review

Woodchuck Gumption

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Review of Woodchuck Gumption, released March 2015, the newest addition to Woodchuck’s Core lineup.  Their other core ciders are Amber, Granny Smith, 802, Pear, Raspberry, Local Nectar, & Hopsation.  Pretty sweet packaging, huh?

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I tried Gumption previously and for some reason I wasn’t impressed, but I thought it was worth a second taste since it has been very well received.  No idea why I didn’t like it last time, but this time, I did!  Maybe because it was hyped so much I was expecting something epic?  Woodchuck has even been having nationwide circus-themed release parties.

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Cider:  Gumption
Cidery: Woodchuck
Cidery Location: Middlebury VT
ABV:  5.5%
How Supplied: 12oz bottle
Availability:  year round, wide release, six packs of 12oz bottles (and now cans)

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Cider Description:  Bold and unique.  Legendary showman P.T. Barnum once noted, “everybody drank cider-spirits called ‘gumption’.” Our Woodchuck GUMPTION™ celebrates the spirit of P.T. Barnum and those with the gumption to follow their own path. We pair the fresh juice of common eating apples with dry (European Bittersweet) cider apples to bring you a bold and unique drinking experience.

Cidery Description: Here at the Woodchuck Cidery in Vermont, we handcraft every batch of Woodchuck Hard Cider. Our Cider Makers utilize the highest quality ingredients and meticulously oversee each small batch from start to finish. We reinvigorated American cider in 1991 and continue to lead the category through our commitment to craft innovative and refreshing hard ciders.

Price:  ~$2 for a single bottle (typically $8-$10 for a full six pack)
Where Bought:  Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found: There was lots of online hype prior to release, so I had been on the lookout.  I picked up my first single bottle at Total Wine just after it was released.  This time I had been wanting to try it again, and found some at Special Brews.

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First Impression: Clear orange amber color (which appears to be true, unlike their Amber cider variety which adds color).  Light carbonation.  I only pick up one scent, of ripe sweet apples.

Opinion:  Sweet but not very sweet.  I like the sweeter start with a touch of bitterness in the (quick) finish.  I also like the lack of tartness and the balanced acidity.  This is more complex than most of their other ciders, such as Amber, but isn’t all that complex when compared to most craft ciders.  I even detect a slight woody earthiness.  Gumption is very easy to drink.  It doesn’t have all that bold of a flavor, but is unique and tasty.  I find it interesting that the bottle says less than 1% natural flavor, but Woodchuck’s website says no added flavors….I wonder which is true.

Most Similar to:  Nothing I’ve tried.  Most ciders which incorporate bittersweet cider apples are drier craft varieties.  This is a unique cider for this segment.

Closing Notes:  I quite enjoyed Woodchuck Gumption, and may have to pick up some more.  I now think I prefer it over their Amber variety (note this cider has significantly less sugar than Amber, 13 vs. 21 grams in 12 oz).  I think this is a very solid commercial cider, but I wouldn’t consider Woodchuck to be a craft cidery.  Woodchuck is undergoing a significant re-branding & marketing campaign to compete with Angry Orchard, so I’m intrigued to see what they come up with next!

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Have you tried Woodchuck Gumption?  What did you think?

Sonoma Cider The Anvil

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Review of Sonoma Cider’s The Anvil, a bourbon flavored cider.

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Cider:  The Anvil
Cidery: Sonoma Cider
Cidery Location:  Healdsburg CA
ABV:  6.0%
How Supplied: four pack of green 12oz bottles (or a single 22oz bottle)
Availability:  Year-round, semi-wide release in U.S. (plus Canada & China apparently!)

Cider Description:  David and Robert both love Bourbon. We mean love bourbon. Maybe that’s why they didn’t beat around the bush here. Sure, you can age subtly in bourbon barrels. And subtlety is sometimes enough. But, with the Anvil, the real spark ignited when we tossed nuance aside and added a healthy measure of our proprietary barrel-proof bourbon flavor. Suddenly, something intense, alive and memorable happened. To our palates, it offers a clean, lively, aromatic presence with a layered smoky finish. It’s truly integrated and rounded, yet vitally distinct. Enjoy.

Blend of organic Yakima Valley Fuji and Granny Smith apples.  2.7 BRIX.  3.75 pH acidity.

Cidery Description:  Sonoma Cider handcrafts the only full line of organic ciders in the U.S., each made with distinctive, all natural, gluten-free ingredients. Sonoma Ciders are produced from freshly squeezed, organic apples in micro batches to deliver intensity of flavor and a refined experience for this rapidly growing category. The company was founded in 2013 by 20-year veteran cidermaster, David Cordtz, with his son and co-founder, Robert Cordtz. Together they combine decades of industry expertise with next generation dynamism.

[at least Alpenfire is also Organic, by the way]

Price:  ~$2.50 for a single 12oz bottle (or $8-10 for a four pack)
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA (I’ve also seen it at Total Wine & Whole Foods, among other places)
Where Drank:  home
How Found: Initially, by browsing Total Wine.  This time thought I had thought it would be an interesting one to review, so I picked up a bottle.

First Impression: Copper amber with a slight yellow sheen.  Quite carbonated upon pouring.  I smell smokey apple and bourbon

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Opinion:  Between semi-sweet & semi-dry.  I pick up smoke, bourbon, ripe apple, woodiness / earthiness, and caramelized sugar.  I like the higher carbonation level of this cider.  There is the slightest bit of tartness & acidity, although I tend to be sensitive to that.  This is bourbon flavored, not bourbon barrel aged, which is an interesting approach.  I quite like the Bourbon flavor (even though I don’t like Bourbon); I think it was done well, is fairly mild, and doesn’t taste fake or artificial.  Quick finishing.

I’ve had this cider a few times.  I have also tried Sonoma Cider’s other current offerings (Pitchfork, Hatchet, Crowbar, & Washboard), but The Anvil is my favorite, probably followed by The Pitchfork (pear).  Apparently Sonoma Cider also has “Dry Zider”, aged in Zinfadel wine barrels, their first Reserve Series, but I haven’t seen it yet.

Closing Notes:  Tasty!  Fairly easy to drink too.  Also, Sonoma Cider is a good fairly widely available craft cider alternative to commercial cider.

Have you tried Sonoma Cider’s The Anvil, or anything else they make?  What did you think?

HUB (Hopworks Urban Brewery) Hard Cider

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Review of Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) Hard Cider, which was released in June 2015.  This is their first and currently only cider offering.

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Cider:  Hard Cider
Cidery: Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB)
Cidery Location:  Portland OR
ABV:  6.8%
How Supplied: 16oz can
Availability:  Year round, currently OR & WA only

Cider Description:  With a goal of making a year-round cider with high-organic content, our cider is proudly made from 60% organic apple juice concentrate and 40% fresh pressed apple juice. The cider juice is sourced entirely from the Northwest. HUB Hard Cider is a semi-dry hard apple cider, straw colored with fresh apple aromas. Slightly tart with a Champagne-like acidity, HUB Hard Cider finishes slightly fruit-forward. The cider is naturally gluten-free and is 6.8% ABV. HUB will also offer HUB Hard Cider in 22 oz. bottles this summer.

Price:  $3 / 16oz can (typically sold in a four pack)
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  I had read online they were coming out with a cider, and was reminded of HUB when passing by their creative booth at the Seattle International Beerfest, where they turned a bike into a beer bar complete with taps and storage for kegs, so despite not finding an actual review online, I thought I may as well try it.

HUB Cider

First Impression: Pale yellow.  Fairly heavily carbonated.  Apple champagne-like aroma.

Opinion:  Between semi-dry and semi-sweet.  Very champagne-like, in both flavor and mouthfeel (carbonation).  For me it started off sweet but very quickly bitter & acidic.  This is a rather simple straight forward cider that doesn’t reel me in with any interesting flavor notes.  I imagine champagne / sparkling wine fans may like this for an intro to cider, but I have found I quickly get turned off to a cider which has bitter, acidic, or tart notes (although not to say that I can’t enjoy a drier cider).

Note that I wouldn’t consider this craft cider, due to the large percentage of apple juice concentrate (which is commonly used to cheaply develop a sweeter cider, and due to low availability of cider apples / time for an orchard to mature).  If I’m going to drink commercial cider, I’d much prefer Woodchuck.  Here is a cool writeup on the use of frozen apple juice concentrate and such in commercial cider, and what sets craft cider apart from commercial cider, which is something all cider consumers should be informed about.

Although I don’t exclusively buy craft cider (mostly due to cost and often I want a more easy drinking cider), the use of apple juice concentrate is something I am aware of, and think more of the commercial cider makers should be more straightforward about it (like HUB is).  I find it interesting though that HUB couldn’t find anything more to say on the can besides 60% organic, gluten free, etc (not even a short description of the cider, sweetness level, etc).  I like what HUB is doing with trying to be eco-friendly and using organic juice though.

Closing Notes:  Unimpressed.  I really don’t have much to say on this cider…

Have you tried HUB’s hard cider?  What did you think?

Sea Cider Prohibition / Rumrunner

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Review of Sea Cider Prohibition (sold as Rumrunner in Canada).  This is my second time trying this cider.  I’ve tried a couple other Sea Cider varieties as well.  Prohibition is aged in rum barrels!

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Cider:  Prohibition
Cidery: Sea Cider
Cidery Location:  Vancouver Island near Victoria B.C.
ABV:  12.5%
How Supplied: 750ml clear glass bottle (although I bought it by the glass)
Availability:  Canada (B.C., Alberta, & Manitoba) and the U.S. (WA, IL, & OR)

Cider Description:  Crafted with home-grown heritage apples, Rumrunner’s apples are hand-pressed using our traditional rack and cloth press, slowly fermented with Champagne yeast, then aged in rum-soaked bourbon barrels for a minimum of six months. Aromas of brown sugar and rum show the complexity of this semi-dry sparkling cider. The secret to Rumrunner lies in the barrel. Rich, full-bodied and intriguing, Newfoundland Screech barrels were the inspiration for this semi-dry cider, which opens up to reveal complex notes of molasses, apples, and rum.

Rumrunner cider is our homage to the people who, during Prohibition, ran illicit boats full of liquor across the international line in the coastal waters that can be seen from our Ciderhouse. This seafaring connection was first formed when we obtained Newfoundland “Screech” barrels to age one of our cider blends. Rum and bourbon barrels were once a cidermaker’s only storage option and their use imparted distinctly spirited notes to traditional cider. Our Rumrunner cider blends the juice of highly aromatic apples, such as Stayman’s Winesaps and Winter Bananas (all certified organic), so that the apple aromas match the intensity of the oak and rum notes.

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:  ~$20 / bottle, but I paid $8 for an approximately 8oz pour
Where Drank:  Special Brews in Lynnwood WA, which is an awesome bottle shop & bar combo, with about 15 taps, where usually 1 or 2 are cider.  They also sell Sea Cider Prohibition & Pippins by the glass, or will open up a bottle for you for $2.  Its a great hangout spot and pretty chill.

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First Impression: Deep copper amber.  Still.  Smells inviting, rich, earthy, and likely to pack a punch.

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Opinion:  I pick up so many different flavors with this one.  Very bold / aggressive / intense and complex.  Caramel, brown sugar, rum, brandy?, vanilla, molasses, the list goes on.  I find it interesting how most of these are “sweet” flavors, yet I’d call this a semi-dry cider.  This cider isn’t very apple-forward, but then again, good craft cider doesn’t / shouldn’t taste like apple juice.  It has a woody earthy flavor and a bit of a bite.  Long smooth dry slightly acidic finish.  Prohibition packs a lot of heat/warmth.  Like Liberty Ciderworks Manchuran Crabapple and other high ABV ciders, the word boozy comes to mind, but for me, in a good way.  I like the different flavor of the rum barrel aging as opposed to the more common oak / bourbon (or red wine or tequila as I’ve also had).

As it warms up I liked the flavor a bit more, but it also seemed to linger more on the palate.  The mouthfeel was thick.  I was glad this wasn’t served ice cold.  I enjoyed an interesting pairing this this cider, as I munched on some pub mix (cheesy pretzels & crackers).  I imagine this would be good with some cheese or even as a cider float.  Sea Cider also says it can be served warmed, which would be interesting.  its odd how I don’t like aged spirits but enjoy ciders like this.

Closing Notes:  Tasty!  However, this is something that I enjoyed more with the first half of the glass, as it is a bit hefty to enjoy more than a small pour of.  So, I was thankful to have it by the glass instead of a 750ml bottle (although apparently it keeps well).

Have you tried Sea Cider Prohibition / Rumrunner?  What did you think?

Saturday Tasting Notes – Sonoma Cider The Crowbar & Possmann Pure Cider

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Random Saturday cider tasting, awesome!

Sonoma Cider The Crowbar

The Crowbar is a limited release Habanero-Lime cider from Sonoma Cider (available since May 2015).  I’ve been wanting to try this variety but was unsure if it was something I’d immediately want to dump out, between the spice and the dryness, so I’ve held off.  I was lucky enough to attend a tasting event of Sonoma Cider at Whole Foods in Lynnwood WA today (where I got to meet Sarah from Cider Log!).  They were offering their Hatchet (apple), Pitchfork (pear), Anvil (bourbon), and Crowbar (habanero-lime) ciders.  They also have The Washboard (another limited run cider, with sarsaparilla & vanilla), which I definitely wasn’t a fan of but my husband loved, which they weren’t tasting.

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Opinion: With a good sniff some spice is definitely perceived.  Upon tasting, I pick up both habanero and lime.  The lime is more present than for example Schilling’s Sriracha Lime, which helps calm down the heat.  It also had less spice & bite to it than the two other spicy ciders I’ve tried (Schilling Sriracha Lime and Finnriver Habanero), but was definitely spicy.  I was expecting it to be much more dry as it only has 2 grams of sugar in 12 oz (1.1 Brix), but I perceived it as semi-dry instead of bone dry for some reason.  The sample (a few sips) was drinkable enough, but this isn’t something I’d want to buy even a can of.  I just don’t think spicy ciders are for me.  More of a novelty?  Apparently some folks have got this to cook with.  I think I’ll stick with their Anvil (bourbon flavored) cider, which I think is quite tasty.

Possmann Pure Cider

I stumbled across a tasting at World Market today which included a cider, Possmann Pure Cider (from Kelterei Possmann in Frankfurt Germany).  “Possmann Pure Cider has a perfect balance of rich apple flavor while not to sweet and finishing dry. The flavor comes from our unique source of apples which are harvested exclusively from our 800+ farmers in the Hessen region of Germany. Our typical framer has 3 to 15 naturally occurring apple trees on their land that are not part of a cultivated orchard. These country apples provide a uniquely rich apple flavor.”

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Opinion:  Crisp/clean & smooth but overly appley apple flavor.  Sweet but not very sweet.  Tastes sugary and overly appley, and I guessed it was back sweetened with apple juice concentrate.  I was right!  Further, they actually add pure sugar after fermentation (listed on the ingredient list).  I’m surprised the cost of this cider (~$9 for four 11oz bottles) is so much more than its competitors, Angry Orchard, Woodchuck, etc (same price for six 12oz bottles), and that they would actually import this stuff.  I imagine real German cider is better (I have one in the cue).  I’d put it as better than Angry Orchard & Strongbow but not as good as Woodchuck.

Not Your Father’s Root Beer – and not a cider (or beer) review!

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This is more of a Public Service Announcement, not a cider review.  I was fooled into buying Not Your Father’s Rootbeer for my husband.  I thought it was “Ale brewed with spices” as the label advertised, but it is an artificially flavored alcoholic (5.9% ABV) root beer like beverage.  Some would call this “Alcopop“, a flavored malt beverage.

I guess I won’t buy beverages like this again without looking it up online, but I was in a hurry and it was interesting.  Plus it was at Trader Joe’s, and I didn’t think they would sell such a fake product!  The beverage started off tasting like a normal non-alcoholic root beer (just as sweet as soda), then finished a bit bitter and slightly beer-like.  I could see how this would be appealing to a 21 year old.

It didn’t however much resemble beer as it was relatively drinkable to me, and I don’t like beer at all.  I attempted to finish off the bottle as my husband rejected it, but about halfway through I was done with it, as it was overly filling and kinda made my stomach hurt.  Apparently this is popular though?  Some others have seen through the craft beer disguise, such as Top Fermented and Philly.  I’m fine with folks drinking what they like, but I think there is some mis-representation going on here.

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Schilling Cider House – Cider Tasting Notes

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This is Part 2 of a trip report on the Schilling Cider House, covering the 18 ciders I tasted (of the 32 on tap).  Pretty impressive, right?  See Part 1 here, which covered the Cider House itself.  I tried to take a photo of each cider, but some of them didn’t turn out, so I’ve only included photos of some of the ciders with interesting hues.  Thankfully though, I took notes!  I had two flights of six ciders (3oz) each, and six tastes from our bartender.

Schilling’s Ciders

Chaider, 6.5% ABV, Semi-Sweet:
This is one of their most popular ciders, and is available bottled (22oz) in the winter.  It smelled of cinnamon and definitely had a Chai tea-like taste.  Definitely not my thing, but it was my husband’s favorite taste of the day.

Chaider (Nitro), 6.5% ABV, Semi-Sweet:
This is the same cider as above except on Nitro, which added some additional smoothness.  It was quite foamy from the tap from the nitrogenation, and needed a couple minutes to calm down.

Ginger, 6.5% ABV, Semi-Dry (noted Semi-Sweet):
I’m not a ginger fan, but this was handed to me, so I tried it!  It had a much milder initial ginger taste than smell, but had more of a ginger aftertaste.  I think Ginger fans would really like this one.  Its not too overwhelming with Ginger.

Hopped, 6.5% ABV, Semi-Dry:
Hopped ciders aren’t my thing, but my husband wanted this, and thought it was pretty decent.  I had one sip and it is definitely hoppy, but way less than Reverend Nat’s Envy / Hopland #5.  Otherwise I can’t really comment on it.

Sriracha Lime, 6.7% ABV, Semi-Dry (noted Dry):
This cider seemed intriguing, I like Sriracha & Lime, and there was some chatter online of folks liking it, so why not?  It definitely smelled of Sriracha & Lime, but all I picked up in the taste was the Sriracha (no Lime).  Definitely spicy!  I don’t think I like spicy ciders.  I can tolerate spicy food, but the spiciness seemed to overwhelm the cider here.  I think this would have been better to do with a sweet citrus/lime cider with only a hint of Sriracha.

(I’ve also previously tried Schilling Oak Aged, Gold, & Grapefruit)

Other Ciders

101 Ciderhouse Cactus Red, 6.5% ABV, Los Angeles CA, Dry:
I tried this on a whim as it sounded unique/odd.  I picked up a citrus scent and it had a lovely pink color, similar to grapefruit juice.  It was definitely dry, and very very tart!  I unfortunately couldn’t take more than two sips of this one.

Elemental Cherry, 6.5% ABV, Woodinville WA, Semi-Dry:
Pretty rosé color.  Smelled like cherries.  However, I barely picked up any cherry flavor when tasting it.  Folks who like drier ciders but want a fruity cider may like this, as many fruit infused ciders tend to be sweeter.

Finnriver Habenero, 6.9% ABV, Chimacum WA, Semi-Sweet:
Another cider handed to me from the bartender, who was trying it for the first time as they just tapped it.  It didn’t smell spicy, but it was!  The bite hit my sinuses about 10 seconds after drinking it.  Again, the spice was overwhelming.  I wasn’t a fan, but my husband didn’t mind it.

Finnriver Lavender Black Currant (Nitro), 6.5% ABV, Chimacum WA, Sweet:
Very dark & vibrant hue.  Extra smooth taste (from the nitrogenation).  I’ve tried their Black Currant flavor, and I honestly couldn’t pick up the added Lavender in this one.  However, my husband did.  In addition to the black current, I picked up some cherry notes.  This was much better than the bottled Black Currant I had of their’s (which was also quite good).  I imagine tap + Nitro did it.  Excellent!

Finnriver Oak & Apple, 6.5% ABV, Chimacum WA, Semi-Dry:
The bartender said this was very similar to Schilling’s Oak Aged (which was surprisingly absent from the tap list).  I’m a huge fan of barrel aged ciders, so I was anxious to try it.  This is a milder barrel aged cider, and quite tasty.  I think I give the slight edge to Schilling’s Oak Aged though.  And, overall, my favorite barrel aged ciders so far are Woodchuck Winter Chill (which also has some vanilla flavor) and Thistly Cross Whisky Cask (very smooth), both of which are significantly sweeter than Schilling’s & Finnriver’s oak aged selections, but I do enjoy Schilling Oak Aged.  Yum!

Locust Sweet & Dark Cherry, 6.5% ABV, Woodinville WA, Semi-Sweet:
For a cherry cider, I was expecting more flavor, but it was quite mild, and there was little cherry scent or flavor.  This has a sweeter start and more tart finish.  This was pretty similar to the Elemental Cherry (which also had a mild cherry flavor), except a bit sweeter.

Moonlight Meadery How do you Like them Little Apples?, 6.0% ABV, Londonderry NH, Sweet:
Hard cider blended with honey & brown sugar, fermented, then barrel aged (draft only release).  Honey smell (duh).  Quite sweet.  Very smooth.  Tastes like it would be a higher ABV than it is (but I wouldn’t call the taste boozy).  I wouldn’t have guessed it was barrel aged.  Awesome!

Portland Cider Passion Fruit, 6.5% ABV, Portland OR, Semi-Sweet:
I was excited to try this one.  The passion fruit smell was amazing!  However, the passion fruit taste was quite mild, and it had a bit of a tart & bitter finish, which I wasn’t expecting.  It is however a refreshing and easy-drinking cider.

Portland Cider Pearfect Perry, 6.5% ABV, Portland OR, Semi-Dry (noted Semi-Sweet):
This was a very mild Perry; I could barely pick up any pear flavor.  It was however pretty tasty and smooth.

Reverend Nat’s Newtown Pippin, 6.9% ABV, Portland OR, Semi-Dry:
One of Rev Nat’s regular release ciders.  This was a mild & crisp cider which I found to have a fairly bitter finish.  Pretty boring for my tastes.

Viuda de Angelon Sidra Brut, 6.5% ABV, Spain, Dry:
A refreshing & smooth Spanish cider.  I can’t really put the flavor into words, but it is one of those ciders which has a flavor profile which seems sweeter than it really is.  It was Schilling’s most expensive offering by the way, at $11/pint, but only $2 for a 3oz taste.  This makes me want to try more Spanish ciders!

Wandering Aengus Wanderlust, 6.5%, Salem OR, Dry (noted Semi-Dry):
Fairly plain, and I found it tart & bitter.  Taste profile was in-line with the two Wandering Aengus and two Anthem (also made by them) ciders I’ve tried.  Also fairly boring for my tastes.

Whitewood Summer Switchel, 4.6% ABV, Olympia WA, Semi-Sweet:
This is a mild & refreshing cider with a hint of ginger.  The bartender said he picks up almost a salty flavor, which after hearing that, I agreed somewhat.

Photos

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101 Ciderhouse Cactus Red

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Elemental Cherry

Finnriver Lavendar Black Currant
Finnriver Lavender Black Currant

Locust cherry
Locust Cherry

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Moonlight Meadery How do you like them Little Apples

Closing Notes

My favorites from this tasting were the Moonlight Meadery “How do you Like them Little Apples?”, Finnriver Oak & Apple, Finnriver Lavender Black Currant, and Viuda de Angelon Sidra Brut.  Quite an interesting combination, right?

I also learned that in addition to hopped, ginger, and overly dry ciders, I definitely don’t like spicy ciders!

I look forward to returning to the Schilling Cider House to try more ciders, as their selections change all the time.  Stay tuned for reviews of the five ciders I picked up from their bottle shop (shown in Part 1).

Liberty Ciderworks Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal

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Review of Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal by Liberty Ciderworks.  This is my first time trying any of their ciders, and is my first time trying a Single Varietal cider as far as I know (most ciders use a blend of apple varieties).

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Cider:  Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal
Cidery:  Liberty Ciderworks
Cidery Location:  Spokane WA
ABV:  12.5%
How Supplied:  375 ml tall clear glass bottle
Availability:  Fairly limited.  Per the cidery they currently self-distribute to Spokane and Seattle.  In Seattle, they can at least be found at Capitol Cider, Schilling Cider House, Full Throttle Bottles & Special Brews & other bottle shops which specialize in local craft cider, and Total Wine.

Cider Description on Bottle:  No larger than a cherry, the Manchurian Crabapple packs a huge flavor punch.  Ready for one of the most full-bodied, intensely-flavored ciders you’ll ever encounter?  This semi-sweet, single-varietal cider is for you.  Enjoy on its own as a digestif, with soft artisan cheeses, or with rich, creamy desserts.  Still (non-carbonated).

Additional Information from Rick Hastings, co-founder of Liberty Ciderworks (per my e-mail request):  Thanks for your interest in the Manchurian! It’s certainly a unique cider (none others that I’m aware of, presently) and has been very poplar in our tasting room in downtown Spokane. It’s certainly an assertive cider that showcases bright acidity and strong tannins – so much so that in describing it to first-time customers, I’ve taken to calling it a “cider port”, even though it’s not fortified with spirits like true Port is. It’s simply the juice of manchurian crabapples, fermented until the yeast we selected gave up at the 12.5% ABV mark. The juice had potential to hit 14% ABV – certainly the highest sugar content in any apple I’ve ever heard of or used. We age the finished cider around nine months, though not in oak (we’re experimenting with that approach now)….I’ve attached an image of the apples below (at right). As you might imagine, harvesting these tiny apples and sorting them into usable juice takes a LOT of work….Here’s hoping you enjoy it. Some sip it by itself as an aperitif, but I’d suggest you try it with a quality goat cheese, cheesecake dessert or creme brûlée – imagine there’s a world of other options, too. I hear Capitol Cider is using it in a mixed drink or two, as well. 

Photo of the crabapples they use:

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Rick also sent a great link to a blog article on the labels for this cider, from Advanced Labels Northwest (Seattle area) which has some great photos and cidery & cider info in addition to label/packaging info.

Cidery Description: Liberty Ciderworks (founded 2012) is in Spokane WA, where they also have a tasting room. Their website was surprisingly sparse besides the basics, but they are active on Facebook & Twitter.  Facebook lists the following Liberty Ciderworks varieties as available by the bottle:  English Style, New World Style, Turncoat Dry-Hop, Stonewall, Heirloom Series, McIntosh Single Varietal, Manchurian Single Varietal, Kingston Black Single Varietal, and Reserve Series.  There are more varieties available on tap at their tasting room.  They won several awards at this year’s GLINTCAP competition, including a Silver medal for this cider.  Congrats!

Price:  $14
Where Bought:  Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown (Seattle), who has a huge local craft cider selection
How Found:  Browsing.  I’ve had my eye on Liberty Ciderworks though, deciding which one to try first (I was lucky enough to have a few options…New World & English style at Total Wine, and a few at Full Throttle Bottles including this and one other Single Varietal).  I chose this one as it looked to be their sweetest offering and I find the high ABV / port or dessert style ciders interesting.  Oddly enough I like strong flavors and barrel aged ciders even though I don’t like aged spirits!

Where Drank:  home

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First Impression: Corked bottle (with attached cap for easy re-capping) with foil covering.  Lovely bottle/label too!  Amber orange hue, completely still, sweet inviting boozy smell.

Opinion:  I find this on the sweeter side of semi-dry than semi-sweet.  It definitely has some warmth, and reminds me of similar high ABV bold ciders I’ve liked such as Alpenfire Smoke, 2 Towns the Bad Apple, Sea Cider Prohibition, and especially, Tieton Wind (which is a 16% ABV Pommeau with apple brandy).  I pick up some mild vanilla & caramel notes and find it rich & earthy with a bit of a bitter finish.  Although I haven’t tried any other single varietals to compare with, I find this cider incredibly complex for one apple variety and no additives.  It seems like it has some hints of apple brandy (but it doesn’t).  To me it has an interesting thick mouthfeel which sticks around for awhile, which from my experience with the above mentioned ciders seems to occur with these high ABV ciders.

This cider definitely won’t be for everyone…oddly enough my husband thought it smelled “off” and tasted “terrible”, but he hasn’t enjoyed similar ciders like I have.  I quite like this cider though!  Its very different than what most folks would think of when they think of cider.  I go for these sorts of ciders though, when I’m in the right mood.  I agree it has an intense flavor.  Its also impressive they didn’t need to add any sugar to get the crabapple juice to ferment to that high of an ABV; those are definitely some powerful apples!

I didn’t however completely take Liberty’s suggestion of having this more as a dessert cider, nor did I have any goat cheese, cheesecake, or creme brulee in the house (I wish!).  I’d like to try pairings in the future so I’ll have to plan ahead better next time.  I opened the bottle before dinner and sipped on it throughout the evening, which also did include dessert (meringues, which worked pretty well).  I did this mostly as I wanted to at least try to finish the bottle as I wasn’t sure how it would taste on Day 2 or 3 (as I am drinking it all myself).  I’ve found the taste of a cider changes as it is open, no matter how well you re-seal it (typically it becomes less intense).  Even then, I couldn’t quite finish it off, so I will have a nice small serving later in the weekend.
Update:  On Day 2 the flavor had changed slightly, a bit less bold and a bit more bitter.

Closing Notes:  I enjoyed this cider.  I imagine if my cider palate was more refined I could offer more descriptors and pairing suggestions, but I can overall say I’m glad I tried it and would recommend it if you think this sort of unique bold strong cider would fit your tastes.  I hope Liberty Ciderworks can continue to expand so more folks can try their ciders!  I imagine down the road I will try more of their ciders (I’m trying to teach myself to enjoy drier ciders).  And, a big big thank you to co-founder Rick Hastings (the other co-founder is Austin Dickey) for the extra info.  I think it was a great addition to this review.  To be able to speak to a cidery founder for more detailed information is definitely an advantage of small craft cideries.

Have you tried anything from Liberty Ciderworks, or any single varietal or high ABV ciders?  What did you think?

Celt Cidre Breton Traditionnel

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Here is a review of a French cider, Celt Cidre Breton Traditionnel:

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Cider:  Celt Cidre Breton Traditionnel
Cidery:  Cidrerie Loïc Raison
Cidery Location:  Domagné, France
ABV:  4.5%
How Supplied:  single 11.2 oz (330ml) green glass bottle
Availability:  unsure (imported by Eurobrew Inc. in Ashland MA)

Description:  Cider has sparkled in Brittany since the Iron Age, when Gaul warriors roamed the ancient land named “Armor” or “Country-by-the-Sea.” They worshiped the sun, the moon and the stars and feared nothing but the sky falling on them. Celt cider is named after these proud and fearless warriors who lived in the six Celtic nations known as the “Celtic Crescent”: Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Isle of Man. This is a refreshing “demi sec” cider with a fruity flavor balanced by a crisp dry finish made from the finest apples in Brittany. Authentic and traditionally made hard cider imported from Brittany.  100% fermented apple cider not from concentrate.

Price:  $2.50 for a single bottle
Where Bought:  Whole Foods
How Found: Browsing.  This was a random find.  The unique bottle caught my eye as I hadn’t seen it before and have never tried French cider.
Where Drank:  home

First Impression: Golden hue.  Foamed upon opening the bottle and pouring it.  Fairly highly carbonated (it appears CO2 was added per the ingredient list).  Sweet crisp apple smell.

Opinion:  I’d classify this on the sweeter side of semi-dry.  It reminds me of the two English style ciders I’ve tried, Crispin Browns Lane and Aspall Dry Cider.   For some reason these three ciders remind me of barrel aged ciders, which is probably a reason why I enjoy them.  Of the three I’d probably give a slight edge to the Crispin Browns Lane.  I find it very refreshing, with hints of caramel, honey, and vanilla.  It has an effervescent mouth feel.  It doesn’t however have much complexity and finishes quickly (sweeter start and drier finish).  At only 4.5%, this is also a very easy to drink cider.  I’m curious if I could find this in multi packs, as that would likely be more affordable.  It appears that I can get Loic Raison Brut cider in a 750ml bottle at Total Wine, so I’ll have to see if that is the same thing, but at $10.50 that is actually more expensive.  This cider makes me want to try more English & French ciders, as long as they are not too dry.  Quite tasty!

Closing Notes: This cider is made from Breton apples and is described as a traditional French cider, described as Brut or demi sec (medium dry).  I unfortunately don’t have any additional information on the cidery, as it was difficult to find anything online in English besides some Untappd & RateBeer reviews.  Have you tried Celt Cidre Breton Traditionnel, or any other French ciders?  What did you think?

Neigel Vintners (NV) Half Past Prudent

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Here is a review of a perry from Nieigel Vintners (NV) Cider, Half Past Prudent.

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Cider:  Half Past Prudent
Cidery:  Neigel Vintners (NV) Cider
Cidery Location:  Wenatchee, WA
ABV:  5.5%
How Supplied:  four pack of 250ml metal canisters
Availability:  very limited, likely only in WA (they started up in Feb 2014)

Description:  This was our first cider.  We originally created it to be a light cider we could drink all summer long.  Wanting to eschew the sugary summer beer alternatives, we created this for its simplicity.  The name comes from our first trial runs before the idea of a company was even formed.  Our 1902 press would produce this cider.  We would crank the press until we heard it start to creak and pop…a prudent place to end the press.  We would then crank it around one more half turn.  We take our virtues with a grain of salt.

Price:  $2.75 for a single bottle (the store split up the 4 pack)
Where Bought:  Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown (Seattle)
How Found: Browsing, noticing it after having tried their Pear Essentials variety
Where Drank:  home

First Impression: This cider is fairly pale, slightly cloudy with a small amount of sediment.  I pick up a citrus and mild pear scent.  My first taste is tart and fairly dry.

Opinion:  This is an interesting perry;  It breaks the mold of the fairly sweet varieties that are more common and that I’ve tried previously (Crispin Pacific Pear, Fox Barrel Pacific Pear, Spire Mountain Pear, Woodchuck Pear, Wyder’s Dry Pear, and even NV Cider Pear Essentials).  I think the main difference is that this is 100% fermented pear juice, no apple juice, and no back sweetening, which is what is typically offered.  This is more semi-sweet than sweet.  I don’t notice any carbonation.  I pick up an earthy lemony green apple champagney taste.  It is very smooth, but a bit too tart, dry, and even slightly bitter for my taste.  I really like the idea of it though, as I often like a slightly earthy & champagney cider.  I think it is mostly the tartness?

I first tried their perry at Snohomish on the Rocks, where I had Pear Essentials, which I prefer.  So, I guess I am not a cider traditionalist, as I often like the added flavor & sweetness from back sweetening done right (I don’t like ciders that tend towards syrupy).  If you are looking for a sweet but not too sweet very pear-like perry, than I’d recommend Pear Essentials.  Hopefully I can find that variety again.  I bought a large clear glass bottle of their Pear Essentials variety at the event, but this time their product was sold in a small metal canister (less than 9 oz).  Their newer packaging is pretty sweet looking, where the canister is more bottle-shaped…likely very eye catching in the sea of bottles & cans on the shelves!

Closing Notes: NV Cider offers five types of perry:  Half Past Prudent, Cider Baron, Pear Essentials, Pearfect Pie, and Forgotten Virtue.  Here is an interesting profile piece on NV Cider in Cider Craft Magazine.  Have you tried any perry from NV Cider?  What did you think?

Seattle International Beerfest 2015 Trip Report

cidersays Anthem, Aspall, Crispin, event, local, Rev Nat's, review, Samuel Smith's, Wyder's , , , , , , , , , , ,

What a lovely day to be outside drinking cider in Seattle!  Luckily we had some cloud cover and it cooled off from the high 80s we’ve had of late to the low 70s.

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Although this was obviously a beer event, they had 10 cider choices out of the approximately 200 selections.  This was a three day event and we thankfully had the foresight to get there not too long after they opened at noon on the first day (Friday).  Yay for an excuse to take off work!  As the day went on it got only more crowded, and I can only expect the same for the rest of the weekend.

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Fisher Plaza in Seattle Center near the International Fountain was a great venue choice.  The event was mostly outside on the lawn, but there was also an inside portion.  Inside even had real restrooms (although there were also port a potties outside).  Sadly they did not allow outside beverages, even sealed bottles of water, so we dumped them and eventually found the water bottle fill station by the restrooms (otherwise it was $1 or $2 from a food vendor).

They housed the bottled selections inside and all the taps outside.  Most taps were coolers with two taps per cooler.  There was some seating & shade thankfully, so the blanket I brought wasn’t necessary (although it would be when they were busy).  There were numbered Tables with four selections per Table, and the event program listed all the beer/cider details and location.  This was very very well organized, especially compared to many tasting events I’ve been to.  I imagine Saturday afternoon here will be a zoo though!

This is a dog friendly event and we saw many many dogs.  They even had water bowls out for them, which I’m sure was appreciated.  There were also games to check out, which appeared to also be appreciated.  We saw lots of people just hanging out listening to the live music.  Others were more obviously beer aficionados.  There was even a smoking tent which kept the smell contained, although the cigar area at the top of the hill allowed cigar smoke to waft down a bit.

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before the crowds…

This event was staffed by volunteers, who gave up three hours of their time to serve beer & cider in exchange for a free t-shirt and entry to the event.  Tastes of beer & cider (4oz) cost between 1 and 7 tickets each, depending on the product cost, with a ticket worth $1.  Most selections were 2-3 tickets, but there were plenty of 1 ticket and 4-7 ticket selections.  They also offered some pints for 3 tickets, including Crispin Blackberry Pear.  I would have loved to have the brewers and cider makers at this event, but alas it was focused more on quantity and supposedly international & rare finds, than connecting drinkers with makers.

Lots of yummy food choices, although I was really craving a soft pretzel or pizza or something.  BBQ, gyros, burgers, burritos, grilled cheese, hot dogs, etc.  I ended up with a hot dog while my two drinking companions (hubby & friend) had Gyros.  We later snacked on some kettle corn and even a weird buckwheat pancake with butter & sugar confection (Miri’s Poffers).  There were also a few non-food vendors, everything from engraved growlers to beer themed t-shirts to beef jerky.

And now, on to the cider tasting notes…I ended up trying six ciders, four of which I hadn’t tried before.

(1) Aspall Dry Cider (bottle, 6.8%, from England, 3 tickets).  Dry English draft style cider.  This was the surprising winner of the day!  I would call it semi-dry.  Very crisp & smooth with a traditional English cider taste.  I found it to be pretty similar to Crispin Browns Lane.  I plan to try another selection of theirs which is available near me (the only one), Aspall Blush cider.

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(2) Reverend Nat’s Hopland #5 / Envy (draft, 10.2%, from OR, 2 tickets).  Intensely hopped cider with 11 hops varieties.  I didn’t expect to like this as I don’t like hops, but thought I might as well try it.  It has an unfiltered look to it, a bit orange and hazy.  Very very hoppy, both smell & taste!  It was also a bit boozy, which is to be expected at over 10%.  I really couldn’t pick up anything in this besides hops.  My companions tried it and couldn’t even taste that it was cider.  This is definitely a beer drinker’s cider.  Unfortunately after a couple sips it got dumped out, as it wasn’t even drinkable for my two beer loving companions.

(3) Wyder’s Reposado Pear (draft, 6.9%, from VT, 1 ticket).  Tequila barrel aged pear cider.  I’ve had this at home a number of times and was curious if it would taste any different on tap than bottled.  Surprisingly, not.  If anything I didn’t like it as much on tap as it seemed to have less carbonation.  For me this cider starts off with pear and finishes with tequila.  Its smooth, and sweet to semi-sweet.  I think its quite tasty.

(4) Samuel Smith’s Organic Cider (bottle, 5%, from England, 2 tickets).  This was pretty unremarkable for me.  It had a definite sweet apple scent, but tasted semi-dry.  It had a very quick finish to it and was overall quite plain.  I think there is much better cider to be had for the cost.

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(5) Anthem “Raz & Boyz” (draft, unknown ABV but I’d guess 5-6%, from OR, 2 tickets).  This was Wandering Angus’ mystery cider selection, from their Anthem line.  I really don’t have any info on it, as it wasn’t in the event program and it appears to be brand new (no information even online).  I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a new selection they released for the first time for the International Beerfest for Portland & Seattle, as they are from OR.  All I could go off of was the name they scrawled on the small white board lol, so this likely isn’t even the cider’s real name.  Very very tart!  Semi-dry to dry.  Brilliant red color.  I only picked up raspberry, no boysenberry.  It was more palatable once it opened up a bit by the end of the tasting glass.  One of my companions thought it would be much better as a beer mixer than on its own, as it was just too dry & tart.  I had fun watching people take their first sip after getting a glass of it, as most scrunched up their face!

(6) Crispin Blackberry Pear (draft, 5%, from CA, 3 tickets for a full pint).  Pear cider with blackberry.  This was something else I’ve had at home but was curious if it was any different on tap (and I was out of new ciders to try).  This is a sweet fairly straight forward blackberry & pear cider.  Smooth, easy to drink, and slightly tart.  This appeared to be a very popular selection, and I saw more folks with this in their pint glass than beer!  It was actually a good deal too for $3 a pint as this cider runs about $9 for a four pack of 12oz bottles.  Plus it really hit the spot to finish out the day.

Sorry I don’t have photos of the draft ciders, but they unfortunately didn’t have info sheets nor was there a surface to take a photo on…

Overall, I highly recommend this Seattle-area tasting event.  It’ll be a crowd pleaser for beer & cider lovers alike.  It was unfortunately a bit spendy though:  $95 for advance purchase admission for three with 60 tickets, $15 for parking, and food & souvenirs.  Still a great way to spend the day though.  We ended up getting one pack of 40 tickets for one person and two packs of 10 tickets each for two people, which worked out well to share.  Although you can buy extra tickets, the “Big Deal” as they called it (advance purchase only) essentially gave you 10 free tickets, and having the tickets in advance encouraged us to go big and try some of the more expensive stuff (vs. having to shell out extra money for single tickets).

My best advice is to arrive Friday afternoon when they open at noon, as around 4pm the crowds really picked up.  Other advantages of arriving Friday are that you have in & out privileges (just need your wristband & tasting glass), and they may run out of some selections.  Looking forward to next year!

Anthem Cider

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Here is a review of Anthem’s flagship / original hard apple cider:

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Cider:  Anthem Cider
Cidery:  Anthem (by Wandering Aengus Ciderworks)
Cidery Location:  Salem, OR
ABV:  5.5%
How Supplied:  four pack of 12 oz bottles (or a single 22oz bottle, or apparently just recently a six pack of 12 oz cans)
Availability:  year round (since 2010); widely available in OR, WA, & CA, and less so in ID, MT, MI, UT, IL, NM, NJ, TX, ID, TN, PA, VA, & WA D.C.

Description:  Anthem Cider offers the tart acidity of the apple’s natural malic acid with a clean fruit forward finish. Anthem Cider is the foundation for all the Anthems. Semi-Dry. Medium Tart.  We only use fresh pressed apples and other fruits, herbs sourced from the Pacific Northwest of known varieties – they are listed on every bottle and keg. To make great real cider, the varieties of apples, fruit additions and herbs matter. As does where the ingredients are grown and how far removed they are from their original form (degrees separated through processing from the farm to the bottle).  The fresh pressed apples we use provide all the sugars for fermentation and the malic acid (source of the tartness). Any and all residual sweetness in Anthem is provided by the apples we started with or the fruits we finish with.  The result is a line up of real ciders made the way you expect; apples pressed and fermented.
Cidermaker’s Description of Anthem vs. Wandering Aengus: Wandering Aengus Ciders are made from heirloom cider apple varieties that have traditionally been used over the centuries for ciders in French, England and pre-prohibition America. We grow these rare heirloom apples ourselves in Salem and have a handful of growers around Oregon that grow for us. These heirloom apples are pressed only once a year. The apples for Anthem are pressed and fermented year round from the common apple varieties that are grown on a large scale in Washington and Oregon. Anthem Cider is also finished with fresh pressed juices of other fruits or hops while Wandering Aengus Ciders are not blended with other fruits.

Price:  $8.99 / four pack (although I bought a single bottle for about $3)
Where Bought:  Total Wine
How Found: Browsing, wondering why I hadn’t tried this previously
Where Drank:  home

Opinion:  My first impression is this cider’s dry plain apple scent.  My nose did not deceive me this time.  Anthem Cider is described as a semi-dry cider, and I would mostly agree…I’d put it smack between semi-dry and semi-sweet, which may appear to a lot of folks as there isn’t much available in this sweetness range.  The flavor was a bit “blah” for my tastes…it doesn’t have much complexity going for it.  Even if it has been slightly sweeter (as my tastes tend that way), I still don’t think I would have been impressed.  The most similar cider I’ve sampled is Seattle Cider Semi-Sweet, which has a similar sweetness and flavor.  However, I think I’d have to give Seattle Cider the edge in the comparison, as it is a bit more clean & refreshing.  I remember having the Seattle Cider on tap with some fish & chips awhile back and it was tasty, but drier and more plain of a flavor than I prefer.  Overall, I found Anthem Cider to be fine, but not impressive.

Closing Notes: Anthem also offers pear, cherry, and hops varieties.  I was surprised to find that most Anthem Cider reviews online are of their Hops variety.  Note that each Anthem batch is slightly different based on what apple varieties they used (based on availability due to the time of the year), and their website will even tell you what is in a certain batch.  I sampled batch 127, which was a blend of red delicious, gala, granny smith, pink lady, jonagold, & opal apples.  Their approach seems unique, as most other cideries will name a cider different if there is a significant variation such as this (or clearly note a vintage).

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

Atlas Hard Apple Cider

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Here is the first cider I have tried from Atlas Cider Co,, their flagship hard apple cider:

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Cider:  Hard Apple Cider
Cidery:  Atlas Cider Co.
Cidery Location:  Bend, OR
ABV:  5.8%
How Supplied:  clear 22oz glass bottle
Availability:  year round, but it appears to only be distributed in OR, WA, & ID

Description:  Our flagship apple cider is a celebration of the Northwest. The fruit forward apple aroma and taste come from a tailored blend that perfectly balances the sweetness, tartness, and dryness of the fruit. A clean finish from the use of all fresh regional juices reminds us that this is an authentic hard cider. Enjoy this natural, semi-sweet, and bold cider from Bend, Oregon that simply brings out the best of the Northwest.

Price:  $6.50
Where Bought:  Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown (Seattle)
How Found: Browsing
Where Drank:  home

Opinion:  My first impression is the dry smell.  It is pale and bubbles very little upon pouring.  Upon tasting, the flavor reminds me of sweet sparkling wine, with a hint of pear & honey.  There is an effervescence feel, although it is not highly sparkling.  I was surprised how well my nose deceived me into thinking it would be dry, but it is not; I would call it semi-sweet.  This cider is very smooth and well balanced.  I would not however describe the flavor as simple, which can often happen with plain ciders.  This cider is easy to drink and tasty.  I snacked on some cheese & crackers while drinking it, which was a nice combination.  This is a refreshing cider for any time of year, but for summer especially it is nice.

Atlas was started in 2013 by a husband & wife duo.  They also offer Pomegranate-Cherry, Apricot, and Blackberry varieties.

Have you tried any ciders from Atlas?  What did you think?

Reverend Nat’s Revival

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Here is a review of Reverend Nat’s Revival cider, which is one of my favorites:

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Cider:  Revival
Cidery:  Reverend Nat’s
Cidery Location:  Portland OR
ABV:  6%
How Supplied:  500ml clear glass bottle
Availability:  year round, available in OR, WA, CA, ID, and B.C. (released Dec 2014)

Description:  My newest release is Revival and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share it with you. I start with a secret blend of Washington-grown apples and add piloncillo, dark brown evaporated cane juice, purchased direct from Michoacan, Mexico. I ferment this dark base to all the way to dry using two exotic yeast strains: a beer yeast known for the round mouthfeel in Saisons and a rarely-used secret culture which produces aromas of pineapple, guava and peaches. This cider is brilliantly golden in color and deeply complex while remaining subtly familiar, with just the right amount of sweetness and acidity to be an everyday beverage.

Price:  $6.99
Where Bought:  The Cave in Kirkland, Total Wine
How Found: Browsing
Where Drank:  home (I’ve also had it on tap at Tavern Hall in Bellevue)

Opinion:  This is an awesome semi-sweet cider with a unique tropical fruit aroma & flavor.  Surprisingly the tropical aspect is all from the apples (dessert, not cider apples) & yeast, nothing else was added.  I find this more semi-sweet than semi-dry, although apparently that is a suggestion from the tropical flavor, or as Nat West (Rev Nat’s founder) said, “It gives a perception of sweetness, while maintaining an semi­-dry character and rich complexity”.  Revival also has a wonderful deep hue from the piloncillo.  If you are lucky enough to find this flavor on tap, give it a try, as it is even better than bottled!

Note there is a Rev Nat’s variety called “Revival Dry”, which is different than this one.  I’ve also tried Rev Nat’s Tepache, which is a very unique beverage made from fermented pineapple and spices.  I look forward to trying more Rev Nat’s cider, once I find one that interests me, as so far near me I’ve seen varieties with spices, hops, and ginger, none of which interest me.  Rev Nat’s taproom also sounds like a fun place to visit, and they have had all sorts of events & special releases, so its on my short list.  A unique cider from a unique cidery.  Highly recommended!

Have you tried Rev Nat’s Revival?  What did you think?

Crispin Browns Lane

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Here is a unique commercial cider from Crispin, 100% English made, from English bittersweet apples,

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Cider:  Browns Lane Imported Classic English Dry Cider
(named after first Jaguar car factory location in England)
Cidery:  Crispin
Cidery Location:  Colfax, CA
ABV:  5.8%
How Supplied:  four pack of 16oz cans
Availability:  wide release, year round (since 2011)

Description on Can:  Authentically British, from its bespoke tailoring, to its superb craftsmanship, most defined by its world champion character.  Classic English dry cider from English bittersweet cider apples.

Price:  $8.99 / four pack (although I bought a single can for about $3)
Where Bought:  Total Wine (although I’ve seen it other places, such as Fred Meyer & Whole Foods)
How Found: Browsing, after reading a review by Cider Sage which convinced me I may just like this one
Where Drank:  home

Opinion:  First impression is the amount of sparking when poured into the glass, and the deeper amber color, more so than many ciders.  For some reason this really reminds me of semi-dry oak aged ciders, such as Schilling Oak Aged, although this is not barrel aged.  I pick up a light earthy oak flavor.  Even though this was drier, it was still very drinkable even to my palate which prefers sweeter ciders.  I wouldn’t call it a fully dry cider though, as I have had a number of ciders which were more dry, even when usually trying to avoid them.

It starts out a bit sweeter (with an almost caramelized sugar type flavor) and finishes a bit drier, with the bittersweet apple flavor coming through.  I wouldn’t however call it overly tart, which I have picked up in some drier ciders.  I’m surprised how much I like this one actually!  This is quite different than Crispin’s other selections, which vary from their fairly plain Original, to plain & blackberry pear varieties, to their Artisanal Reserve line.  I’m curious how closely this actually resembles a traditional English Farmhouse cider, because if it does, I’m a fan!

Have you tried Crispin Browns Lane?  What did you think?

Ace Pineapple

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This is a tropical pineapple flavored cider.

Cider:  Pineapple
Cidery:  Ace
Cidery Location:  Sebastopol, CA
ABV:  5%
How Supplied:  six pack of 12oz bottles
Availability:  wide release, year round

Description on Bottle:  Another first for ACE, our ACE PINEAPPLE cider nobody has done one before.  We marry pineapple and apple juice to make a thirst quencher cider that’s deliciously refreshing anytime of the year!

Price:  $8.99 / six pack
Where Bought:  Whole Foods, Total Wine
How Found: Browsing
Where Drank:  home

Opinion:  If you like pineapple, this cider is for you!  Its the only pineapple cider I’ve seen.  It is quite sweet though, and tastes obviously back sweetened (juice added after fermentation).  It tastes a bit too much like juice to me, although many folks may like that.  I’m surprised how low calorie it is for how sweet it is (175, where most sweet ciders top 200).  Refreshing and simple.  I do love pineapple though.  Ace offers a number of other ciders, from their dry Joker to a similar cider to the Pineapple one, except Berry, to their 21st anniversary Chardonnay barrel aged Blackjack 21 cider, and even a Pumpkin variety.  Overall I don’t find their ciders too impressive though (this is my favorite by far).  If you like sweet ciders and pineapple, you may like this cider.

Have you tried Ace Pineapple?  What did you think?

Angry Orchard Crisp Apple, Traditional Dry, Elderflower, Summer Honey, Iceman, & The Muse

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This is a mini review of the Angry Orchard ciders I’ve tried.  To be honest, I’m not a big of a fan of Angry Orchard…I much prefer Woodchuck in general.  Unfortunately, Angry Orchard is all there is to be had at many restaurants & bars, and is what you see at just about every grocery & liquor store.  As of last year, Angry Orchard had a 56.8% market share in the hard cider category (compared to 10.5% for Woodchuck, the second most popular brand), despite only being released nationwide in 2012.  Before Angry Orchard, Woodchuck was the market leader.

Crisp Apple: This is their most popular variety, and found everywhere.  It is quite sweet…I think moreso than Woodchuck Amber.  The flavor to me is a bit syrupy and fake tasting.  I won’t drink it unless its free!

Traditional Dry: I like this variety much better then Crisp Apple, and still wouldn’t call it dry, or even semi-sweet.  Without so much sweetness a bit more true apple flavor comes through.  Unfortunately this one isn’t found in restaurants & bars like Crisp Apple is.

Elderflower: This was their summer release in 2014 (this year it is Summer Honey).  It was actually quite good & unique.  I would almost call this dry, but not quite.  It has an herbal/floral flavor.  Woodchuck Oopsy Daisy is the most similar, which I think I slightly prefer.

Summer Honey: This is their summer release this year.  I wasn’t a fan.  Again, the syrupy flavor, except this time, honey. I didn’t pick up any floral notes as were described. Its not quite as sweet as their Crisp Apple though.  Thankfully I only bought a single bottle.

Iceman: This is part of their Cider House Collection, and runs around $15 for a large 750ml bottle, 10% ABV.  It is a barrel aged ice cider (made from fermenting frozen apple juice concentrate).  I think even for ice cider it is a bit too sweet, a small glass after dinner is pretty tasty.  The flavor is quite good, with a mellow oakiness and some vanilla.  The bottle is also quite pretty (hey, that is what people notice!).  However, I think consumers can do better for the price, as there are a number of good craft ciders available for less money.  For folks who don’t have much craft cider availability in their area, and want to try something different, this could be a good choice though.

The Muse: This is part of their Cider House Collection, and runs around $15 for a large 750ml bottle, 7.7% ABV.  It is reminiscent of sweet sparking wine (highly carbonated).  Again, very sweet, but not quite as much as Iceman.  It is also barrel aged, but I don’t really taste it.  Apparently it has spices in it, but I also don’t pick that up.  I like it though, even if I can’t really identify the flavors.  As my cider palate has matured to like slightly less sweet ciders, I prefer this slightly more than Iceman for some reason (maybe the bubbles?).  Again though, I think better can be had for the money…plus I prefer to support local cideries instead of Angry Orchard wherever possible, which is owned by the Boston Beer Company.

Angry Orchard’s other varieties (which I haven’t tried):

Woodchuck Oopsy Daisy

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This is a very unique and tasty Out on a Limb release from Woodchuck.

Cider:  Oopsy Daisy
Cidery:  Woodchuck
Cidery Location:  Middlebury, VT
ABV:  5.5%
How Supplied:  six pack of 12oz bottles
Availability:  limited release (flavors in Out on a Limb rotate)

Description on Bottle:  You ever screw something up? Oops. We all have. Bring on the stress mixed anxiety. Our advice? Take a moment, breathe deep and sip a Woodchuck Oopsy Daisy. This crisp cider is infused with the actual chamomile flowers after fermentation imparting the calming essence of Chamomile with notes of honey throughout. Sit back, sip, relax, and let the calm wash that stress away.

Price:  $8.99 / six pack
Where Bought:  Total Wine
How Found: Started to look for it after reading it on Facebook from Woodchuck.  Note that it can take awhile between when Woodchuck announces a flavor and it is stocked, especially if you are on the other side of the country.  Also, with Out on a Limb, stores are often waiting until they are out of the previous flavor to stock the next one.  Today I got lucky and was able to pick up both Oopsy Daisy and their newest Out on a Limb release, Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy, which was just announced this past week!
Where Drank:  home

Opinion:  I pick up a lot more honey than chamomile flavor in this. I like it!  Very unique.  There is an appropriate amount of sweetness in my opinion, a bit less than many of their flavors (they have been releasing some drier varieties of late, I imagine to appeal to more folks as many say all Woodchuck varieties are sweet).  This unique sort of flavor is something you see more with the small cideries, not the large ones, so its nice to see, and is a great value in my opinion.  The most similar cider I’ve probably tried is Angry Orchard Elderflower, their 2014 summer release (this year they had Summer Honey), and it was still quite different.

It took me about half the bottle to figure out whether I liked it or not, which is unusual for me.  Usually by the second sip I’ve made my decision.  But, I liked this one enough to pick up a six pack (originally I only bought a single bottle), but not stock up on it.  I love when shops offer single bottles of six pack varieties!  Its worth the extra markup.  The unfortunate thing with Out on a Limb is that they are limited releases, with no guarantees of a variety ever coming back.  The good thing though is you get different varieties with the store only stocking essentially one cider.  Oopsy Daisy is good for someone who wants to try an herbal cider without it being overwhelming.  I don’t think someone needs to like Chamomile tea to enjoy this (I don’t).  GIve it a try, if you can still find it!

Note that the Woodchuck Out on a Limb series keeps the same packaging but rotates ciders every month or two, so check the bottle neck before assuming it is the same cider as you’ve seen before.  So far they have had:

  • Chocolate Raspberry
  • Splitter Splinter (with bittersweet apples and aged in whiskey barrels; not bad but I like Barrel Select better as this one was a bit tart)
  • Cheeky Cherry (apparently identical to their cellar series Sour Cherry release but 5.5% instead of 6.9%)
  • Oopsy Daisy
  • Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy (their take on a summer shandy, with lemon juice & lemongrass)

Have you tried Oopsy Daisy?  What did you think?

Woodchuck Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy

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This is Woodchuck’s newest Out on a Limb release:

Cider:  Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy
Cidery:  Woodchuck
Cidery Location:  Middlebury, VT
ABV:  4.2%
How Supplied:  6 pack of 12oz bottles
Availability:  limited release (flavors in Out on a Limb rotate)

Description on Bottle:  After a crazy day under the sun, grab a cider – your hammock is calling!  We’ve taken a spin on the traditional shandy and made it our own.  Our “cider shandy” starts with out small batch hard cider and infuses fresh lemon juice and lemongrass, crafting a well-balanced session cider with sweet and tart in every sip.

Price:  $8.99 / six pack (although I only picked up a single bottle for under $2)
Where Bought:  Total Wine
How Found: Started to look for it after reading it on Facebook from Woodchuck.  Note that it can take awhile between when Woodchuck announces a flavor and it is stocked, especially if you are on the other side of the country.  Also, with Out on a Limb, stores are often waiting until they are out of the previous flavor to stock the next one.  I got lucky and was able to find Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy even though it was just announced this past week!
Where Drank:  home

Opinion:  This is Woodchuck’s take on a summer shandy (traditionally a mix of beer & lemonade, but other mixers can be used).  It was created using a mix of McIntosh, Empire, & Cortland apples, and is infused with fresh lemon juice and lemongrass.  They call this a session cider, which typically refers to low alcohol content beers (cider in this case) suitable for extended drinking sessions.  The ABV (alcohol by volume) is 4.2% in this case, where other Woodchuck varieties typically run between 5% and 6.9%.  Woodchuck previously had “Crisp”, a 3.2% ABV session cider, which I actually thought was quite tasty, and good for drinking multiple bottles as it only came in at 120 calories per 12 oz.  With the bump up to 4.2% ABV for this variety, the calories only bump to 140…not bad!  Also, only 9 grams of sugar, much lower than most of their other ciders.

I think Woodchuck went a bit too “Out on a Limb” with this one, as its definitely “Lemon Crazy”!  I love lemon, yet I find this cider is overwhelming with lemon flavor, and finishes a bit too tart.  I’ve never been a fan of tart ciders, such as green apple.  I like the relatively low level of sweetness though.  I think if they toned down the lemon a bit it would be very nice.  It smells really nice, with only a hint of lemon, but the overwhelming lemon flavor lingers on the tongue.  I would however call it refreshing.  I would only recommend this to people who really like lemon, and like a tart cider.

Note that the Woodchuck Out on a Limb series keeps the same packaging but rotates ciders every month or two, so check the bottle neck before assuming it is the same cider as you’ve seen before.  So far they have had:

  • Chocolate Raspberry
  • Splitter Splinter (with bittersweet apples and aged in whiskey barrels; not bad but I like Barrel Select better as this one was a bit tart)
  • Cheeky Cherry (apparently identical to their cellar series Sour Cherry release but 5.5% instead of 6.9%)
  • Oopsy Daisy (chamomile & honey)
  • Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy

Have you tried Lazy Hazy Lemon Crazy?  What did you think?

Snowdrift Cornice

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This is an interesting barrel aged special release from Snowdrft, and my first time trying anything from them.

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Cider:  Cornice
Cidery:  Snowdrift
Cidery Location:  East Wenatchee WA
ABV:  7.3%
How Supplied:  750ml bottle
Availability:  This appears to be a special release.  Although they could have done another run, the last run of this I see info about online was in 2013!  So, this may be an old bottle.

Description on Bottle:  In our region, winter tends to whip layers of snow into majestic formations called cornices.  They hang in a gravity-defying balance – ready to cascade at any moment into a rushing avalanche.  We wanted to craft a cider to carry these traits…So we aged cider in oak barrels, knitting tannins and aromas into an avalanche of flavors.  Notes of bourbon vanilla, fall fruit, and toffee coalesce into this off-dry cider.  60% culinary cider, 40% bittersharp cider, aged 12 months in oak barrels.  Bottle 107.  Batch 113.

Price:  $16.99 (yeah, ouch, but it is a large bottle of specialty local cider)
Where Bought:  The Wine Shop in Arlington WA (interesting place by the way, which out of about 10 ciders they had, I hadn’t seen 4 or 5 of them anywhere else!)
How Found: Browsing.  I had wanted to try something by Snowdrift, but was still deciding.
Where Drank:  home

Opinion:  This is a unique cider, quite different than what I usually try, although barrel aged varieties are my favorite.  It is more dry than I usually like, but I’d still only call it semi-dry.  The flavor is well-balanced, not too much oak taste, and some vanilla.  It is a bit on the tart side for my taste, but I imagine some of that is the dryness.  Very low carbonation, and a nice hue.  The label on the bottle and even the cork itself is well-designed and has their pretty logo.  I’m glad I tried this one, and I can definitely see how their ciders are very well received, but I don’t think its quite for me, mostly due to the dryness (or at least not worth the additional cost in my eyes).  I’d recommend it for those who like drier barrel aged ciders and who like to try what awesome craft ciders Washington has to offer.  It would be a good intro to barrel aged ciders as the barrel taste isn’t too strong.

Update:  In case anyone is curious, day 2 of being open was the sweet spot for this cider for me.  On the first day it had a bit more bite / tartness.  On the second day it seemed to have lost some of that.  By the third day however it was flat and pretty tasteless.  I imagine the flip closed stopper I have helped though.  Guess I need to drink quicker, or find someone to share it with!