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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

Manoir De Montreuil Cambremer

April 28, 2016April 22, 2016 cidersays Manoir De Montreuil, review Cambremer, cider, cider review, cider tasting, cidre, France, French cidre, hard cider, Manoir De Montreuil

Review of Manoir De Montreuil Cambremer, a cidre from Normandy France (and yes I’m very glad I only need to spell it correctly, not try to pronounce it!). I’m typically more of a fan of Breton than Normand French cidres, but the reviews of this one caught my interest.

Cider: Cambremer
Cidery: Manoir De Montreuil
Cidery Location: Cidre Pays d’Auge, Normandy, France
ABV: 4.5% or 5.0% (the front & back labels contradicted themselves)
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged champagne bottle
Style: keeved Normand French cidre

Availability: semi wide release, international

Description: The Giard family has been producing Calvados in the Pays d’Auge for 11 generations. The Domaine du Montreuil orchard was planted on land formerly covered by the sea, hence its distinctive mineral flavor. They produce this cider in vats that are more than a century old, so you’re getting the classic, traditional-style cider of this region, although it is not too funky. Rustic yes, delicious yes, authentic yes, expensive no.

Price: $10.75
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’m a fan of sweet, bubbly, and rich French ciders, and after looking this one up, it sounded like I’d enjoy it.

First Impression: Pale caramel amber hue. Moderate to high carbonation and foam. Smells yeasty and a bit funky, although fairly simple–mainly of baked apples.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Frothy mouthfeel/texture. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness, acidity, funk, and tannins. No sourness or bitterness. Notes of yeast, baked apple, honey, and caramel. Quick finish length. Moderate apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: The taste of this cider seemed quite in between typical Breton (Brittany) and Normand (Normandy) French ciders. It had the sweetness and approachability of a Breton cider, with a bit of funk of a Normand cider. It avoided the sourness and strong funk of some other Normand ciders I’ve tried though. I don’t mind a bit of funk (often referred to as “barnyard” flavor), but I haven’t yet acquired the taste for sour ciders. Surprisingly my husband was much more put off by the scent of it than I was.

Most Similar to: Other French ciders. It reminds me a lot of Celt, with a bit of funk and more yeast.

Closing Notes: This was a unique and enjoyable cider. It showed me that not all Normand ciders are strongly sour, funky, and dry.

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

Aspall Imperial English Cider (Blue Label)

April 27, 2016April 22, 2016 cidersays Aspall, review aspall, cider, cider review, cider tasting, English Cider, hard cider, imperial

Review of Aspall’s Imperial English Cider. This time I tried the blue labeled version of their Imperial cider, having previously tried the black labeled version. I’ve also tried a number of their other varieties.

Cider: Imperial English Cider
Cidery: Aspall
Cidery Location: Suffolk England
ABV: 8.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: English Imperial

Availability: Semi wide release.

Cider Description: We called this cyder Imperial in honour of our great grandfather JB Chevallier’s success at the Imperial Fruit Show in 1921. Every year we craft a special vintage. This is our 285th….Rich fudgy, tantalising flavour enhanced by bitter-sweet apples from a single year’s crop. Notes of raisins, dates and prunes. Sweet mellow finish.

Apple Composition:
Sweet (35%): Orange Cox Pippin, Royal Gala
Sharp (35%): Bramley Seedling, Howgate Wonder
Bittersweet (30%): Tremlett’s Bitter, Yarlington Mill, Medaille d’Or, Kingston

Cidery Description: Our family cyder-making business was established in 1728 by Clement Chevallier. He planted the orchards at Aspall Hall in Suffolk. The Chevallier family still live and work among Clement’s orchards and today Aspall is run by the eighth generation of the family….Aspall has been home to our family for nine generations. A tiny hamlet north of the small market town of Debenham in mid-Suffolk. It’s a rural and agricultural area characterised by the young river Deben flowing through our orchards.

Price: ~$8
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’ve been curious for awhile if this was the same or different from the black labeled version of Imperial, and now I have my answer.

First Impression: Light copper orange amber hue. Low carbonation. Smells of rich sweet bittersweet apples, caramel, butterscotch, and melted butter.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Mild tannins, tartness, acidity, and bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of bittersweet apples, caramel, butterscotch, orange, apple pomace, and yeast. Moderate length warming finish with more alcohol burn than expected. Strong apple flavor. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: Although I enjoyed this cider, I think it doesn’t even compare to their black label Imperial, which is one of my all time favorite ciders (and I believe an excellent value).

Most Similar to: Other English ciders, such as Aspall, Worley’s, and Sheppy’s, English-style ciders such as from Liberty Ciderworks (English Style and its barrel aged cousin, Stonewall) & Montana Ciderworks (Darby Pub), and ciders with significant bitterness / harshness. The yeast-forward flavor actually reminds me of many French ciders.

Closing Notes: I hope I can find the black label version of this cider again….so far my best guess is that this blue label version replaced it, as I haven’t seen it for awhile. That would be unfortunate.

Have you tried Aspall cider? What did you think?

Cider Brothers William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Wild Cherry

April 26, 2016April 16, 2016 cidersays Cider Brothers, review california, Cherry, cider, Cider Brothers, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Lodi, William Tell

Review of William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Wild Cherry, out of Lodi California. This is one of Cider Brothers’ new flavored William Tell ciders.

>>This is a review of a sample can provided to Cider Says by Cider Brothers. 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: William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Wild Cherry
Cidery: Cider Brothers
Cidery Location: Lodi CA
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans
Style: American commercial cider made from dessert apples, with cherry concentrate

Availability: National distribution.

Apple Varieties: Granny smith, golden russet, gala, fuji, and red delicious (sourced from Washington).

Cider Description: Very complex flavors with a light cherry color. The generous effervescence carries aromas exploding with sour cherry and cinnamon. Flavors continue on the palate with spice and oak tannins. Medium bodied with rich mouthfeel and a hint of cinnamon. Pairings: Hard Cheeses, Fatty Duck, Smoked Meats, Burgers with Blue Cheese

Cidery Description: From early morning through late afternoon, we bring a winemaker’s approach to producing small batches of handcrafted hard apple ciders. It starts with cold fermenting small lots of fresh apple juice to capture the delicate flavors and complex balance that makes this Mother Nature’s most refreshing adult beverage. The result is our refreshing, lightly carbonated artisan cider, produced at our Lodi winery.

The cider brothers are Michael and Paul Scotto. The Scotto family has been in the wine industry for five generations, and Scotto Cellars is among the 30 largest wineries in California. They used their wine background when starting to make cider, and by mistake developed a method they call “frost fermentation”. They put the fresh apple juice into the refrigerated fermenter, as they would do for Chardonnay. They next morning there was a layer of ice on the inside edges and top of the tank. They remove the ice (water) and the result was a sweeter cider with more concentrated and rich flavor. This is more labor and time intensive, but they feel the result is worth it. (it reminds me of the process for ice cider)

Price: n/a (runs ~$3 / can)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Light red hue. Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of mild sweet cherry.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Still (no noticeable carbonation). Medium bodied. Moderate cherry flavor. Mild tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Quick finish. No apple flavor. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I enjoyed this. The cherry flavor tasted fairly “real”. It was flavorful and not too sweet. However, the flavor is quite simple…I didn’t pick up on anything except cherry, far from what was described (which is fine by me, and typical for a flavored cider made from dessert apples).

Most Similar to: Other cherry ciders I’ve tried, such as from Elemental,, Jester & Judge, Julian, Locust, One Tree, Original Sin, Red Tank, Tieton, Washington Gold, and Woodchuck. My favorites of those are from Washington Gold and Woodchuck (the Private Reserve Barrel Aged Cherry).

Closing Notes: I enjoyed this cider, but my favorite of the five William Tell ciders remains the Mango Muscat. I imagine these ciders will do well as they are easy to drink and on the sweeter side.

Have you tried Cider Brothers William Tell? What did you think?

Stem Ciders Le Chene

April 25, 2016April 17, 2016 cidersays review, Stem Ciders barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, Denver, hard cider, Le Chene, Stem

Review of Stem Ciders’ Le Chene, a red zinfandel barrel aged cider from Denver Colorado. This is the first cider I’ve tried from them. They aren’t available in Washington (or anywhere outside of Colorado), but my husband brought me back a bottle. Unfortunately I still haven’t got to try their widely-reviewed “Banjo” bourbon barrel aged cider (I had two people look, but I think its out of season).

Cider: Le Chene
Cidery: Stem Ciders
Cidery Location: Denver Colorado
ABV: 6.4%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider made from traditional cider apples, red zinfandel barrel aged

Availability: Denver metro area, year round, at these retailers.

Cider Description: While it prides itself on being well-rounded, classy and complex, Le Chene is a cider that knows how to have a good time. A blend of fun-loving traditional cider apples are combined, fermented dry and then aged to perfection in oak wine barrels. The end result is a mature cider that puts just the right amount of Civilized into your Debauchery.

Red Zinfandel barrel aged. Smoke, caramel and vanilla on the nose, smooth, velvet mouth feel and slight oak tannin astringency on the finish. (Pronunciation: luh shen)

Cidery Description: At Stem Ciders, we are committed to creating ciders of the highest quality that honor the purity and complexity that is inherent to the apple. We can’t wait to introduce you to your perfect cider match. We are dedicated to reviving the cider tradition, which goes far beyond what you enjoy in your glass. We hold our growers in the highest regard, and by fostering relationships with them we reward their hard work and promote the regrowth of heirloom apple cultivation. We love our home-base in Denver, and embrace the Colorado lifestyle that makes us lug a bottle to share up a mountain to enjoy a drink with a view. Most importantly, we love nothing more than seeing that smile on your face when you have your first sip of one of our crisp, refreshing ciders.

Stem Ciders has a tasting room in Denver.

Price: $10.99
Where Bought: Daveco Liquors in Thornton CO
Where Drank: home
How Found: Stem Ciders’ website. I made my husband a list of ciders I’d be interested in him bringing home from Colorado. 🙂

First Impression: Light straw yellow with the slightest pink tint which actually showed more in the photo than in real life. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells mild, of citrus, oak, green apple, and floral.

Tasting Notes: Dry with hints of residual sugar. Low carbonation. Light to medium bodied. Mild bitterness. Moderate tartness. Moderate to strong acidity. Hints of tannins, sourness, and funk. Notes of citrus, oak, green apple, floral, mineral, stone fruit, baked apple, and vanilla. Moderate length finish. Moderate oak barrel influence. I enjoyed this much more when it breathed and warmed up a bit from fridge temperature…it seemed to smooth it out a bit, and led to some hints of red zinfandel.

My Opinion: This is a probably a wine-lovers cider, which I’m admittedly not. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I truly appreciated its subtle complexity. I think I would have liked to have picked up the smoke and caramel notes mentioned in the description. Also of note is that this cider was a great value–significantly less than comparable ciders in Washington would cost ($10.99 vs. $15-20).

Most Similar to: Sonoma Cider’s Dry Zider, which is also aged in red zinfandel barrels, dry, and wine-like. I prefer Le Chene, which I found to have more oak flavor (but less red zinfandel flavor) and more complexity.

Closing Notes: This is a really unique cider that I’m glad I got to try. I look forward to finding their Banjo cider someday, which seems to make every list of best barrel aged ciders.

Have you tried Stem Ciders? What did you think?

Apple Outlaw Cider Tasting & More at Around The Table

April 22, 2016April 22, 2016 cidersays Apple Outlaw, Elemental, Moonlight Meadery, review Apple Outlaw, Around the Table, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, lynnwood, Round the Table, washington

I recently attended an Apple Outlaw cider tasting at Around the Table, a game pub in Lynnwood Washington, North of Seattle. Its a unique game shop with tables to play at, snacks, and beer/cider/mead/soda/etc on tap. They have quite a tap list, which usually includes a few ciders and a mead (which is more ciders than most places with even more taps have). They’ve had a few other cider tastings prior to this, which include having a mini cider tap takeover and bringing in a cidery representative to pour them and chat.

They had Apple Outlaw’s Ginger Bite, Original, and Tangerine Twist on tap. The rep Meghan also opened a bottle of their Cranberry Jewel while I was there. I met up with Nathan from The Cider Chronicles, who now also works part time for Elemental Hard Cider. He brought a growler of their Pomegranate-Rose cider with him. Around the Table also had Elemental’s NW Atomic Root Beer cider on tap (a cider-based hard root beer, which I reviewed here), and Moonlight Meadery’s Sumptuous Mango mead.

Apple Outlaw is an orchard-based cidery in Applegate Oregon, in the Applegate Valley in the Southern portion of the state. They actually sold non-alcoholic cider (juice) for quite awhile before starting to sell hard cider, which they make from dessert apples. Oddly enough they no longer sell their unfermented juice. Although the place was rather busy, the cider tasting wasn’t, so Nathan and I got to chat with Meghan for awhile. We learned that Apple Outlaw is still on the small side, and mainly family-run. They don’t currently have a tasting room, but their bottled (and draft) ciders have been sold since 2013, and are available in Oregon and Washington.

Elemental Hard Cider Pomegranate-Rose, 6.5% ABV: Light cherry pink hue. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Mild to moderate tartness. I mostly tasted pomegranate, but it was smoother than typical, presumably from the infusion of rose petals (although I didn’t pick up any floral notes). Elemental has infused rose petals with other ciders as well, such as Lavender-Rose (which I reviewed here).

Apple Outlaw Tangerine Twist, 5.5% ABV: Cider with tangerines and hops. It is their Spring/Summer seasonal. Semi-dry. Light bodied. The flavor started distinctly citrus and tart, and the finish was hopped (light bitterness and floral notes).

Apple Outlaw Original Hard Cider, 5.5% ABV: This is their flagship cider. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Mild tartness. Easy to drink and sessionable. Very apple forward (back sweetened).

Apple Outlaw Ginger Bite, 5.5% ABV: Made with Peruvian yellow ginger. Moderate to strong ginger scent. Semi-sweet. I’m not a ginger fan, but this was definitely more approachable for me than most ginger ciders, as most of the ginger remained in the scent…I really didn’t pick up too much ginger flavor. Most of all, it didn’t have any sinus burn. I think the sweetness also helped its approachability. This was described as being great for food pairings.

Apple Outlaw Cranberry Jewel, 5.5% ABV: This was a bottle pour. Made with cranberries, rose hips, and orange peel. I didn’t pick up the rose hips or orange peel (which I only read about later). It was definitely very cranberry (moderate to strong) and tasted juice-like to me. Semi-dry. Moderate tartness. Medium bodied.

Moonlight Meadery Sumptuous Mango Mead, 13.6% ABV: Nathan let me taste the glass he ordered. Very fruity and alcohol-forward, but the mango flavor isn’t particularly strong. Sweet. Moderate tartness. Full bodied. This was the first beverage from Moonlight Meadery that I didn’t think was amazing…I think I much prefer their ciders, meads, and cysers which are more honey-forward, with richer brown sugar type notes (see my prior reviews here). The fruitiness just didn’t seem to mesh with the whole 14% ABV mead vibe. I think as a lower ABV cyser (apple + honey) it would have worked better.

Of the Apple Outlaw selections, I liked the Original best. I’ve previously tried their Oaked Sweet Dark Cherry and Blackberry Bounty ciders on tap. However, none of the Apple Outlaw ciders are really a style I enjoy (and I’m not really a fan of hops, ginger, or cranberry). My favorite ciders are typically richer and/or made from cider apples. Its always fun to try new ciders though!

Snow Capped Cider 6130′ Dry

April 21, 2016April 21, 2016 cidersays review, Snow Capped 6130' Dry, Cedaredge, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, hard cider, Snow Capped Cider

Review of Snow Capped Cider’s 6130′ Dry. My husband brought this back with him when he visited Colorado. Its my first time trying their ciders, and only the second cidery in Colorado I’ve tried ciders from (previously I tried two from Big B’s; see here).

Cider: 6130′ Dry
Cidery: Snow Capped Cider
Cidery Location: Cedaredge CO
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz bottles
Style: American craft cider from heirloom apples infused with vanilla, molasses, and oak

Availability: Year round, currently only in Colorado (especially Aspen, Telluride, Grand Junction, and Boulder). They were self distributed up to 6 months ago, and are now with Tivoli Distributing with plans to move into other states next year (2017).

Cider Description: Snow Capped Ciders is part of the Williams Cellars family of wines and ciders. We are located in Cedaredge, Colorado – the heart of Colorado’s fruit growing country. We have 5 generations of fruit growing experience in our own orchards. We pride ourselves in being a family run business creating hand-crafted wines and ciders for your enjoyment.

Our ciders are made from hand-pressed apples picked from our own orchards. Our altitude of 6180 ft. creates warm days and cool nights – perfect for conditions for growing superior apples.

Our cider production facility is located in the AppleShed in Cedaredge, CO. The AppleShed was once an actual fruit packing shed which we have remodeled into one of the premier shopping spots on the Western Slope of Colorado. In addition to our cider and wine production areas the AppleShed contains art galleries, a restaurant, specialty shops and so much more.

We create ciders as the seasons change, as our mood changes. We embrace the wonderful local farm products that Colorado has to offer. Resulting in a true all Colorado, ‘Branch to bottle’ product.

Only a few fortunate people have had the experience of being in a Colorado orchard on a crisp October morning. Frost on the ground. The smell of ripe apples like perfume in the air. Picking an apple straight from the branch, the crisp snap when you bite into it. Perfectly balanced with sweetness and acidity. These are the only apples that go into a small handcrafted batch of Snow Capped Cider.

Cidery Description: A three apple blend that uses mostly heirloom apples to which we infuse hints of vanilla, molasses, and oak for a robust flavor experience.

I was told they use oak spirals and tannins for this cider. They actually grow everything themselves for their ciders (the apples and any fruits added), and source local ingredients for the rest (such as herbs). They currently offer 17 ciders, mostly on the drier end, including a Cider Makers Reserve made with 100% cider apple varieties. (Thanks to Kari Williams at Snow Capped for the extra info!).

Price: $10.98 / four pack
Where Bought: Hazel’s Beverage World in Boulder CO
Where Drank: home
How Found: My husband picked this up when he was in Colorado. I had given him a list of ciders to look out for (of which he found three), and he also found this one which I hadn’t found info online about. He knows I love barrel aged ciders, and the sales person said it was barrel aged. However, its actually only oak infused (which can actually impart more oak flavor quicker and less expensively, although in a different way than barrel aging).

First Impression: Golden dark straw yellow hue. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of baked apple, honey, brown sugar, and oak.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Strong tartness. Moderate acidity. A hint of tannins. No sourness, bitterness, or funk. Medium bodied. Low to moderate carbonation. Notes of baked apple, honey, brown sugar, oak, green apple, and citrus. The flavor starts quite tart and a bit sweet than mellows out and ends rather dry with some richness. Moderate length finish. Moderate apple influence. Low oak influence (other folks may say higher, but I have quite a high threshold for oakiness). Moderate to high sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Tasty. I didn’t however pick up any molasses or vanilla, although I imagine they contributed to the other flavors I did pick up. It was however too tart for my liking (I imagine with more sweetness it would have been easier to tolerate). I liked the lack of bitterness, which I think would have been easy to have with this type of cider. I also enjoyed the overall flavor and slight richness. I’ll fathom a guess that a crabapple or similar heirloom variety was used, based on the flavor, tartness, richness, and hints of tannins. Crabapples are often a work around to a lack of cider apple varieties to impart some of the same qualities.

Most Similar to: This is probably one of the most tart ciders I’ve had (even compared to those flavored with cranberry, black currant, etc). However, it had some of those sweet & rich but not overly fruity type flavor notes, so I have trouble thinking of anything specifically similar. Its definitely unique, especially for a flagship type multipack cider, which tend to be unflavored and on the boring side.

Closing Notes: I liked this cider, and I think for Colorado folks its a great multipack option. When craft ciders are sold in multipacks they typically cost much less per ounce than when sold in a larger bottle.

Have you tried Snow Capped Cider? What did you think?

Cider Brothers William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider

April 20, 2016April 16, 2016 cidersays Cider Brothers, review cider, Cider Brothers, cider review, cider tasting, Dry Hard Apple Cider, hard cider, William Tell

Review of William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider from Cider Brothers, out of Lodi California. This is one of Cider Brothers’ original release ciders (also sold as Pacific Coast Cider).

Cider: William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider
Cidery: Cider Brothers
Cidery Location: Lodi CA
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans (and 22oz bottles)
Style: American commercial cider made from dessert apples

Availability: National distribution. I’ve only seen this variety in the Seattle area in large bottles though (under both the William Tell and Pacific Coast Cider brands).

Apple Varieties: Granny smith, golden russet, gala, fuji, and red delicious (sourced from Washington).

Cider Description: Beautiful, clean and effervescent with a wisp of pale gold and a tint of green on the edge. The tiny bubbles are very active with enticing apple aromas that jump out of the glass. Green apple, and lemon and lime notes round out the aromatics. Hits the palate with carbonation, tartness and a hint of tannin balanced by ripe green apple and lime, leading to a creamy richness in the finish. Pairings: Oysters, Charcuterie, Aged Cheeses, Session-Style Drinking

Price: n/a (runs ~$3 / can)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Very light straw yellow. Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of green apple candy, citrus, and floral.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Still (no perceptible carbonation). Mild to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of green apple, citrus, mineral, blossom, and floral. Medium bodied. Quick finish. Low apple flavor. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I definitely got the ubiquitous green apple Jolly Rancher candy flavor here, although less so than the version of this cider with Pinot Grigio. I was also surprised by how sweet it tasted vs. the listed 7 grams of sugar per 12oz (which would be dry to semi-dry). The long ingredient list is a bit disappointing too (sugar, water, natural flavor…).

Most Similar to: Woodchuck Granny Smith, Cider Brothers William Tell Hard Apple Cider with Pinot Grigio, and other sweeter green apple type ciders.

Closing Notes: Although I didn’t really care for this cider, plenty of other folks do. What one person dislikes about a cider is what another person enjoys. Its always nice to try new ciders. So far their Mango Muscat continues to be my favorite, although I still have a can of the cherry variety left to try.

Have you tried Cider Brothers William Tell? What did you think?

Alpenfire Cider Glow

April 19, 2016April 10, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire, review Alpenfire, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Glow, hard cider, Hidden Rose, red fleshed, single varietal

Review of Alpenfire Cider’s Glow rosé cider, made from red-fleshed Hidden Rose apples. I’ve tried a number of their ciders; see here. They also make a Methode Champenoise version of this cider called Cinders, which is quite different; see my tasting notes on that cider here.

Cider: Glow
Cidery: Alpenfire Cider
Cidery Location: Port Townsend WA
ABV: 8.2%
How Supplied: 750 ml bottles
Style: American craft single varietal cider from Hidden Rose red-fleshed apples

These are actually a dessert apple variety (rare for Alpenfire, as they use primarily cider and heirloom apple varieties). Hidden Rose apples are rare in the U.S. as the majority are shipped to Japan, where they can fetch $12-$15 per apple! They tried to grow these in the Alpenfire orchard, but they weren’t thriving in the cool climate, so now they source them from Oregon, where the variety was discovered in the 1960s.

Availability: Likely only in Western Washington. This is part of their Burnt Branch Reserve, so it also isn’t as prevalent as some of their other varieties such as Pirate’s Plank.

Cider Description: Glow is a single varietal rosé cider. The color in this unique cider comes not from the skin like in a wine rosé, but from the bright red flesh of the Hidden Rose apple. This incredible apple makes a cider with a crisp acidity and a tropical fruit flavor.

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

Price: $28
Where Bought: the Alpenfire cidery (although it is available near me in the Seattle area)
Where Drank: home
How Found: I was there for a tasting (my first time trying Glow). See my post here.

First Impression: Beautiful deep rosé hue. Smells sweet & apple forward (reminds me of ice cider) and fruity (strawberries & watermelon). Almost no carbonation upon pouring.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to sweet. Moderate to high tartness when I first opened it, but after sitting overnight it was down to mild tartness. Moderate acidity. A hint of bitterness and tannins. No sourness. Still. Medium bodied. Notes of sweet apple, cherry, strawberry, and watermelon. The flavor starts tart and finishes sweet. Moderate finish length. Moderate to strong apple influence. Low to moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: Awesome! I love how unique, flavorful, and fruity this is. However, I like it better when it is lower tartness (I think the complexity can better shine through). So, when I have this again, I’ll let it breathe first.

Most Similar to: The only other rosé red-fleshed apple cider I’ve had is Snowdrift Red. That one is closer to $20 and has greater distribution, but isn’t a single varietal. I find Snowdrift Red to be slightly drier and much higher carbonated. Both cider are fairly tart and very fruity.

Closing Notes: Another winner from Alpenfire. This is one of my favorites from them. I think my absolute favorite however is Smoke. I love that they make such a wide range of ciders, and have a real commitment to being a small artisan cidery who produces outstanding ciders (and vinegars).

Have you tried Alpenfire Glow? What did you think?

Cider Brothers William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Pinot Grigio

April 18, 2016April 16, 2016 cidersays Cider Brothers, review california, cider, Cider Brothers, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Lodi, pinot grigio, William Tell

Review of William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Pinot Grigio from Cider Brothers, out of Lodi California. This is one of Cider Brothers’ original release ciders (also sold as Pacific Coast Cider).

Cider: William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Pinot Grigio
Cidery: Cider Brothers
Cidery Location: Lodi CA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans (and 22oz bottles)
Style: American commercial cider made from dessert apples, with 15% Pinot Grigio grape wine

Availability: National distribution. I’ve only seen this variety in the Seattle area in large bottles though (under both the William Tell and Pacific Coast Cider brands).

Apple Varieties: Granny smith, golden russet, gala, fuji, and red delicious (sourced from Washington).

Cider Description: DRY HARD APPLE WITH PINOT GRIGIO is a unique blend of freshly fermented Hard Apple Cider and premium California Pinot Grigio. We start with fresh juice from five types of apples and ferment it in three lots, each with different yeast to add flavor complexity. Then comes the creative touch: we add 15% of our Pinot Grigio and then Frost Ferment the blend to concentrate the fresh apple and wine character and enhance the flavors. If Frost Fermentation doesn’t sound familiar, it’s because we invented this technique to create our Pinot Grigio cider.

With pale straw color & perfect clarity. The candied apple aromas are layered with hints of crisp Pinot Grigio. Significant effervescence hits the palate with candied apple flavors and lime, citrus and Pinot Grigio accents, followed by a soft, lingering finish and a little tannic bite.

Pairings: White Meats, Asia-Themed Pork, Crab and Shrimp.

Price: n/a (runs ~$3 / can)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Very light straw yellow with a slight green tint. Very low carbonation upon pouring with some large clinging bubbles. Smells of green apple candy, citrus, and white grape.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Still (no perceptible carbonation). Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of green apple, citrus, white grape, mineral, blossom, and floral. Although it is full-flavored, it also tastes a bit watered down, yet medium bodied…my palate was a bit confused! Quick finish. Low apple influence. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Although I enjoyed the first part of the first couple sips, I definitely got the ubiquitous green apple Jolly Rancher candy flavor here. I was also surprised by how sweet it tasted vs. the listed 6 grams of sugar per 12oz (which would be dry to semi-dry). The long ingredient list is a bit disappointing too (sugar, water, natural flavor…).

Most Similar to: Woodchuck Granny Smith, and other sweeter green apple type ciders.

Closing Notes: Although I didn’t really care for this cider, plenty of other folks do (even Cider Journal gave it 3.5/5 stars!). What one person dislikes about a cider is what another person enjoys. Its always nice to try new ciders. So far their Mango Muscat continues to be my favorite, although I still have cans of the original and cherry varieties left to try.

Have you tried Cider Brothers William Tell? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 14 Tasting Notes

April 15, 2016April 13, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, Cockrell, Red Tank, Rev Nat's, review, Schilling cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, seattle, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my fourteenth 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 Saturday afternoon with my husband and a friend, who was here from out of state.

I started with a flight of four ciders.

2 Towns Return of the Mac, Corvallis OR, 8.9% ABV: This is an unfiltered special release cider made with McIntosh apples, tap-only. Darker slightly unfiltered hue. Semi-sweet. Smells and tastes very apple-forward. Mild tartness and acidity. A hint of bitterness. Medium bodied. Simple in flavor, but tasty. This reminds me some of their Out Cider, but its sweeter and even more apple-forward.

Red Tank Sour Cherry, Bend OR, 5.4% ABV: A seasonal tap-only release made with Montmorency cherries. Mild cherry hue and scent. Semi-dry. Mild to moderate tartness and mild acidity. There was (thankfully) no sourness, so I think this could be more accurately called Tart Cherry not Sour Cherry. Light bodied. True but mild cherry flavor.

Reverend Nat’s Hallelujah Hopricot, Portland OR, 6.7% ABV: This is their flagship cider, but I’m not a huge hops fan, so I hadn’t tried it. My husband however requested I get a taster (he’s a big Rev Nat’s fan). Semi-dry. Very mild floral scent. Mild tartness and medium acidity with a hint of bitterness. Medium bodied. Stone fruit, floral, citrus, and hops notes. The hops remained quite mild, more floral & citrus than hops.

Schilling Cider Raspberry Smoothie, Auburn WA, 3.5% ABV: This is a new tap-only release, and literally a smoothie. I imagine this wouldn’t have the shelf life of a regular cider due to its high fruit content and low alcohol content. I couldn’t taste any alcohol or apples, but it was quite tasty and refreshing on a warm day. Semi-sweet. Mild to moderate tartness. Very raspberry-forward, and they definitely used the real thing. Very full bodied. I actually ordered a full pint of this one, although that ended up being a bit much for me (it was quite filling, although I think it was just cider and fresh raspberries).

While I was there they tapped a new keg, Cockrell Brewing’s Edgewood Heirloom cider. I asked for a taste.

Cockrell Brewing Edgewood Heirloom, Puyallup WA, 6.5% ABV: This is their first cider made exclusively with apples from their own farm. Smells mild, of crisp apples, champagne yeast, and citrus. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied. Mild tartness and acidity. Mildly flavored. Apple-forward.

My favorite was surprisingly the Raspberry Smoothie (I’d be interested in some background info on that one…very unique). I also really liked 2 Towns Return of the Mac. The Red Tank Sour Cherry, Rev Nat’s Hallelujah Hopricot, and Cockrell Edgewood were all rather average for me.

I actually didn’t buy any bottles, as I have quite a few at home at the moment.

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

One Tree Hard Cider Dark Cherry

April 14, 2016April 13, 2016 cidersays One Tree, review Cherry, cherry cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dark Cherry, hard cider, One Tree, Spokane, washington

Review of One Tree’s Dark Cherry Cider. I’ve tried a few of their ciders–see here.

Cider: Dark Cherry
Cidery: One Tree Hard Cider
Cidery Location: Spokane Valley WA
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with cherries added

Availability: This is a new release which appears to be year round, in Idaho, Montana, and Washington (soon to be in Oregon).

Cider Description: Welcome to flavor town my friend. Step into the ring with a cherry hard cider that drops the press (get it?!) on the apples and makes them ride passenger! This is what cherry cider is supposed to taste like, bold & delicious. Lift your pinky finger cider friends! This one is for you!

Cidery Description: Founded in 2014, One Tree Hard Cider has quickly become a well-known, and highly sought after cider in the Pacific Northwest. We believe in bold, flavor-forward profiles using fruit sourced in our home state of Washington. We are naturally gluten-free, and use only the highest quality, natural ingredients. Customers love our bold flavor profiles, with ciders such as Lemon Basil and Caramel Cinnamon leading the pack.

They have a tasting room in Spokane Washington.

Price: $10.75
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles
Where Drank: home
How Found: I saw this was available on their Facebook page, and it sounded interesting. This is my first time reviewing a bottle from One Tree (previously I’ve only tried it on tap).

First Impression: Deep cherry hue. Low carbonation and foam upon pouring. Strong tart cherry scent.

Tasting Notes: Sweet. Definitely sweet. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. It has an almost frothy mouthfeel. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. The apple is well-hidden by the cherry flavor. I really didn’t pick up many other flavors besides cherry, which was strong…maybe some strawberries and watermelon? High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked the strong cherry flavor, but it was too sweet for my liking. I only had half the bottle / 11oz (I had someone to share it with for once), but even that was too much. The sweetness is pretty on-par with their other ciders I’ve tried.

Most Similar to: Other sweeter full-flavored ciders with cherries / cherry juice added, such as from Woodchuck and Washington Gold.

Closing Notes: My favorite cherry cider remains the one from Washington Gold, which I find to be less sweet than this one. For fans of sweet ciders however, I think One Tree’s Dark Cherry cider will be a big hit (as all their other varieties have been).

Have you tried One Tree Dark Cherry? What did you think?

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