Alpenfire Calypso – Blackberry Rum Barrel Aged Cider

August 25, 2016August 21, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire, review Alpenfire, barrel aged, Blackberry, Calypso, cider, cider review, hard cider, port townsend, rum, washington

Review of Alpenfire’s Calypso, a cider with blackberries aged in rum barrels. I’ve tried this before, as well as the draft-only version of this which has double the blackberries and is barrel aged 4 instead of 2 months, Apocalypso (see here), but this is the first bottle I’ve bought. I’ve also sampled most of their line-up; see here.

Cider: Calypso
Cidery: Alpenfire
Cidery Location: Port Townsend WA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft cider from heirloom apples, with local blackberries, aged for 2 months in toasted oak rum barrels

Availability: Primarily Western Washington, including these retailers. They also have an online store through Vino Shipper which ships to states which allow it.

Cider Description: Calypso, named for the legendary sea goddess and the research vessel of Captain Jacques Cousteau. This delightful sparkling taste of the Northwest is aged in Bull Run Distilling Rum barrels to bring a hint of the South Seas to the mix. Heirloom apple is the dominant flavor, the beautiful scent and hint of fresh Greysmarsh Farm blackberries comes second. Bottle conditioning adds a delightful sparkle and full bodied flavor! You don’t want to miss this limited production cider.

Cidery Description: Alpenfire Organic Cider is made from our estate and locally grown organic apples. We planted our WSDA certified organic orchard in 2004 with over 800 trees and 10 varieties of English, French & Early American cider specific apples. These apples have been used for hundreds of years for the unique qualities they bring to cider production. Namely the tannins and bitters not found in dessert style apples. While the juice, much less the fruit, of many of these apples would be hard to enjoy by the glass they become amazing with a little fermentation. One of our favorites, the “Muscadet de Dieppe”, has a viscous, winey, yes, even musky juice. It takes months of slow, cool fermentation for that to develop the subtle aroma and flavor you will find in our bone-dry cider. We augment our juice and mellow the flavors with organic apples from other local orchards.

They have an outdoor tasting room onsite at their Orchard in Port Townsend, open seasonally.

Price: $11.99
Where Bought: Whole Foods
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. It sounded good that day, but I actually didn’t open it up for a few weeks.

First Impression: Deep cranberry hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells mildly of blackberries with a hint of oak.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of blackberries, plus some raspberry & blueberry & red grape, and hints of oak. Moderate length finish with slight warming. Low apple flavor. Moderate blackberry flavor. Low rum and oak influence. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity. Moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: Yum! Quite tasty. This is my favorite berry cider, which typically isn’t a category I find impressive.

Most Similar to: Other berry ciders, although I find this to be more sophisticated and complex, even a bit wine-like. I prefer their Apocalypso with its stronger oak and rum notes, but it is quite seasonable / hard to find, and only on draft.

Closing Notes: Another winner from Alpenfire! I like nearly every cider they make, and look forward to seeing what they come up with next. I think for what you get they are a great value, as they are a step above most other craft ciders, actually an Artisan product, as they grow most of the apples for their ciders themselves, as use primarily heirloom and cider apple varieties (instead of dessert apples). Check out my post here from when I visited the cidery.

Have you tried Alpenfire Calypso? What did you think?

Le Brun Organic Cidre

August 24, 2016September 10, 2017 cidersays Le Brun, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, cidre, France, French, hard cider, Le Brun, organic, tasting notes

Review of Le Brun Organic Cidre. I’ve tried this previously on tap (the only cider I’ve tried from Le Brun), but wanted to give a bottle a go.

Cider: Organic Cidre
Cidery: Le Brun
Cidery Location: Plovan in the Brittany region of France
ABV: 4.0%
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged champagne bottle
Style: Brittany French cidre, organic, secondary fermented

Availability: semi wide release (imported by Winesellers Ltd., Niles IL)

Cider Description: This cider presents lightly sweet, fruit and then develops to be more dry as the taste goes on. Tannins feel fairly high, acidity is moderate and a fairly bitter/sharp to end, with a mild hint of wood in the aftertaste. This cider has a juicy feel to it, but also has depth and character.

Apple Varieties: Kermerrien, Marie Ménard, Douce Moên, Peau de Chien, Douce Coëtligné

Cidery Description: Le Brun Cidres have been produced in Brittany, France since 1955. our cidres are made using the traditional method of natural fermentation of pure pressed juices from handpicked apples

Price: $10.99
Where Bought: The Wine Seller in Port Townsend WA, which had a nice cider selection for a small shop, including this one (which I haven’t seen locally lately) and a couple others I hadn’t even seen in Seattle (I picked up one other bottle too)
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Amber orange hue. Moderate carbonation with foam upon pouring. Smells of rich apples with hints of funk and must.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness, acidity, funk, and tannins. No sourness or bitterness. Notes of bittersweet apples, apple juice, apple pomace, orange, floral, and must. Moderate length finish. High apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed this. I’m a fan of Brittany France ciders in general too (but not typically Normandy France ciders, which tend to have sourness). However, I remember it tasting more clean (no funk) when I tried it on tap, which I prefer.

Most Similar to: Other ciders from Brittany France, such as Celt and Dan Armor, which I think I slightly prefer, and are both more affordable too ($8 for a four pack of 11.2oz bottles of Celt and $5 for a 750ml bottle of Dan Armor – only sold at Trader Joe’s).

Closing Notes: This is a nice selection from Le Brun. I hope I can find their other varieties locally to try (I know at least a couple others get imported).

Have you tried French Cidre? What did you think?

Truly Spiked & Sparkling Colima Lime

August 22, 2016August 13, 2016 cidersays not cider, review, Truly Spiked & Sparkling hard water, Lime, seltzer, sparkling water, Truly Spiked & Sparkling

Review of Truly Spiked & Sparkling Colima Lime, a hard sparkling water. They make this by fermenting sugar water until dry and adding carbonation and “natural flavor”. This is part of an expanding alternative beverage market, which also includes hard soda, but unlike hard soda is advertised as being a low calorie option (only 100 calories for 12oz of 5% alcohol). This isn’t cider, but at times I include reviews of non-cider alternative beverages here (like mead).

Beverage: Truly Spiked & Sparkling with a hint of Colima Lime
Producer: Hard Seltzer Beverage Company, owned by the Boston Beer Company (who makes Angry Orchard)
Location: Boston MA, Cincinnati OH, and Breinigsville PA
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: six pack of clear 12oz bottles
Style: commercial hard sparkling water

Availability: wide release in the U.S. (see their website for a locator)

Description: Clean, crisp, & refreshing. Each style with a hint of fruit is lively & effervescent. Just like sparkling water, with with 5% ALC./VOL. Truly Spiked & Sparkling Colima Lime has a slight tartness with a crisp but subtle sweetness.

Also available in Pomegranate and Grapefruit & Pomelo.

Price: ~ $2 / single bottle (runs $9.99 or $10.99 / full six pack)
Where Bought: Whole Foods
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had seen this (and another brand) in other stores, but was waiting to try it until I found a single bottle.

First Impression: Clear. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of seltzer water, slightly sweet, with a hint of lime.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry, especially on the back end. Moderate carbonation. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness. The flavor is purely seltzer water with a hint of lime and a hint of sweetness. Moderate length finish which was slightly off from regular seltzer water, although I can’t really describe how. Low flavor intensity and complexity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked this, but it was a bit too boring to be something I’d considering buying again. It could be quite dangerous as it is so easy to drink and doesn’t at all taste alcoholic.

Most Similar to: Non-alcoholic flavored sparkling water (I literally couldn’t taste any alcohol, and it had only the slightest difference in flavor from a non-alcoholic version).

Closing Notes: If the most important thing about your alcoholic beverage is that it is low calorie, or you are counting carbs, you may enjoy this.

Have you tried any hard sparkling waters? What did you think?

Reverend Nat’s ¡Tepache!

August 19, 2016August 12, 2016 cidersays not cider, Rev Nat's, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, pineapple, reverend nat's, tasting notes, Tepache

Review of Reverend Nat’s ¡Tepache!. Note this technically isn’t even cider, as it is only made using pineapple juice, no apples. I tried this awhile back, and I’ve sampled a number of ciders from Reverend Nat’s (see here).

Cider: ¡Tepache!
Cidery: Reverend Nat’s
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 3.2%
How Supplied: 22oz brown bottles
Style: American craft fermented pineapple juice with spices

Availability: Summer Seasonal sold in Oregon, Washington, Southern California, Idaho, Hawaii, Alaska, British Columbia Canada, Japan, and Singapore

Cider Description: During a holiday in Veracruz I had a chance meeting with a peddler hawking Traditional Tepache out of a push-cart. A few pesos poorer and I was on Cloud Nine. ‘I unquestionably must have that recipe!’ I shouted. My Spanish is dreadful and his English was no better but over a few minutes of pictographic correspondence, I felt sanguine in my capacity to recreate that sumptuous drink upon my return to Portland.

Composed exclusively of pineapples sourced from my second cousin’s plantation in Costa Rica, piloncillo from the Mexican state of Michoacan and a furtive selection of spices, this lightly alcoholic elixir is sure to please your palate.

Much like American Apple Pie, there is no recipe for Tepache. It is a traditional Mexican drink, frequently consumed out of a plastic baggie with a straw, sold by street vendors in Jalisco and made at home. It’s not a cider – NO APPLES! The fermentation happens on the scales and rind of the pineapples, imparting a deep and unique flavor. This beverage is low-alcohol and sweet like a Summer Shandy or Radler due to a partial fermentation of the pineapples. Available starting Cinco de Mayo.

Cidery Description: Reverend Nat is a single-minded cider evangelist who searches the world for superior ingredients to handcraft the most unusual ciders that no one else will make.

Price: $6.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. It sounded good, and I wanted to try mixing it with cider this time versus drinking it straight, so it ended up being an impulse try.

First Impression: Hazy yellow/brown hue (I recommend to lightly shake before pouring to distribute the sediment). Still. Smells strongly of pineapple and moderately of spices.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, tannins, sourness, or funk. Notes of juicy pineapple, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Moderate length finish. Moderate pineapple flavor and moderate amount of spice. Low complexity. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Yum! Great by itself or mixed with cider. I tried it with Number Six Dry 99 (although that didn’t help boost the 3.2% ABV much as its only 4.2% ABV). I agree with the suggestion to use more Tepache than cider (or 50-50). I don’t like beer so I can’t comment on that mixture, although it appears plenty popular.

Most Similar to: Nothing really. You can’t really compare it to pineapple cider as it doesn’t use apples. However, like a number of other beverages, I thought the pineapple came across more in the scent than the flavor. I only know of one other cidery doing Tepache, Argus Cidery in Texas, although I haven’t tried it as I heard its sour and thats not my thing.

Closing Notes: If you are looking to try something unique and like pineapple and spices, Tepache may be to your liking. This definitely isn’t an everyday drinker (like his Revival, which remains my favorite from Rev Nat’s), but its unique.

Have you tried Tepache? What did you think?

Number Six Dry 99

August 18, 2016August 12, 2016 cidersays Number Six, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dry 99, hard cider, Number 6, Number Six, seattle, tasting notes, washington

Review of Number Six Hard Cider Dry 99. Its my first time trying this cider, although I’ve tried a couple others from them (see here).

Cider: Dry 99
Cidery: Number Six Hard Cider
Cidery Location: Seattle WA
ABV: 4.2%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans
Style: American craft dry sessionable cider from dessert apples

Availability: Western Washington

Cider Description: None given. It is marketed as a dry low calorie cider (99 calories per 12oz serving). Note however that any dry low ABV cider will have a similar calorie count.

Cidery Description: Whats Number Six? It’s a tunnel in the mountains. But this is no ordinary tunnel. This mile of rail at 7000 Sierra Nevada feet connected east to west like no other. In 1867, Transcontinental Tunnel Number 6 finally broke through solid granite after 2 years of hand picks, dynamite, willpower and a startling disregard for safety. Number Six was the most deadly and ambitious railway tunnel ever built. What used to take 25 days to cross, now could be done in a matter of hours. People, materials, and cider now flowed freely.

Number 6 Hard Cider is a tribute to hard fought progress and the connections it creates. Come taste our flagship True Cider and crafted seasonal releases at our rail-side cidery and taproom. 100% Washington apples and a relentless toil for perfect taste is what we’re made of. Raise a cold, crisp pint to progress. Onward!

They have a tasting room in Seattle Washington.

Price: ~ $2.50 / single can
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I hadn’t tried it, and was picking up some Reverend Nat’s Tepache (fermented pineapple juice with spices), and this sounded like it would mix well.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Completely still (no carbonation). Smells mild, of sharp apples.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate to high acidity. Low astringency. Low bitterness. No sourness or funk. Sharp bite. Notes of lemon, honey, mineral, and floral. Moderate length finish. Low to moderate apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Low complexity.

My Opinion: I found this to be an average dry sessionable cider. As expected, it wasn’t overly flavorful. It did however mix well with Reverend Nat’s Tepache (although it didn’t add much to Tepache’s 3.2% ABV).

Most Similar to: Original Sin Extra Dry (which I prefer as I found it to be more complex) and Ace Joker (which is carbonated). It is becoming easier to find drier ciders, even on the more commercial end of the industry.

Closing Notes: If you are in Washington and a fan of dry sessionable ciders, this may be something you’d enjoy. Although this is on the conservative end of Number Six’s lineup, they also have some ciders which push the envelope, like their Cold Brew Coffee cider (which I haven’t tried yet, although I have tried Schilling’s take on it, Grumpy Bear, which is now available in Nitro cans).

Have you tried Number 6 Dry 99? What did you think?

Eden Imperial 11 Rosé

August 17, 2016August 8, 2016 cidersays Eden, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eden, hard cider, ice cider, imperial, red currant, rose, Vermont

Review of Eden’s Imperial 11 Rosé. This is their newest cider, an Imperial cider made with red currant, sweetened with a bit of ice cider. I’ve previously tried a number of their ciders; see here. I ordered this and a few other bottles through their online store, so stay tuned for more Eden reviews.

Cider: Imperial 11 Rosé
Cidery: Eden Specialty Ciders
Cidery Location: Newport VT
ABV: 11.o0%
How Supplied: 375ml (and 750ml) bottles
Style: American craft Imperial (high ABV) rosé (blush colored) cider with red currant, sweetened with ice cider

Availability: Their ciders are at least sold in AK, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, IL, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, SC, VT, WA, and British Columbia, although this one has less distribution, and likely didn’t make it too far beyond VT. Eden also offers online sales when allowed by state.

Cider Description: Heirloom apple cider made with red currant and lightly dosed with ice cider. It is just off-dry and gently fizzy, with bright acidity and chewy tannic structure. A perfectly refreshing summer sipper!

This semi-dry tannic rose cider is fermented with red currant juice and slightly sweetened. It is made from a blend of traditional and heirloom apple varieties grown within 200 miles of our cidery.

Cidery Description: Eden Orchards and Eden Ice Cider began on a trip to Montreal in 2006 when we first tasted ice cider and wondered why nobody was making it on our side of the border. We had dreamed for years of working together on a farm in the Northeast Kingdom; it was a dream that had vague outlines including an apple orchard, cider, and fermentation of some sort. That night we looked at each other and knew ice cider was it. In April 2007, we bought an abandoned dairy farm in West Charleston, Vermont and got to work. Since then we have planted over 1,000 apple trees, created 5 vintages of Eden Vermont Ice Ciders, and have introduced a new line of Orleans Apertif Ciders. Out goals are to create healthy soils and trees in our own orchard, to support out Vermont apple orchard partners who do the same, to minimize our carbon footprint, to contribute to the economic and environmental health of our employees and our Northeast Kingdom community, and most of all to make world-class unique ciders that truly reflect our Vermont terroir.

They have a tasting bar on the main floor of the Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center in downtown Newport VT. Their current product line includes at least eight ice ciders, two Aperitif ciders, and dry & semi-dry sparkling ciders. They also have a cider club where members get access to special release ciders not available to the public.

Price: $7.00 (for 375ml; or $14 for 750ml)
Where Bought: Eden’s online store
Where Drank: home
How Found: I had read about its release on Facebook, and had been wanting to do an online order for awhile, as there are a number of varieties not available locally.

First Impression: Lovely rosé red hue. Low carbonation with tiny tiny bubbles. Smells of strawberries and watermelon.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate to high tartness and acidity. Low bitterness. Low tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of red currant, strawberry, watermelon, honeydew melon, and raspberry. Long slightly boozy finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: Yum! I also think this cider is an excellent value, especially considering the high ABV (the 375ml bottle was plenty for me for the evening due to the 11% ABV) and the high cost of heirloom apples and red currants.

Most Similar to: I more commonly see black currant used in cider. The only one with red currant I’ve had is Finriver’s newish Liberry Brandy Wine (see here), although I heard Schilling made a Red Currant Ginger cider recently. I’ve a huge fan of Imperial cider though.

Its uncommon to have a fruity/flavorful Imperial cider. I think it would be quite difficult to pull off, as a high ABV cider typically requires high sugar content apple juice fermented completely dry, which often results in a less flavorful cider. Yet in this case the red currants still shown through, which I think is a sign of experienced cidermaking (and likely a lot of experimentation!). I think the bit of ice cider back sweetening helped in this case make it less harsh, as a completely dry, tart, and high ABV cider can be a bit much.

Closing Notes: Another winner from Eden!

Have you tried any rosé ciders? What did you think?

Sea Cider Flagship

August 15, 2016August 7, 2016 cidersays review, Sea Cider British Columbia, Canada, cider, cider review, cider tasting, flagship, hard cider, organic, Saanichton, Sea Cider

Review of Sea Cider’s Flagship variety. Its the first time I’ve tried this, but I’ve sampled a number of their other varieties (see here).

Cider: Flagship
Cidery: Sea Cider
Cidery Location: Saanichton, British Columbia, Canada
ABV: 7.1%
How Supplied: 750ml flip-top bottle
Style: Canadian cider from dessert & heirloom Organic apple varieties, German-style, ultra dry, without sulfites

Availability: semi wide release, at these locations, including in Canada, WA, OR, and CA

Cider Description: This German-style cider is one of few commercial ciders in the world free of added sulphites. Slowly fermented with Champagne yeast, the ultra-dry Flagship has crisp herbaceous notes framed by soft tannins and lively acidity. It features both smoky and herbal aromas and is best paired with risotto, fish and chips, mild cheeses, poultry, and grilled seafood.Certified Organic by PACS 16-259.

We named this cider Flagship because it was the first cider we made and it is as pure as cider gets. Flagship is one of only a handful of ciders in the world free of added sulphites, and was the first fully certified organic cider in North America. It is German in style, meaning very acidic, which is achieved by fermenting high acid apples such as Granny Smiths, Empires and Winter Bananas (all certified organic). A strain of Champagne yeast is used which can tolerate a low pH. Because there are no sulphites to control oxidation and spoilage, the production team must take extra precautions in apple selection and washing, aging and bottling.

Cidery Description: Sea Cider is a farm-based cidery located on the Saanich Peninsula just minutes from Victoria, on Vancouver Island. Our ten acre farm is home to over 1,300 apple trees, made up of over 50 varieties of heritage apples. Sea Cider opened its farm gate for business in 2007 when owner Kristen Jordan purchased the property with a vision of creating an organic farm and orchard and producing traditional fermented artisan ciders. Since then, we’ve grown to an annual cider production of over 7,000 cases and growing. We continue to pride ourselves on crafting traditionally fermented ciders from organically grown apples.

Price: n/a, as it was a gift (retail is $15-$20 however); some friends picked it up for me in B.C. (although it is sold in the U.S.)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Light amber hue. Moderate carbonation upon pouring. Smells only of apple juice.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to dry. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Sharp flavor, very apple-forward, with hints of honey, lemon, and herbs. Moderate to long slightly boozy finish. Strong apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity.

My Opinion: I found this to be an enjoyable basic cider selection. While it was simple, I also found it to be sophisticated (which is was very apple forward, it didn’t taste like alcoholic apple juice). It pairs well with food as it won’t overpower.

Most Similar to: I found the sharp flavor of this cider similar to many ciders which use crabapples (although this one doesn’t list crabapples), such as Dragon’s Head Columbia Crab, Blue Moon Cidery Raven’s Moon, and Liberty Ciderworks New World Style.

Closing Notes: Sea Cider hasn’t disappointed me yet. However, my favorite so far is their Prohibition / Rum Runner.

Have you tried Sea Cider Flagship? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 19 Tasting Notes

August 12, 2016August 7, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, Dragon's Head, Dupont, Incline, Locust, review, Schilling cider, cider bar, cider review, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my 19th visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here.

<can’t beat 32 cider taps!>

I was there on a Monday for 2 Towns’ re-release of Made Marion (this time in cans) and the re-release of their Cot in the Act cider (this time as a Fruit Seasonal).

I enjoyed a flight of four ciders, then samples of Cot in the Act and Made Marion.

Incline (Auburn WA) Lemongrass Lure (6.5% ABV): This is a draft-only limited release cider with Citra hops and lemongrass. Smells of lemongrass, citrus, and herbs. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied with a nice frothy texture. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of lemon, grapefruit, herbs, and only a hint of hops. Low apple flavor. High sessionability. Low to moderate complexity. Moderate flavor intensity. I enjoyed it; I think it had just the right amount of hops–not overpowering (the flavor was primarily lemongrass).

Locust Cider (Woodinville WA) Berry Session (4.0% ABV): This is a draft-only sessionable berry cider. Smells of blackberries and strawberries. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light to medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. The flavor is just berry, mostly blackberry with some strawberry. High sessionability. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity. I’m usually not a huge fan of berry ciders as I find them overly simple, but I thought it was pretty good.

Dragon’s Head (Vashon WA) Columbia Crab (6.0% ABV): This is a new draft & bottled cider made from crabapples. Smells of sharp crabapples, honey, and lemon. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Light flavor, not as sharp as most crabapple ciders. notes of crabapples, honey, lemon, and white blossoms. Moderate apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate complexity. Low to moderate flavor intensity. This is much sweeter than the other ciders I’ve tried from them, which was surprising, but I’m guessing it may have been perceived. I enjoyed it.

Etienne Dupont (Pays d’Auge France) Aperitif / Pomme / Pommeau (17% ABV): This is a special release of Pommeau (cider mixed with apple brandy). It is Cidre Bouche from bittersweet apples, aged in a Calvados barrel, with 1998 reserve Calvados mixed back in. Smells boozy, like Pommeau, rich, and of caramel. Semi-sweet to sweet (although apparently it is very low residual sugar so it may just perceive sweeter). Still. Medium to full bodied. Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. Mild tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk (which was surprising considering the base Cidre Bouche definitely had that going on). Notes of rich bittersweet apples, caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla. No sessionability. Moderate to high apple flavor. Moderate complexity. High flavor intensity. Amazing!

<2 Towns Cot in the Act>

2 Towns (Corvallis OR) Cot in the Act (6.0% ABV): Although this unfiltered apricot cider has been out for a few years, it is being newly released as a Fruit Seasonal, in both bottles and kegs. Smells mild and fruity. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hint of bitterness. No sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of apricot and peach. Low apple flavor. Moderate to high sessionability. Low complexity. Low flavor intensity.

<2 Towns Made Marion>

2 Towns (Corvallis OR) Made Marion (6.0% ABV): Smells strongly of blackberries. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. The flavor is primarily blackberry, with hints of blueberry. Low apple flavor. High sessionability. Low complexity. Low flavor intensity.

The Etienne Dupont Pommeau was my favorite; I wish bottles were available of it locally. I thought it was worth the $5 for 2oz! Its probably my favorite Pommeau so far, although I also enjoy the 2 Towns and Finnriver varieties.

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

PACORY Cidre Le Costaud

August 11, 2016August 7, 2016 cidersays Pacory, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, cidre, Cidre Le Costaud, France, hard cider, Pacory

Review of PACORY’s Cidre Le Costaud. This is a cidre from Normandy France. I’ve previously tried their Poire Domfront (French perry).

Cider:  Cidre Le Costaud
Cidery:  PACORY
Cidery Location:  Mantilly Normandy France
ABV: 7.0%
How Supplied: 750ml corked champagne bottle
Style: French cidre made from traditional cider apples

Availability: selected regions in the U.S.A. (imported by Charles Neal Selections, Richmond CA)

Cider Description: This cider was made from a large number of traditional apple varieties grown on standard rootstock on our farm in southern Normandy. It was aged for three months in old calvados barrels.

Cidery Description: In the heart of the Bocage Domfrontais, pear and apple trees dominate our prairies.A from fruits selected with great care, we produce Calvados, Pommeau, Cider and Poiré. Created with passion and know-how acquired over many generations, our products are recognized for their exceptional quality. It is with pleasure that we invite you to discover these treasures Domfrontais.

Price: $14.50
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had previously enjoyed their Poire Domfront (French perry), so I thought I’d give this variety of their cidre a try, especially as I love barrel aged cider.

First Impression: Hazy amber orange brown. Moderate carbonation. Smells rich, sweet, and slightly sour.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied, frothy mouthfeel. Low tartness, bitterness, sourness, funk, and tannins. Moderate acidity. Notes of overly ripe apples, honey, orange, and brown sugar. Moderate to high apple flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: This wasn’t what I expected. I didn’t pick up any oak or Calvados (apple brandy) notes from the barrel aging. I’m not a fan of sourness or funk, so I didn’t really enjoy this cider. Their Domfront Poire wasn’t sour, so I hadn’t expected sourness.

Most Similar to: Other cidre from Normandy France, which often has some sourness and funk, although is typically drier.

Closing Notes: I think I’ll stick to the cidre from Brittany France, which is more to my liking, as it typically lacks the sourness and funk.

Have you tried PACORY Cidre Le Costaud? What did you think?

Possmann Frankfurter Applewine

August 10, 2016August 7, 2016 cidersays Possmann, review Apfelwein, applewine, Frankfurt, Frankfurter, Germany, Possmann

Review of Possmann’s Frankfurter Applewine. Its the second time I’ve had German cider; the first was Possmann’s Pure Cider.

Cider: Frankfurter Applewine
Cidery: Possmann
Cidery Location: Frankfurt Germany
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 1 liter twist top bottles
Style: commercial German Applewine (Apfelwein)

Availability: wide release (see here)

Cider Description: Possmanns flagship product that has made the company the most recognized apple wine producer in Germany. The Frankfurter Apple Wine is a crisp, clear wine with the distinct harmony of a tart wine with the fruit flavor of the apple. Fully fermented with 5.5% alcohol by volume, the apple wine contains no additives. It is extremely low on sugar, (recommended for diabetics), as well as very low on calories. With the natural fruit acids, the wine is very soothing and enhances digestion.

Cidery Description: For over 125 years, the Possmann family has made traditional German apple wine and apple juice in the manner first handed down by Phillipp Possmann in 1881. Today, Possmann holds true to a spirit of Old World craftsmanship and a dedication to quality.

Price: $12.50
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light amber. Still (no carbonation). Smells of apple juice, yeast, and must.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Flat tasting. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low bitterness. Hints of tannins and funk. No sourness. Notes of apple juice, yeast, honey, orange, and must. Low complexity. Low to moderate flavor complexity. Moderate apple flavor. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I thought this was average. Easy to drink, but not impressive. I think some carbonation would have helped, but in general, I just like more flavor. I did however like it better than their Pure Cider, which I found to have fake overly appley flavor. This cider appears to be more natural than the Pure Cider.

Most Similar to: Commercial light English cider (except with less tannins) and French cider (due to the yeast-forward flavor, except with less richness).

Closing Notes: I’d be curious to get my hands on some higher quality / craft German Apfelwein, but I don’t remember seeing anything else locally.

Have you tried German Applewine? What did you think?

Summer Cider Day 2016 in Port Townsend WA – Tasting Notes

August 9, 2016September 10, 2017 cidersays Bull Run, event, Nashi Orchards, New West, Rambling Route, review, Snowdrift, Spire Mountain, summer cider day, Wandering Aengus, Whitewood cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, port townsend, summer cider day, tasting notes, washington

This is Part 2/2 on Summer Cider Day 2016 in Port Townsend Washington, which includes tasting notes on the ciders I tried. See HERE for Part 1/2, covering the event itself.

Bull Run Pear Ice Wine, 12% – This is a 9% residual sugar ice perry, made from Hood River Oregon Bosc and Anjou pears, similar to how ice cider or ice (grape) wine is made (using the natural cold to concentrate the sweetness & flavor of the fruit). Semi-sweet to sweet (less sweet than a typical ice cider oddly enough, despite perries usually being sweeter than ciders as pears have non-fermentable sugars). Moderate to full bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. I found this unique, like a complex pear syrup, with a well-hidden ABV. In addition to all the pear flavor, there were some honey, citrus, and melon notes. Moderate length finish. Moderate pear flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

Nashi Orchards Barrel Fermented Cider, 6.9% – This is a cider made from primarily Winesap apples with some French & English bittersweets (from the WSU Mt. Vernon Cider Research Center), aged in neutral French oak barrels. Dry. Light bodied. Low tartness. Low to moderate acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. Definite Winesap apple flavor with hints of richness from the bittersweet apples. Notes of oak (low) and honey. Moderate to long slightly boozy finish. Low to moderate apple flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate complexity. Low flavor intensity. Overall this is quite subtle, similar to their other products I’ve tried. I would love to see them do something made from only bittersweet apples and barrel aged, as those are my favorites, but alas, good cider apples are hard to come by / expensive, so its not done much here in the U.S. (which is why I am also a big fan of English & French imports).

Nashi Orchards Island Harvest Perry, 6.7% – This perry is from 90% Asian pears (Shinsseiki and perry pears) and 10% seedling pears foraged on Vashon island. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness. Moderate to high acidity. Hints of bitterness. Notes of pear, lemon, lime, and mineral. Moderate sessionability. Low pear flavor. Low flavor intensity. Moderate complexity. I found it to be very light; I think this would be great to pair with food. It was also very subtle.

New West Cidery – I thought I’d add a little about this cidery, as I hadn’t even heard of them before this event (their cider isn’t distributed to Seattle). They are part of Sasquatch Brewing in Portland Oregon, which was founded in 2011. They started making cider a few years ago under the New West name. They are opening a separate cidery in Northwest Portland in a couple months which will have 90 barrel fermenters (which is very large capacity considering a standard keg holds half a barrel). At the brewery’s tap room in Portland they currently offer 12 cider taps (including guest taps).

New West Black & Blue, 6.8% – Lovely deep berry hue. Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low carbonation. Low tartness and acidity. Very mild pure berry flavor, 50-50 blackberry and blueberry. Quick finish. No apple flavor. High sessionability. Low complexity. Low flavor intensity. I like a more flavorful cider, so I didn’t really care for this.

New West Señor Cider, 6.8% – Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Notes of several different hot peppers and a hint of citrus & honey. Moderate heat, mostly at the end of the sip, which lingers with a long finish. Low apple flavor, sessionability, flavor intensity, and complexity. I don’t like spicy ciders, so I didn’t like this at all. I think a spicy cider works better when the spice level is low, it has higher residual sugar, and there is some flavor balance (like significant honey notes). Enough people must like these though, as cideries keep making them (for example – the Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA actually has a tap line dedicated to a rotating selection of spicy Schilling ciders).

Rambling Route Pear, 6.9% – This is the second cider in Tieton’s Rambling Route line, their Apple variety with Bartlett pear juice added. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Nearly still. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Moderate apple flavor. Very light pear flavor. High sessionability. Low flavor intensity and complexity. I think I prefer their Apple variety, although I’m not really a fan of either. I think Tieton’s regular line of ciders is superior (although that is likely to be expected from the price point), especially the recent draft-only Bourbon Peach (my tasting notes here).

Snowdrift Cornice, 7.3% – I’ve tried this before (see here), but it was awhile back, and I was curious how this year’s version turned out. This is their barrel aged cider made from cider apple varieties. Smells mildly oaky. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low bitterness. Low tannins. Notes of oak, smoke, and honey. Moderate apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate complexity. Low flavor intensity. I found this vintage to be more approachable than their previous one, but I really enjoyed both.

Spire Mountain Dark & Dry, Jack Daniels Barrel Aged, 5.0% – This is a special version of their typical Dark & Dry cider which was aged in Jack Daniel whiskey barrels for 8 months. Smells strongly of whiskey, plus some oak and brown sugar. Semi-dry to dry. Medium bodied. Moderate to high bitterness. Low tartness and acidity. Notes of brown sugar, molasses, whiskey, vanilla, and coffee. Long bitter finish. High spirit influence. Low barrel influence. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. Low sessionability. Moderate complexity. Its crazy how the barrel aging changed this cider from a fairly simple sweet cider to a bitter complex dry cider! I think they are on to something with barrel aging this cider, but it was aged too long for my liking (something I thought I’d never say…I always say I wish a cider was aged longer!), as it was too intensely bitter.

Spire Mountain Dry Hop Apple, 5.0% – This is their Red Apple cider with Citra hops, their new Summer Seasonal. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied, slightly syrupy. Low tartness, acidity, and bitterness. Subtle hops flavor, more herbaceous than citrusy, which is unusual for a Citra hopped cider. Moderate to high apple flavor. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity. I thought this was pretty decent for a commercial cider; I liked how the hops flavor wasn’t overwhelming, although I think I like a more citrus-forward hopped cider.

Wandering Aengus Wanderlust, 6.9% – This was their first cider variety they made 12 years ago. Its an off-dry (0.5% residual sugar) English-style cider made from primarily heirloom sharp plus some bittersweet apples. Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low bitterness. Low tannins. Notes of bittersweet apples, oak, and mineral. Sharp flavor with hints of richness. Moderate length finish. Moderate to high apple flavor. Moderate sessionability, complexity, and flavor intensity. This time around I enjoyed it better than when I tried it awhile back; either this batch had less bitterness than previously and/or I’m not as sensitive to it anymore.

Whitewood Gibb’s Farm, 6.7% – They nicknamed this limited release cider a “Farmer’s Reserve”. It was made from a large number of varieties of apples only from Grant Gibbs’ farm outside of Leavenworth WA. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Low carbonation. Medium bodied with a nice texture, slightly syrupy. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. Notes of sharp apples, honey, and lemon. Moderate to long slightly boozy finish. Moderate to strong apple flavor. Moderate sessionability and flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity. I enjoyed it.

Whitewood Newtown Pippin, 6.9% – This is a Newtown Pippin apple single varietal, part of their Old Fangled Series, made from 2016 harvest apples from Hood River Oregon. Semi-dry. Medium bodied, with a nice frothy texture. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. Quick finish. Moderate apple flavor. Low flavor intensity. Low complexity. Moderate sessionability. I found this to be very mild, which is characteristic of Newtown Pippins, but not something I prefer.

I didn’t taste ciders from every cidery there (as I had tried the remainder of the lineup), but here are photos of the other booths.

Summer Cider Day 2016 in Port Townsend WA – The Event

August 8, 2016August 9, 2016 cidersays event, review, summer cider day cider, cider event, cider tasting, hard cider, port townsend, summer cider day, washington

Last weekend I attended the 6th annual Summer Cider Day in Port Townsend Washington. It was my first time at this event and my second time in Port Townsend (Northwest of Seattle; see my previous 4 posts here on the Olympic Peninsula Cider Route with Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver). I’ll have two posts; this first one covers the event and a second will cover tasting notes on the ciders I tried (post 2/2 now up – see HERE). Check out my previous post here, which was a preview of the Summer Cider Day event.

I took the Edmonds-Kingston ferry fairly early (note there is a Port Townsend ferry, but the route is from Coupville) to ensure I got there before 11am, when the VIP tasting started (an hour earlier than the noon-5pm event). VIP is definitely the way to go by the way (for an extra $10 per ticket) as I got a chance to try a number of ciders, chat up the cidermakers pouring them, and take photos of the venue and lovely table setups before it got too busy. I actually did nearly all my cider tasting in that hour. By arriving early I also had a chance to get a great parking spot, walk around town, grab some coffee, etc.

The Northwest Maritime Center was a great venue for this small ish cider festival. It was primarily indoors (which is rare for a summer tasting event, but I appreciated it as sun + cider isn’t the best combo), except for food and seating on the deck (with an amazing waterfront view).

It was also a unique event in that it was family-friendly (although there wasn’t really anything for kids to do, just a corner set up with some coloring books).

Admission included a tasting glass and 8 drink tickets.

The venue on the second floor of the building was beautiful, with high ceilings. Each cidery had a booth to pour their ciders (a mix of draft and bottle pours). Many had the actual cidermakers pouring the cider, but if not, it was someone very familiar with it (vs. some events which have volunteers pour cider).

They had catering on the deck from Siren’s Pub, a restaurant down the street. The menu was cider-themed and had suggested cider pairings. I had a shrimp skewer with rice and mango salsa that was pretty good, although I imagine it would have better if it didn’t get cold right away since it was a bit cool & windy outside. The outdoor seating was nice though (especially as there was no indoor seating, only stand up tables).

They also had a bottle shop, where many of the ciders were available for purchase.

The attending cideries were announced in advance, but not the ciders they were pouring. Here is the final lineup:

2 Towns Ciderhouse (Corvallis OR) Outcider, Bade Apple, Made Marion
Alpenfire Cider (Port Townsend WA) Pirate’s Plank, Spark!, ApoCalypso
Bull Run Cider (Forest Grove OR) Dry Hop, Pear Wine, Bramble Berry
Eaglemount Wine & Cider (Port Townsend WA) Ginger, Rhubarb, Cyser
Finnriver Farm & Cidery (Chimmacum WA) Chimacum Kriek, Sidra, Oak & Apple
Liberty Ciderworks (Spokane WA) Heirloom Series Gravenstein, ~~Turncoat Dry Hopped~~ New World, Stonewall Barrel-Aged
Locust Cider (Woodinville WA) Thai Ginger, Apricot, Wabi Sabi
Nashi Orchards (Vashon WA) Chojuro Perry, Island Harvest Perry, Barrel Fermented Cider
New West Cider (Portland OR) Black & Blue, Señor Cider
Schilling Cider (Auburn WA) Ascender Ginger, Grapefruit & Chill, Bailout Lemongrass Cider
added: Seattle Cider (Seattle WA) Berry, Semi Sweet, Dry
Snowdrift Cider Co. (East Wenatchee WA)
Spire Mountain Ciders (Olympia WA) Crisp & Dry, Dark & Dry, Dry Hopped Apple
Pear UP , formerly NV Cider (Wenatchee WA) Watermelon Pear, Pear Essentials, and Ginger Pear
Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider (Portland OR) The Passion, ¡Tepache!, Revival
Tieton Cider Works (Yakima WA) Rambling Route Pear, Apricot, Tieton
Wandering Aengus Ciderworks (Salem OR) Anthem Cherry, Golden Russet, Wanderlust
Whitewood Cider (Olympia WA) Gibb’s Darm, Newtown Pippin, Old Fangled Heirloom
~~Woodbox Cider (Portland OR)~~

Next up in the Seattle area is Washington Cider Week (Sept 8-18), including the epic Cider Summit (Sept 9 & 10).

Bereziartua Edición Gourmet

August 5, 2016August 3, 2016 cidersays Bereziartua, review Bereziartua, cider, cider review, cider tasting, gourmet, hard cider, natural, Sidra

Review of Bereziartua’s Edición Gourmet. This is my first time trying their cider, although I’ve tried a handful of other Spanish Sidra varieties (pronounced see-druh, cider in Spanish).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Scoperta Importing / The Marchetti Company (the importer). 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: Edición Gourmet
Cidery: Bereziartua
Cidery Location: Astigarraga, Basque Country, Spain
ABV: 6%
How Supplied: 750ml green bottles, wine corked
Style: Spanish Sidra

Availability: CA, DE, ID, IL, KY, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, OR, SC, and WA

Production: This special cider is produced from select apple varieties grown in a special orchard that Bereziartua has been working with for 25 years. The freshly picked apples are crushed, pressed, and then fermented in kupelas (large oak barrels) for a minimum of eight months. This traditional cider is 100% natural: apples are the only ingredient.

Tasting Notes: Unfiltered and slightly effervescent, with peach, orange blossom, and lemon aromas, this has more body and roundness than most Basque ciders but still finishes bright and dry.

Food Pairing: Excellent with steak, rich fish dishes, and lightly fried foods.

Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled. Traditionally Basque cider is poured from a bottle held head high into a glass held mid-thigh. A small portion is poured and the cider aerates as it hits the glass. It should be consumed in one gulp and poured again.

Apple Varieties: Numerous wild Spanish apple varieties, including Txalaka, Urtebia, Judeline, and Judor

Cidery Description: Sidras Bereziartua Sagardoak is a family-run firm devoted to cider production since 1870. That was when we made the first Bereziartua ciders at our old installations in Ergobia. A century later, in 1970, our cider house finally committed itself to the production of sagardua or cider at its installations in Astigarraga, where we are located today. Since then, and following various modernization processes, Bereziartua has become a beacon in the production of natural cider, while at the same time preserving its family character at the service of tradition, and out of respect and gratitude towards our loyal customers.

Price: n/a (retail is $10.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: the importer asked if I would like samples

First Impression: Cloudy bright yellow hue. Smells of sulfur, funk, sourness, and citrus. Low carbonation.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied, smooth. Moderate to strong sourness that hits more mid-palate than back of the palate. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild bitterness. Moderate funk. No tannins. Notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon, mineral, sulfur, and yeast. Moderate apple flavor. Low sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

My Opinion: Although its growing on me, I’m not a huge fan of Spanish Sidra. I was able to share the remainder of the bottle with some friends who better enjoy this style. Of the two, I preferred the Sidra Natural (as I found it more flavorful and less harsh), but my husband preferred Edición Gourmet (which he found to have more apple flavor).

Most Similar to: Other Spanish Sidras

Closing Notes: If you enjoy Spanish Sidra, American farmhouse-style cider, sour beers, etc, than this is a well-made budget-friendly selection I’d recommend.

Have you tried Spanish Sidra? What do you think of them?

Bereziartua Sidra Natural

August 4, 2016August 3, 2016 cidersays Bereziartua, review Bereziartua, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, natural, sideria, Sidra, spanish

Review of Bereziartua’s Sidra Natural. This is my first time trying their cider, although I’ve tried a handful of other Spanish Sidra varieties (pronounced see-druh, cider in Spanish).

Cider: Sidra Natural / Basque Apple Cider
Cidery: Bereziartua
Cidery Location: Astigarraga, Basque Country, Spain
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 750ml green bottles, wine corked (and kegs)
Style: Spanish Sidra

Availability: CA, DE, ID, IL, KY, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, OR, SC, and WA

Production: Freshly picked apples are crushed and pressed. The freshly pressed juice is put into kupelas (large neutral wood barrels) where it ferments for five months. This traditional cider is 100% natural. Apples are the only ingredient.

Tasting Notes: This cider is unfiltered and slightly effervescent. The aromas are peach and orange blossom, with a bouquet of yeast, and the tart apple flavor finishes in a burst of minerals.

Food Pairing: Excellent with poultry and friend foods. Enjoy as an aperitif. Serve chilled.

Serving Suggestion: Traditionally, Basque cider is poured from a bottle held head high into a glass held mid-thigh. A small portion is poured and the cider aerated as it hits the glass. It should be consumed in one gulp and poured again.

Apple Varieties: Numerous wild Spanish apple varieties, including Txalaka, Urtebia, Judeline, and Judor

Price: n/a (retail is $8.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: the importer asked if I would like samples

First Impression: Cloudy bright yellow hue. Smells fresh, sour, and of citrus. Low carbonation.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied with some frothy texture. Moderate sourness that hits more mid-palate than back of the palate. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild bitterness. Mild funk. No tannins. Notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon, mineral, and yeast. Low apple flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

Side note – I did not do a traditional Spanish pour. Truthfully I had enough trouble getting the bottle open! (plus unless you have a lot of experience, doing a long pour, it is likely to be wasteful) This Sidra didn’t seem to require the aeration as much as some others though.

My Opinion: Although its growing on me, I’m not a huge fan of Spanish Sidra. I was able to share the remainder of the bottle with some friends who better enjoy this style. I did enjoy this the most of all the Sidras I have tried however (I found it more flavorful and the sourness less harsh).

Most Similar to: Other Spanish Sidras

Closing Notes: If you enjoy Spanish Sidra, American farmhouse-style cider, sour beers, etc, than this is a well-made budget-friendly selection I’d recommend. If you are thinking of trying one for the first try, this is a decent choice (although its not the mildest, it isn’t the harshest, and I think it has a nice flavor).

Have you tried Spanish Sidra? What do you think of them?

Reverend Nat’s Tent Show Deliverance Gin & Tonic

August 3, 2016July 27, 2016 cidersays Rev Nat's, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Deliverance, Gin, hard cider, reverend nat's, tent show, tonic

Review of Reverend Nat’s Deliverance Gin & Tonic, a selection of their Tent Show cider club. I’ve previously tried a handful of their ciders (see here), with Revival being my favorite.

Cider: Deliverance Gin & Tonic
Cidery: Reverend Nat’s
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 10.0%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle
Style: American craft Imperial single varietal Newtown Pippin cider with spices, gin barrel aged

(standard Tent Show bottle, where only the label changes)

Availability: Only at Reverend Nat’s Portland Oregon cidery, only for Tent Show cider club members unless there are leftover bottles, 46 cases produced

Cider Description: Imperial (high ABV) Newtown Pippin cider with ginger, quinine, lime juice & zest, lemongrass, juniper berries, and cucumber, aged in Ransom Old Tom gin barrels

Cidery Description: Reverend Nat is a single-minded cider evangelist who searches the world for superior ingredients to handcraft the most unusual ciders that no one else will make.

Nat West (who is actually an online ordained minister) has been making cider since 2004, started Reverend Nat’s in 2011, and opened a tap room with 12 taps in Portland in 2013 (which also includes bottles and selections from other cideries).

Price: n/a (a friend brought this to a cider tasting dinner)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Hazy medium amber. Nearly still. Smells rich and boozy, of spices and botanicals.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Moderate bitterness. Low funk. Low tannins. No sourness. Notes of caramel, ginger, and spices & botanicals I’m unfamiliar with. No apple flavor. Low sessionability. High flavor intensity. High complexity.

My Opinion: This was a really interesting cider. I didn’t really enjoy it at first, but it grew on me, especially once I added a couple ice cubes, which reduced the harshness. This cider is more like a cocktail, and reminds me a bit of Pommeau. I think without the ginger I would have liked it better (I’m not a ginger fan).

Most Similar to: Not anything I’ve tried. I’ve had Portland Cider Company London Dry Gin, which was gin barrel aged (dry, high tannins, and botanical). I’ve also had Liberty Cider Works Abbess, which used gin botanicals (semi-dry, bold flavor with a hint of botanicals). Both had the botanicals, but not the body, haziness, and richness of this cider.

Closing Notes: I’m glad I got a chance to try this cider, as I’m not a Tent Show member, and Seattle is a bit far from Portland to just pop in and check if they have anything interesting.

Have you tried Reverend Nat’s Deliverance Gin & Tonic? What did you think?

Sietsema Traditional Dry Hard Cider

August 2, 2016August 2, 2016 cidersays review, Sietsema cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Michigan, Traditional Dry

Review of Sietsema’s Traditional Dry Hard Cider, from Michigan. Its the first time I’ve tried their cider.

Cider: Traditional Dry Hard Cider
Cidery: Sietsema
Cidery Location: Ada Michigan
ABV: 8.5%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles (and cans)
Style: American farmhouse-style craft cider made from heirloom apples, fermented with champagne yeast

Availability: Only in Michigan

Cider Description: Our take on the traditional American cider. We use champagne yeast to give our Yellow Label a carbonated kick, resulting in a full-bodied beverage that is dry, tart and just a little sweet.

Cidery Description: Before founding Sietsema Orchard & Cider Mill on the ourskirts of Grand Rapids Michigan, Jerry Sietsema Sr. was in real estate. The year was 1934, and the Country and the state of Michigan was in the middle of the Great Depression. Jerry Sietsema Sr., decided to go out on a limb and start his own family farm and orchard where once was the countryside of Grand Rapids Michigan. He purchased some land at Knapp and the East Beltline. The land and homestead once owned by a minister and his wife, which where part of the Underground Rail Road. He knew the land would be great for planting an orchard on. It was located far enough out of town, and high enough elevation to help prevent the apple blossoms from freezing in the late spring.

Jerry Sietsema Sr. operated his orchard and family farm from the Grand Rapids location from 1934 to 1995. After that time Sietsema Orchards moved to 8540 2 Mile Road in Ada Michigan, where it resides today. Although the farm was fully operational and proving to be a success, the goods produced were sold on mainly a wholesale level to a Grand Rapids area packing house. Beginning in, 2010, we decided to expand our business and our dream. This is where the 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation of Sietsema Orchards & Cider Mill hope to thrive and grow. We are committed to providing quality produce, and by opening our doors to the public, providing a family farm experience that we hope you enjoy here in West Michigan.

Price: n/a (tetails for &12.99; a friend brought this to a cider tasting dinner)
Where Bought: n/a (she got it from a trade from Michigan)
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Hazy light straw yellow. Low carbonation with foam. Smells sour, of citrus.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied with a frothy texture. Low tartness. High acidity. Moderate sourness. Mild funk. No bitterness or tannins. Notes of lemon, grapefruit, and yeast. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor, sessionability, flavor intensity, and complexity.

My Opinion: I didn’t really care for this, as I don’t like sourness and funk. My friends who enjoy this style of cider better than I do thought it was average, a bit too mild.

Most Similar to: Farmhouse-style cider, or lighter version of Spanish Sidra. This had a similar profile to Angry Orchard Walden Hollow and Millstone Cellars Farmgate Dry.

Closing Notes: It was nice to try this cider, but I’m glad it wasn’t something I bought. It would pair very well with food as its so mild.

Have you tried Sietsema Traditional Dry Hard Cider? What did you think?

Chatter Creek Cider Pilot Project Batch “1” Golden Cider

August 1, 2016August 1, 2016 cidersays Chatter Creek, review Batch 1, Chatter Creek, cider, Golden Cider, hard cider, Pilot Project, seattle, washington

Review of Chatter Creek Cider’s Pilot Project Batch “1” Golden Cider. This is the first time I’ve tried (or even seen) anything from this cidery. It appears to be from a winery which is new to making cider; I couldn’t find any information online except an under construction website, but was able to get in touch with Gordy Rawson at Chatter Creek. It appears the winery is in Woodinville WA but this cider was made in Seattle WA, the original location.

Cider: Pilot Project Batch “1” Golden Cider
Cidery: Chatter Creek Cider
Cidery Location: Seattle WA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 500ml flip top bottle
Style: American craft cider made from dessert apples

Availability: self distributed in Seattle WA

Description: This Cider is a winemakers take on how to balance a beverage. Good apple flavor. The acid and sweetness are in balance to present a natural flavor, Some light tannin, medium carbonation.

Ingredients: Just apples, sulfites, and sweetened with concentrate

Apple Varieties: Red and Golden delicious, Fuji, Honey Crisp, Granny, and Pinata

Price: $8.75
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light straw yellow. Nearly still. Smells mild, of acidity and honey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of honey, stone fruit, and pineapple. Moderate apple flavor. High sessionability. Low complexity. Low flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I found this to be a typical apple-forward sessionable cider. I think it would be better suited in a multipack of bottles or cans, instead of a $9 pint.

Most Similar to: 2 Towns OutCider (although not unfiltered), Apple Outlaw Original (although less apple-forward), and Atlas Session Cider (although not as fruity)

Closing Notes: I’m interested to find more information about this cidery and cider, and I’m curious if they will release more ciders.

Have you tried Chatter Creek Pilot Project Golden Cider? What did you think?

Bertolinos Hard Cider

July 28, 2016July 26, 2016 cidersays Bertolinos, review Bertolinos, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Friuli, hard cider, Italy

Review of Bertolinos Hard Cider, from Italy. Its the first Italian cider I’ve tried. Here is an interesting article I found on the Italian cider industry.

Cider: Hard Cider
Cidery: Bertolinos
Cidery Location: Friuli Italy
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle, wine cork
Style: Italian cider, made from native apple varieties

Availability: unknown

Description: The Da Pozzo Family has been making the highest quality hard cider in Friuli Italy using only 100% pure Friuli apple juice at Ecomela for over two decades. They have been recognized at the World Cider Awards in England as making the Best Cider in the World, medium category. This is a full bodied, very well balanced Cider with an intense floral fresh Friuli apple Aroma! Please join us and enjoy Bertolinos. From our Family to yours!

Price: $7
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I was intrigued as I’ve never tried Italian cider, and it was affordable.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Moderate carbonation with some foam. Smells of apple juice and honey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of honey, pineapple, and grapefruit. High apple flavor. Moderate to high sessionability. Low complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Yum! I enjoyed it. It was definitely on the simpler side, but was tasty and easy to drink. I can see this being a very widely appealing cider, as long as someone doesn’t mind on the slightly sweeter end of the spectrum.

Most Similar to: French cidre, except without the richness (as it was apple-forward and higher carbonation). I like this better than most apple-forward sessionable American ciders.

Closing Notes: I’m curious if I’ll be able to find any more Italian ciders locally, as this is the first I’ve seen.

Have you tried Bertolinos? What did you think?

Washington Gold Cider Golden Delicious

July 27, 2016July 23, 2016 cidersays review, Washington Gold cider, cider review, cider tasting, Golden Delicious, hard cider, washington, Washington Gold

Review of Washington Gold Cider’s Golden Delicious, a single varietal cider, and their first canned offering. I’ve previously tried their entire lineup, and reviewed their Cherry cider.

Cider: Golden Delicious
Cidery: Washington Gold Cider
Cidery Location: Chelan WA
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz cans
Style: American craft cider from Washington Golden Delicious apples

Availability: Washington and Southern California

Cider Description: Bright and crisp with a touch of golden sweetness. Made with hand-picked Golden Delicious Apples from the heart of Washington State.

Cidery Description: Crisp, refreshing, and steeped in our family’s rich apple-growing tradition, Washington Gold Cider is crafted from the best apples in the world. Farm fresh. Family-owned. Proudly made in Washington State. Washington Gold Cider…The world’s best cider, made from the best apples on Earth.

Price: ~ $2 / single can
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had seen this on their Facebook page, but hadn’t yet spotted it in stores. I’m a commitment phobe when it comes to multi packs of ciders I haven’t tried, so I typically pick up any single cans/bottles I haven’t tried.

First Impression: Pale straw yellow. Low carbonation. Smells mild, of acidic green apples.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet (sweeter than expected for 12g sugar / 12oz). Medium to full bodied, syrupy. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of green apple, lemon, floral, and honey. Quick finish length. Moderate apple flavor. High sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Low complexity.

My Opinion: I found it to be an above average sessionable sweeter cider. I was surprised by how full bodied and syrupy it seemed, and the presence of green apple notes despite the lack of their use and the lack of tartness.

Most Similar to: Flatbed Cider Crisp Apple

Closing Notes: I think this will sell well. It isn’t my favorite style of cider, but I thought I’d give it a try. The sessionable cider I typically keep in the house is quite difference from this–Celt, a French cidre, which I love for its richness.

Have you tried Washington Gold Cider Golden Delicious? What did you think?

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.

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.

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?

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: