Schilling Cider House Visit 15 Tasting Notes

June 8, 2016June 4, 2016 cidersays Farnum Hill, Jester & Judge, Longdrop, Red Tank, review, Schilling, Snowdrift, Whitewood cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, seattle, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my fifteenth visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here. I was there on a Tuesday evening for a tasting event with Longdrop Cider (from the Boise Idaho area).

I started with a flight before the event, then sampled four Longdrop ciders (2 on tap, 1 bottled, and 1 canned) and a bit of a Canadian ice cider which Sarah opened. There were supposed to be 4 kegs from Longdrop, but 2 didn’t make it in time. I hadn’t previously tried any of their ciders. Longdrop is relatively new to Washington (their ciders are sold throughout Idaho and in Seattle WA and Portland OR). I got to meet their “head apple wrangler” (Chris Blanchard) and they had some giveaways (I got a sweet t-shirt).

Schilling Peach Grapefruit Habanero, 5.0% ABV, Auburn WA: This is a one-off keg of their Grapefruit cider infused with peach and habanero. I’ve tried many of their ciders. Very hazy. Smells like grapefruit with some definite spiciness. Semi-sweet. Moderate tartness. Mild acidity. I didn’t really taste any peach, only grapefruit, and the spiciness was overwhelming for me. Long spicy finish. I learned that the Cider House will maintain one “spicy” tap line, and this currently replaces their Sriracha Lime. I couldn’t do more than two tiny sips of this one; my favorites from them remain King’s Shilling and Pineapple Paradise.

Red Tank Roughneck, 6.5% ABV, Bend OR: This is one of their flagship ciders. I’ve tried a few of their ciders. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness and acidity. A hint of bitterness and sourness. Kinda bland / low flavor intensity, but it had a bit of unfiltered apple juice flavor, yeast, and earthiness. For unfiltered ciders, I prefer 2 Towns OutCider.

Whitewood Winesap, 6.8% ABV, Olympia WA: A special release tap-only cider. I’ve tried a few of their ciders. Semi-dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. A hint of tannins. Slightly sharp, apple-forward, and citrus-forward. It mellowed out a bit as it warmed up. Medium bodied. I found this similar to the other single varietal winesap apple ciders I’ve tried from Blue Mountain and Locust, and slightly wine-like. My favorite from them is the Whiskey Barrel Aged Kingston Black, which is one of my all time favorite ciders (and I was only able to sample a bit twice; hopefully it is released in bottles sometime).

Farnum Hill Dooryard, 7.5% ABV, Lebanon NH: This is one of their best selling / flagship ciders; Farnum Hill typically labels the different batches of this cider with a code, and you can look up what is in them online (they vary apple varieties and such quite a bit under the same Dooryard label), but I don’t know what batch this was. Also available in bottles, and sold from their Poverty Lane Orchard in growlers. I’ve previously only tried their Extra Dry cider. Dry. Mild tartness and acidity. Mild to moderate bitterness. Mild funk. A hint of sourness as it warmed up. Mild tannins. Citrus, vanilla, mineral, and clove notes. Wine-like and nuanced. This isn’t really my cup of tea.

Jester & Judge Pineapple Express, 5.5% ABV, Stevenson WA: This is a new tap-only release. I’ve tried a few of their ciders. Hazy. Semi-sweet. Strong fresh pineapple flavor! Nice fizziness/frothiness. Moderate tartness and acidity. Light bodied. Quick finish. I really enjoyed this one, despite its simplicity. I found it similar to Schilling’s Pineapple Passion / Trouble in Paradise, but with slight lime instead of slight passion fruit notes.

Snowdrift Semi-Dry, 7.1% ABV, Wenatchee WA: This is one of their flagship ciders, and although I’ve tried most of them, I had only seen their Dry variety previously. Available in bottles and kegs. Dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild bitterness. Mild tannins. Medium bodied. Sharp flavor with some crabapple, apple pomace, and brown sugar notes, and slight richness. Moderate length finish. My favorites from them remain Red, Cornice, and Cliffbreaks Blend.

Longdrop Tanager Pear Cider, 6.0% ABV, Eagle ID: This is their spring seasonal release, a pear cider (apple + pear, not perry), available in 22oz bottles. Smells like juicy pear. Semi-dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. Light bodied, with a fizzy/frothy mouthfeel. Quick finish. Simple apple & pear flavor, but it was nice & light and easy to drink.

Longdrop Vanilla Honey, 6.0% ABV, Eagle ID: This is one of their two most commonly found ciders. Available in 12oz cans and draft. Made from Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith apples, with Madagascar Vanilla beans and Idaho honey. Smells strongly of honey. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Honeycomb flavor with a hint of vanilla. Quick finish. I really loved the honeycomb flavor; you can tell it was high quality honey.

Longdrop Derby Canyon, 6.9%, Eagle ID: This is a special release for the 2016 Apple Blossom Festival, named after a landmark in Washington nearby where the apples for this cider are from. This cider was made with 100% Wenatchee Valley apples…”it’s got a big apple taste with some complexity – probably because it’s got one of every kind of apple out there in it”. Available in 220z bottles and kegs. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light bodied. Apple-forward with some unfiltered apple juice flavor.

Longdrop Semi-Sweet, 5.5% ABV, Eagle ID: This is one of their two most commonly found ciders. Available in 12oz cans and draft. Made from Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith apples. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light bodied. Apple-forward with some vanilla notes and a hint of vinegar/salt?

Pomme De Coeur ice cider, 6.9% ABV, Rougemont Canada: This is the first Canadian ice cider I’ve tried, and the lowest ABV I’ve seen. Its pretty widely available in boxed tall 375ml bottles. Ice cider originated in Quebec, and is made with either apples or apple juice which has been exposed to cold cycles, which concentrates the sugar (and thus flavor), and produces a higher ABV beverage as well. Smells like caramelized sugar. Sweet but not as sweet as other ice ciders such as from Eden. Medium bodied. Very juice-like, with less complexity than other ice ciders. It also doesn’t have the body and higher ABV of most ice ciders. I liked the first couple sips, but after that its inferior quality was apparent. I like the super concentrated intense flavor of other ice ciders; Eden Northern Spy (barrel aged) is my favorite so far. Although its about $15 (vs. $30+) for 375ml, I’d rather get the good stuff. I imagine there are much better Canadian ice ciders available than this (often the more commercial beverages are the ones which have the means to export their products), so I hope to try another in the future.

My favorite Longdrop cider was the Vanilla Honey, and my favorite cider from my flight was Jester & Judge’s Pineapple cider.

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

Big B’s Lazy Daze Lemon Hard Cider

June 7, 2016June 4, 2016 cidersays Big B's, review Big B's, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, hard cider, Lazy Daze, Lazy Daze Lemon Hard Cider, lemonade, organic

Review of Big B’s Lazy Daze Lemon Hard Cider, their dry hard cider mixed with their lemonade. I’ve also tried their Grizzly Brand (bourbon barrel aged) and Pear Supply ciders. My husband picked this up for me in Colorado.

Cider: Lazy Daze Lemon Hard Cider
Cidery: Big B’s
Cidery Location: Hotchkiss Colorado
ABV: 4.7%
How Supplied: 500ml clear glass bottles and 12oz cans
Style: American Organic craft cider mixed with lemonade (which includes sugar)

Availability: Only in Colorado, although they take phone orders to ship to customers when the state allows it.

Cider Description: Big B’s Hard Lemonade is made by combining our Orchard Original Hard Cider with one of Big B’s most popular selling juices, our Orchard Recipe Lemonade. It’s a perfect marriage between dry cider, sweet and tart lemonade. Ultra refreshing and amazingly crisp!

Cidery Description: Big B’s Hard Ciders – Local, Organic, Delicious. Big B’s proudly handcrafts American Farmstead Hard Ciders in small batches using only organic apples, hand picked at the peak of ripeness. Our orchard and tasting room is located in the North Fork Valley on the Western Slope of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.

Big B’s has an organic farm market and tasting room in Hotchkiss CO for their juices and hard cider (first sold in 2011), which re-opens for the season in May 2016.

Price: $4.98
Where Bought: Hazel’s Beverage World in Boulder CO
Where Drank: home
How Found: I read about this online and put it on a list for my husband to check for.

First Impression: Smells like lemonade. Lemonade dark straw yellow hue. Low carbonation.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Fizzy mouthfeel. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. The flavor is lemonade with a bit of baked apple. Quick finish length. Low apple flavor. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Yum! This is simple, but I enjoyed it. Perfect for summer and almost too easy to drink. I’m surprised they kept so much of the lemonade flavor despite the addition of hard cider. I also liked the bit of apple flavor.

Most Similar to: Any other hard lemonade. My other favorite is Crabbie’s Cloudy Alcoholic Lemonade, but I think I now like this one better. Alcopops are becoming quite popular. Another cider based one I’ve tried is Elemental’s NW Atomic Root Beer.

Closing Notes: Too bad this is only sold in Colorado, or else it would be a summer staple in my house. They recently released it in cans too.

Have you tried Big B’s? What did you think?

Atlas Dragonfruit Cider

June 6, 2016June 6, 2016 cidersays Avid (prev. Atlas), review atlas, Bend, cactus, cider, cider review, cider tasting, dragonfruit, hard cider, oregon, prickly pear

Review of Atlas Cider’s Dragonfruit Cider. This is their newest summer seasonal release, made with dragonfruit (which is the fruit of certain types of cactus, said to taste like kiwi and pear). I’ve tried most of their line-up; see here for previous reviews.

Cider: Dragonfruit Cider
Cidery: Atlas Cider
Cidery Location: Bend Oregon
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: 22oz clear glass bottles
Style: American craft cider made from dessert apples, infused with dragon fruit and prickly pear juice

Availability: Seasonably in ID, OR, NV, and WA.

Cider Description: A long time ago when dragons roamed the land, soldiers were sent out to bring back one thing for their emperor – the prized Dragon Fruit. Legend has it that as he thrust his sword in the heart of the dragon, fire and fruit was breathed out in his last breath. The fruits cactus like neon-magenta skin and lime green scales very closely resemble the flesh of a mythical dragon. It is believed that those who feast on the flesh, which has a mild kiwi/sorbet flavor, will be endowed with the strength and ferocity of the dragon. Side effects might include breathing fire and other unknowns.

Cidery Description: ATLAS Cider Co. produces authentic hard cider fermented from 100% fresh pressed fruit from our region. Partnering with Northwest farmers to source our fruit has been a priority of ours from the beginning. Our ciders start with a base of NW fruit that are pressed to achieve a balance of sweetness, tartness, and dryness. We forge our ciders in the heart of the NW in Bend, OR.

Price: $6.50
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, although I had been on the look out for it since reading online about its release

First Impression: Orange-pink hue. Nearly still. Smells of strawberry-watermelon-candy.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. Mild to moderate bitterness. No sourness or funk. A hint of tannins. Strawberry, kiwi, passionfruit, lime, and pineapple notes. Quick finish of the flavor, but some lingering bitterness. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Although I enjoyed this cider, the taste was a bit of a let down after the intensely fruity scent. I was surprised by the bitterness, although that did add some depth to the flavor. There was even a hint of tannins/astringency.

Most Similar to: Other exotically fruity ciders. Ciders with quince come to mind, such as from Eaglemount and Cider Head.

Closing Notes: This is a unique cider. Although its quite common to add fruit, hops, spices, etc, to ciders made from dessert apples, this is the first I’ve heard of with dragon fruit (at least in the U.S….I see one mention online of a cider with dragonfruit in Cambodia). I’m surprised they were able to keep it so affordable.

Have you tried Atlas Dragonfruit Cider? What did you think?

Blue Moon Winery Raven’s Moon Apple Cider

June 3, 2016May 29, 2016 cidersays Raven's Moon, review Blue Moon, British Columbia, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Raven's Moon

Review of Raven’s Moon Apple Cider from Blue Moon Winery in British Columbia. I picked this up in Victoria, a port on our Alaska cruise. This is the first time I’ve tried their cider.

Cider: Raven’s Moon Apple
Cidery: Blue Moon Winery
Cidery Location: Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
ABV: 8.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle
Style: Canadian craft cider

Availability: British Columbia; see a list of retailers on their website.

Cider Description: A nice dry and crisp sparkling cider made from 100% pressed organic Heritage cider apples from Denman Island. Delightfully effervescent, and delicate on the palate, you will love sipping this all by itself on a hot day over ice, or serve with friends wand your favourite meal. Best enjoyed in good company! Non pasteurized so keep cool. No water added nor concentrate.

Apple Cider is the original flagship product in the Raven’s Moon lineup. This is true artisan craft cider made from organically grown cider apples, including Pippins, Chisel Jersey and Dabinett. Don’t let the higher alcohol fool you – it contributes to a crisp dry backbone, which is fleshed out by delicious and refreshing full apple flavour, like biting into a juicy apple just plucked from the tree. A versatile sparkling cider for all occasions.

This is their flagship cider, but they also make Blackberry, Asian Pear, Raspberry, and Bourbon Infused varieties.

Cidery Description: At Blue Moon Winery and Ciderworx we grow, gather and ferment the flavors of the land to offer you hand-crafted award winning spirited fruit wines and sparkling ciders. Our inspiration comes from the scrumptious organic fruits collected from Vancouver Island, the ancient history of the craft of fermentation and the lively traditions we now seek to revive. Our award winning fruit wines and ciders are crafted from 100% BC organic fruit, picked at the peak of the harvest and created in small batches.

They have a tasting room in Courtenay British Columbia.

Price: $7.50 CAN (~$5.63 USD)
Where Bought: The Strath in Victoria B.C. Canada
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had never heard of them.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Low carbonation. Smells mild–sharp & tart, slightly musty, and of apples.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Apple-forward with a flavor reminiscent of both cider apples and crab apples, honey, and citrus. Moderate apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: This has a nice flavor. Its a bit on the sharp and boozy side, but I enjoy that (although it may not be for everyone).

Most Similar to: It reminds me of some ciders from Liberty Ciderworks which use crab apples.

Closing Notes: I think this cider is a great value (especially with the current exchange rate) for using organic cider apple varieties. Too bad I probably won’t be able to get anything else from them for awhile, as their Bourbon Infused cider sounds awesome.

Have you tried Raven’s Moon cider? What did you think?

Somersby Citrus Fruit

June 2, 2016May 29, 2016 cidersays review, Somersby cider, cider review, cider tasting, citrus, Citrus Fruit, Dannish, Denmark, hard cider, Somersby

Review of Somersby’s Citrus Fruit cider, from Denmark. I picked it up in Victoria B.C., a stop on our Alaska cruise. Its the first cider I’ve tried from Somersby.

Cider: Citrus Fruit
Cidery: Somersby
Cidery Location: Copenhagen Denmark
ABV: 4.5%
How Supplied: 500ml can
Style: Commercial cider from Denmark made from dessert apples with natural citrus flavor added

Availability: wide release

Cider Description: Somersby Citrus Fruit is a refreshing cider made from fermented apple juice and natural citrus flavouring. No artificial sweeteners, flavours or colourings. Its uniquely juicy apple taste makes it a tasty and natural choice for the relaxed moments with your friends.

Cidery Description: Lord Somersby is the father of many great discoveries – but the most famous of them all is probably Somersby cider, which was once known as the favorite drink of celebrities like Napoleon, Cleopatra and Newton. Or at least that is what we have heard.

Available in many different delicious variants but the most popular variants of the Somersby portfolio is Apple, Pear and Blackberry. Somersby has obtained a reputation of spreading joy and sunny togetherness where ever it is served and attracting curious and open-minded people from all over the world.

If you are attracted to Somersby – but not exactly in the mood of travelling all over the world to taste one, don’t worry. You can enjoy a refreshing bottle of Somersby in more than 43 countries.

Price: $4 CAN (~$3 USD) / can
Where Bought: The Strath in Victoria B.C.
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I think we get Somersby in the U.S., but I hadn’t seen this variety.

First Impression: Dark straw yellow. Low carbonation. Smells of strong slightly fake citrus.

Tasting Notes: Sweet. Full bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Moderate length finish. Citrus notes–predominately lemon with some orange and grapefruit. Artificial taste. Low apple flavor. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: This was disappointing, as I found the flavor fake, despite the claim to not use artificial flavor. It was also rather sweet and syrupy. I had hoped for something lighter.

Most Similar to: Other simple sweet commercial ciders, although I haven’t had a predominately citrus one. I’m a big citrus fan though. My favorite alcoholic citrus beverage so far however isn’t a cider, but Crabbie’s Cloudy Alcoholic Lemonade.

Closing Notes: I’m glad I got to try it, but I wasn’t impressed. I couldn’t even finish it.

Have you tried Somersby? What did you think?

Sea Cider Birds and the Bees

June 1, 2016June 1, 2016 cidersays review, Sea Cider Birds and the Bees, Canada, Canadian, cider, cyser, hard cider, honey, lemon, Sea Cider

Review of Sea Cider’s Birds and the Bees cider. I picked this up in Victoria B.C., a stop on our Alaska cruise. I’ve tried a few ciders from Sea Cider (see here), but this one is part of their Canadian Invasion Series and only available in Canada.

Cider: Birds and the Bees
Cidery: Sea Cider
Cidery Location: Saanichton, British Columbia, Canada
ABV: 9.9%
How Supplied: 750ml clear glass swing-top bottle
Style: Canadian craft cider made from dessert apples, with fireweed honey and lemon bitters

Availability: Only in British Columbia Canada

Cider Description: The birds & the bees are a welcome sign of spring, and we thought we’d pay tribute to the pollination season with a cider in their honour. Our farm-crafted apple cider is blended with Vancouver Island fireweed honey and lemon bitters for a zesty finish buzzing with goodness. Proceeds from our Canadian Invasion Series help combat invasive plants, so raise a glass to a springtime delight!

As part of the Canadian Invasion Series, Birds and the Bees was created to continue our awareness campaign around invasive species and their impact on farming and the natural world. In addition to increasing awareness, the Canadian Invasion Series is also a way for the Sea Cider team to create fun and interesting seasonal ciders infused with local ingredients. Birds and the Bees blends our apple cider with a hefty helping of lemongrass from our farm, Vancouver Island’s fireweed honey and our own apple eau de vie to create a sweet yet sharp cider sensation. Expect aromatic notes of citrus and lemon to harmonize with the light fresh, floral aroma of fireweed honey in a union as sweet and sprightly as a May morning.

Their Canadian Invasion Series uses dessert/culinary apples to allow them to blend in cool stuff, while their Heirloom Series is “all about the apples” (estate grown bittersharps and bittersweet, single varietals etc). They hope to have the Canadian Invasion Series ciders available in the U.S. in the future.

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: just under $20 CAN, which is abour $15 USD
Where Bought: The Strath in Victoria B.C.
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, although I read about it online (and thought I’d never get a chance to try it).

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of apple, honey, citrus, and floral.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Still. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hint of bitterness. No sourness or tannins. Strong honey, moderate lemon, and some orange and floral notes. Moderate length slightly warming finish. Low apple flavor. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: Simple but very tasty. Its unique to find a boozy spring/summer cider, as typically these sorts of ciders are lower ABV (although true cysers, when they ferment the apple juice with the honey instead of just adding honey afterwards, tend to be higher ABV).

Most Similar to: Eaglemount Cyser (also a higher ABV and semi-sweet, but without the lemon)

Closing Notes: I’m glad I got to try this cider!

Have you tried Sea Cider? What did you think?

FlavorActiV Cider Sensory Kit Series One

May 31, 2016May 29, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, cider education, FlavorActiv, review 2 Towns, cider, cider education, cider sensory kit, FlavorActiv, hard cider, OutCider, review, sensory analysis

This is a unique review…not of a cider, but of FlavorActiV’s Cider Sensory Kit Series One. Kits like this are used in cider sensory analysis classes (such as at CiderCon – see this great post at Along Came a Cider, or for cider certification courses such as USACM CCP or NACM), at cideries for cidermaker education, for judge preparation at a cider competition, etc. It enables the taster to identify the scent and flavor of specific individual compounds (typically faults) which may occur in cider. I heard about it through CiderGuide, and was intrigued enough to contact the company.

About: This kit was developed specifically for the cider industry in conjunction with one of their global beer/cider customers. They are currently developing a Series Two kit, and are interested to get industry feedback on it. They will also soon launch an open cider taster proficiency scheme (see here for more information) so that cider producers can regularly train and test themselves. FlavorActiV offers over 125 flavor standards, including kits for beer, wine, and coffee. Here is info on the individual cider flavor standards they sell in addition to this kit of 10 standards.

>>This is a review of a sample kit provided to Cider Says by FlavorActiV. 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 review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

Samples included: Sour, Musty, Earthy, Barnyard, Phenolic, Acetaldehyde (Acetal), Sulphitic, Indole, Metallic, Mercaptan

Cost: 120 pounds ($170 USD), with free worldwide shipping. Note that one kit makes approximately 1.2 liters (40.6 oz) of each sample, and a 100 ml (3.4 oz) sample is recommended for each taster, so one kit is recommended for 12 tasters (and can probably be used for even more with smaller sample sizes).

How to order: Through their website or by e-mailing cider@flavoractiv.com. For more information, to provide feedback, or to purchase, their e-mail is cider@flavoractiv.com. I received this within a few days even though it traveled from the UK to Seattle WA USA.

Packaging: Bubble mailer, with the samples in capsules individually packaged in a booklet, padded with cardboard so they couldn’t be crushed.

In the box:

10 capsules in a booklet, labeled by type, with descriptions
Instructions
Flavour Wheel of tastes and odors
Handout of the 20 year history of FlavorActiV Flavor Standards
Brochure on their technical taste panel training and management products

Instructions:

Empty the powder in each capsule into 200 ml (6.8 oz) of cider, then swirl the container to release the flavor.
Top off the container with 1 liter (33.8 oz) of cider to reach the recommended tasting concentration.
Pour a 100ml (3.4 oz) sample for each taster.
(Therefore as-directed, you would need 12 liters of cider to mix the powder into, but it would be for 12 people.)

Supplies I used:

three 12oz cans of cider
1/4 cup (50ml) measuring cup (x2)
11 tasting glasses which held at least 4oz (one for each sample plus a control)
butter knife to stir with
index cards
pencil

My experience:

I purchased 2 Towns OutCider, which I consider to be fairly neutral, and is cost effective as it comes in a multi pack (plus I like it). Oddly enough I didn’t have any suitable cider in the house as the only ciders I had more than 1 bottle/can of were flavored.
To use less cider, I ratioed down the powder to make a smaller sample size, as it was just me.
I ended up emptying out each capsule onto an index card, taking a pinch of the powder and putting it into a glass (estimating 1/12), then adding 100ml of cider.
- It worked out fairly well, and I could add cider or add powder to change the ratio if needed. I ended up only adding more powder, not cider.
Of the 10 capsules, one was difficult to open so I cut it open and one had a bit of powder left in it (slight bit of moisture). Overall they were fairly easy to use.
I used all the tasting glasses I had in the house. I think small clear plastic disposable cups would be ideal, especially for a group, as ideally you want to prepare all the samples at once, instead of one by one. The instructions call for a pitcher to mix it in, but the way I did it, I didn’t need one. I found the powder easily dissolved, so I didn’t really need to add a bit of cider, stir, then add more, like they recommended.
The recommended 100ml was a good sample size when doing it individually as it was enough to stir. For a group when mixing it in a pitcher, an even smaller sample size could probably be used. I only had a couple sips of most of them as the only flavor I actually enjoyed was sour (this is a learning exercise, not a pleasant tasting experience).

The samples:

Control (2 Towns OutCider): Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Slightly cloudy as it is less filtered than most ciders. Smells mild, of only apples. Low to moderate tartness & acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. I think this was a fairly good choice for a neutral cider (their Bright Cider would have probably been even better, but I like Out Cider much more). As a bonus I have 3 cans of cider left.
Sour: Scent unchanged. Flavor change was citric acid tartness, not a true “sourness” like sour beer.
Musty: Scent impacted. Flavor was muted and the musty effect lingered on the palate. Tasted like an antique shop.
Earthy: Scent greatly impacted, and it smelled exactly like fresh dirt. Flavor wasn’t as impacted as smell. This was a negative type of earthiness, not the pleasant type which I’ve found in some ciders with significant tannins.
Barnyard: Scent moderately impacted; it smelled of dirt plus “wild”. Taste slightly impacted, mostly in the finish.
Phenolic: Scent slightly impacted. I didn’t taste anything, so I added more powder. Then I got some citrus scent and a slightly herbal & floral flavor. Overall I found it very mild, even when I tripled the amount of powder.
Acetaldehyde (Acetal): Scent impacted, smelling of chemicals like paint. Flavor impacted, and it overall just tasted “off”. Really difficult to describe.
Sulphitic: Scent not impacted. Slight sulfur flavor and flatness. I added more powder and it became more of a chemical flavor.
Indole: Scent and flavor not impacted, so I added more powder. I only smelled and tasted a bit of floral. Overall very mild.
Metallic: Scent not impacted. I didn’t taste anything either, so I added more powder. Then I picked up a flatness and dulling of the flavor. Overall very mild.
Mercaptan: Scent very strongly impacted, of sulphur. Disgusting strong sulphur sewer type flavor.

My comments:

This is great for a large group/class, but the kit isn’t sized for one person. I would have needed 12 liters of cider to make as directed. However, it was definitely doable to scale it down without too much effort. The powder to cider ratio doesn’t need to be exact, and it can be adjusted with more powder or cider if necessary.
- In fact, I liked having extra powder left as there were a few samples I couldn’t detect, so I was able to keep adding powder until I tasted them.
- I think the only easier way to do it would be to have the samples as drops, but I’m not sure if that is a stable way to store them.
Some other samples I would have liked to see, which I assume may be included in Series 2 (and some of which they currently offer individually):
- Diacetyl, a buttery off-flavor formed by yeast; its something I’ve thought I’ve tasted a couple times, but wasn’t sure about
- True sour, like sour beer, often from wild fermentation…very different from tart
- Acetic, a vinegar-like flavor often found in Spanish cider
Sensory analysis such as this is really helpful to help you detect certain scents and flavors in cider, much more than just a description of that scent/flavor. Everyone experiences these differently too (for example, with a few samples I barely detected anything)

In closing: I’m glad I got the opportunity to test out this kit. I haven’t yet attended a cider sensory course, so this was a great introduction! It was educational, easy to use, well-packaged, and a good value when using it for a group. I look forward to seeing what else they come out with (such as the Series Two kit).

I should note that other companies make flavor standards which I haven’t tried/compared to FlavorActiV. However, the only other company I found online which seemed to have samples geared specifically for cider was Aroxa.

Merridale Scrumpy Cider

May 27, 2016May 23, 2016 cidersays Merridale, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, crab apple, crabapple, English Cider, hard cider, Merridale, Scrumpy, Victoria

Review of Merridale’s Scrumpy Cider. This is the first cider I’ve tried from them. It isn’t available in the U.S., but I picked it up in Victoria B.C., a port stop on our Alaska cruise (one of six ciders I bought).

Cider: Scrumpy
Cidery: Merridale
Cidery Location: Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Canada
ABV: 11.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: Canadian craft cider made from cider & crab apple varieties

Availability: Only in British Columbia Canada. See Merridale’s website for locations.

Cider Description: Winner of Gold & Silver North American Brewers Awards in Idaho Springs. If you’re a Scotch drinker, try this one. Scrumpy is strong and sharp, and rich in the flavours of our strongest cider apples. Once you acquire a taste for Scrumpy, nothing else will do! In old England, scrumpy was a cider made by farm workers who stole or ‘scrumped’ apples from the orchard.

Cidery Description: Here at Merridale, we use cider apple varieties that have been proven for centuries in England, France, and Germany to make the best cider. All of our ciders are made from 100% pure juice, and only the first pressing is used. We do not add water or re-press the apples to increase the yield because we believe this compromises the flavour. Being purists, we do not use concentrates, chemicals at bottling, pasteurization, or fine filtration of juice. We ferment our juice slowly and naturally, to delicately bring out all of the flavour the fruit has to offer.

The Cowichan Valley mirrors the optimum growing and climate conditions of the renowned cider regions in the UK and Europe. Merridale’s location was chosen, after years of research, as the perfect combination of climate, aspect and soil conditions (our terroire) to grow world-class fruit. As with fine wines, you need world-class fruit to make a world-class beverage! We have two rows of Jonagold apples, the only dessert apples in the orchard. The rest are cider-specific varieties like Tremlett’s Bitter, Michelin, Yarlington Mill, Dabinett, Chisel Jersey, Kermerien, Julienne, Judaine, Frequin Rouge, and Hauxapfel.

At Merridale we take no shortcuts with our cider. We are passionate about following practices and procedures that do not ever compromise the quality. Greater care requires more labour and time, but the result is worth it. The way we handle our fruit, our fermentations, our packaging and our customers is consistent with this philosophy. We believe that consumers appreciate our passion. Some of our practices are important to know so that you can understand what is unique about Merridale. As cider makers, our customers and our staff continue to inspire us. We hope you can taste the passion of our producers and all of us at Merridale.

Price: ~$7.50 USD with the current exchange rate
Where Bought: The Strath in Victoria B.C. (which had a great cider selection for a small shop by the way)
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had heard of them, and I love high ABV (Imperial) and English-style ciders, so this sounded really good.

First Impression: Orange amber hue. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells rich, of tannins, caramel, and honey.

Tasting Notes: Dry to semi-dry. Nearly still. Medium bodied. Moderate tannins. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Moderate bitterness. No sourness. A hint of funk. Notes of apple pomace, caramel, honey, and oak. Long warming finish. Moderate apple flavor. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: Tastes like an English-style cider with an extra kick of ABV (which I assume is from the crab apples, which are high in sugar) and slightly harsher flavor. I really enjoyed it, but this is probably not for everyone (my husband didn’t like it at all, although he’s not a fan of English-style ciders like I am).

Most Similar to: English Imperial style ciders and ciders made with crabapples. This reminds me of a cross between Liberty’s Stonewall and Manchurian Crabapple.

Closing Notes: I’m impressed! This was also a good value with it being made with cider apples and being oak cask aged, especially good with the current exchange rate. Hopefully I can try something else from Merridale in the future.

Have you tried Merridale cider? What did you think?

Number Six True Cider

May 26, 2016May 23, 2016 cidersays Number Six, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Number Six, seattle, True Cider, washington

Review of Number Six Cider Company’s True Cider. I tried this quite awhile ago, but wanted to give it another go. This is their flagship cider, although they recently came out with a drier version (Dry Ninety-Nine).

Cider: True Cider
Cidery: Number Six Cider Company
Cidery Location: Seattle WA
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans
Style: American craft cider made from dessert apples

Availability: Western Washington

Cider Description: This strong, dry cider is perfect for true cider lovers. With a level of sweetness that is best enjoyed from a glass. Enjoy with family and friends.

Cidery Description: What’s Number 6? 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 tap room in Seattle Washington.

Price: $10.99 / four pack
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: I’ve known about this cider for awhile and tried it at a tasting event last year.

First Impression: Light orange pumpkin amber. Very low carbonation. Smells rich, apple-forward, and a bit like French cider.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Nearly still. Mild tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Slightly rich. Apple and yeast forward. Hints of honey, mango, pineapple, and pear. Quick finish. High sessionability. Moderate to high apple influence. Moderate to high flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Yum! I liked how rich, fruity, and flavorful this cider was.

Most Similar to: French cider, except with less carbonation, and more fruity than yeasty.

Closing Notes: I enjoyed this cider…more than I remembered. I may have to pick up a full four pack (although I tend to have bad luck with buying a cider for a second time and not liking it as much).

Have you tried Number Six cider? What did you think?

Colorado Cider Company Ol’ Stumpy

May 25, 2016May 26, 2016 cidersays Colorado Cider Co, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, Colorado Cider Company, Denver, hard cider, Ol' Stumpy

Review of Colorado Cider Company’s Ol’ Stumpy. My husband brought this back from Colorado for me (I may have given him a shopping list…), and its the first cider I’ve tried from them.

Cider: Ol’ Stumpy
Cidery: Colorado Cider Company
Cidery Location: Denver CO
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: 500ml clear bottle
Style: American craft cider made from cider ~~& dessert~~ apples, aged i~~n oak chardonnay barrels~~ with oak spirals

Availability: Limited release, and only in Colorado. See the list on their website for availability.

Cider Description: Made with bittersweet apples, Ol’ Stumpy has a silky mouth feel, aromas of earth, and oak and a touch of tannins. Our modern take on an early American cider. Aged for a full year, including ~~4 months in oak Chardonnay barrels~~. (they now age it with oak spirals)

The bittersweet apples are sourced from New Hampshire while they are waiting for their own orchard to mature. Also see this fact sheet on Ol’ Stumpy.

Cidery Description: Colorado Cider Company was founded in 2011 to produce fresh hard cider for the discerning Colorado drinker. With a well-developed craft beer market and an educated populace, Hard Cider has been a missing choice in the cacophony of craft drinks in local pubs and liquor stores. We set out to remedy that. We bottled our first batch of Glider in April of 2011 – Celebrating 5 years of cidering in the spring of 2016! Glide On!!!

Here are some great writeups on Colorado Cider Company from Drinking Cider and Cider Sage.

Price: $9.48
Where Bought: Hazel’s Beverage World in Boulder CO
Where Drank: home
How Found: I browsed the websites of all the Colorado cideries with an online presence and made my husband a list of ciders to look out for when he was in Colorado. This one sounded the most to my liking from Colorado Cider Company’s lineup, as I love anything with bittersweet apples and/or barrel aged.

First Impression: Light orange amber hue. No carbonation upon pouring. Smells rich and sweet, of bittersweet apples and honey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to dry. Still. Medium bodied. Mild to moderate tartness. Mild tannins. Mild to moderate bitterness. Moderate to high acidity. No sourness or funk. Notes of bittersweet apples, apple pomace, citrus, honey, and oak. Earthy and moderate to full flavored. Moderate length finish. Moderate apple influence. Low to moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: I enjoyed this cider. However, after the AMAZING scent, the taste was honestly a bit of a let down. I think the high acidity and bitterness combined with the dryness made the flavor a tad harsh. I imagine that with a bit of honey this would be even better. I also imagine aging it in neutral oak or anything but chardonnay barrels would decrease the acidity.

Most Similar to: Despite using bittersweet apples, Ol’ Stumpy definitely doesn’t taste like an English cider, due to the addition of dessert apples (including granny smith) and aging in oak chardonnay barrels. Its rather unique and I have a tough time finding any similar ciders that I’ve tasted. I’ve had other bittersweet ciders though, such as from Sea Cider and Locust, and both were sweeter, with less acidity and less bitterness.

Closing Notes: I’m usually a huge fan of bittersweet apples in cider and barrel aging, and although I wasn’t blown away by this one, it was definitely pleasant to drink and I’m glad I got a chance to try it. My husband was an even bigger fan than I was (probably as it was on the dry side but remained really flavorful). Hopefully I’ll get to try more ciders from them in the future.

Have you tried any ciders from Colorado Cider Company? What did you think?

2 Towns Imperial Hop and Stalk

May 24, 2016May 23, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, Corvallis, hard cider, Hop and Stalk, hopped cider, hops, oregon, rhubarb

Review of 2 Towns’ Imperial Hop and Stalk, a seasonal release with Citra hops and Crimson Red rhubarb. I’ve tried most of their line-up; see my reviews here.

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by 2 Towns. 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: Hop and Stalk
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 8.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles and kegs
Style: American Imperial (high ABV) craft cider made from dessert apples, with Citra hops and Crimson Red rhubarb

Availability: Seasonably (May-Aug) in AK, CA, HI, ID, IL (Chicago), MN, NV, OR, and WA.

Cider Description: An outrageous amount of Citra hops, locally grown Crimson Red rhubarb, and fresh-pressed NW apples create a trenchant hard cider with huge floral, citrus & passion fruit notes. The outspoken dry-hopped character of this cider is best when fresh, so make sure to exercise your Stalk Hoptions before they expire!

Cidery Description: At 2 Towns Ciderhouse we believe that the long history of cidermaking demands respect and deserves to be done right. Starting with the highest quality whole ingredients from local farms, we take no shortcuts in crafting our ciders. We never add any sugar, concentrates or artificial flavors, and instead use slow, cold fermentation methods to allow the fruit to speak for itself. As a family-owned company, we are committed to the growth of our team and enrichment of our communities. We take pride in producing true Northwest craft cider.

Price: n/a (runs $7-$9)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Low to moderate carbonation upon pouring. Smells primarily of citrus, with some hops and strawberry-rhubarb.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low carbonation. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness. No sourness, tannins, or funk. Moderate length finish. Moderate hoppiness, although with less bitterness and lingering flavor than many hopped ciders. Notes of citrus (lots!), hops, strawberry, rhubarb, passion fruit, honey, and floral. Low apple flavor. Moderate to strong overall flavor intensity. Moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: I wasn’t expecting to like this cider as I wouldn’t call myself a fan of hops or rhubarb. However, I really enjoyed it–I loved the complexity and uniqueness.

Most Similar to: Hopped ciders with lots of citrus notes and some fruitiness. Portland Cider Hop’Rageous also uses Citra hops, so you get more citrus & floral than bitter hops. Tod Creek Mala-Hop also had a lot of citrus notes, but used Chinook, Sterling and Centennial, not Citra hops. This is the most citrusy hopped cider I’ve tried though, and the only one with another fruit addition.

Closing Notes: Another winner from 2 Towns!

Have you tried 2 Towns Hop and Stalk? What did you think?

Woodchuck Out on a Limb June and Juice

May 23, 2016May 14, 2016 cidersays review, Woodchuck cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, June & Juice, June and Juice, Juniper, Out on a Limb, Woodchuck

Review of Woodchuck’s newest (8th) Out on a Limb release, June and Juice. It is pegged as a Juniper hard cider. It is infused with juniper berries (which are used in making gin), rose buds, and orange peel. Here is the press release. The ciders rotate every few months in the same six pack. I’ve reviewed a number of their ciders here.

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Woodchuck. 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: June and Juice (Out on a Limb)
Cidery: Woodchuck
Cidery Location: Middlebury VT
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles

Availability: Wide release, but only for the next couple months (Out on a Limb rotates varieties).

Cider Description: True apothecary, thy cider art craft. It was Out on a Limb of a juniper tree that we found this new concoction. Like a classic gin, we steeped fresh juniper berries into our small batch hard cider. With a fresh botanical aroma, enjoy a semi-sweet fresh apple taste with notes of juniper and citrus. Gin & Juice? Let’s try June & Juice.

Ingredients: Hard cider, rose bud, orange peel, juniper berries, less than 1% of: natural flavor, citric acid (contains sulfites)

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: n/a (but it runs ~ $10.99 a six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. No carbonation upon pouring. Smells of honey, floral, herbs, citrus, and vanilla.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Still. Mild tartness and acidity. Hints of tannins and bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of floral (rose), orange, and honey, with hints of earthiness and maple. Quick finish. Moderate apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate to high sessionability.

Opinion: This is a unique but approachable cider, refreshing, and great for Spring. I couldn’t detect any gin botanical like flavor from the juniper, which was fine by me as I’m not a fan of gin. The flavor was primarily floral/rose. I liked how it was flavorful but not overly sweet. I think it was a good choice to not carbonate it, as that would have taken away from the flavor (although Woodchuck never seems to use much carbonation). I wonder how well it will sell though, as the Juniper may be a turn-off to many people (I wasn’t expecting to like this one at all, and was pleasantly surprised)….I probably would have played up the rose more.

Most Similar to: Other ciders infused with botanicals or rose petals. Seattle Cider makes a Gin Botanical cider, but I don’t think I’ve tried it. I’ve actually had a number of ciders infused with rose petals though–Elemental Lavender Rose, Elemental Pomegranate Rose, WildCraft Wild Rose, and Finnriver Cranberry Rosehip.

Closing Notes: I’m impressed, especially coming from such a large commercial cidery (side note – I don’t get how they can call themselves craft and say they do small batches?). This is probably my favorite Out on a Limb so far…many of them have been too out there for me.

Have you tried any Woodchuck Out on a Limb varieties? What did you think?

Vacation Week

May 12, 2016May 11, 2016 cidersays misc Alaska, cider, cider blog, cruise, hard cider, vacation

Just a FYI, I’ll be on vacation for a week (Alaska cruise!), so there won’t be any posts for a bit.

Here are some popular previous posts of mine to tide you over:

4 Posts on the Port Townsend Cider Route (Alpenfire, Finnriver, and Eaglemount)

Tasting Notes from Seattle Cider Summit 2015

My Favorite Ciders of 2015

Here are some of my favorite cider blogs:

Cider Journal

Along Came a Cider

Cider Guide

See you next week!

10 Barrel Brewing Company Bubbly Hard Apple Cider

May 11, 2016May 7, 2016 cidersays 10 Barrel, review 10 Barrel, Bend, Bubbly, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon

Review of 10 Barrel Brewing Company’s “Bubbly” Hard Apple Cider, from Bend Oregon. This is made by a brewery and is their first cider.

Cider: Bubbly Hard Apple Cider
Cidery: 10 Barrel Brewing Company (owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev)
Cidery Location: Bend Oregon
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles
Style: American craft hard cider made by a brewery from dessert apples

Availability: Oregon and Washington

Cider Description: Fix the paper jam in the printer? Finally topped your moms candy crush score? Time to break out the bubbly! The perfect complement to celebrate anything in life.

Bubbly is the creation of 10 Barrel brewer Tonya Cornett, who handpicked Pink Lady and Granny Smith apples from a small farm in Yakima, Washington, to create a blend of juice. Tonya then fermented it out with a wine yeast to create strong champagne characteristics. Hence the name Bubbly.

Made from Pink Lady and Granny Smith apples.

Price: runs $10.99 / six pack
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: I had read about this online awhile back, but my husband spotted it and brought a bottle home.

First Impression: Very pale straw yellow hue. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells very mild, of apple juice, citrus, and a mild chemical type smell.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Still (no carbonation). Medium bodied. Mild tartness, acidity, and bitterness. No sourness, funk, or tannins. Juice-like and yeast forward, with hints of honey, citrus, and green grape notes. Moderate length finish. Moderate sessionability. Low apple influence.

My Opinion: Unfortunately this was undrinkable for me and two others who tried it. The end of the flavor was just very “off”…it didn’t particularly taste like it had gone bad, but was just very weird and chemical. Plus I was expecting more carbonation.

Most Similar to: Nothing I’ve tried.

Closing Notes: Disappointing, although I didn’t have too high of expectations for a cider made by a brewery. There aren’t too many reviews online, but they don’t seem to be glowing.

Have you tried Bubbly? What did you think?

EZ Orchards Poire

May 10, 2016May 7, 2016 cidersays E.Z. Orchards, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, EZ Orchards, hard cider, oregon, perry, Poire

Review of EZ Orchards’ Poire, a French-style perry. Note that perry (made only from pears) varies from pear cider (made from apples & pears). I’ve tried a few varieties from them–Semi Dry, Roman Beauty, Hawk Haus.

Cider: Poire
Cidery: EZ Orchards
Cidery Location: Rickreall OR
ABV: 5.9%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle
Style: French-style perry made from heirloom & dessert pear varieties

Availability: As seasonally available / while supplies last, at least in OR, WA, IL, and NY.

Cider Description: Poire is named from the French word for “pear”, and is completely appropriate, natural and perfect for this uniquely delicious drink. EZ Orchards Poire is made entirely from estate-grown Forelle, Comice and Bosc winter pears—no apples. The fruit is carefully cleaned, milled and pressed. No yeast is added to the juice and no sulfites are added. Naturally-occurring yeasts are allowed to ferment over months at low temperatures. Finally, when the sugars are depleted—or nearly so—Poire is bottled and allowed to mature and condition. Like all EZ Orchards cider and cidre, it is never released until it is ready.

Cidery Description: The Pioneers who settled Oregon’s Willamette Valley in the 1850’s must have marveled at their good fortune. The soil was rich, the water plentiful, the winters mild, and summers ideal, crops seemed to burst from the ground. For more than 150 years small family farms have dominated the Willamette Valley – one of the most productive and diverse agricultural areas in the world. The Zielinski Family and E.Z. Orchards are part of this history and ongoing commitment to the land.

E.Z. Orchards Willamette Valley Cidre is the culmination of 10 years effort to develop our orchard and refine our fermentation technique. We grow a selection of French, English, and Early American apple varieties. The fruit contain essential characteristics, necessary to impart structure and aroma in our Cidre.

They use traditional French cider making methods–pressing their apples in a rack and cloth press, fermenting with wild yeast in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for 4-6 months, and bottling before fermentation is complete to allow secondary fermentation to take place in the glass.

Price: ~$9
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I remembered that although I haven’t had much luck with enjoying American perries, I have liked a couple French poires, so I thought I’d give it a try.

First Impression: Pale straw yellow hue. Low carbonation with tiny bubbles. Smells of juicy pear, mango, pineapple, lemon, mineral, and vanilla.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Frothy and creamy texture. Moderate carbonation (more than visibly apparent). Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. A hint of tannins. A hint of bitterness. No sourness. No funk. Notes of juicy pear, mango, pineapple, lemon, mineral, and vanilla. Compared to the scent, the pear was less intense and the tropical & citrus were more intense. Moderate length finish. Mild pear intensity. Moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: Refreshing for summer, with subtle complexity, and wine-like qualities. I liked it, as did my husband. This is the first American perry I’ve truly enjoyed. Oddly enough I tend more towards pear ciders, as they typically are more flavorful (although less complex), although neither perry or pear cider is a favorite of mine.

Most Similar to: Nashi Orchards Chojuro Blend Asian Pear Perry (it was also complex, wine-like, and semi-dry, although it had some sourness & funk). The style of Poire seemed in between that of the American and French perries I’ve tried…the American Snowdrift Perry for example had a low flavor intensity, less complexity, and some bitterness…the French perry Domaine Pacory Poire Domfront for example was sweeter, richer, and higher carbonation. Although this perry remained fairly dry, it was complex.

Closing Notes: This was enjoyable. Roman Beauty (cider) remains my favorite from EZ Orchards though. I look forward to trying more from them–I think the only variety I haven’t tried is their Dry.

Have you tried EZ Orchards Poire? What did you think?

Vohu Vein AS Scandinavian Cider Apple Semi-Dry

May 9, 2016May 7, 2016 cidersays review, Scandinavian Cider cider, cider review, cider tasting, Estonia, hard cider, Scandinavian Cider, Vohu Vein AS

Review of Vohu Vein AS’s Scandinavian Cider Apple Semi-Dry, from Estonia (in Northern Europe, on the Baltic Sea). I’ve never tried any of their ciders.

Cider:  Scandinavian Cider, Apple Semi-Dry
Cidery:  Vohu Vein AS
Cidery Location:  Vohu village, Estonia, in the south Baltic Sea shore
ABV: 5.4%
How Supplied: four pack of 12.7oz corked champagne bottles (thick glass)
Style: Norman-style cider made with Baltic apple varieties in Estonia

Availability: Semi wide release

Cider Description: What makes Scandinavian cider a unique one? Special North Europe apples blend. Three basic elements create a structure for cider – acid, tannin, and sweetness. We use our specific mix of Baltic varieties of apples, including (but not limited to) – Tellisaare “,” Alwa “,” Suislepp “,” Liivi Kuldrenett “,” Krugeri tuvioun “,” Talvenauding “, and this gives a unique combination of acid, tannin, and sweetness. The cider professionals came to conclusion that the apples for the production of the specific type of cider must grow precisely in the climate and on the soil where cider will be produced.

Cidery Description: Vohu winery, the producer of Scandinavian Cider, was built in 1967 in Laane-Virumaa county, Vohu village, Estonia, located in the south Baltic Sea shore. Variety of apples grown on the Baltic Sea shores, added to the Nordic traditions of cider producing, make Nordic ciders unique. Almost 50 years of experience gained by Vohu winery makes sure that the Scandinavian cider is consistent with both traditional recipes and modern requirements of the European Union.

In the years of Soviet power in the USSR in the small village Vohu Vein plant for the production of fruit wines he became plant-millionaire. The plant is surrounded by apple orchards with special cider varieties. Its territory is flowing river, full of trout plant endlessly supplying spring water two wells are located here. Guests visiting the factory, admire everything. And especially – competently planned and extremely streamlined production process that combines humane technology of the 18th century with modern technology. The proportion of manual labor takes exactly as long as necessary to “Sunny wine” was alive. “Chip” of the plant – is automatic line, which is the product of blending gravity separation in the filter room and more – up to the bottling line. In the cellars of the plant throughout the year to maintain the same temperature.

In the production of apple cider recipe uses a traditional Norman cider from special varieties of pears, too, is made according to old recipes of the north. Bottles of sparkling cider Scandinavian with the smell of yellow apples, green grapes and golden honey in sodas, decorated modestly in northern reserved. Juicy pear cider spicy taste reminiscent of nutmeg, but softened by a sweet creamy mousse through which emerges a weak note of lemon peel. We hope that the rich taste of apple and pear cider will satisfy the Americans.

Price: $9.99
Where Bought: Whole Foods in the Seattle area
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had never seen or heard of it, and was intrigued enough to pick it up, despite it being a four pack (I usually go for single bottles, and many bottle shops in my area even split multi packs).

First Impression: Pale straw yellow hue. Medium carbonation upon pouring with tiny bubbles. Smells mild, of apple juice.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Mild acidity. A hint of bitterness. A hint of tannins. No sourness or funk. Apple forward, with notes of pomace, yeast, citrus, and mineral. Quick finish length. High apple influence. Moderate to high sessionability.

My Opinion: I started off thinking this was fairly average (and I had been hoping for more richness), but it grew on me, and I ended up really enjoying it. The flavor is fairly simple, but more intense than typical for semi-dry ciders. The ingredient list is a bit disappointing though, as it seems like they use apple juice concentrate (although that is the norm in Europe), sugar, malic acid, and citric acid. I drink what I like though.

Most Similar to: Other apple-forward semi-dry ciders with higher carbonation. I can’t think of any off the top of my head though, as most U.S. ciders are low carbonation due to the tax bracket. Its a bit like French cider, but the flavor isn’t as rich.

Closing Notes: This is a unique cider. From their website it appears they make it solely for import into the U.S., which seems unusual. It seemed well priced, especially considering they had to import those heavy bottles. I’m surprised they didn’t do single bottles. They also make a pear version, but I only saw the apple at Whole Foods.

Have you tried Scandinavian Cider? What did you think?

Woodinville Cider Tasting 2 – Locust & Elemental

May 5, 2016May 1, 2016 cidersays Elemental, Locust, review cider, cider tasting, Elemental, hard cider, Locust, tasting notes, washington, Woodinville

I spent another afternoon in Woodinville Washington, cider tasting at the tap rooms for Locust and Elemental. See my notes here from my last visit.

Locust Mango, 6.0% ABV: Yellow dark straw gold hue. Mild fruity mango scent. Semi-sweet to sweet. Low carbonation with some foam. Medium bodied. Mild tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Real mango flavor with some tropical and honey notes. Quick finish length. Fairly simple, but I liked the moderately intense real mango flavor (although it was a sweet cider, it didn’t have a mango candy flavor).

Locust Elder & Oak, 7.0% ABV: Deep berry hue. Mild scent with hints of berry and oak. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild tannins. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Very textural with berry tannins. Earthy and wine-like. Moderate length finish. Mild to moderate barrel influence. Very low apple influence. Although I’m a fan of barrel aged ciders, I wasn’t into this. I think it was too tannic (although it tasted like that was only from the elderberries, not applies) oddly enough.

Locust Wabi Sabi, 6.9% ABV: Yellow dark straw gold hue. Low carbonation with some foam. Smells mild, acidic, and of citrus. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Mild tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Apple-forward and a bit juice-like. Notes of fresh apple, honey, citrus (although less than the scent), and apple pomace. Quick finish length. I found this to be a very typical sweeter flagship cider.

Elemental Blackberry Cobbler, 6.5% ABV: Deep blackberry hue. Sweet to very sweet. The flavor is very blackberry, but I also picked up a carbohydrate component in the scent and texture (kinda like “cobbler”, although I was told the only other addition was pie spices, which I didn’t pick up). Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Mild acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Quick finish length. I wasn’t really into this, but I imagine it will sell very well. It was a one-off keg as they came into some blackberry concentrate (which I learned is about the most expensive flavor), but they plan to make some other blackberry ciders in the future.

Elemental Pomegranate-Rose, 6.5% ABV: Light pink hue with some foam. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. Mild acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Very mild and smooth with some mild fruitiness. I tried this before too. Its well balanced and refreshing.

Elemental NW Atomic Root Beer, 6.5% ABV: This is a cider-based hard root beer (vs. making an alcoholic root beer with a malt base). I’ve had this a few times before. This time I really enjoyed it…I think its the best batch yet…I tasted more apple than previously, but apparently it was less. The “root beer” is stronger in the scent than the flavor. This doesn’t taste exactly like root beer, but it has a great flavor. Oddly enough this is my favorite cider that Elemental makes. Probably as it has a rich full flavor (I tend towards English & French ciders).

Elemental ‘Carbon’ Dry, 6.5% ABV: Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Apple-forward. Moderate tartness and acidity. Citrus notes with some mineral. A hint of tannins. This tasted between that that of the first two times I tried it. I liked the previous batch a bit more, as it was richer and less tart. Elemental is unique in that they continue to tweak their ciders after release, so although it has the same name, it may be different.

Liberty Ciderworks New World Style

May 4, 2016April 30, 2016 cidersays Liberty, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, liberty, Liberty Ciderworks, Spokane, washington

Review of Liberty Ciderworks’ New World Style. I’ve tried a number of their ciders, including Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal, Crabenstein, English Style, Abbess, Stonewall Dry Fly Whiskey Barrel Aged, Gravenstein, and Cellar Series #G15.

Cider: New World Style
Cidery: Liberty Ciderworks
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 8.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft New World Style cider, made from heirloom apples and crabapples

Availability: Fairly limited. Per the cidery they currently self-distribute to Spokane and Seattle. In Seattle, I have seen them at Capitol Cider, Schilling Cider House, Total Wine, Full Throttle Bottles, and Special Brews. Look for them in bottle shops in WA which specialize in local craft cider. Liberty’s website lists some locations to find their ciders.

Cider Description: A modern take on colonial-era ciders, New World combines Palouse-grown McIntosh, Cortland, Empire and Liberty apples with tiny, flavor-rich Manchurian crabapples. This off-dry cider features soft aromatics, wine-like tannic structure and vanilla overtones. (PNWCA 2014 Bronze Medal Winner)

Cidery Description: Carrying the torch for Artisan Cider. Located in the largest apple-growing region on the planet, Liberty Ciderworks is all about the apple, showcasing the diversity and wonders of locally grown fruit. From well known apples like McIntosh and Jonathan to rare, cider-specific fruit like Kingston Black and Dabinett, Liberty ciders put apples in their proper place: Front and center. We started Liberty Ciderworks in 2013 with a simple, two-part mission: 1) Using apples from local farms and fields, create unique, wonderful ciders, and 2) Share them with friends and neighbors across the great Pacific Northwest. Welcome to the cider revolution. Cheers! Rick & Austin

Liberty has a tap room in Spokane.

Price: ~$9
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’m a fan of Liberty and hadn’t tried this one.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells overall mild–acidic, slightly sour, of citrus and with a slight mustiness.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Astringent but not tannic. Low bitterness. Hints of sourness. No funk. Notes of citrus, honey, light floral, and mineral. Quick to moderate length finish. Low apple influence. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I wasn’t so into this one…it was very acidic, and a bit harsh for my liking. I think with some additional sweetness it would have been more doable for me.

Most Similar to: Other dry acidic ciders.

Closing Notes: My favorite Liberty cider remains their English Style. I look forward to trying more from them, even though I wasn’t a huge fan of this one.

Have you tried Liberty New World Style? What did you think?

Wyder’s Reposado

May 3, 2016April 29, 2016 cidersays review, Wyder's barrel aged, cider, hard cider, pear cider, Reposado, tequila, Wyder's

Review of Wyder’s Reposado, a pear cider aged in tequila barrels.

Cider: Reposado
Cidery: Wyder’s
Cidery Location: Middlebury VT (Woodchuck facility)
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles (and kegs)
Style: commercial American pear cider, aged in tequila barrels

Availability: Wide release

Cider Description: Reposado. The name given to tequilas aged between two and twelve months in oak barrels. The wood aging smoothes out the tequila while infusing it with subtle oak notes. Wyder’s® Reposado Pear cider is an adventurous tango with the classic blue agave based spirit. Traditional Wyder’s® Pear cider infused with smooth subtle oak laden tequila notes. Refreshing pear cider crafted with some inspiration from south of the border.

Cidery Description: Wyder’s® Hard Cider has specialized in eclectic fruit-forward ciders for more than two decades. We figured it was about time our look on the outside of the bottle, matched the artful reality of what is inside the bottle! The liquid remains unchanged; we just updated our look to better fit what we are all about. It’s a pretty hyper-connected world out there, grab a Wyder’s when you’re ready to unplug. We hope you enjoy.

Price: ~$2 / single bottle
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’ve tried this a few times before.

First Impression: Pale straw yellow. Still (no carbonation). Smells of tequila, oak, pear, and sugar.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of sweet pear, tequila, oak, lime, and honey. Very smooth. Medium to long warming finish. Moderate to strong pear flavor. Moderate overall flavor intensity. Moderate sessionability. Mild to moderate barrel influence. High spirit influence.

My Opinion: This is a simple but tasty cider that goes especially well with Mexican food, something that can be said about very few ciders. Its a tad on the sweet side for my tastes though.

Most Similar to: Nothing I know of, although I’ve heard of another cideries doing tequila barrel aged ciders (even of one with pineapple, from Cooked Halo.

Closing Notes: This isn’t a cider I’d want to drink all the time, but its definitely enjoyable when the mood strikes. I paired it with some taco salad.

Have you tried Wyder’s Reposado? What did you think?

Thistly Cross Traditional

May 2, 2016October 21, 2017 cidersays review, Thistly Cross cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Scotland, Scottish, scottish cider, Thistly Cross, Traditional

Review of Thistly Cross Traditional cider, from Scotland. I’ve previously tried this and their Whisky Cask variety.

Cider: Traditional (version for import to U.S.)
Cidery: Thistly Cross
Cidery Location: Dunbar Scotland
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle
Style: Scottish craft cider

Availability: Semi wide release.

Cider Description: Our 6.2% Farmhouse Cider is smooth, refreshing and Thistly Cross’ first born. It’s a classic, farmhouse cider made with a blend of Scottish apples. The 6 month maturation makes it refreshing, smooth & fruity.

Cidery Description: We take care over each step of the cider-making process; from pressing the apples and fermenting with the finest blend of Champagne yeasts, to maturing the cider for at least 6 months to achieve that rounded, smooth Thistly Cross taste. We have the highest standards at every step of the process and compromise nothing for the taste that makes us so deliciously unique.

The Thistly Cross cider family consists of six hand-picked cider varieties, including refreshing strawberry made with real Scottish strawberries from our farm and the complex whisky cask cider – matured in ex-whisky casks (currently from Glen Moray). Our Elderflower-pressed Cider at 4% proves to be quite a talking point but it’s the Original Farmhouse cider at 6.2% that’s most loved across the board. Occasionally we produce limited editions and collaborative brews but these are our core varieties:

Price: $6.49
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, although I’ve previously tried it. I haven’t had Thistly Cross for awhile and thought I’d give it a go.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells mild, of apple juice and not much else.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Still (no detectable carbonation). Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Very apple forward with notes of honey, but otherwise I don’t pick up much else (simple non-complex flavor). Quick finish length. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked this less than I remembered…it tasted very much only like apple juice, and even its effects seemed much less than 6.2%. I’ve come to appreciate much more complexity in my cider, as well as a bit more dryness. When I started drinking cider I was really into their Whisky Cask cider though, which of the two I think I still prefer.

Most Similar to: Woodchuck Amber and other apple-forward sweeter ciders

Closing Notes: If you are a fan of sweet apple-forward cider, Thistly Cross may be a good option. I’ve moved on, but there is a reason they make so many different ciders.

Have you tried Thistly Cross? What did you think?

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