Wandering Aengus Golden Russet

February 12, 2016February 7, 2016 cidersays review, Wandering Aengus cider, cider review, cider tasting, Golden Russet, hard cider, oregon, Salem, single varietal, Wandering Aengus

Review of Wandering Aengus Golden Russet, a single varietal cider from Salem Oregon. I’ve previously tried their Bloom, Wickson, Oaked Dry, Wanderlust, and Byrd (tap only) ciders. Wandering Aengus also makes Anthem cider, sold in four packs.

Cider: Golden Russet
Cidery: Wandering Aengus Ciderworks
Cidery Location: Salem OR
ABV: 9.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and limited quantity of kegs)
Style: Single varietal craft cider made from Golden Russet apples

Availability: CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, MI, MT, NM, NJ, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WA D.C. per this list on their website.

Cider Description: Made from Golden Russet apples grown organically in Ashland Oregon. Described as having “rich honey aromas”. Suggested pairings of roasted duck or aged fontina cheese. 1,200 cases of 12 bottles and 60 kegs bottled Match 2015 from the 2014 harvest.

Cidery Description: At Wandering Aengus Ciderworks we press and blend over 20 cider apple varietals to craft our ciders. Our cider specific apples originate from France, England, and pre-prohibition America, but are grown now in Oregon. These heirloom varieties are essential for the depth of flavor, excellent body, and delightnful aromatics of our distinctive ciders. All our ciders are always GLUTEN FREE.

They have a tasting room in Salem Oregon open Fridays 4-8pm.

Price: $8.99
Where Bought: Whole Foods
Where Drank: home
How Found: The Hard Cider Appreciation Society group on Facebook had a couple members mention they really enjoyed this cider. I haven’t been a huge fan of any Wandering Aengus cider, but wanted to give this one a try.

First Impression: Light golden bronze amber. Very low carbonation, large bubbles. Smells like acidic & tannic apples, honey, yeast, and caramel.

Tasting Notes: On the drier side of semi-dry. Moderate acidity and tartness. Low bitterness and tannins. A hint of sourness. No funk. Caramel and honey notes. Medium bodied. Slightly creamy buttery type texture. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I found this a bit less bitter than most of the other Wandering Aengus ciders I’ve tried. The tartness seemed to overpower the flavor a bit, but I liked the caramel and honey notes.

Most Similar to: Wandering Aengus Oaked Dry and Wanderlust.

Closing Notes: This was nice to try, but not my type of cider. I think with a bit less tartness and bitterness I would have enjoyed it though, as the flavor notes were really nice. I imagine I may have liked it better too if I had appropriately paired it, but I ended up drinking most of the bottle before dinner.

Have you tried Wandering Aengus ciders? What did you think?

Flatbed Cider Pear Cider

February 11, 2016February 8, 2016 cidersays Flatbed, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Flatbed, hard cider, oregon, pear cider, washington

Review of Flatbed Cider’s Pear Cider. They are a new cidery (launched in January) which currently offers Crisp Apple and Pear Cider varieties.

Cider: Pear Cider
Cidery: Flatbed Cider (owned by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates)
Cidery Location: Milton-Freewater OR (made by Blue Mountain)
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles
Style: American craft cider
Ingredients: hard apple cider, pear juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, sulfites

Availability: OR and WA

Cider Description: A whole lot of passion goes into crafting Flatbed Pear Cider. Northwest-grown pears deliver a burst of crisp, sparkling refreshment with a clean finish. Naturally sweeter than its Crisp Apple cousin (but not too sweet), Flatbed Pear Cider is the perfect choice for taming spicy foods and classing up a donut.

(the pear juice concentrate addition is from Bartlett pears)

Cidery Description: The Northwest stokes our passion to create exceptional ciders. And, since the best apples in America, arguably the world, come from the Northwest, it makes sense that it carries our local stamp. Flatbed Ciders are made with local apples picked at their peak and pressed into a mixture that’s equal parts crisp and refreshing. A cider that’s truly Northwest of normal. No artificial ingredients, no sugar added, no shenanigans. Flannel up and enjoy!

Price: $9.99-$10.99 (although I bought a single bottles for $2)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: I read about Flatbed Cider online and have already seen them at a number stores, but waited until I could buy a single bottle of each variety.

First Impression: Dark straw yellow. Low carbonation, medium bubbles. Smells like apple, pear, tropical fruit, and champagne yeast.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Low acidity and tartness. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Medium bodied. Notes of apple, pear, citrus, tropical fruit, and honey. Quick finish. Moderate apple flavor and full flavored in general. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I thought this was pretty average. Its a bit sweet and the flavor is kinda on the pear juice and syrupy side.

Most Similar to: Other semi-sweet pear ciders (apple cider with pear juice or pear juice concentrate added) such as Crispin Pacific Pear, Spire Mountain Sparkling Pear, and Woodchuck Pear.

Closing Notes: I liked Flatbed’s Crisp Apple variety better. This was a bit more ordinary and commercial tasting.

Have you tried Flatbed Cider? What did you think?

Flatbed Cider Crisp Apple

February 9, 2016February 8, 2016 cidersays Flatbed, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Crisp Apple, Flatbed, hard cider, oregon, washington

Review of Flatbed Cider’s Crisp Apple. They are a new cidery (launched in January) which currently offers Crisp Apple and Pear Cider varieties.

Cider: Crisp Apple
Cidery: Flatbed Cider (owned by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates)
Cidery Location: Milton-Freewater OR (made by Blue Mountain)
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles
Style: American craft cider
Ingredients: hard apple cider, apple juice concentrate, sulfites

Availability: OR and WA

Cider Description: Flatbed Crisp Apple Cider is all natural. Jonagold apples deliver the balance and acidity behind Flatbed’s exceptionally bright taste. Red Delicious apples provide tannin structure. Golden Delicious apples add a rustic apple character with a twist of subtle sweetness. And, heirloom varietals hand-selected from batch-to-batch add to the Northwest charm. With a taste that leans toward the drier side and delivers cool refreshment, Flatbed Crisp Apple Cider pairs with nearly anything that comes from the sea, farm or food cart.

First Impression: Light straw yellow. Low carbonation, a mix of small and large bubbles. Smells of dry, tart, and acidic apple with champagne yeast, citrus, and floral notes.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. Light bodied. Very low carbonation. Citrus and honey notes. Quick finish. Moderate apple flavor and flavor in general. High sessionability.

My Opinion: This is one of my favorite craft ciders from dessert apples that I’ve had. Its odd they chose to use concentrate in addition to fresh juice, although that adds more apple flavor.

Most Similar to: Tod Creek Tod Cider Vancouver Island, which was also semi-dry with distinct citrus notes (but made from Golden, Granny, Sparton, Macintosh, and Jona apples).

Closing Notes: I thought this cider was pretty tasty. I’m curious to try their Pear Cider next.

Have you tried Flatbed Cider? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 10 Tasting Notes

February 5, 2016February 5, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, review, Schilling 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling, tap night, tap takeover, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my tenth visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts here. I was there for another 2 Towns tap takeover event (reminiscent of the previous one I attended during WA Cider Week), although this one was specifically to release Riverwood Brut (this year’s version of the cider, switching from their Traditions to 2 Towns label) and The Dark Currant (their new oak barrel aged black currant cider).

They also now have three non-alcoholic taps, which that day had coldbrew coffee on Nitro, Schilling non-alcoholic cider, and ginger beer. I was surprised the prices were still $4 or $7 a pint though (not that much less then the alcohol), although they can also be included in a flat price flight of six tasters. I’m curious to see how well they sell. As a casual observer I don’t see much need, except maybe for a designated driver (and even then, why not stock some sodas? I guess it is Fremont…), as its 21+. If anything I wish they sold some snacks there, but I imagine even to sell chips or something they would have to change their license. There is plenty of take out in the area to bring with though.

The following 2 Towns ciders were on tap: Riverwood Brut, Serious Scrump, The Dark Currant, Made Marion, Ginja Ninja, Bad Apple, and Rhubarbarian

They passed out samples of at least these ciders: The BrightCider, Out Cider, Ginja Ninja, Bad Apple, Serious Scrump, Made Marion, and Pommeau (which has got to be a record number!)

I got there after work, around 4pm, well before the event started at 6pm, and started with a flight of six ciders (pretty much all those on tap I hadn’t had before).

2 Towns Riverwood Brut, 6.9% ABV, Corvallis OR: I liked this better than I remembered liking last year’s version (it seems more flavorful this time around vs. at Cider Summit). I’m curious now that its under their 2 Towns label what the bottle size and pricing will be, as previously it ran $19 for 750ml, which seems a bit steep for what it is (but it doesn’t appear like its out in bottles yet). Its inspired by Brut champagne and made from Jonagold apples. Semi-dry. Low acidity, tartness, and tannins. Floral qualities with hints of herbs and honey, but overall rather simple in flavor. I noticed more apple flavor than is typical for a drier cider. Light bodied. I think if bottled it would have been more sparkling than it ended up being on tap (I noticed only very light carbonation). Longer warming finish.

2 Towns Serious Scrump, 11.0%, Corvallis OR: This is described as a dry English Imperial ice cider (which is rare as ice ciders are typically very sweet), a high ABV cider made using juice which has been frozen & thawed (increasing residual sugar and flavor). I had this one before and remembered not really caring for it. However, I’m a huge imperial cider fan (such as their Bad Apple), so I wanted to give it another go. Also available in bottles. Semi-dry. Low to moderate bitterness. Slight barrel influence (woody). Well-hidden ABV. Moderate acidity and tartness. Medium bodied. Moderate finish length. I’m still not a fan, mostly due to the bitterness.

Seattle Cider Gose (pronounced goes-a), 6.5%, Seattle WA: This is styled after a unique type of beer which has herbal, tart, and salty characteristics. I previously had Seattle Cider’s Plum Gose, which was this same cider but with plums (and was therefore more fruity), which they made in response to folks mixing Gose with PNW Berry at their tap house. Seattle Cider used sea salt, coriander, and Chardonnay yeast in this tap-only release. Dry. High acidity. Salty flavor with slight vinegar and citrus notes. Light bodied. Overall not bad, but not something I cared for. Nathan from Cider Chronicles thought it was pretty gross lol.

Locust Cider Thai Ginger, 6.0% ABV, Woodinville WA: Made from Granny Smith and Gala apples with real Galangal Thai ginger root. Also available in bottles. Ginger-spice scent. Sweet. Ginger was only present in the finish, at the back of the throat, and remained on the mild side (more present in the scent than flavor). Medium bodied. I’m not a ginger fan, but as the ginger was kept mild and it was sweet, I didn’t mind it.

2 Towns Rhubarbarian, 5.0% ABV, Corvallis OR: This is described as a dry English-style cider with fresh-pressed Northwest rhubarb (also available in bottles). Semi-dry. I didn’t pick up any rhubarb flavor with this, only the slightest tart fruitiness, and overall thought it was bland. Light bodied. Quick finish.

Bull Run Bramble Berry, 6.7% ABV, Forest Grove OR: Described as a dry cider with marionberries, blackberries, and boysenberries. Also available in bottles. Cranberry hue. Dry. Low tartness. Low acidity. I also found the flavor bland with this one. Light bodied. Quick finish.

I also had a small sample of Finnriver Solstice Saffron (6.5% ABV, Port Townsend WA), which they put on tap while I was there. This is part of their Seasonal Botanical line, made with saffron, anise, and fennel seeds. Also sold in bottles. Smelled herbal (I don’t think I would have been able to pick those out in particular). Semi-dry. Moderate acidity and tartness. Weird herbal type flavor. It was ok…I just didn’t appreciate the flavor profile (like Seattle Cider Gose). The folks sitting around me were fans though.

Of those, my favorite was the 2 Towns Riverwood Brut, but I didn’t even find that too impressive. It seemed to be a big hit among the other customers though. While I was there, a large group even ordered a flight of all 32 ciders–how fun!

While I was finishing the flight, they started in on the 2 Towns samples. They served them in clear plastic shot glasses which were pretty cute.

I’ve had Bad Apple and Made Marion before and reviewed Serious Scrump above. I had sampled The BrightCider and OutCider before, but pre blog.

The BrightCider, 6.0% ABV: This is their flagship cider (which replaced InCider awhile back), made from apples including Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Rome Beauty. Also available in bottles and cans. I found it to be on the drier side of semi-dry (although its marketed as semi-sweet). Pretty average and low on flavor. Definitely sessionable.

OutCider, 5.0% ABV: This is an ulfiltered cider. Also available in bottles and cans. Semi-sweet. I found this to have more flavor than BrightCider, and I liked it better than I remembered. It still though doesn’t have as much unfiltered apple juice taste as for example Downeast, but for canned sessionable craft cider, this is a pretty good choice.

Ginja Ninja, 6.0% ABV: Their ginger cider. Also available in bottles and cans. Semi-dry. I found it to have a moderate amount of ginger. I’m still not a ginger fan, but I’d no longer say I hate it (ie. its growing on me a bit).

Pommeau, 19% ABV: What a surprise! Who would have thought they would be pouring some of their Pommeau? Their Pommeau is cider with apple brandy, barrel aged. This was the first year it was released under their 2 Towns instead of Traditions brand, and was from the 2013 harvest. Here is a nice writeup from New School Beer on the release. Rich apple, vanilla, and caramel scent. Semi-sweet. Still. Low acidity, tartness, and tannins. Very oakey, which I love. Complex, as it also had apricot, smoke, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and honey notes. Full bodied. Long boozy warming finish.

I had recently bought a bottle of last year’s Traditions Pommeau at Full Throttle Bottles, after striking out on finding this year’s version. Now I’m looking forward to trying it even more so I can compare. Schilling hadn’t planned on carrying it as apparently high end ice ciders and Pommeau and such don’t sell as well, but I think Sarah (the cider house manager and Cider Log writer) fell in love with it, as now they are. So, I may have to get a bottle of this year’s version. By the way, I think 2 Towns’ Pommeau is a great value–last year’s was under $30 for 375ml. This initially seems expensive, but its 19% ABV, made from cider apples, and barrel aged for 2 years. Additionally, due to the style and high ABV, it can likely remain open for weeks or months without significant flavor changes, like brandy. A cider friend had a bottle of Finnriver Pommeau open for a year or so that still tasted great.

Sarah shared samples of two bottles of cider she opened. I only got a photo of one though.

Viuda de Angelon Sidra de Pera, 5.2% ABV, Asturias Spain: This is a new addition for the cider house, a Spanish pear Sidra which retails for $4 for a 12oz bottle, which is a great entry level price and bottle size. However, even though everyone described this more as pear cider and not being very Sidra-like (typically known to be sour and astringent), I still picked up a mild sourness. It was sweeter that I was expecting, semi-dry to semi-sweet. Mild tartness and sourness. Moderate acidity. Fruity with pear and tropical notes. Medium bodied. Moderate carbonation (more than most ciders). It was ok for me, but everyone else loved it.

Etienne Dupont Cidre Triple, (I didn’t see the bottle, but ABV listed online is anywhere between 8.5% and 11%), Victot-Pontfol France: Apparently this cider gets its name from triple fermentation (from natural sugar, then from added sugar, then in the bottle to create a mousse-like fexture). I was curious if I’d like this any more than the Cidre Bouche I sampled awhile back. Nope! This style just isn’t my thing, but I’ll try anything once. The Triple was even more funky (moderate to severe) but less sour (mild) than the Bouche. I’m sure there were tannins and bitterness, but the funk was overpowering for my palate. Very dry. Earthy with citrus notes. Medium boded. Long finish.

The 2 Towns Pommeau was definitely the winner of the evening, followed by their Riverwood Brut.

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

Eden Honeycrisp Ice Cider

February 3, 2016February 3, 2016 cidersays Eden, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eden, hard cider, Honeycrisp, ice cider, Vermont

Review of Eden Ice Cider’s Honeycrisp single varietal ice cider, made in Newport Vermont. I’ve tried their Heirloom Blend and Northern Spy ice ciders, Dry and Semi-Dry sparkling ciders, and even their Cellar Series Cinderella’s Slipper.

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Eden Ice 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: Honeycrisp
Cidery: Eden Ice Cider
Cidery Location: Newport VT
ABV: 10.0%
Residual Sugar: 15%
How Supplied: 187ml & 375ml tall skinny glass bottles
Style: American Honeycrisp apple single varietal craft ice cider

Availability: Their ciders are at least sold in AK, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, IL, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, SC, VT, WA, and British Columbia, although this one has less distribution than their flagship Heirloom Blend ice cider. Eden also offers online sales when allowed by state.

Cider Description: This tangy, elegant ice cider is made 100% from Vermont-grown Honeycrisp apples. The Honeycrisp is a prized Northern USA apple variety. As its name suggests, there is a honeyed quality to its sweetness, accompanied by sufficient acidity to keep the flavor fresh and crisp. Enjoy with cheese, maple crème brulee, or butter cookies.

Cidery Description: Eden Orchards and Eden Ice Cider began on a trip to Montreal in 2006 when we first tasted ice cider and wondered why nobody was making it on our side of the border. We had dreamed for years of working together on a farm in the Northeast Kingdom; it was a dream that had vague outlines including an apple orchard, cider, and fermentation of some sort. That night we looked at each other and knew ice cider was it. In April 2007, we bought an abandoned dairy farm in West Charleston, Vermont and got to work. Since then we have planted over 1,000 apple trees, created 5 vintages of Eden Vermont Ice Ciders, and have introduced a new line of Orleans Apertif Ciders. Out goals are to create healthy soils and trees in our own orchard, to support out Vermont apple orchard partners who do the same, to minimize our carbon footprint, to contribute to the economic and environmental health of our employees and our Northeast Kingdom community, and most of all to make world-class unique ciders that truly reflect our Vermont terroir.

They have a tasting bar on the main floor of the Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center in downtown Newport VT. Their current product line includes at least eight ice ciders, two Aperitif ciders, and dry & semi-dry sparkling ciders. They also have a cider club where members get access to special release ciders not available to the public.

Price: n/a (retails for $17+ for 187ml and $27+ for 375ml)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: I read about Eden ice ciders online, and tried them for the first time at Cider Summit Seattle 2015. Since then, I’ve bought a couple bottles and received some samples, including this one.

First Impression: Still. Honeyed amber caramel hue. Smells of rich ripe apples and honey with hints of caramel and vanilla.

Tasting Notes: Very sweet. Low acidity, tartness, and tannins. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Full bodied (a good kind of syrupy). Concentrated intense full flavor notes of rich ripe apples and honey, with hints of caramel and vanilla. Long warming finish. Moderate apple influence. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: Yum! This ice cider is definitely honey-forward. Due to the sweetness it is definitely a beverage to sip only a small quantity after dinner, but that means even a small bottle lasts awhile. It also kept very well in the fridge, without any noticeable flavor change during the week I had it open (I used an expanding stopper).

Most Similar to: High quality ice ciders, which truthfully I haven’t tried too many of (as there aren’t many). Compared to Eden’s Heirloom Blend and Northern Spy ice ciders, I found it to be slightly less complex (Northern Spy was the most complex, from being barrel aged) and slightly less warming/boozy on the finish.

Closing Notes: This was another impressive cider from Eden Ice Cider. However, I prefer their Heirloom Blend and especially Northern Spy, which both seemed a bit more complex (and the oak notes in Northern Spy were especially nice). I look forward to trying more ciders from Eden in the future, such as their Windfall Orchard and Brandy Barrel aged Heirloom Blend ice ciders, and their aperitif ciders. If anyone wants to know what I want for my birthday or Christmas, its definitely a subscription to their cider club, which sounds amazing with member-only releases, but is admittedly a bit spendy (but great for folks who would buy a lot of their ciders anyways as you get a 20% discount).

Have you tried Eden Ice Ciders? What did you think?

Locust Cider Bittersweet Reserve

January 29, 2016January 29, 2016 cidersays Locust, review bittersweet, Bittersweet Reserve, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Locust, washington, Woodinville

Review of Bittersweet Reserve from Locust Cider in Woodinville WA. This variety was released in late 2015, only 1,000 bottles and some kegs, to benefit Hydrocephalus (which the owner’s daughter has). This review is from a half growler of the cider, although I also picked up a bottle for future consumption, so I photographed the bottle which is much prettier and informative. I’ve had a few varieties from Locust, including Washington Dessert Apple Aged Hard Cider (which I enjoyed), and Original Dry, Green Tea Infused, & Dark Sweet Cherry (which I wasn’t a huge fan of…they were all very mildly flavored, definitely sessionable).

Cider: Bittersweet Reserve
Cidery: Locust Cider
Cidery Location: Woodinville WA
ABV: 6%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles, kegs
Style: American unfiltered craft cider made using bittersweet apples

Availability: Limited, only sold from their Woodinville WA tap room and a few locations around Seattle WA

Cider Description: A full-bodied hard cider made from French and English bittersweet apples, with caramel and dried fruit aroma, and subtle citrus and baked apple. Only 1,000 bottles exist.

Apple Varieties: Dabinett, Yarlington Mill, Michelin among limited others

Cidery Description: Real, Creative Hard Cider from fresh pressed Northwest Apples. Locust Cider is THE SESSION cider. Every cider we make, from smooth and light Original Dry to full flavored Aged Dessert Apple, is designed and made to be extremely drinkable. Sessionable cider. What is The Locust? Tough. Hard. Real.

When you are done with your hard day taking over the world, you deserve good hard cider. The Locust stems from the a near death experience had by the founder during childhood. Now motivated by the sensory memory of that moment, his life is about being tough, being insistent on the best, and never giving in. Locust Cider is real people. Founded by 2 brothers from Texas who wanted a great cider that they could drink more than one of, the company remains small. Everybody who works in the tap room also has a hand in making cider. We obsess over making drinkable, session cider for real, tough people to enjoy.

They have a tap room in the Woodinville WA warehouse district.

Price: $18 for a 750ml bottle or $8.50 for a 32oz half growler
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Facebook

First Impression: Orange-amber hazy sweet (unfermented) cider hue. Smells of bittersweet apples, sweet cider, orange citrus, spice, raisins, and honey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to sweet. Low acidity, tartness, and bitterness. Low to moderate tannins. The slightest bit of earthiness & oakiness. No funk or sourness. In the flavor I picked up bittersweet apples, orange, spice, raisins (less so), and honey that I smelled, plus caramel and oddly enough, coffee? Although it has a lot of characteristics of sweet non-alcoholic cider, I wouldn’t call it juice-like (which as my tastes have evolved I’ve found to be a negative). I found the cider to be slightly alcohol-forward, but I enjoyed it (I would have guessed it had a higher ABV). Full bodied. Moderate to long finish.

My Opinion: Yum–rich, smooth, and luscious! It reminds me a lot of English cider, but with the additional residual sweetness, unfiltered flavor & mouthfeel, and less tannins than your average English craft cider, it may be more approachable. Overall this is a very easily likeable unique cider. However, I liked the sample I had from a bottle better. I believe my growler was from the bottom of the keg, and it seemed to have more tannins, spice, bitterness, etc (and the odd coffee note). Still plenty enjoyable though. I’m looking forward to drinking the bottle I bought. Overall my only feedback would be to have slightly less sweetness, and that bottled (or not from the end of the keg) may have more desirable flavor, or that its a bit variable (which often happens in ciders, especially if they are from different batches).

Most Similar to: Other ciders made from bittersweet apples (such as most English ciders, Sea Cider Bittersweet, Finnriver Fire Barrel, Angry Orchard Stone Dry, and Woodchuck Gumption & Hot Cha Cha Cha) and those which are of an unfiltered style (such as from J.K.’s Scrumpy & Downeast, and Locust Washington Dessert Apple). I’ve found that for the most part I really enjoy ciders from bittersweet apples.

Closing Notes: Its crazy how good of a deal Schilling must have got on that keg, as the price on tap was almost 1/3 of the price for bottled (by ounce), a deal I couldn’t pass up. I was quite surprised the keg lasted on tap a couple weeks. If you can find this one and don’t mind a sweeter cider, I highly recommend it (in fact, Schilling still has a few bottles left as of earlier this week).

Interesting Fact: I was told that this cider should stay refrigerated, as the high residual sugar content makes it prone to re-fermenting in the bottle (becoming too dry or sparkling). Being a small batch they didn’t filter and process it as much like their other ciders. This wasn’t noted on the bottle, and is basically unheard of for a commercially produced cider (more of a homebrew thing). I think its impractical to rely on stores to tell their customers this, and many stores don’t have significant refrigerated shelf space. I imagine this explains what happened to my Washington Dessert Apple cider (a similar small batch sweeter cider release from them), which didn’t stay refrigerated. It turned crazy fizzy even though I bought it not long after it was released, and a sample from a friend’s bottle later a few months later was much drier than mine.

Have you tried Locust Bittersweet Reserve? What did you think?

E.Z. Orchards Hawk Haus

January 25, 2016January 22, 2016 cidersays E.Z. Orchards, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, E.Z. Orchards, hard cider, Hawk Haus, oregon

Review of Hawk Haus from E.Z. Orchards in Salem Oregon. I’ve previously tried their Roman Beauty and Semi-Dry ciders.

Cider: Hawk Haus
Cidery: E.Z. Orchards
Cidery Location: Salem OR
ABV: 6.6%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle
Style: American French-Style wild fermented cider

Availability: At least OR, WA, IL, and NY. Also sold at ShipCider.com.

Cider Description: Hawk Haus is named after the kestrel nests found on the property and is a blend of Jonathan and Yarlington Mill apples. Pale, yellow-golden in color and lightly hazed with modest, tiny carbonation bubbles like the finest sparkling wines. The aroma is fresh cut apples and an earthy farmyard character. Very pleasant and grounded. Hawk Haus is big, soft and round on the palate with gentle acidity. Notes of cinnamon and brown sugar are reminiscent of apple turnover. The finish is just short of total dryness, with appealing fresh apple flavors from beginning to end.

Fermented at cold temperatures for 6 months using wild yeast. Bottle conditioned (allowed to finish fermenting in the bottle, which provides natural carbonation).

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.

Price: $8
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’ve been wanting to try more ciders from E.Z. Orchards as I enjoyed their Semi-Dry and especially their Roman Beauty.

First Impression: Pale straw yellow. Low carbonation with tiny bubbles and foam upon pouring. Smells deliciously rich, of sweet ripe apples, honey, floral, and oak.

Tasting Notes: Dry to semi-dry. Moderate acidity and tartness. Hints of bitterness, funk, sourness, and tannins. Notes of honey, citrus, green apple, and floral. Light bodied. Medium carbonation. Moderate apple flavor and flavor in general. Quick finish. Low to moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: My nose was deceiving–I was expecting something richer and sweeter based on the scent. Instead, this was a nice light fairly dry cider, almost champagne-like (although not as high carbonation).

Most Similar to: Boonville Bite Hard, Eden Sparkling Dry, and Finnriver Artisan Sparkling Brut.

Closing Notes: This was enjoyable, but I enjoyed Roman Beauty more, which seemed to have a richer and sweeter flavor.

Have you tried E.Z. Orchards Hawk Haus? What did you think?

Thatchers Gold English Cider

January 22, 2016January 16, 2016 cidersays review, Thatchers cider, cider review, cider tasting, England, English, Gold, hard cider, Thatchers, Thatchers Gold, UK

Review of Thatchers Gold English Cider. I’ve previously tried Green Goblin from Thatchers.

Cider: Gold
Cidery: Thatchers
Cidery Location: Sandford, Somerset, England
ABV: 4.8%
How Supplied: four pack of 11.2oz bottles
Style: English medium dry cider

Availability: Unknown. Thatchers Gold launched in September 2014 in the U.S. with plans to roll out to 20 states. I read its the second best selling cider in bars in the UK.

Cider Description: Thatchers Gold is a full flavored medium dry cider with a smooth and refreshing taste made using traditional techniques and expertise gained since 1904. Enjoy chilled.

Thatchers Gold tastes as good as it looks. Using the best of our traditional approach and modern techniques for a refreshing cider with a smooth appley taste and a bright sparkle.

10 grams of sugar per 11.2 ounces. I read its made from cider apples including Dabinett, Redstreak, and Porters Perfection.

Cidery Description: For generations we’ve been perfecting our orchards, our craft, and our cider.
Today we’ve got a whole range that takes you from fresh, vibrant and modern, to traditional, vintage, specialty and single variety

Price: ~$2.25 for a single bottle (runs $7.50-$9.00 for a four pack)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. Previously I’ve only seen (and tried) their Green Goblin cider. English cider is one of my favorite varieties, so I was game to try a bottle.

First Impression: Pale gold. Low carbonation with tiny bubbles. Smells like champagne, dry, of yeast and must, with only a hint of apple.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Moderate acidity. Low tartness. Hints of bitterness, funk, and tannins. No sourness. Moderate sessionability. Low to moderate apple flavor. Light butterscotch notes but otherwise low in flavor. Light bodied. Quick finish.

My Opinion: I thought this cider was pretty average. It overall tasted very commercial and was lacking in flavor (seemed watered down). Plus the flavor seemed a bit odd, starting with the smell of champagne. Definitely don’t let this one warm up.

Most Similar to: I’d guess Magners and/or Bulmers, but I haven’t tried that one yet. From those that I have tried: Stongbow British Dry, plus Crispin Browns Lane (although less flavorful), Samuel Smith’s Organic Cider (although it had more cider apple flavor), and Dan Kelly’s Irish Cider (although not wild fermented).

Closing Notes: This was nice to try, but I was a bit disappointed. It seems to have good reviews online though.

Have you tried Thatchers cider? What did you think?

Gravenstein Cider Tasting Notes and Wassail

January 20, 2016January 20, 2016 cidersays review cider, cider review, cider tasting, gravenstein, gravenstein cider, hard cider, single varietal, tasting notes

I was invited to share in a gravenstein cider tasting and Wassail at Cider Log Sarah’s house. We sampled 9 single varietal gravenstein ciders, the 2013, 2014, & 2015 versions of Sea Cider Wassail, and wassailed the gravenstein tree at Sarah’s house (to encourage it to start producing apples again).

Specific Gravity 2013 Gravenstein, Sebastopol CA, 6.8% ABV
Specific Gravity Nana Mae’s 2013 Early Harvest Gravenstein, Sebastopol CA, 6.9% ABV
Two Rivers Cider Company Gravenstein Hard Apple Cider, Sacramento CA, 6.5% ABV
Seattle Cider Company Harvest Series Gravenstein Rosé, Seattle WA, 6.9% ABV
Bull Run Gravenstein Single Varietal Medium Dry Cider, Forest Grove OR, 5.8% ABV
Whitewood Cider Company Gravenstein Old Fangled Series 2012 Harvest, Olympia WA, 6.7% ABV
Whitewood Cider Company Gravenstein Old Fangled Series Barrel Aged, Olympia WA, 6.7% ABV
Ace Blackjack 21 2014 Release (Chardonnay barrel aged), Sebastopol CA, 9% ABV
WildCraft Cider Works Farmhouse Gravenstein, Eugene OR, 6.7% ABV

I had contributed the WildCraft Farmhouse Gravenstein, a sample bottle, but most of these were from Sarah’s own collection (many not available in WA, but picked up in her travels).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by WildCraft Cider Works. 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.<<

Tasting Notes: This was my first single varietal comparison tasting, and honestly they all tasted fairly similar to me. I found them all to be light bodied, moderate to long finish, mild acidity, mild tartness, mild to moderate tannins, mild to moderate apple flavor, generally mild flavored, and low carbonation. The flavor in general seemed quite mild, and I didn’t pick up too many other flavor notes, but they were mostly in the floral category. The WildCraft one was the most sour (moderate), but I also picked up mild sourness in the Whitewood and Seattle Cider selections. The barrel aged Whitewood selection was less sour and more smooth than the non barrel aged selection. Ace was the sweetest selection (almost semi-sweet), but the others were all semi-dry to dry. I couldn’t tell any difference between the two selections from Specific Gravity, and they were the ones with the most perceptible tannins.

I’ll admit, I’m not a huge fan of gravenstein cider…I prefer a richer flavor than gravenstein apples can produce. Oddly enough, the Ace was my favorite of these ciders (I say oddly enough as it was the only commercial selection). Probably as the added sweetness brought more flavor. I enjoyed it more than I had when I tried it when it came out in fall 2014 (they also released it again fall 2015). My second favorite was the two selections from Specific Gravity. That said, none of these amazed me. However, it was fun to try so many single varietals and compare our tasting notes (there was a group of seven of us).

I also sampled Sea Cider Wassail. I could tell the cider was slightly different between the years, but couldn’t exactly describe how. See my previous tasting notes on Wassail. Its definitely a high octane cider at 14% ABV, with a lovely rich spiced flavor.

This is the gravenstein tree we wasailled…which involved providing an offering of toast soaked in mulled cider (we gave it the good stuff, from Sea Cider), beating pots & pans with wooden spoons, and reading a verse we found online. I’m sure the neighbors thought we were nuts!

I was sent home with a six pack of ciders that Cider Log made, so it’ll be fun to sample and review some non-commercial ciders in the near future.

Have you done any single varietal cider tastings? What do you think of gravenstein cider?

Eden Sparkling Semi-Dry

January 18, 2016January 16, 2016 cidersays Eden, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eden, hard cider, methode champenoise, Semi-Dry, sparkling, sparkling cider, Vermont

Review of Eden Ice Cider’s Sparkling Semi-Dry cider. This is made using the traditional labor-intensive methode champenoise, which makes naturally sparkling cider. I previously tried Eden’s Sparkling Dry cider, and this is described as the same cider (although made with different apple varieties) with a bit of their ice cider to add some additional sweetness (which also adds an additional 1% ABV).

I sampled this cider on New Year’s Eve, and it unfortunately turned out to be a poorly sealed bottle whose taste wasn’t as intended, and Eleanor at Eden was awesome enough to send me a sample bottle to replace it (and two ice ciders to review!). Cider from the original bottle was nearly flat, and was on the dry, funky, and sour side….the cap must have been sealed enough so it wouldn’t leak, but allowed for air transfer.

Cider: Sparkling Semi-Dry
Cidery: Eden Ice Cider
Cidery Location: Newport VT
ABV: 9.5%
How Supplied: 375ml or 750ml capped champagne bottle
Style: American methode champenoise sparkling cider

Availability: At least in AK, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, IL, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, SC, VT, WA, British Columbia. Eden also offers online sales when allowed by state.

Cider Description: Eden Sparkling Ciders are made with locally grown apples. We use the same blend of traditional and heirloom apples that we use for our ice ciders, and then add classic Bittersweet cider varieties. True cider variety apples are sweeter and have much more tannin than eating apples. They are pretty awful to eat so you won’t ever find them in a grocery store. The Sparkling Dry is made with Kingston Black. The Sparkling Semi-Dry is made with Dabinett and Yarlington Mill.

The cider is fermented and aged in French oak puncheons for a year, the bottles with a secondary fermentation that is created with additional juice rather than sugar. After another 6 months each bottle is hand-disgorged in a careful process and removes the yeast but retains the vibrant natural effervescence of the in-bottle fermentation. For our Semi-Dry, we add in a little bit of our ice cider for sweetness.

Eden Sparkling ciders are full-flavored, tannic, and clean with a champagne-like mouth feel and balanced acidity. They are unfiltered and unpasteurized, with higher ABV and much less sweetness than mass marketed industrial hard ciders.

Price: n/a, but retail price of $15-$20 (750ml)
Where Bought: n/a (but originally the Schilling Cider House)
Where Drank: home
How Found: I heard about Eden on Facebook, met cidermaker Eleanor Leger at an event surrounding Cider Summit Seattle 2015 where I tried their Sparkling Dry cider, tried their Heirloom Blend cider at Cider Summit (and my husband bought me a bottle for our anniversary, reviewed here), and decided Semi-Dry would be a great New Year’s Eve cider selection.

First Impression: Honey-pumpkin light amber hue. Moderate carbonation with tiny bubbles (even before opening the bottle, with a gentle shake, I could tell it had more carbonation than the first). Smells luscious, of honey, tropical fruit, coconut, apricot, floral, and high-tannin cider apples (Dabinett and Yarlington Mill).

Tasting Notes: On the drier side of semi-dry. Moderate acidity. Mild tartness. Moderate tannins. Slight hints of bitterness, funk, and sourness. Flavor notes of tropical fruit, apricot, peach, honey, and green apple. Slight richness. Moderate carbonation with a fizzy mouthfeel. Medium bodied. Moderate apple influence. Mild oak barrel influence. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: Yum! It had a lovely flavor complexity–you could really taste the hint of ice cider in comparison to the Sparkling Dry. The ice cider added both sweetness and additional flavor (especially tropical fruit). My husband also really enjoyed it. All in all I think this cider is awesome. Its also a wonderful value, as the apple varieties are expensive, and the production method is labor-intensive.

Most Similar to: I’ve had other methode champenoise ciders such as Finnriver’s Artisan Sparkling Brut Cider, but this one was less champagne-like (more fruitiness). The tropical fruit notes also reminded me of ciders such as Eaglemount Quince and Slyboro Old Sin, except with added carbonation.

Closing Notes: Eden Ice Cider really makes some amazing ciders. I look forward to trying the Honeycrisp and Northern Spy (barrel aged) ice ciders Eleanor sent!

Have you tried Eden’s Sparkling Dry or Semi-Dry ciders? What did you think?

Washington Gold Cider Cherry Hard Cider

January 15, 2016January 14, 2016 cidersays review, Washington Gold Cherry, cherry cider, cherry hard cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, washington, Washington Gold

Review of Washington Gold Cider’s Cherry Hard Cider.

Cider: Cherry Hard Cider
Cidery: Washington Gold Cider
Cidery Location: Chelan WA
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 750ml clear glass flip-top bottle
Style: American hard apple cider with cherry juice

Availability: Year round in Washington and Southern California until it sells out (as they only make it once a year). However, their Original variety is more commonly found. See here for further information.

Cider Description: None given, but I was told they use fresh pressed apple juice with Washington cherries.

Cidery Description: Crisp, refreshing, and steeped in our family’s rich apple-growing tradition, Washington Gold Cider is crafted from the best apples in the world. Farm fresh. Family-owned. Proudly made in Washington State. Washington Gold Cider…The world’s best cider, made from the best apples on Earth. Try our Heritage, Original, and Cherry Hard Cider today.

Price: $12.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: They were tasting their entire line-up of three ciders (Heritage, Original, and Cherry) at Total Wine in August. This was by far the winner for me, and I decided to buy a bottle.

First Impression: Deep cherry hue. Low carbonation with small bubbles. Rich cherry scent, sweet with a hint of tartness.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet (although at 26.5 grams of sugar in 12.7 ounces, it would probably be rated sweet). Moderate tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, or funk. Cherry is the only flavor I pick up in this (the apple is well-hidden), so its a rather simple cider. Full-flavored. Light bodied. Quick finish. Highly sessionable.

My Opinion: Yum! I love how strong the cherry flavor is, and that it tastes like real cherries.

Most Similar to: Other cherry ciders, although this has a stronger and truer cherry flavor than everything I’ve tried so far (which includes cherry ciders from Woodchuck, Locust, Tieton, Apple Outlaw, Elemental, Jester & Judge, Julian, and Original Sin).

Closing Notes: This is definitely my favorite cherry cider so far. Reminds me of summer! (which is why I saved it for this time of year, when it always seems to be dark, damp, and cold in WA)

Do you have a favorite cherry cider?

Finnriver Artisan Sparkling Brut Cider

January 14, 2016January 7, 2016 cidersays Finnriver, review Artisan Sparkling, Brut, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Finnriver, hard cider, methode champenoise, sparkling cider, washington

Review of Finnriver’s Artisan Sparkling Brut cider, made using the traditional labor intensive méthode champenoise. I’ve tried a good portion of Finnriver’s lineup, but I think this is the first time I’ve tried a special release cider.

Cider: Artisan Sparkling Brut
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA
ABV: 8.0%
How Supplied: 375ml corked & caged champagne bottle (also more widely available in a 750ml size)
Style: American méthode champenoise sparkling cider

Availability: In general, Finnriver ciders are sold in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, TX, IL, CO, and Alberta & BC Canada (detailed info here). They also have an online store (which can ship to WA, OR, CA, AK, CO, MN, FL, & WA D.C.). However, this is a special release, and likely has more limited availability.

Cider Description: Crafted using the traditional, labor-intensive méthode champenoise, this bright, naturally carbonated brut champagne-style cider offers an effervescent apple bouquet, tart elements of the orchard, and a crisp, clean finish. To make this cider, we learned old world methods of secondary fermentation in the bottle that require daily hand turning of each bottle on woodenriddling racks (constructed by our boat-building neighbor Pete), and then disgorging residual yeast sediment one bottle at a time. This is ‘slow cider’ that results in golden clarity and enduring bubbles in every glass. A unqiue alternative to champagne that features Washington organic dessert apples at their most sparkling!

Cidery Description: At Finnriver we gather and ferment the flavors of the land to offer you farmcrafted hard ciders and spirited fruit wines. We are inspired by the allure of the fruit, the ancient history of the craft of fermentation and the lively traditions we now seek to revive. Our mission is to inspire a deeper connection to the land that sustains us….Some of these ciders are small-batch, seasonal and labor-intensive. Others are produced with contemporary methods and more readily available year-round…Finnriver grows over twenty varieties of traditional and heirloom apples in our organic orchard, to feature in our traditional and specialty ciders.

They have a tasting room open seven days a week, noon to 5pm, and are on the Olympic Pennsylvania cider route along with Eaglemount and Alpenfire cideries. I look forward to visiting in February for my birthday!

Price: $10
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’ve been wanting to try this cider for awhile, but previously only saw 750ml bottles for about $22, which was more commitment then I was interested in. When I saw half bottles, I knew it would be perfect to try for New Year’s Eve. Oddly enough the half bottles were less expensive per ounce too.

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Very high carbonation. Smells dry, crisp, and of yeast, with only a hint of apple.

Tasting Notes: Completely dry. Moderate acidity and tartness. No sourness, bitterness, or funk. Very champagne-like. Yeast, floral, citrus, and green apple notes. Light bodied. Quick finish. Moderate sessionability. Low apple influence. I enjoyed this cider better as it warmed up from fridge cold.

My Opinion: This was enjoyable, but not really a style I enjoy (I like a sweeter and richer cider). It was definitely a sparkling cider, moreso than any other cider I’ve tried I think (but luckily the bottle didn’t overflow when I opened it…the bottle even includes a warning).

Most Similar to: Dry champagne and other méthode champenoise ciders.

Closing Notes: This cider is a great champagne alternative and was very appropriate for New Year’s Eve.

Have you tried Finnriver Artisan Sparkling Brut cider? What did you think?

Le Pere Jules Brut

January 13, 2016January 11, 2016 cidersays Le Pere Jules, review Brut, cider, cider review, cider tasting, France, French, hard cider, Le Pere Jules, Normandie, Normandy

Review of Le Pere Jules’ Brut 2012 cider, from Normandie France.

Cider: Brut
Cidery: Le Pere Jules
Cidery Location: Normandie France
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged bottle
Style: French cidre

Availability: Semi-wide release (apparently one of the easier to find French ciders in the U.S.)

Cider Description: Our cider is produced from no less than 20 different varieties of apples. This gives it a very nice balance between the sweet, bitter and acidic varieties. After a fermentation process that is modified in its length to produce the “brut”, “demi-sec” and “doux” varieties, and a light filtration, it is bottled in order to naturally develop its own natural gas. This gives it the fine bubbles that we are known for.

Cidery Description: It was upon his return from the First World War in 1919 that Jules Desfrièches – who had already earned the nickname of “Père” Jules or “Father” Jules – with a love for his region and its apples, decided to turn his passion into his trade. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his grandparents, who were themselves in love with Normandy and its treasures. With their help, Jules learned to make cider with the apples from the family farm. He then started to sell his products locally. Due to the appreciation for its quality, the “Jules Desfrièches” cider was more and more in demand in restaurants in Normandy. Then in 1923, Jules distilled Calvados for the first time, without knowing that it was the beginning of an institution.

In 1949 his son, Léon Desfrièches, joined the family business. On his arrival, he created the brand “Le Père Jules,” in honor of his father. The production continued to expand and the market for cider and calvados developed to the point of being sold in some of the best restaurants in France. Thierry Desfrièches, the grandson of “Père”Jules joined his father in the business in 1976. With a careful eye on the business and its evolution, the first export sales were started in 1980 in Europe and then later throughout the world. The son of Thierry, Guillaume Desfrièches, joined the family business after he finished his studies in oenology in 2002 to become the fourth generation in the affair. Since 1919, quality and rigor are the driving forces of four generations of producers that have continued to be faithful to the traditional methods with a love for their work. Their only wish is to be able to propose the best products.

Price: ~$12
Where Bought: World Market
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I hadn’t spotted it at World Market before, only commercial cider (although apparently other World Market locations carry craft cider), and was intrigued as I’ve been getting into French ciders. I’ve since also spotted it at the Schilling Cider House in Seattle.

First Impression: Honey-orange amber hue. Still. Smells of bittersweet apples, orange, honey, cork, funk, and sourness.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Moderate bitterness, sourness, and acidity. Low tartness and funk. Light to medium bodied. Long finish. I found the flavor to be completely off, bad, bizarre, etc…I have no better way to describe it.

My Opinion: I couldn’t tolerate more than one sip, and was totally not a fan. And my husband literally spit out his sip. Down the drain it went. A friend of mine described a similar flavor to this cider, saying no one at the dinner party would drink it, yet I’ve seen reviews quite to the contrary online. I think it having no carbonation is a sign of something being wrong, as this cider is supposed to be a sparkling. So, I conclude this was likely a “bad bottle”. Its unfortunate this happens to even the best cidermakers a certain percentage of the time, and if its someone’s first exposure to a cider from that brand, they may not give them another chance.

Closing Notes: Although I have significant doubts as to this being a good sample from Le Pere Jules, this continues the trend of me only liking French ciders from Brittany (such as Le Brun, Celt, and Dan Armor), not Normandy (such as Le Pere Jules, Dupont, and Manoir du Parc)….I like the richer sweeter and more carbonated French ciders than those with any funk or sourness. Note that I considered not posting this review, but I review every cider I drink, not just those I enjoy, and hopefully this isn’t overly negative.

Have you tried Le Pere Jules? What did you think?

Stella Artois Cidre

January 12, 2016January 7, 2016 cidersays review, Stella cider, cider review, cider tasting, cidre, hard cider, Stella, Stella Artois

Review of Stella Artois Cidre. I tried this quite awhile ago, and thought I’d give it another go as I’ve seen a lot of talk lately. It was first released in the U.S. in May 2013. Note that although this is touted as a Belgian brand, per the bottle, the version sold in the U.S. is made in New York.

Cider: Cidre
Cidery: Stella Artois (Anheuser-Busch)
Cidery Location: Baldwinsville NY
ABV: 4.5%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz bottles
Style: commercial American hard cider, Belgian-style

Availability: wide release

Description from their website: Let me first tell you a little something about Stella Artois Cidre. Of course, I don’t want to blow my own trumpette, but this is an elixir so superb, so splendid, it is quite simply magnifique. Cidre is quite well known for its balanced, dry blend; the result of hand-picking our apples – of which only the finest will do. It’s the perfect accoutrement to any afternoon of sophisticated leisure. Simply open, pour and enjoy.

Price: ~$2.50 for a single bottle (runs $8-10 a four pack)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. This cider can be found most everywhere.

First Impression: Light amber hue. Low carbonation. Smells like sweet apple juice and sugar, without much complexity.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Low tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, or funk. Apple-forward. Like the scent, I really didn’t pick up any other flavor notes to it. Light to medium bodied. Quick finish. Very high sessionability.

My Opinion: From the ingredient list its definitely apparent this is commercial cider (apple juice concentrate, sucrose, flavor, color, etc), but I found it more drinkable than many commercial ciders, which can tend towards sweet & syrupy. It also tastes a bit drier than its 17 grams of sugar per 12oz bottle and its scent would suggest. However, when the best thing they can find to say about their cider is that they hand pick the apples, its pretty sad. Apparently almost all apples are hand picked in the U.S. as machinery can’t detect the ripeness of an apple, although in the UK and such they will use tree shakers for cider apples.

Most Similar to: Other commercial ciders which aren’t overly sweet

Closing Notes: Overall Stella Cidre is not something I’d seek out, but if its all that is available, I’ll drink it.

Have you tried Stella Cidre? What did you think?

Reverend Nat’s Winter Abbey Spice

January 11, 2016January 7, 2016 cidersays Rev Nat's, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Providence, rev nat's, reverend nat's, spiced cider, Winter Abbey Spice

Review of Reverend Nat’s Winter Abbey Spice, “apple wine with raisins and spices”. Its a seasonal New England Style spiced cider (marketed as apple wine as it is over 7% ABV). This appears similar to Reverend Nat’s Providence, which is also a New England Style spiced cider, but has a lower ABV. At first I thought they were the same, as the store actually stuck a barcode label on this one saying “Providence”, but it appears not.

By the way, New England Style cider is typically considered a barrel aged strong cider (8-12% ABV) which underwent a secondary fermentation with additional sugars and raisins. So, Winter Abbey Spice meets that definition except its a tad low on the ABV.

Cider: Winter Abbey Spice
Cidery: Reverend Nat’s
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 7.4%
How Supplied: 750ml flip top bottle
Style: New England style American spiced cider

Availability: Winter time, where Reverend Nat’s cider is sold. It appears this occurs in OR, WA, Southern CA, parts of ID, AK, British Columbia, Japan, & Singapore, and online at InsideTheCellar.com and ShipCider.com (although I didn’t see this variety on either website).

Cider Description: Our good friends in the North counteract the bitter chill of winter with this traditional drink, but in flavor, bold in character, made with raisins, unrefined cane sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg and fermented to dryness with oak. This tipple is sure to warm your bones.

The apples for this cider were from Kiyokawa Family Orchards. It was aged in oak for 6 months.

Cidery Description: Reverend Nat is a single-minded cider evangelist who searches the world for superior ingredients to handcraft the most unusual ciders that no one else will make.

Nat West (who is actually an online ordained minister) has been making cider since 2004, started Reverend Nat’s in 2011, and opened a tap room with 12 taps in Portland in 2013 (which also includes bottles and selections from other cideries).

Price: $12.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: This was recommended to me, so I was on the look out for it. At first I thought it was the same as Providence as that is what the label from the store said and I remembered Providence being a New England Style spiced cider, but it appears the recipe and ABV is slightly different. I had passed on Providence as the whole raisins and spices thing sounded weird. However, I’m now more open to spiced ciders, and apparently raisins aren’t all that uncommon to add to ciders (New England Style is a thing and raisins were traditionally used as their wild yeast would ferment the cider, and they add some sweetness, alcohol content, flavor, color, and tannins).

First Impression: Rich caramel orange amber. Low carbonation. Smells rich, of caramel, butterscotch, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Low acidity, tartness, and sourness. A touch of bitterness and funk. Mild to moderate spice (mostly cinnamon). Lovely rich flavor with lots of burnt caramel and brown sugar notes. The oak is barely noticeable. I only picked up raisins in the scent, not the flavor. Medium bodied. Long finish. Full flavored. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: This was pretty tasty, but the slightly sour thing was off putting to me. The sourness wasn’t overt, and took me awhile to figure out what I was picking up. However, reading online reviews, I can’t find anyone else noting it was sour, and I’m the first to admit I’m sensitive to it, so I imagine most folks wouldn’t notice at all. My husband said this was in his top 5 favorite ciders at least (he samples everything I open).

Most Similar to: Other high ABV spiced ciders (such as 2 Towns Nice & Naughty, although that is 10.5% ABV) and New England Style ciders. I don’t think I’ve tried a New England Style cider before, but at least a few exist in the current craft cider market (such as from Blackbird and Headwater). Apparently its fairly popular for home cidermakers too.

Closing Notes: I can see why this cider is popular. It wasn’t really my thing, but was nice to try. I’m not opposed to trying another New England Style cider though.

Do you have a favorite spiced cider?

Slyboro Ciderhouse Old Sin

January 8, 2016January 7, 2016 cidersays review, Slyboro cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, New York, Old Sin, Slyboro

Review of Slyboro Ciderhouse’s Old Sin, from Granville NY. This is the first cider I’ve tried from Slyboro. We don’t get too many East Coast ciders here, so I’ve only tried a handful.

Cider: Old Sin
Cidery: Slyboro Ciderhouse
Cidery Location: Granville NY
ABV: 8.0%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle
Style: American dry sparkling cider made with McIntosh and Russet apples

Availability: Year round in limited markets

Cider Description: Deliciously dry! A pure apple temptation from the intertwined flavors of delicately floral McIntosh, spicy aromatic Russets with a splash of warm, richly fruited Ice Harvest Cider…1.5% residual sugar.

This is described as a sparkling cider; however, as the bottle didn’t have the thick glass indicative of a true sparkling beverage, I knew not to expect too much carbonation (which is forced not natural in this case). Slyboro made this cider using apples from their own Hicks Orchard. Also of note is that 1.5% residual sugar would typically be defined as semi-dry, not dry.

Cidery Description: Named for the centuries-old hamlet that is home to Hicks Orchard, Slyboro Ciderhouse re-introduces the lost craft of traditional American ciders. Just as grapes are transformed into wine, our ciders are fermented from our own orchard-grown apples; unlocking the full potential of the apple by creatively blending a a distinctive range of delicious, award-winning ciders.

We at Slyboro Ciderhouse are dedicated to reclaiming cider – “true cider” – as America’s favorite drink. We invite you to explore and discover the flavors and delights of Slyboro Ciders. In any season, for special occasions, or to enrich the moment, “consider cider.”

Slyboro has a tasting room open seasonally, July through Christmas.

Price: $19.99 (which appears to be significantly marked up from what it would cost in NY)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’ve been wanting to try more East Coast ciders, and this sounded like a great one to try. I had read Meredith’s reviews of Slyboro ciders at Along Came a Cider.

First Impression: Very light gold amber. Light carbonation. Smells of rich sweet apples, caramel, butterscotch, and spice.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Mild tartness. Moderate tannins and acidity. A hint of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Butterscotch, caramel, and tropical fruit notes. Medium bodied. Long finish with lingering warmth. Rich and full-flavored. Moderate apple flavor. Low sessionability. High flavor complexity.

My Opinion: Yum! This is reminiscent of English cider, but has some additional fruitiness. This cider’s smell was especially amazing.

Most Similar to: Semi-dry full-flavored fruity ciders with moderate tannins. Two semi-dry ciders that come to mind are Eaglemount Quince (very fruity, although I didn’t detect significant tannins) and Alpenfire Ember (which had less fruitiness and a very strong level of tannins). One that I found to have a lot of fruitiness but more sweetness (semi-sweet) is Snowdrift Cliffbreaks Blend.

Closing Notes: This cider was very enjoyable, and I look forward to trying more of Slyboro’s line-up. I’ve also seen Hidden Star, Night Pasture, and Ice Harvest from their line-up.

Have you tried Slyboro Ciderhouse Old Sin? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 9 Tasting Notes

January 7, 2016January 7, 2016 cidersays Blue Mountain, E.Z. Orchards, Finnriver, Grizzly Ciderworks, J.K.'s Scrumpy, Locust, review, Schilling, Sea Cider, Seattle Cider cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, hard cider review, hard cider tasting, Schilling Cider House, seattle, washington

Tasting notes from my ninth visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts here. I hadn’t thought I’d have time for another visit in December, but managed to fit it into my schedule.

I was there for a Finnriver Bingo event, although I didn’t have much interest in the actual game & prizes, just used it as an excuse to go. The event was a packed house! There were six Finnriver ciders on tap: Habanero, Black Currant, Barrel in the Forest, Cranberry Rosehip, Fresh Hopped, and Pear (all of which I’ve had except Fresh Hopped).

I started with a flight of six ciders.

Blue Mountain Estate Winesap, 6.75% ABV, Milton-Freewater OR: This is a single varietal made with Winesap apples which Blue Mountain sells year round. Nearly clear. Tart, dry, and slightly funky smell. Dry to semi-dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild bitterness. Very mild tannins. Hint of funk. Slight floral and oak notes. Light bodied. Moderate to long finish. I thought this was a basic dry & tart cider, and pretty low on flavor.

Seattle Cider Oaked Maple, 6.9% ABV, Seattle WA: This is one of Seattle Cider’s winter seasonals (they also did a Cranberry cider this year). I couldn’t remember if I had tried this before, but I’m leaning towards yes. Dark straw yellow hue. Smells of sweet maple and oak. Semi-dry. Moderate acidity. Mild tartness. Light bodied. Very light oak and light maple flavor. Quick finish. I thought this was pretty good, but I would have liked more flavor.

Finnriver Barrel in the Forest, 6.5% ABV, Chimacum WA: This is a limited release of a barrel aged version of Finnriver’s Forest Ginger cider (which I haven’t tried). I usually don’t like ginger, but this sounded interesting. Smells of sweet ginger. Semi-sweet. Light oak notes. Very mild ginger notes, much less than most ginger ciders (which usually seem to hit me at the back of the throat and linger). Low acidity, tartness, and bitterness. Light bodied. Moderate length finish. The ginger flavor however increased as it warmed up. This paired well with the Thai food I had for dinner. Overall I didn’t mind this one, despite the ginger, but probably wouldn’t get it again.

Locust Ciderworks Pumpkin, 5.0% ABV, Woodinville WA: This is a seasonal release from Locust, apparently draft-only. Hazy pumpkin orange-yellow hue. Smells of sweet pumpkin spice. Very sweet. Mild pumpkin and spice flavors, but overall very full flavored. Low acidity and tartness. Full bodied. Moderate length finish. I really liked this (even though I usually don’t go for pumpkin or spice), except it was too sweet for my liking, so not something I could have a pint of.

E.Z. Orchards Semi-Dry, 6.9% ABV, Salem OR: This is a regular release cider from E.Z. Orchards which uses French bittersweet apples. After ordering this I remembered I had tried it before, at Cider Summit Seattle 2015. Light amber. Smells slightly rich. Semi-dry. Herbal notes. Very light boded. Low tannins and tartness. Low to moderate acidity. Quick finish. Overall mildly flavored. It tasted a bit off, and I wondered if the tap line could have used more flushing. I also liked it much better at Cider Summit. Different batches can turn out much differently.

Grizzly Ciderworks Pomnivore on Nitro, 6.7% ABV, Woodinville WA: This is a tap-only release from Grizzly. Light ruby red. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Low acidity and tartness. Moderately flavored. Quick finish. I liked the pomegranate flavor without too much tartness like many pomegranate ciders have.

I met Nathan from Cider Chronicles (we just happened to sit next to each other at the bar!), who was awesome enough to share bottle pours of a couple ciders with me. He said Sea Cider Wassail, J.K.’s Scrumpy Winterruption, and Elemental Seasonal Spiced Apple were his three favorite seasonal ciders, although Reverend Nat’s Winter Abbey Spiced may be replacing J.K.’s Scrumpy Winterruption in his cue. I haven’t seen Rev Nat’s Winter Abbey, but picked up a bottle of Elemental Spiced, and tried the other two.

Sea Cider Wassail, 14% ABV, Saanichton BC Canada: This is Sea Cider’s winter seasonal. Rich amber-orange hue. Smells like orange and holiday spices. Semi-dry. Well-hidden ABV! Low acidity, tartness, and bitterness. The orange and spice notes continued into the flavor. Rich and full-flavored. Medium bodied. Moderate length finish with lots of heat. I liked this a bit more as it warmed up from fridge temperature. Overall this was enjoyable, but I like their Prohibition best.

J.K.’s Scrumpy Cuvee Winterruption, 6.9% ABV, Flushing MI: This is J.K. Scrumpy’s winter seasonal. Very sweet. Honey, orange, and mild spice notes. Mild acidity and tartness. Moderate to full bodied. Apparently this cider usually has much more spice. It was very easy drinking, between the sweetness and low ABV. Overall I found it ok.

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

Elemental Seasonal Spiced Apple

January 6, 2016January 6, 2016 cidersays Elemental, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Elemental, hard cider, Seasonal Spiced Apple, spiced, spiced cider, washington, Woodinville

Review of Elemental Hard Cider’s Seasonal Spiced Apple cider, from Woodinville WA. This is a seasonal release for them.

Cider: Seasonal Spiced Apple
Cidery: Elemental Hard Cider
Cidery Location: Woodinville WA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 22oz bottle (also available on tap)
Style: American spiced apple cider

Availability: During Winter in Western WA

Cider Description: none given

Cidery Description: Family owned and operated. Brian and Christina Callahan launched Elemental Hard Cider to bring quality, affordable, and delicious hard cider to the world. We strive to bring fun and exciting flavors to the experienced cider enthusiast, as well as novice cider drinkers. Hand-Crafted Micro ciders Designed For Taste, smoothness, and quality. Each of our hand-crafted ciders are made from only the finest Northwest apples and cold-fermented to preserve the fruit. Our ciders are reminiscent of champagne, they are lightly filtered and mildly effervescent for clean taste. Experience our quality for yourself. Come in often to grab a glass. We are constantly trying out new flavors, so the line-up is always changing.

They have a tasting room in Woodinville WA open on Saturdays & Sundays.

Price: ~$8
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, upon recommendation from Nathan from The Cider Chronicles

First Impression: Light amber yellow-orange. Mostly still. Smells like sweet apples, cinnamon, and sugar.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry (so my nose deceived me into thinking it would be sweeter). Moderate tartness. Strong acidity. No sourness or funk. Mild bitterness. Cinnamon-forward, with a touch of nutmeg and cloves, but overall the spice remains moderate. Light bodied. Long finish.

My Opinion: Pretty good. I liked that it wasn’t crazy sweet or heavily spiced. I was surprised however with the level of tartness and acidity.

Most Similar to: This reminds me a bit of 2 Towns Nice & Naughty, which I also found to be semi-dry and not too spiced, but was a significantly higher ABV. I’ve found D’s Wicked Baked Apple and Carlton Cyderworks Sugar and Spice to both be semi-sweet. I had always thought I didn’t like spiced ciders, but I’ve found that to be false.

Closing Notes: This was a great cider to kick off my Christmas break with!

What is your favorite spiced hard cider?

Big B’s Pear Supply

January 5, 2016January 5, 2016 cidersays Big B's, review Big B's, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, pear cider, Pear Supply, sample, sour

Review of Big B’s Pear Supply cider, made in Hotchkiss CO, from fermented pear & apple juices, part of their Farmhouse Cellar series.

>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Big B’s. 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: Pear Supply
Cidery: Big B’s
Cidery Location: Hotchkiss CO
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle
Style: Organic American Farmstead-Style Apple-Pear Cider

Availability: Only in CO, year round, although they take phone orders to ship to customers when their state allows it.

Cider Description: Pear Supply artisanal farm house hard cider is a blend of local organic pears and apples, fermented together and bottle conditioned. Our recipe uses time honored cider making traditions and is cellar aged to perfection. Pear Supply is semi sweet, the apple and pear combination are well rounded and bursting with ripe pear notes and crisp apple undertones.

Made from local organic Winesap apples and Bartlett pears (50-50). Only apples, pears, and yeast, without other ingredients (such as Sulfites).

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. Pear Supply won silver at GLINTCAP 2015, and is in the running for a Good Food award for 2016 (along with Grizzly Brand & Orchard Original). Here is an article on Big B’s.

Price: n/a ($15.99 retail price)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Online. I read about Big B’s, such as from a blog entry from Cider Sage, and have heard only great things.

First Impression: Lemonade light yellow hue. Moderate carbonation. Smells like pears, citrus, sourness, funk, and tartness.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Mild to moderate sourness and tartness. Moderate acidity. Hint of funk. Medium bodied. Fizzy mouthfeel. Notes of citrus and pear. I couldn’t really pick up the apple though. Moderate length finish.

My Opinion: Definitely sour, which isn’t to my liking, but I know a lot of other folks enjoy it. My husband however thought it was really tasty. Its all a matter of preference.

Most Similar to: Sour ciders. This reminded me some of Millstone Cobbler, which also had a lot of sour citrus flavor, although this cider wasn’t quite as sour, sweeter, and had pear not peach notes.

Closing Notes: I wasn’t expecting a sour cider, so this surprised me. I think fans who don’t mind a bit of sour would really enjoy this one though, especially in Spring & Summer.

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

Dan Kelly’s Irish Cider

January 1, 2016December 31, 2015 cidersays Dan Kelly's, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dan Kelly's, hard cider, hard cider review, irish cider

Review of Dan Kelly’s Irish Cider. This is the second Irish cider I’ve tried (the first was Cragie’s Ballyhook Flier, plus I’ve also tried Dublin’s Pub, a Canadian Irish-style cider).

Cider: Cider
Cidery: Dan Kelly’s
Cidery Location: Drogheda Ireland
ABV: 4.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle
Style: Irish craft cider

None of the sub-pages of their website worked, including the one to contact them, so I couldn’t find much info straight from the source.

Availability: Unknown, but it appears they have at least limited distribution in the U.S., plus in Ireland and Germany

Cider Description: Dan Kelly’s Irish cider is crisp blend of cider apples with Bramley and dessert fruit using hand-picked apples from our own family orchard. These combinations give our craft cider a refreshing, crisp and extremely flavoursome finish every time.

Aged at least a year (I assume in a tank, as they didn’t mention barrels). Fermented with wild yeast (which is rare, as typically ciders will add a predictable known yeast strain rather than rely on the yeast from the apples & environment).

Cidery Description: Dan Kelly’s Cider is a new Irish cider made from hand picked apples from our very own family orchard. We are one of the only cider producers in Ireland to grow our own fruit. Our apples are blended to ensure the full fruit flavour comes through in our craft cider.

Price: ~$9
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light amber-orange. Low carbonation. Smells dry, funky, and of oak.

Tasting Notes: Between semi-dry and semi-sweet. Low tannins, acidity, tartness, and bitterness. Slight funk. Moderate apple flavor. Medium bodied. Notes of oak and herbalness. Moderate length finish. Moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: I thought this one was ok. My main issue was a slightly off flavor I detected that I didn’t enjoy, likely from wild yeast fermentation (which is what can cause a cider to taste a bit funky).

Most Similar to: English cider, although this one had a bit of unique flavor I assume is from the wild yeast.

Closing Notes: I think I prefer English cider to Irish cider so far. For a dollar or two less I can get an English cider I really enjoy, such as from Aspall or Sheppy’s.

Have you tried Dan Kelly’s cider? What did you think?

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