
Plan to purchase bottles (and cidery swag if interested), as you will get a chance to taste at least a few ciders that aren’t distributed. Cinders at Alpenfire and Pommeau at Finnriver for example.

Stay tuned for my tasting notes from Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver!

(UPDATE – Posts on Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver are now up.)

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