Portland Cider Blueberry Bourbon Basil

Review of Portland Cider’s Blueberry Bourbon Basil, a bourbon barrel aged blueberry-basil cider. It is my first time trying this, but I have had most of their lineup (see here).

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

Cider: Blueberry Bourbon Basil
Cidery:  Portland Cider
Cidery Location:  Portland Cider
ABV:  6.0%
How Supplied: 19.2oz single cans and 6 packs of 12oz cans
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with blueberries and basil, aged in bourbon barrels

Availability: limited release, on Dec 15 2020 for cans and Jan 2021 for kegs/draft (check out their cider finder), in Oregon (including Portland Cider’s 2 taprooms), Washington, Northern Idaho, and Northern California

Cider Description: Our collaboration with Blue Star Donuts, the iconic Portland-based donut shop known for their brioche donuts. This cider is exactly what it says – Blueberry, basil, and deep rich bourbon notes from oak aging. It’s delicious mouthful! Tasting notes: Oak, Vanilla, Blueberry Pie, Sweet Basil. Food pairings: Blue Star Donuts, Gouda Cheese, Cured Meats, Chocolate, Toasted hazelnuts.

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company is an award-winning premium cider producer that owes its success to the perfect marriage of the cider-making traditions of Somerset, England, with the eclectic and oddly unique spirit of cider-passionate Portland, Oregon. We are committed to using 100% Northwest apples without additives, colors, or added sugar. This commitment gives our fans, like you, the confidence that you can enjoy the cleanest, crispest, and tastiest cider Portland has to offer.

Price: ~$4-5 per single 19.2oz can or ~$11-12 per 6 pack of 12oz cans
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

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

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate to high tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, tannins, sourness, or funk. Notes of berry and green apple with hints of herbs and smooth oak (I couldn’t specifically identify basil and bourbon barrel aging). Moderate length tart finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate overall flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it, especially due to its unique flavor, which added some complexity to an otherwise relatively common blueberry cider.

Most Similar to: Nothing I’ve had, as although I’ve tried at least 10 blueberry ciders, I only know of sampling 1 other cider with basil, One Tree’s Lemon Basil.

Closing Notes: It would be interesting to try this with more basil and longer barrel aging, to make those flavors more prominent, although I imagine they wanted to ensure they weren’t overdone.

Have you tried Portland Cider’s Blueberry Bourbon Basil? What did you think?

Portland Cider Crangerine

November 24, 2020November 29, 2020 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, cranberry cider, Crangerine, hard cider, Portland Cider, tangerine cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Crangerine, a cranberry-tangerine cider. It is my first time trying this variety, but I’ve had much of their line-up (see here).

Cider: Crangerine
Cidery:  Portland Cider
Cidery Location:  Portland Oregon
ABV:  5.1%
How Supplied: 19.2 oz single cans (and kegs/draft)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with cranberry & tangerine

Availability: small batch holiday release, in late 2019 & 2020, in Oregon (including Portland Cider’s 2 taprooms), Washington, Northern Idaho, and Northern California – check out their cider finder

Cider Description: Delightfully tart, juicy tangerine plays nicely with Oregon grown cranberries. Add some sparkle to your glass with this ruby colored hard cranberry cider, with brilliantly bright flavors that aren’t too sweet.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $4-5 / can)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Medium red hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, non-specific, and tart.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied. High tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of cranberry juice, orange/tangerine, and green apple. Moderate length tart finish. Low apple flavor. High cranberry flavor. Low to moderate complexity. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it, although I’m not big on cranberry juice, and this tasted more of cranberry juice than cider (although not nearly as sweet as most juices), so it got passed to my husband who was happy to get most of the can to himself. This would probably pair well with Thanksgiving dinner, as it reminds me of fancy cranberry sauce where they add orange.

Most Similar to: Portland Cider’s Cranberry except with tangerine added, or Apple Outlaw Cranberry Jewel

Closing Notes: Next up I have Portland Cider’s Blueberry Bourbon Basil.

Have you tried Portland Cider Crangerine? What did you think?

Portland CiderAde

April 15, 2020April 14, 2020 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, ciderade, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s CiderAde, a special release. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, Concord Grape, Perfect 10, Pumpkin Spice, Pineapple Rosé, Peach Berry, and Razzberry.

Cider: CiderAde
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 4.0%
How Supplied: 19.2oz “proper pint” single cans (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with lemon, lime, and salt (as electrolytes)

Availability: small batch special release, starting April 2020, in Oregon (including to-go at Portland Cider’s 2 taprooms), Washington, Northern Idaho, and Northern California

Cider Description: The cider that aids you! Freshly squeezed lemons and limes brighten this cider made with 100% Northwest apples. A cider that’s refreshing & replenishes with electrolytes sourced from sea salt harvested in Netarts Bay along the Oregon coast by Jacobsen Salt Company. Rejuvenation & relaxation in a glass!

Cidery Description: We started the Portland Cider Company in 2013 with the intent of marrying English cider traditions with the innovative Northwest micro-brewing culture. Lynda hails from Somerset county of England, the traditional cider making region, and Jeff is a native Oregonian. It all started from a desire to make the clean, dry cider Lynda grew to love in England, and Jeff yearned to find here. The first batches began in our guest room closet, 5 gallons at a time, made to quench our own thirst. We then introduced it to our friends and family, most never having drank cider before, and discovered we were on to something when our popularity soared and those small batches went fast! That cider is what became our signature and bestselling “Kinda Dry.” Now 6 years on, we continue to devote the same passion for 5000 gallon batches as we did for those first 5 gallon ones. Only now we don’t worry about running out of what we love! We hope you won’t run out of it either!

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $4 per 19.2oz can)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, dry, and of citrus.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of green apple, lemon, salt, and lime. Moderate length tart finish. Low apple flavor, sessionability, and complexity. Very high sessionability.

My Opinion: I wasn’t super into this, as I tend towards slightly sweeter ciders, but my husband who is a bigger fan of dry tart ciders liked it.

Most Similar to: Ulee’s Light Cider with some salt and lime

Closing Notes: I’m not one to mix outdoor activities in hot weather with alcohol, so I don’t really get the appeal of this, but I can imagine others having the opposite opinion. Good thing there is a wide range of ciders so there is something for everyone.

Have you tried Portland CiderAde? What did you think?

Portland RazzBerry

March 23, 2020March 21, 2020 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Portland Cider, raspberry cider, RazzBerry, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s RazzBerry, a new seasonal release. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, Concord Grape, Perfect 10, Pumpkin Spice, Pineapple Rosé, and Peach Berry.

Cider: RazzBerry
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.8%
How Supplied: 6-packs of 12oz cans, 19.2oz single cans, and kegs
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with raspberries, pears, and lemon zest

Availability: seasonally, starting March 2020, in Oregon, Washington, Northern Idaho, and Northern California

Cider Description: Loads of bright raspberries combine with Northwest grown apples, a touch of lemon zest, and Hood River Valley pears for a refreshing cider that everyone will love. Easy-drinking, thirst-quenching and refreshingly tart, the cider is 5.8% ABV and ideal for barbecues and outdoor adventures.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $12.99 per 6-pack or ~ $4.29 per 19.2oz can)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Moderate red hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, of tart raspberry.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate to high acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. Notes of raspberry, green apple, and lemon (no noticeable pear). Moderate length tart finish. High sessionability. Low complexity and apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity and raspberry flavor.

My Opinion: I liked it. Not what I’d usually pick, but tasty, on the lighter side, and super sessionable, with the low ABV, mid-level sweetness, and simpler flavor profile.

Most Similar to: nothing I’ve tried, as the raspberry ciders I’ve had were:
– much sweeter (from Washington Gold, Woodchuck, Wyder’s, Eaglemount, One Tree, Schilling, & Doc’s Draft)
– much drier & high ABV (Blue Moon Winery), or
– had other ingredients (Apple Outlaw Chocolate Raspberry, Bauman’s Peach Raspberry, Pear Up Rasperry, & Cockrell Raspberry Habanero)

Closing Notes: Last summer’s seasonal from Portland Cider was Pineapple Rosé, which they made a year-round release, so this is the replacement.

Have you tried Portland Cider RazzBerry? What did you think?

Portland Cider Peach Berry

September 23, 2019September 21, 2019 cidersays Portland Cider, review berry cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Peach Berry, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Peach Berry. It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, Concord Grape, Perfect 10, Pumpkin Spice, and Pineapple Rosé.

Cider: Peach Berry
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.2%
How Supplied: 19.2oz single cans, 6 pack of 12oz cans, and draft
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with berries and peaches

Availability: seasonal (fall), in Oregon (including their 1 taprooms) and Washington, plus limited draft availability in Northern CA bay area

Cider Description: Bold, juicy Oregon peaches play with a blend of tart Northwest grown berries for a cider full of sunshine to drink on those grey Portland days. Lively raspberries, blackberries & blueberries burst onto your tongue, just like plucking the fruit from your own backyard. This balanced cider, with a bold peach flavor and slight tartness, pairs well with classics like fish tacos, spicy sausages and corn on the cob.

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest. It has two taproom locations: Portland Cider House at 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214; and Taproom & Cidery at 8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Bldg. F, Clackamas, OR 97015. Visit www.PortlandCider.com and follow @PortlandCider on social media.

Price: ~$4 / 19.2oz can, or ~$12 / 6 pack of 12oz cans
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Deep purple-red hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, tart and fruity.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of berry, stone fruit, and green apple. Moderate length finish. Low complexity and apple flavor. Moderate to high flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed it. Super fruity and flavorful, without too much sweetness.

Most Similar to: Portland Cider Sangria (except more rich berry than light tropical fruit) and Bauman’s Peach Raspberry (except more berry than peach)

Closing Notes: I received both a 19.2oz can and a 12oz can, and oddly enough the batch in the smaller can was a bit drier and more tart than this 19.2oz can that I reviewed was. A great example of craft cider – there will always be some variability batch-to-batch.

Have you tried Portland Cider Peach Berry? What did you think?

Cider Summit Seattle 2019 Post 2/2 – Tasting Notes

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

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

The Tasting Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Summary

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

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

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

Portland Cider Pineapple Rosé

March 26, 2019March 25, 2019 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Pineapple Rosé, portland, Portland Cider, Rosé cider, rose, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Pineapple Rosé. It is my first time trying this, but I have had much of their line-up (see here).

Cider: Pineapple Rosé
Cidery: Portland Cider Company
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.2%
How Supplied: 12oz cans (and draft, plus 19.2oz cans are coming in mid-April)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with pineapple and blueberry

Availability: seasonal, March thru August 2019, in Oregon, Washington, and Northern California

Cider Description: The juicy and delicate pineapple fruit works beautifully with a hint of blueberry juice, creating an elegant cider on par with the rosé wine that so many love.

Price: n/a (although it’ll probably run ~ $10.99 / six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Smells sweet and fruity. Very low carbonation. Hint of peach hue.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of pineapple with hints of green apple and strawberry (I didn’t really pick up any blueberry). Quick finish. Low apple flavor and complexity. Low to moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it. Significantly more pineapple than berry. Super easy to drink. I was surprised to see the can say 20 grams of sugar, as it tasted less sweet (although the body was what I’d expect for that level of sweetness). It was a bit less intensely flavored than I prefer and I’d expect with a sweeter cider.

Most Similar to: a sweeter but less intensely flavored version of 2 Towns Pacific Pineapple plus a hint of strawberry

Closing Notes: Rosé sure is the hottest cider trend – seems like nearly every cidery has one now. On that note, I’m surprised they didn’t add a bit more blueberry if they were trying to go for a rosé look, as it was barely rosé.

Have you tried Portland Cider Pineapple Rosé? What did you think?

My Favorite Ciders of 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Portland Cider Cranberry 2018

November 5, 2018November 2, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider Company’s Cranberry seasonal cider. I had this last year, plus I’ve had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Concord Grape, Perfect 10, and Pumpkin Spice.

Cider: Cranberry
Cidery: Portland Cider Co.
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: 22oz clear bottles (and draft)
Style: seasonal American craft cider from dessert apples, with cranberries

Availability: seasonably (~ Nov-Jan), in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description: Our cranberry cider is a blend of fresh NW grown cranberries & apples, Slightly tart & semi-sweet, with a rich apple taste at its core. Tastes like fresh cranberry relish!

Cidery Description: Authentically crafted Cider with quality Northwest ingredients. Our business is based on the belief that good cider comes from good fruit, honest practices, and attention to detail. Our cider starts with fresh pressed juice from 100% Northwest grown apples. We then carefully ferment it, using yeast that protects the delicate characteristics of the fruit. The results are ciders that are high quality – easy to drink, refreshing, and downright delicious. That’s why we say, Drink it, it’s Good!

They were founded in 2012 and have tap rooms in Hawthorne and Clackamas in Portland Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $6.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: the cidery contacted me

First Impression: Red-pink hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells mild – fruity and tart.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate to high tartness and acidity. Low bitterness. No tannins, sourness, or funk. Notes of berry and citrus to start, then distinctive tart cranberry on the long finish. Low apple flavor and complexity. Moderate sessionability. Moderate to high flavor intensity.

My Opinion: This had some great real cranberry flavor. However, due to that, if you are like me and not really a fan of cranberry, it may not be appealing. If you like cranberry, you are likely to enjoy it.

Most Similar to: Tieton Ciderworks Cranberry, Apple Outlaw Cranberry Jewel, and d’s Wickled Cranny Granny (which is sweeter).

However, I prefer the less intensely cranberry ciders, like Downeast Cranberry Blend, Finnriver Cranberry Rosehip, and Schilling Mischief Maker Pom-Cran,

Closing Notes: The cidery has three suggested cocktail recipes – one with vodka (similar to a Cosmo), a cranberry Sangria, and another with Vodka & ginger.

Do you like cranberry cider? What did you think?

Portland Cider Pumpkin Spice

September 20, 2018September 18, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, Pumpkin Spice, pumpkin spice cider, spiced cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Pumpkin Spice, a seasonal spiced cider (no pumpkin, just pie spices). It is my first time trying this, although I have had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, and Concord Grape.

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

Cider: Pumpkin Spice
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles (and draft)
Style: craft cider from dessert apples with pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, clove, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg)

Availability: seasonally, in fall (Sept-Nov), in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description: Take the flavors of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Allspice, and Ginger, blend them in just the right proportions, and you get our Pumpkin Spice cider. Full of all the spices of your favorite pumpkin pie, this cider is a delicious tribute to the flavors of autumn. A familiar Fall spice blend blended to pair perfectly with a classic American semi-sweet apple cider made with 100% Northwest apples.

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest. It has two taproom locations: Portland Cider House at 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214; and Portland Cider Co. Taproom & Cidery at 8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Bldg. F, Clackamas, OR 97015.

Price: unknown
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells of sweet apple juice and spice.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Low acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of tart apple, pie spices, and citrus. Moderate length finish with a hint of ginger. Low apple flavor and complexity. Moderate flavor intensity and sessionability. Low to moderate spice level.

My Opinion: I liked it. Definitely drier than expected based on the style and the scent. It also interestingly seemed to have more of a fresh tart apple flavor than the baked apple flavor which I more often pick up with spiced ciders, although maybe that is more of a perceived thing? Spiced cider isn’t my favorite, but my husband enjoys it, and was especially a fan of this one, due to it being on the drier side.

Most Similar to: Elemental Seasonal Spiced Apple

Closing Notes: I always find it interesting when products are labeled as “pumpkin spice”, as I think pumpkin + spice, when the convention is just referring to the spices that go with pumpkin pie. There are a handful of ciders that actually add pumpkin though, like Tieton Smoked Pumpkin, Woodchuck Pumpkin, Doc’s Pumpkin, Locust Pumpkin, and 2 Towns Hollow Jack.

Have you tried spiced cider? What did you think?

Portland Cider Perfect 10 Imperial Apple

September 18, 2018September 18, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, imperial cider, Perfect 10, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Perfect 10 Imperial Apple, an imperial-style (high ABV) cider. It is my first time trying this, although I have had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, and Concord Grape.

Cider: Perfect 10 Imperial Apple
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 10%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and draft)
Style: imperial-style craft cider

Availability: year-round in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description: Crafted in the style of a traditional English Scrumpy or Imperial Cider, with a clean Northwest finish. It’s a blend of 100% NW apples, fermented cold and slow to preserve fresh apple flavors and aromas. The cider makers allow the cider to rest for more than two months to further develop the rich flavors. The cider is then sweetened with a touch of juice and balanced with a little acidity to round out the higher tannin profile.

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest. It has two taproom locations: Portland Cider House at 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214; and Portland Cider Co. Taproom & Cidery at 8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Bldg. F, Clackamas, OR 97015.

Price: unknown
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Light gold hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells of high-ABV apple-forward cider.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Low acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of alcohol and apple juice, with hints of wood and citrus. Long finish. Moderate apple flavor and overall flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it, but it was a bit alcohol-forward for my tastes, as expected with an imperial style cider. My husband was a bigger fan, as this is one of his favorite styles. I recommend drinking this cider very cold.

Most Similar to: 2 Towns Bad Apple, although that is a bit more complex, with some honey & vanilla, while Perfect 10 is more apple-forward

Closing Notes: This is a neat addition to their line-up, and the first imperial-style cider I can remember them releasing in bottles. My favorite Portland Cider selection probably remains Sangria, which has a ton of different fruity notes.

Have you tried imperial style cider? What did you think?

Portland Cider Cans – Apple, Hop’Rageous, and Sangria

January 26, 2018December 15, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review canned cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Hop'Rageous, portland, Portland Cider, sangria, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s three current canned varieties – Apple, Hop’Rageous, and Sangria. I’ve tried these all before, but had previously only had Hop’Rageous and Sangria in bottles (see my previous reviews of Apple, Hop’Rageous, and Sangria). Their Sangria is new to cans (and is currently also still sold in 22oz bottles), but the Apple and Hop’Rageous have been around in cans for awhile (and “Apple” has only ever been sold in cans). I have also tried their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, London Dry Gin, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Mojito, and Cranberry ciders.

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

Cider: Apple, Hop’Rageous, and Sangria
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.5% or 6.5%
How Supplied: four or six pack of 12oz cans of a single variety (it appears they are moving from four packs to boxed six packs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with nothing (Apple), Citra hops (Hop’Rageous), or fruit added (Sangria)

Availability: year round, in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado

Descriptions:
Apple – An authentic medium-dry cider classic, bursting with juicy crisp apple taste.
Hop’Rageous – Dry hopped with Citra Hops then infused with bitter orange peel to reinforce the citrus notes. Delicious & Hop’Rageous!
Sangria – Blend our delicious cider with the juices of orange, strawberry, pear, passionfruit, elderberry, and lime, to get our Sangria cider. It’s your new favorite fruit punch, for grown-ups!

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest.

They have two tap rooms in the Portland area.

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

Apple: Medium straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, of tart apples with a hint of honey. On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. The flavor was pure apple with hints of honey & citrus. Quick finish. Mild to moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity. Moderate apple flavor. High sessionability. I liked how this had a lot of juicy apple flavor without tasting like alcoholic apple juice (which I think many commercial ciders do) or being too sweet. Most similar to Jester & Judge American Apple.

Hop’Rageous: Light straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, of citrus and floral with a hint of hops. On the drier side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk or tannins. The flavor was very citrus (orange and lemon) with hints of hops and floral. Moderate length finish with more citrus than hops. Mild to moderate flavor intensity, complexity, and apple flavor. High sessionability. I liked how refreshing it was, with only a mild hops flavor, and lacking bitterness. I used to think I didn’t like hopped ciders, as I don’t like beer and the first couple hopped ciders I tried were very intense, but since then I’ve found a few hopped ciders I enjoy, like this one. Most similar to Tod Creek Mala-Hop and Incline The Explorer.

Sangria: Pink hue. Moderate carbonation. Smells deliciously fruity. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. Notes of strawberry, kiwi, white grape, lime, and passion fruit. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability. Low complexity. I liked the flavor variety and complexity, with all the different fruit flavors. This would be perfect in summer! Most similar to Bull Run Strawberry Fields and Portland Cider Strawperry.

Closing Notes: Canned cider is becoming popular, and I’m seeing a lot of cideries launch with only canned products, add cans to their lineup, or switch to cans, even cideries that you’d never expect to.

Have you tried Portland Cider’s canned ciders? What did you think?

Portland Cider Concord Grape

January 22, 2018January 21, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Concord Grape, grape cider, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s new seasonal Concord Grape cider. This was a follow up to a Concord grape cider they made for the Willamette Week Beer & Cider Pro-Am in October 2017. It was my first time trying this, but I have had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, and Cranberry.

Cider: Concord Grape
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with Concord grapes

Availability: Seasonally, January thru April, in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado

Cider Description: A deliciously tart bend of 100% NW apple cider and fresh pressed Concord Grapes. The result is a delightful treat, reminiscent of your childhood grape juice box.
Apple Varieties: gala, honeycrisp, golden delicious, and fuji

They have two tap rooms in the Portland area.

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

First Impression: Light purple-red hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, of grape juice.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of tart green apple (although that wasn’t listed as a variety), purple grape juice, lemon, and pomegranate. Quick finish. Moderate apple flavor and flavor intensity. High sessionability. Low complexity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it – flavorful and refreshing without much sweetness. The grape flavor was real, but more present in the scent than flavor, and I would have preferred a bit more (I actually picked up more tart apple than grape).

Most Similar to: Nothing I’ve tried, as it was cider not perry (vs. Elk Horn Brewing Grape Perry), and wasn’t very sweet (vs. Attila Rapture).

Closing Notes: I prefer Portland Cider’s Sangria, which has more variety in the flavor and is slightly sweeter.

Have you tried Portland Cider Concord Grape? What did you think?

Portland Cider Cranberry

December 4, 2017December 2, 2017 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Cranberry, cranberry cider, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider Company’s Cranberry seasonal cider. It is my first time trying this, although I’ve had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, and Mojito.

Availability: seasonably (~ Nov-Jan), in Oregon (especially in the Portland area, including at all Safeways, and some Fred Meyers, New Seasons, Whole Foods, and Market of Choices) and Washington

Cider Description: Get into the Holiday Season (which is somehow already here – crazy!!) with our Cranberry cider! A blend of freshly pureed cranberries from local Everest Farms in Bandon, Ore., with our 100% NW apple cider, this cider is brilliantly red in color and incredible to drink. Tastes just like Cranberry relish, making it the perfect pairing for the Thanksgiving table!

Ingredients: apples (honeycrisp, pink lady, golden delicious, fuji), cranberries, and orange zest

They were founded in 2012 and have tap rooms in Hawthorne and Clackamas in Portland Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $6.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: the cidery contacted me

First Impression: Pink hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells mild – fruity and tart.

Most Similar to: Tieton Ciderworks Cranberry, Apple Outlaw Cranberry Jewel, and d’s Wickled Cranny Granny (which is sweeter).

However, I prefer the less intensely cranberry ciders, like Downeast Cranberry Blend, Finnriver Cranberry Rosehip, and Schilling Mischief Maker Pom-Cran,

Closing Notes: The cidery has three suggested cocktail recipes – one with vodka (similar to a Cosmo), a cranberry Sangria, and another with Vodka & ginger.

Do you like cranberry cider? What did you think?

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 23 Tasting Notes

March 8, 2017March 8, 2017 cidersays Alpenfire, Bad Granny, Liberty, Portland Cider, review, Sandford Orchards, Schilling, Snowdrift, Tieton cider, cider bar, cider flight, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my 23rd 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 Thursday for a Portland Cider tap takeover / luau / potluck. I started with a flight.

Alpenfire Cider (Port Townsend WA) Glow (6.8% ABV): This is a drier version of their Glow (made from red fleshed apples) than is found in bottles (which I’ve reviewed here), apparently as it had to be significantly more filtered when kegged. Semi-dry, compared to the bottled version which is semi-sweet to sweet. Compared to the bottled version, its not nearly as flavorful (strawberry and watermelon notes) or complex, and is more tart and lighter bodied. Very nice, but I prefer the intensely flavorful and sweet bottled version (which I have a bottle of in the fridge that my husband got me for Valentine’s Day).

Sandford Orchards (Crediton UK) The General (8.4% ABV): This is the first time I’ve seen any cider from this English cidery. This variety is made from Devon cider apples, then spirit-aged and casked. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness, acidity, and bitterness. Low tannins. Apple-forward flavor with some sharpness. Moderate to long finish. Low to moderate complexity. Moderate apple flavor, sessionability, and flavor intensity. This tasted like a typical English cider, although more bitter and less complex than I prefer. Its good to see an international cider on tap, and made from cider apples too.

Liberty Ciderworks (Spokane WA) Cellar Series (8.0% ABV): This is an unknown variety of their Cellar Series (they are usually named with a letter and two numbers), draft only. Most of their cellar series ciders are wild yeast fermented and barrel aged. Orange amber hue. Dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate to high acidity. Hints of sourness and funk. Low bitterness. Sharp flavor with crabapple notes and hints of oak. Moderate to long finish length. Moderate apple flavor. Low to moderate sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Moderate complexity. I didn’t really like this one, as I found it a bit harsh.

Bad Granny (Lake Chelan WA) Green Apple (6.9% ABV): This cider is made from dessert apples and sold both in tallboy cans and on draft. Nearly clear hue. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Definite green apple flavor, plus some white grape. Moderate apple flavor. Low complexity. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability. I liked it.

Portland Cider (Portland OR) Mojito (6.7% ABV): This draft-only limited release cider had mint, lemon, and lime added. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Notes of mint, citrus, and a hint of soap? Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability, flavor intensity, and complexity. The flavor of this seemed weird, but maybe it is just me.

Tieton Ciderworks (Yakima WA) Russian Red (6.9% ABV): This draft-only special release cider is made from red fleshed apples (like Snowdrift Red and Alpenfire Glow). Bright red hue. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. Notes of cranberry and cherry. Low apple flavor. Moderate to high flavor intensity and sessionability. Moderate complexity. I liked it.

They also had Portland’s Sangria and Pineapple ciders on tap. The Sangria is especially awesome by the way.

Sarah also shared a new Snowdrift release with me:

Snowdrift Cider (East Wenatchee WA) Cidermakers Reserve (8.3% ABV): They have had this Méthode Champenoise cider listed on their website for awhile, but I haven’t ever seen it, so I think they took a few years off from production (or else it was very limited release). This batch is only available in bottles. Odd scent which none of us could accurately describe, but it didn’t transfer to the flavor. Semi-dry. High carbonation. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Hints of tannins and bitterness. Fruity, with notes of sharp pomegranate and some crabapple. I really liked the flavor and the bubbles, but the scent was bizarre.

My favorites were the Alpenfire Glow, Tieton Russian Red, and Snowdrift CIdermakers Reserve. The Bad Granny was good too, especially for its simplicity. I really wanted to like Sandford Orchards The General as I’m an English cider fan, but it was quite bitter.

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

Portland Cider Sangria

February 6, 2017February 3, 2017 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, sangria, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Sangria, released last month. It is my first time trying it, although I have tried their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, and Pineapple ciders.

Cider: Sangria
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with 7 fruit juices

Availability: year round, in California (Los Angeles), Colorado, Oregon, and Washington

Cider Description: Blend our delicious cider with the juices of orange, strawberry, pear, passionfruit, elderberry, and lime, to get our Sangria cider. It’s your new favorite fruit punch, for grown-ups!

They were founded in 2012 and have tap rooms in Hawthorne and Clackamas in Portland Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~$6.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: contacted by the cidery

First Impression: Pink hue. Moderate carbonation. Smells deliciously fruity.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of strawberry, kiwi, white grape, lime, and passion fruit. Moderate length fruity acidic finish. Low apple flavor. High flavor intensity. High sessionability. Low complexity.

My Opinion: Yum! I really enjoyed it. This would be especially great in summer. The notes of kiwi were interesting considering they didn’t add kiwi juice, but I imagine it was the combination of juices. I liked the higher carbonation level. The acidity helped balance the sweetness.

Most Similar to: Bull Run Strawberry Fields cider also had some great strawberry notes, but didn’t have any other fruits. Portland Cider Strawperry had some similar strawberry notes, but wasn’t nearly as flavorful as their Sangria. Cider Brothers William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Strawberry also had strawberry, but Portland Cider’s Sangria had a more real flavor. As for strawberry (and watermelon) flavor without any strawberries added, Alpenfire Glow is an amazingly complex cider made from red-fleshed apples.

Closing Notes: This is my favorite cider so far from Portland Cider.

Have you tried Portland Cider Sangria? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 18 Tasting Notes

July 15, 2016July 9, 2016 cidersays Locust, One Tree, Portland Cider, review, Schilling, Tieton, Wandering Aengus cider, cider review, hard cider, Locust, One Tree, Portland Cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes, Tieton, Wandering Aengus

Tasting notes from my eighteenth 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 last Thursday, for the One Tree Crisp Apple cider release party, and enjoyed a flight of four ciders, plus One Tree’s new cider.

Portland Cider Company (Portland OR) Pineapple (5.7% ABV): This draft-only pineapple cider poured foamy but settled down after awhile. This may be their “Maui Cruiser” variety, which also has coconut blossom nectar, as I couldn’t find any evidence that they have a strictly Pineapple cider. Smells of fresh pineapples. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Low acidity. The flavor is purely pineapple, with low flavor intensity. I felt this cider smelled much better than it tasted…it left me wanting more flavor. The pineapple aroma was so strong (especially in comparison to the cider’s flavor) that it makes me curious if it was added.

Wandering Aengus (Salem OR) Barrel Aged Wickson (8.0% ABV): This is a barrel aged draft-only version of their single varietal Wickson crab apple cider, which is available in bottles (which I tried previously and found overly harsh). Smells mild, with hints of crab apples and oak. Dry. Low flavor intensity. The barrel aging seemed to mellow the cider’s intensity compared to the original version. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. Alcohol-forward with crab apple sharpness, oak, and honey notes. This is best drank cold as it becomes more harsh as it warms up. I found this more drinkable than the original version, but I still didn’t care for it.

Tieton (Yakima WA) Bourbon Peach (6.5% ABV): A draft-only bourbon barrel aged peach cider. Hazy lemonade hue. Smells of bourbon, peaches, and pineapple. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Hints of boozy bourbon (but not overpowering) and peach & pineapple notes. Yum! Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Moderate flavor intensity. Low apple flavor. Medium to high sessionability. I’m a fan of bourbon barrel aged ciders, but often they tend towards being overly boozy, harsh, dry, etc…this one was tasty and easy to drink.

Locust (Woodinville WA) Sweet Aged Apple (6.9% ABV): This is a barrel aged cider made from dessert apple varieties which is available on draft and in bottles. I’ve tried this previously (when it was called Aged Washington Dessert Apple; see here), but had heard they significantly changed the recipe, so I wanted to give it another try. Last time it was quite hazy and unfiltered looking, but this time there was no haziness. Smells mild and apple-forward. Semi-sweet (less sweet than the previous recipe). Less flavorful than the previous recipe, but much more sessionable. Mild tartness and acidity. Caramel, vanilla, and honey notes. Medium bodied. Moderate to high apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. I’m not sure which recipe I preferred, as there are pros & cons of each, but I enjoyed both versions.

One Tree Hard Cider (Spokane WA) Crisp Apple (6.8% ABV): This is their new flagship cider, sold in four packs of 16oz cans and on draft. Hazy. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Unfiltered baked apple flavor with honey notes. Moderate tartness and acidity. High sessionability. Strong apple flavor. I enjoyed this. I found it very similar to 2 Towns Out Cider, but slightly sweeter and slightly more flavorful. Much less sweet than any of the other ciders I’ve tried from them.

The Tieton Bourbon Peach cider was my favorite, and my favorite cider from Tieton so far.

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

Portland Cider Company Strawperry

July 12, 2016July 9, 2016 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, perry, portland, Straw-Perry, Strawberry, Strawperry

Review of Portland Cider Company’s Strawperry, a perry (made from 100% pears, no apples) with strawberries. This is a summer seasonal for them (2nd year). I’ve previously tried a number of their ciders; see here.

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

Cider: Strawperry
Cidery: Portland Cider Company
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 5.4%
How Supplied: draft only
Style: American craft perry (made from 100% pears) with fresh strawberries

Availability: Summer seasonal, limited release, draft only. In general, their ciders are available in Oregon, Washington, California, and Colorado (see here), but this draft-only cider likely has less availability then their bottled varieties.

I have been able to determine it is currently on tap at least at the following places: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA, Portland Cider House (Hawthorne Portland OR), Portland Cider Company Taproom (Clackamas Portland OR), Liberty Tapworks (Dalles OR), Oly Taproom (Olympia WA), and The Growlerie (Beaverton OR).

Cider Description: With a base of our award-winning 100% pear juice Perry, we have blended NW strawberries to create a delicate, delightful cider for the summer.

Cidery Description: Drink it, it’s good! Portland Cider Company was started in the fall of 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing handcrafted cider in the English tradition to the northwest. We don’t use concentrates, flavorings, colorings, or anything you wouldn’t want in your cider. We just use the finest Northwest grown fruit. Always gluten free.

Price: n/a
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Light pink-orange hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, fruity and tart.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of strawberry, kiwi, and honey. Quick finish. Low pear flavor. High sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: This is a great summer cider…fruity and sessionable (low ABV and easy to drink).

Most Similar to: I’ve had two strawberry ciders, from Bull Run (Strawberry Fields) and Cider Brothers (William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Strawberry). I find this similar to the Bull Run Strawberry Fields, except Strawberry Fields had a more intense flavor, and Strawperry is more complex. I also find Strawperry similar to Atlas Dragonfruit, which also had strawberry & kiwi notes (but also a weird bitterness).

Random Side Note: This cider holds the record as my most unique sample so far…I received it in a recycled swing-top bottle (its draft only so they didn’t have a typical capped & labeled bottle) and picked it up locally.

Closing Notes: I’m glad I got a chance to try Strawperry–its a unique summer sipper. I think this is one of my favorite Portland Cider Company ciders so far, along with their London Dry Gin.

Have you tried Portland Cider Strawperry? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 13 Tasting Notes

April 8, 2016October 21, 2017 cidersays AEppelTreow, Elemental, Liberty, Portland Cider, review, Schilling, Zeffer cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, seattle, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my thirteenth 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, as I was in the mood for some cider shopping and had some extra time as my hubby was out of town (I may have also gone to three other bottle shops that week…).

I brought some dinner with me from the PCC down the street, and ordered a flight of six ciders–Elemental Margarita Randall, Schilling Vanilla Clove, Liberty Cellar Series #G15, AEppelTreow Sparrow Spiced, Portland Cider Crooked Cock Scrumpy, and Zeffer Crisp Apple (left to right in photo below).

Elemental Margarita (Jalapeno Lime Cilantro) Randall with Strawberries, Mango, and Lime, 6.5% ABV, Woodinville WA: Schilling took Elemental’s Margarita (Jalapeno Lime Cilantro) cider and put it through a Randall (flavor infuser) with fresh strawberries, mango, and lime. The Cider House does a Randall most weekends. I’ve had this cider before, and its nice and flavorful without a real discernible spiciness when drinking small quantities. The additional lime and fruitiness was tasty, and would be awesome in summer. The additional ingredients however took away the cilantro and jalapeno flavor notes of the base cider. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Moderate tartness from the added lime. Light to medium bodied. Moderate to strong acidity. This one really hit the spot as we’ve been having summer-like heat in Seattle.

Schilling Vanilla Clove, 6.3% ABV, Auburn WA: I’ve had a lot of ciders from Schilling. This appears to be a tap-only release (weird time of year for a spiced cider though?). Smells rather strongly of vanilla with a hint of clove spice. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Mild acidity and tartness. Very vanilla with hints of spice. It tastes dessert-like without being overly sweet. Moderate length finish.

Liberty Cellar Series #G15, 8.6% ABV, Spokane WA: I’ve tried a number of their ciders. This is a special tap-only release. Its made from Golden Russet, Chisel Jersey, and Empire apples, wild-yeast fermented, then barrel-aged. Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Mild acidity, tartness, bitterness, and tannins. A hint of sourness, but not as much as I’ve found with other wild yeast ciders. Notes of oak, spice, honey, stone fruit, and hops?. Moderate length finish.

AEppelTreow Sparrow Spiced, 5.8% ABV, Burlington WI: I’ve had a few ciders from them. This one is made from Red Delicious, Cortland, McIntosh, and Greenings apples, with mace, cinnamon, star anise, and cardamon. Its also available in bottles. It smells of cinnamon. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Mild to moderate tartness. Low acidity. A hint of bitterness. More cinnamon flavor than anything else, but the base cider had a bit of richness to it. There were also notes of oak (although not barrel aged), vanilla, and other spices. Moderate length finish.

Portland Cider Crooked Cock Scrumpy, 13.5% ABV, Portland OR: Wow! Quite boozy, without much else going for it. I think with some sweetness or flavor (richness or tannins) this would have been better. I wonder where the pinkish hue came from? Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Low acidity and tartness. Moderate bitterness. Long warming boozy finish.

Zeffer Crisp Apple, 5.0% ABV, Matakana New Zealand: This is my first time trying anything from this brand. I found it rather bland and apple juice-like. Semi-dry. Low tartness and acidity. Light to medium bodied. I didn’t really pick up any flavor notes besides apple juice, apple pomace, and yeast. I’d guess this is made with dessert apples and back sweetened. Quick finish.

My favorites of the evening were the Elemental Margarita Randall, plus Liberty #G15 and AEppelTreow Sparrow Spiced. I really didn’t like the Portland Scrumpy one though, and especially once it warmed up, didn’t feel like finishing it.

On my way out I picked up bottles of Aspall Imperial (blue instead of black label this time…I’m curious whether they are different) and E.Z. Orchards Poire (French-style perry).

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

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