Virtue Cider Cherry Mitten

March 10, 2016March 12, 2016 cidersays review, Virtue barrel aged, bourbon, Cherry, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Michigan, Mitten, Virtue

Review of Virtue Cider’s Cherry Mitten, a cherry version of their The Mitten bourbon barrel aged cider made using only Michigan apples. Virtue sent me a sample bottle of this along with some swag and a replacement bottle of their regular Mitten cider (which I reviewed here), as from my original review they suspected it had refermented.

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

Cider: Cherry Mitten
Cidery: Virtue Cider
Cidery Location: Fennville MI
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 750ml green champagne bottle, capped
Style: American craft bourbon barrel aged cider made from culinary & heirloom apples, Michigan cherries, and Ale yeast

Availability: Very limited release of only 300 bottles (~~in Michigan~~ in their tasting room only), plus a few kegs made it to Chicago IL (including Cider Summit). However, in general, Virtue cider may be available in GA, MD, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PN, RI, VA, VT, IL, ID, KY, MI, MN, OH, WI, CA, OR, WA, & TX.

Cider Description: When the leaves fall, there’s a chill in the air and the evening greedily takes hours from daylight, we stand strong and embrace the wintertime. It’s a time of rich foods, roaring fires and our favorite sweaters. Drinks change from refreshing to intense and satisfying. The Mitten is a Winter cider, a blend of last seasons best, aged in bourbon barrels, with the new season’s fresh pressed apple juice. Straight cider, aged for 3 seasons, finds notes of vanilla, caramel and charred American oak, balanced with the best of the orchard, over-ripe apples and their sweet, tart, earthy juice. Many barrels are filled, but only a small portion, the very smoothest, will find their way into The Mitten. We love wintertime, especially when we have The Mitten to keep us warm and happy through the long, cold night.

See Virtue’s info page on the regular version of this cider. For the cherry version, they added tart cherries from their next door neighbor’s 80 acre cherry farm, and described the cider as having a mild acetic finish.

Cidery Description: Virtue Farm is located in Southwest Michigan, part of the state’s thriving Cider Coast. Michigan’s Cider Coast boasts 200 miles of apple orchards, changing leaves, and stunning vistas best enjoyed with a glass of crisp cider. All along the coast, great cider being made by a bevy of wonderful cider makers, all working hard to revive dozens of varieties of heirloom apples ideal for juicing and fermenting. Virtue Cider is proud to be part of this burgeoning revival of an important Michigan tradition.

They have a tasting room. Also see this page on their barrel aging program.

Price: n/a (probably retails for $20+)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Bright cherry hue. Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells sour with hints of cherry, yeast, and apples.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Mild to moderate sourness and tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, funk, or tannins. Frothy mousse-like mouthfeel. Light bodied. Mild cherry flavor, but also some citrus, honey, vinegar, and floral notes. Long sour finish at the back of the palate. Low apple influence. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I can see the appeal of this cider (which is a true sour cherry, not tart cherry), but I’m just not a fan of sour ciders. For some reason they seem to overwhelm my palate and I have a touch time detecting or appreciating much else about them. My husband enjoyed this more than I did and gladly finished the bottle, but it was a bit sour even for him. I’m surprised how often I see reviews of ciders I found sour which don’t even mention that fact, so there is definitely a disclaimer on this review that the sourness may not be nearly as significant for other folks.

Also note that often the terms sour and tart are used interchangeably, but I find them quite different. Tart is much more common and hits more forward on the palate (green apple and citrus are examples), while sour is lingering and hits further back on the palate (its common with Spanish Sidra, certain English & French ciders, and wild fermented ciders).

Most Similar to: I’ve had a number of cherry ciders, such as from Woodchuck, Washington Gold, Locust, Elemental, Tieton, Jester & Judge, Julian, and Original Sin, but none were sour. I’ve heard of Reverend Nat’s Sacrilege Sour Cherry, but haven’t tried it.

Closing Notes: I’m glad I got to try this cider, especially as its such a limited release. Hopefully I’ll get to try more ciders from Virtue in the future.

Have you tried Virtue Cider Cherry Mitten? What did you think?

Virtue The Mitten Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider – 2014 Harvest

March 9, 2016March 9, 2016 cidersays review, Virtue barrel aged, bourbon, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Michigan, Mitten, Virtue

Review of Virtue Cider’s The Mitten, a bourbon barrel aged cider made using only Michigan apples. I previously reviewed a prior release of this cider (see here), which must have been their 2012 or 2013 harvest release. Virtue contacted me saying I may have had a bad bottle that re-fermented, and wanted to send a replacement. They also sent a bottle of their new Cherry version of this cider and some sweet swag.

Cider: The Mitten
Cidery: Virtue Cider
Cidery Location: Fennville MI
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 750ml green champagne bottle, capped (also available in kegs)
Style: American craft bourbon barrel aged cider made from culinary & heirloom apples and Ale yeast

Even the bottle is quite different from the last one I tried…it includes Nutrition Facts (a rarity with craft cider), and white shrink wrap around the top. The shrink wrap was quite an annoyance, ~~but I assume it better protects the cap from letting air in~~ but I learned it was only an extra precaution for shipping, so you’re unlikely to see it.

Availability: Limited release, winter seasonal. Virtue cider may be available in GA, MD, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PN, RI, VA, VT, IL, ID, KY, MI, MN, OH, WI, CA, OR, WA, & TX.

See Virtue’s info page on this cider.

They have a tasting room. Also see this page on their barrel aging program. The barrel aged portion of this cider was aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels at least 9 months.

Price: n/a (retails for $20+)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of apple, yeast, citrus, oak, and sourness.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Nearly still. Light to medium bodied. Moderate acidity. Mild to moderate tartness. Hints of bitterness, tannins, and sourness. No funk. Notes of citrus, floral, oak, yeast, honey, and vanilla. Slightly wine-like (interesting as its made with beer yeast). Moderate length finish. Mild apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Very low barrel influence. No detectable bourbon influence.

This varied quite a bit from my previous review of a different release (which the cidery suspected had refermented). That one had high carbonation (frothy and almost mousse-like), moderate bitterness, no sourness, and notes of ripe apple, bourbon, vanilla, oak, and caramel. This time there wasn’t nearly as much barrel & spirit influence and I didn’t pick up the caramel flavor, but it was also lacking the bitterness I wasn’t a fan of.

My Opinion: The two releases were quite different. There were elements of each I liked and didn’t like. Specifically, the texture and stronger bourbon & oak barrel flavor in the earlier release and the lack of bitterness in this release. Overall I definitely enjoyed this cider, but same as previously, it didn’t really knock my socks off as much as it did for some other reviewers, such as Cider Journal and the Not So Professional Beer Blog. Every person and palate is different though.

Most Similar to: This one was unique as I picked up a wide variety of flavor notes, but I found some similarities to 2 Towns The Bad Apple.

Closing Notes: I’m glad I got to try this cider again, as well as its Cherry cousin, which I will review soon. Hopefully I’ll get to try more ciders from Virtue in the future.

Have you tried Virtue Cider The Mitten? What did you think?

Angry Orchard – Orchard’s Edge – The Old Fashioned

March 7, 2016March 8, 2016 cidersays Angry Orchard, review Angry Orchard, bourbon, Cherry, cider, cider review, hard cider, oak, Old Fashioned, orange, Orchard's Edge

Review of The Old Fashioned, one of two new releases from Angry Orchard, part of their new Orchard’s Edge series, an “innovative line of ciders developed at the orchard”. It is modeled after the Old Fashioned cocktail, which often includes whiskey, water, bitters, sugar, and muddled cherries & oranges. The series also includes Knotty Pear, which I reviewed here. This is their latest release since Stone Dry, part of their Core selection, which I reviewed here.

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Angry Orchard. 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: Orchard’s Edge The Old Fashioned
Cidery: Angry Orchard
Cidery Location: Walden NY (their R&D facility)
Cider Production Locations: Cincinnati OH & Breingsville PA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles
Style: American commercial cider from dessert apples aged with charred bourbon barrel staves, dried cherries, and orange peel

Availability: Year round, nationwide, released in late February

Cider Description: The Old Fashioned is made with a blend of American apples and is aged on oak with dried tart cherries, California grown navel orange peel, and charred bourbon barrel staves, offering citrus and cherry aromas with a bright apple flavor and slight vanilla notes. It has lasting tannins and a full, round mouthfeel.

Apple Varieties: Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith

Ingredients: Hard cider, water, cane sugar, orange peel, malic acid, cherries, natural flavor, carbon dioxide, and sulfites

Price: n/a (suggested retail of $10.99-$11.99 / six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Angry Orchard sent me two bottles of Old Fashioned and two bottles of Knotty Pear (and my favorite, large quantities of bubble wrap!). Oddly enough this was a couple weeks after I started seeing info about these online from folks trying it. Things do take awhile to get to me in Seattle all the way from the East coast though.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Still (no carbonation). Smells acidic, slightly sour, with hints of oak and orange.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Medium bodied. It starts with acidity and finishes with fruitiness (although not specifically cherry), citrus, oak, and honey. Moderate acidity. Mild tartness. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins (the sourness I smelled didn’t continue into the flavor). Moderate length finish with slight warming and hints of bourbon. Moderate apple flavor. Mild oak influence.

My Opinion: Although it is far from craft cider, this is one of my current favorite commercial ciders, along with the new Woodchuck Barrel Aged Cherry. It has a bit of complexity, isn’t crazy sweet, and isn’t too “fake” tasting either. Definitely a better option than their Crisp Apple and even Stone Dry (although I think their Traditional Dry is pretty ok). Unfortunately I only ever see Crisp Apple when going out, which I won’t pay for as I think it tastes like alcoholic apple juice and I don’t get $4-$6 enjoyment out of a bottle.

Most Similar to: The citrus and oak notes remind me of ciders such as Schilling King’s Shilling and Crispin 15 Men, both of which were also fuller bodied.

Closing Notes: I think Angry Orchard is making an attempt at stepping up their game. However, I’ll take them more seriously when the ingredient list doesn’t include water, sugar, and natural flavor.

Have you tried Angry Orchard The Old Fashioned? What did you think?

Sonoma Cider The Anvil

August 1, 2015August 3, 2015 cidersays review, Sonoma Cider bourbon, cider, cider review, hard cider, hard cider review, Sonoma Cider, The Anvil

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

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

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?

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