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Cider Summit Seattle, 218 Ciders Paired Down to a List of 33 I Want to Try

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The countdown to Cider Summit Seattle continues!  Last week they released their list of cideries & ciders.  I count 218 ciders.  I spent several hours making a spreadsheet of them, researching, and prioritizing, as unfortunately it will be impossible to try them all (and would be cost-prohibitive at $2 a taste).

I decided to choose ciders that were more expensive, rare, not available here, and of course, likely to be to my tastes.  I ended up with 33, which sounds doable over two days.  I was surprised how many cideries I haven’t had a chance to try anything from.  I also have some second tier options, even after eliminating those I’ve tried before and didn’t sound interesting, but I kinda doubt I’ll get to them!

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Eden Specialty Ciders:  Heirloom Blend and Sparkling Semi-Dry  (I have never tried their ciders)

Attila Hard Cider Co.:  Rapture  (I have their Scourge of God at home to try)

Neigel Vintners (NV) Cider:  Cherry Perry  (I’ve tried a couple of their perries, and even had an interview with them)

2 Towns CIderhouse:  Bourbon Barrel 2012  (I recently tried their Cider Master Reserve Batch 01 that was barrel aged)

Apple Outlaw:  Oaked Sweet Dark Cherry  (I have never tried their ciders)

Artisinal Imports, Farnum Hill Ciders:  Dooryard and Extra Dry  (I have never tried their ciders)

E.Z. Orchards:  Roman Beauty, Hawk Haus, Semi Dry, and Poire  (I have never tried their ciders)

Dragon’s Head Cider:  Traditional, Manchuian, and Pippin  (I have Wild Fermented at home to try)

Eaglemount Wine and Cider:  Homestead Dry  (their Quince is amazing!)

Finnriver:  Cyser, Country Peach, and Cacao Brandywine  (I have never seen any of these in stores but I’ve tried several of their ciders)

Bull Run Cider:  Pear Wine  (I have never tried their ciders)

Half Pint Ciders, 101 Ciderhouse:  Black Dog Black Cider  (sounds really interesting with activated charcoal; really didn’t like their Cactus Red though)

Liberty Ciderworks:  Macintosh Single Varietal, English Style Cider  (I liked their Manchurian Crabapple and have their Stonewall Dry Fly Barrel Aged at home to try)

Millstone Cellars:  Farmgate Dry  (I want to give them another try after not caring for Cobbler)

Montana CiderWorks:  Darby Pub Cider  (I have never tried their ciders)

Moonlight Meadery:  How do you like them Apples Bourbon Barrel  (I loved their How do you like them Little Apples Bourbon Barrel; note these are ciders with honey, not mead, and are not available in bottles)

J.K.’s Scrumpy:  The Pair Perry  (their Northern Neighbor is pretty good; this one doesn’t appear to be sold in my area yet though)

Sea Cider:  Bittersweet, Bramble Bubbly, and Perry  (their Prohibition is awesome)

Snowdrift Cider Co.:  Perry and Cliffbreaks Blend  (I love their Cornice and Red)

Whitewood Cider Co.:  Kingston Black Whiskey Barrel Aged  (I’ve heard this is good but isn’t out in bottles yet; I wasn’t a fan of their Summer Switchel though)

Has anyone tried any of these ciders?  If you are going to Cider Summit Seattle, what do you plan to try?

Do You Know Why So Many Hard Ciders are 6.9% ABV?

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Do you know why so many hard ciders are 6.9% ABV?  I had heard some talk about 7% ABV being some sort of cut off as far as taxes, and was curious enough to do some research:

Under current federal laws, hard cider by definition is only allowed to be up to 7% alcohol by volume (ABV) before it gets taxed at the more expensive rate for wine.  Additionally, there are even limits on the level of carbonation before it gets taxed at the very expensive rate for champagne.  Therefore, many ciders weigh in at 6.9% ABV, just under the 7% cutoff.

This is a very current issue, as the Cider Investment and Development through Excise Tax Reduction (CIDER) Act aims to combat this and other cider classification & taxation discrepancies.  Cidermakers are currently lobbying legislators to enact the CIDER Act, which would update the tax code to treat hard cider differently than wine or champagne.

It can be difficult for cidermakers to predict & precisely control the ABV and carbonation levels of their ciders.  Scott Donovan, a member of the board of the U.S. Association of Cider Makers, says hard cider’s alcohol content can vary between 5.5% and 8% ABV, depending on the type of apples used and the time of the year the cider is made (source).  I’ve also seen products with higher and lower ABV levels.

This isn’t all about taxes.  There is also a significant economic potential, as apparently there are currently many apples that could be used for cider that aren’t.  However, taxes are a major reason.  This effects the consumer as a cider which costs more to produce & sell is typically priced higher.  Also, some cidermakers desire to carbonate their ciders higher, but currently avoid doing so due to the “champagne tax” (source).

Current federal tax levels (source):

  • $1.07 per gallon, still wines < 14% ABV
  • $1.57 per gallon, still wines < 21% ABV
  • $3.15 per gallon, still wines with 21-24% ABV
  • $3.40 per gallon, champagne & other sparkling wines (3.92 grams per liter carbonation; source)
  • $3.30 per gallon, artificially carbonated wines
  • $0.23 per gallon, hard cider which is a still wine derived primarily from apples or apple concentrate & water, containing no other fruit product, and containing 0.5% to 7% ABV
    • There is however a $0.056 credit for the first 100,000 gallons by a small cidery not producing not more than 150,000 gallons per year (source).

By comparison, beer is taxed at $0.58 per gallon, or $0.23 per gallon for the first 60,000 gallons produced by small scale breweries which produce less than 2 million gallons per year (source).

IN SUMMARY:  Currently ciders which are more than 7% ABV are taxed as wine.  Also, regardless of ABV, if they have a high level of carbonation, they are taxed as champagne.  Both wine & champagne tax rates are significantly higher than those for beer.  Also, consider that wine & champagne typically have a lower ABV than cider, so when considering a tax per gallon it isn’t very consistent.

The goals of the CIDER Act are:

  • Allow higher carbonation in cider without it being taxed like champagne
  • Include pears in the definition of “hard cider”
  • Align the alcohol-content standard for hard cider with the natural sugar content of apples (at least 8.5% ABV)

The CIDER Act can help level the playing field between beer, wine, & cider.  They tried to pass this in 2013, but no such luck (source).  In February 2015 this passed the Senate Finance Committee, and now awaits the Senate floor (source).  In August there were some additional meetings (source).  So, hopefully there will be progress soon.  Note that there are also taxes at the state level, which are separate from this act.

Please support the CIDER Act!  The U.S. Association of Cider Makers website says what we can do.  Take action.

7 Things I Love About Hard Cider

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Hard cider…whats not to love?  To me, it is the perfect refreshing alcoholic beverage.  Here are some things I love about hard cider:

Alternative to Beer & Wine:  I’ll admit I’ve never truly understood the appeal of beer as it tastes pretty horrible to me, and my taste in wine is very narrow (only sweeter varieties such as Moscato or sweet sparkling wine).  Hard cider is a great alternative to beer & wine, and is becoming increasingly more available & popular.  Hard cider is also more easily likable for most folks than beer or wine, which can be an acquired taste.  At most bars & restaurants you can now typically find at least one variety of hard cider.

Something for Everyone: There are varieties to suit every taste, from dry to sweet, from mild to intense.  Its not a “girly” drink.  Its not only sweet or only dry.  It is immensely diverse.

Uniqueness:  So much can be done with hard cider.  No two varieties taste the same.  There are endless possibilities for flavors.  It can be barrel aged.  Cider is available from numerous countries around the world, and there is a seemingly endless number of varieties,

History:  Hard cider is actually the most historic & traditional beverage in the U.S.  It historically originated in Kazakhstan millennia ago.  Cider was the drink of choice of early American settlers, who actually drank a watered down version of it instead of water due to potentially lethal bacteria.  It was popular in the colonial era.  Honeybees were first imported to America in the early 1600s to pollinate apple trees.  Apples are actually a fairly sustainable crop, as an apple tree will continue to bear fruit for decades.  Unfortunately cider went out of favor, but its current resurgence is awesome.

Supporting Local Businesses:  I love to support local business, especially when they have a good product.  Although I don’t exclusively buy local craft cider, it is a significant portion of my purchases.  And while many may seem a bit expensive, for a local craft product, there can still be fairly affordable, more so than wine for example.

Its a great anytime beverage:  At almost any time of year and any time of day, cider is a great option.  It also pairs well with almost every type of food.  I also enjoy a good cocktail, but there are plenty of times a hard cider is more appealing, such as with lunch, when it would be a bit odd to order a martini!

Taste:  But most importantly, it tastes good!  The alcoholic kick is a nice bonus too.  Folks should drink what they love and love what they drink.

Why do you love hard cider?

Affording Craft Cider

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As much as I love to support local craft cideries, there are two reasons I often buy commercial cider in addition to craft cider.

Sweetness:  I tend towards liking sweeter cider.  Most of the craft cider I’ve tried tends towards dry, which is admittedly traditional for hard cider.  Luckily there are a few good local craft cidery options for sweeter cider, such as Spire Mountain and Schilling, which both offer affordable craft cider in multi-packs.

Cost:  Its a bit spendy to only buy craft cider.  Even though I typically only drink on the weekends, and don’t drink an excessive amount, its difficult to always justify spending $6-$20 for a bottle of cider when I could get a four or six pack which will last me the entire weekend for $7-$10.  However, I love sampling new ciders, so I typically buy a mix of craft & commercial, which appeases both my taste buds and my wallet.  Its a treat to pick up something new to try!  I’m curious what everyone else thinks on this topic:

8 Reasons Why Cider on Tap May Taste Better

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My experience of cider on tap (or keg or draft or draught or whatever you want to call it) is unfortunately limited.  However, almost every time I’ve thought it tasted better on tap than from its bottled/canned cousin.  I have noticed this with Spire Mountain Dark & Dry, Seattle Cider Semi Sweet, NV Cider Pear Essentials, and Reverend Nat’s Revival, which are all ciders I’ve had both bottled/canned and on tap.  Some I had bottled/canned first, and others I bought it after trying it on tap.

I thought I’d explore this query.  Most of the available research is from beer, but I believe much of it can be applicable to cider.  Here are a few hypotheses from my research as to why cider on tap may taste better:

UV Light Exposure
Aluminum blocks out light better than glass.  Sunlight exposure can effect the taste of the product.  Clear & green glass lets in more light than brown glass, which is why many bottled beers & ciders are in brown instead of clear glass.  Therefore canned or kegged cider is typically exposed to less light in its shelf life than bottled.  I’ve noticed a number of craft cideries in my area use cans either predominantly or exclusively, which surprises me as canned beers are often perceived as “cheap”.  I had assumed it was a cost issue (both for their assembly line & shipping), but it appears there may be much more to it.  I’m also surprised how many ciders I’ve seen in clear glass bottles, so I wonder if cider actually isn’t as prone to the detriments of UV exposure as beer.

Storage Temperature
Kegs are often treated better than cases of cider bottles/cans, with less temperature variation.  Cold storage is best as it slows down the oxidation process of the beverage, causing it to taste “fresher” for longer.  A cider sitting on the shelf at room temperature in a store for a long period of time may not taste as “fresh”.

Drinking Temperature
An alcoholic beverage tastes different based on serving temperature.  Certain ciders are better at different temperatures, and cold isn’t always best.  Cider on tap may be served colder or warmer than from your fridge at home.

Time
Kegs rarely sit long term.  Especially with specialty and/or expensive ciders, inventory may sit awhile in the store (and again once we get it home).  Time can add oxidative flavors, which have the product taste less “fresh”.  Higher turnover equals fresher cider.

Carbonation
Carbonation levels may vary based on if the product is bottled of kegged.  Brewers often add less carbonation for draft beer.  Higher carbonation forces more flavor into your tongue, which some folks find overwhelming.  This is one of the reasons why a cider can taste different when drinking out of a bottle/can vs. pouring it into a glass, as pouring it releases some of the carbonation.  I find I like richer or barrel aged ciders better from a glass, but some of the sweet & fruity ciders taste just fine from the bottle.

Pasteurization
Draft beer typically isn’t pasteurized, when bottled beer is.  Bottled beer has to undergo pasteurization, heating it to kill off any bacteria that may grow between bottling and consumption.  However, pasteurization can also compromise the taste, and some of the aromatic ingredients can be filtered out.  Keg beer does not require pasteurization and is typically kept cold up until it is poured, so more flavor may be retained.  I’m curious if the same is true for cider.  I’ve read that commercial hard cider is pasteurized to remove yeast & apple particulates and retain carbonation, but I wonder if that is done 100% of the time.  For craft & homebrew cider, it seems less likely.

Pouring into Glass Effect
Having the cider poured into a glass can open up the aroma quite a bit, and smell is of course tied into taste.  This is one of the reasons why drinking a bottled/canned cider out of the bottle/can can taste different than out of a glass.

Placebo/Social/Cost Effect
Drinking during a night on the town is more exciting than at home.  It also costs more (and when we pay more, we expect more).  Plus, its exciting to find one of your favorite ciders on tap (too often they don’t have cider, or only Angry Orchard).  All of this may add up to have us perceive that the product tastes better when it really doesn’t, as we expect it.

But its also possible the opposite could happen…
A product on tap could actually end up tasting worse than bottled/canned if the tap lines are not maintained properly (bacteria…ick!), if it is served or stored at an improper temperature, if the keg has been sitting around a long time and/or not stored cold, etc.  You are likely better off ordering cider on tap at a place which sells a lot of it.

The freshest place to get cider is straight from the cidery itself (a growler).  I imagine its likely that the preference for bottled/canned vs. tap may come down to personal taste as well.  So, what do you think?