Cascadia Ciderworkers United Dry

December 31, 2015June 18, 2017 cidersays Cascadia, review Cascadia, cider, cider review, cider tasting, dry cider, hard cider, oregon, Portlant

Review of Cascadia Ciderworkers United’s Dry cider, produced by Reverend Nat’s in Portland Oregon.

Cider: Dry
Cidery: Cascadia Ciderworks United
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans
Style: American New World Style dry canned cider

Availability: Year round in limited markets, such as OR, WA, & CA

Cider Description: This is a true dry cider, made with the finest American dessert apples and crafted with Belgian beer yeast. Cloudy and golden colored, it is best served chilled, not ice cold. The next time you’re in Portland Oregon, stop by for a pint. Our Ciderworkers will be glad to share one with you.

Cidery Description: The Pacific Northwest grows more apples than anywhere else in the country, so we make hard cider here. Our ciderworkers use only Cascadia-grown whole apples, never juice from concentrate.

Price: $9.50 for a four pack (although I got a single can for under $3)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had seen this on the shelves for awhile, and now that I’m open to drier ciders, I thought I might as well give it a try. Also, I’ve been wanting to find a local canned craft cider I like, and not having much luck.

First Impression: Light amber. Moderate carbonation. Smells acidic, tart, slightly rich, and of caramel, honey, and vanilla.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Moderate acidity. Low tartness and tannins. A hint of bitterness. No sourness or funk. The flavor is a bit yeasty and slightly apple forward, with a slight richness. It almost tastes barrel aged. Caramel and vanilla notes. Medium to high sessionability. Light to medium bodied. Moderate to full flavored. Moderate carbonation, which is rare to find. Moderate length finish, with some lingering booziness.

My Opinion: Yum! I enjoyed this cider, and think its a great value too. It was nice to have something that was drier but still fairly full flavored. I think its impressive they even got some tannins in there. Its actually the best local canned cider I’ve tried (my favorite canned cider so far is Downeast Original).

Most Similar to: This reminded me a bit of French cider, such as Celt, as it had a richer flavor and was carbonated (although its a bit drier than most ciders I’ve had from Brittany France).

Closing Notes: I think this would be a great everyday canned cider to keep in my house. Cascadia also makes a Granny Smith variety, and have a winter seasonal (at a whopping 9.5% ABV).

Update: Since I liked this so much I bought a four pack, and it was unfortunately undrinkable. It was like it was a completely different cider (a fruity cider gone bad). I e-mailed the cidery, but didn’t receive a response. Disappointing.

Have you tried Cascadia cider? What did you think?

Elemental Cider Tasting Notes

December 28, 2015December 19, 2015 cidersays Elemental, review Around the Table, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Elemental, hard cider, lynnwood, washington, Woodinville

Around the Table, a game pub in Lynnwood WA, recently hosted an Elemental Hard Cider tasting. Although I’m not really into the game portion of their shop, its a great place to pick up a growler of cider, as they usually have a few selections on tap (plus a mead), typically from local cideries. Elemental Cider hails from Woodinville WA, also in the greater Seattle area. Brian and Christina Callahan, founders of Elemental, were there pouring, and it wasn’t too busy so I got to talk with Brian about cider for awhile. Elemental has a tasting room in Woodinville WA. They started off making wine, founding Callahan Cellars, but have since transitioned to cider, closing Callahan Cellars.

I’ve had a number of Elemental’s selections, including past versions of the Carbon and NW Atomic Rootbeer varieties they were sampling. I was surprised how different the recipes were from what I had previously tried, but they said they have continued to tweak them after release, although the current versions should be the permanent ones. Even without knowingly tweaking a recipe, a cider can change significantly batch to batch, year to year.

Blood Orange is a newer variety for them and only available at their tap room, but Carbon and NW Atomic Rootbeer are available in bottles. I think Pom-Cherry is also a newer tap room only variety, but they have a Pomegranate variety dubbed”Oxygen” available in bottles & kegs, and I’ve had a Cherry variety from them from a keg previously.

I started with Carbon, which they describe as a traditional dry hard cider. The cidermaker Brian divulged that they have a special ingredient they use, a touch of lavender, for a little something special. I couldn’t pick up that flavor, but this was rather unique for a basic cider. I’d call it more semi-dry than dry. Its fairly apple-forward, moderately full flavored, and slightly rich. Moderate acidity, mild tartness, and a hint of tannins, with no detectable bitterness, sourness, or funk. Medium bodied.

I learned that they use colder fermenation temperatures than some other cideries to retain more apple flavor in their ciders. I really like when a cider is apple-forward without tasting juice-like (which often happens when they overly back-sweeten a cider with unfermented juice).

This version of Carbon was quite different than the version I tried a couple months ago (which was probably bottled many months before that), which was very pale in color, drier, less flavorful, and had more bitterness & tannins. I enjoyed this new version much better. I’d love if they would make it available in cans, as I’ve been searching for an affordable craft cider (which usually means a multi-pack) that I enjoy, and coming up empty as most are very mildly flavored.

Next was Cherry-Pom, which had a light cherry hue, and with which I picked up more cherry than pomegranate flavor (the Pom mostly presented as tartness), but it remained mild to moderately flavored. It was semi-dry, with mild to moderate acidity. I’m not really a big fan of fruity ciders, but I found no faults with it.

I then tried NW Atomic Rootbeer, which is their root beer made with a cider base (in contrast to a malt base like most hard root beers). It smells almost exactly like the soda version of root beer (moreso than the previous version), but has a hint of apple on the finish (also moreso than the previous version). However, in between, the root beer flavor seemed to be less than the previous version. Brian said that they ferment the apple base dry, so it shouldn’t have much apple flavor remaining, so it may be been perceived on my part (or I had some previous cider remaining in my glass). Overall it was enjoyable, but I remembered liking the previous version better, so I was a bit disappointed.

They’ve actually got some members of the cider community in uproar on this product, saying it isn’t craft cider. Although this is “Alcopop”, I don’t see it as much different than fruit, hopped, or spiced cider…the main difference is that they use caramel coloring. However, its cane sugar based, non-GMO, and the closest you can get to all natural (they are currently trying to go one step further and get the organic version of it). I personally don’t have an issue with the product as they are upfront about what it is.

The final cider was Blood Orange. This seems to be a new fad, as Ace recently released a “Space” blood orange cider (my tasting notes here), as well as some other cideries which don’t distribute in my area (2 Rivers, Bulmers, Country Cider Co, Common Cider Co, & FoxCraft. Thankfully I liked Elemental’s version much better than Ace’s, as it tasted real instead of fake, although rather juice-like. It was full-flavored, but the blood orange portion of the flavor remained mild instead of overpowering. It had a hazy orange hue with a hint of pink. Full bodied. This is a pretty easily likable cider, and seemed to be a hit during the tasting. I thought it was well-done, but its just not a flavor I enjoy.

My favorite of the four ciders was oddly enough the Carbon. I unfortunately liked the previous version of NW Atomic Rootbeer better. I decided to get a half growler of Carbon since I liked it, it was such a good price (about the same as a bottle of their cider which is half the size), and its no fun to leave a tasting empty handed.

They were doing a raffle for giveaways (mostly Elemental Hard Cider & NW Atomic Rootbeer branded glass growlers) for folks who bought a pint of cider. However, I didn’t have a reason to hang out after my cider tasting and a bit of Full Tilt ice cream, so I got a growler and headed home. They were doing the same deal they did with the last cider tasting (Finnriver) where you got the growler glass for free (instead of $5) with a fill, so now I have two 32oz cider growlers. I was able to drink the cider a few nights that week and it actually stayed perfectly fresh and lightly carbonated the whole time.

I look forward to the next cider tasting they have at Around the Table, and trying more ciders from Elemental. They have been commercially producing cider for just over a year, and already have a maximum capacity of 30 barrels a week.

Spire Mountain Red Apple

December 25, 2015December 18, 2015 cidersays review, Spire Mountain apple cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Leavenworth, Red Apple, Spire, Spire Mountain, washington

Review of Spire Mountain’s Red Apple variety. I’ve had this one a couple times before, same with their Sparkling Pear, but this is the first time since starting Cider Says. My favorite cider from Spire Mountain is their Dark & Dry (which isn’t dry, but is a nice rich semi-sweet cider), which I reviewed here, one of my first reviews.

Cider: Red Apple
Cidery: Spire Mountain (Fish Brewing Company)
Cidery Location: Olympia WA
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles, kegs
Style: American (New World) modern apple cider

Availability: AL, AK, CA, FL, HI, ID, IL, MI, MN, MT, ND, OR, PA, RI, SD, WA, Canada (Alberta & British Columbia), and online through BeerShip.com. Red Apple, Sparkling Pear, and Dark & Dry are available year-round in six packs & kegs, Spiced Cider is available Nov-Jan in limited markets in 22oz bottles, and they have a new variety I haven’t even seen yet, Habanero Apple, which is also available Nov-Jan (I also assume in limited markets) in 22oz bottles.

Cider Description: From the natural sweetness of famed Washington apples comes this delightful hard cider. Pleasant, light and with a snap of champagne effervescence, each glass is like a bite of crisp liquid apple. Perfectly balanced with just the right tartness, this is one of life’s natural pleasures.

Cidery Description: Deep in the very heart of the Cascade Mountain Range, legend has it that there is a hidden mountain with an enchanted orchard, where the climate is ideal for growing the world’s finest apples and pears. For centuries, the inhabitants of this magical place known as Spire Mountain, have spent their days doing nothing but nurturing the fruit on the trees, and making the best cider on earth. Is it any wonder that Spire Mountain Cider is the oldest premium cider brand in America? The next time you order a cider, ask for the one made in the enchanted orchard on Spire Mountain!

Spire Mountain was founded in 1985 (yes that is correct, before even Woodchuck) and have a tap room (under Fish Brewing) in Woodinville WA and a Brew Pub (under Fish Brewing) in Olympia WA.

Price: $6.50! / 12oz bottle (it runs around $8-$11 a six pack in stores)
Where Drank: J.J. Hills in Leavenworth WA, which we visited to satisfy my husband’s prime rib desires. Leavenworth is a quaint Bavarian-themed mountain town a couple hours East of Seattle WA, which we were visiting for one of their famous Christmas Lighting Festival weekends (it literally requires a reservation a year in advance to stay the weekend).
Their Cider Selection: J.J. Hills offered Spire Mountain’s Red Apple and Sparkling Pear varieties in bottles. The Spire rep must have hit up Leavenworth, as a couple years ago when we last visited, almost no cider was to be found, and now every place had an offering or two, mostly Spire (where in Seattle I rarely find it in a restaurant or bar).

I was able to order the following ciders during our weekend in Leavenworth:
– Spire Mountain Dark & Dry on draft at Bavarian Lodge (our hotel, which is awesome, and the only place we’ll stay in Leavenworth)
– Spire Mountain Dark & Dry on draft at Bavarian Bistro & Bar
– Seattle Cider Semi-Sweet on draft at Cured
– Spire Mountain Red Apple in a bottle at J.J. Hills
– Woodchuck Amber in a bottle at Icicle Brewery
– this one doesn’t really count, but I brought a can of Downeast Cranberry Blend with us to enjoy in the room, and it tasted nice and festive

First Impression: Light amber. Low carbonation. Smells like apple juice with a touch of acidity and tartness.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Moderate acidity. Mild tartness. No sourness, bitterness, or funk. Very apple-forward with crisp flavrs, but I also detected some mild tropical notes. Juice-like, but not syrupy. Highly sessionable and a well-hidden ABV. Light to medium bodied. Quick finish length.

My Opinion: Above average. Its a pretty standard tasting cider and doesn’t have any significant complexity. However, its tasty, easy to drink, apple forward, and on the sweeter side but not crazy sweet or syrupy like some other easily available ciders are (such as Angry Orchard Crisp Apple, Strongbow Gold Apple, and Smith & Forge). Still, its on the commercial side, and they even add sugar after fermentation (listed on the ingredient list).

Most Similar to: Semi-sweet apple-forward commercial and craft-commercial ciders.

Closing Notes: Dark & Dry is definitely my favorite Spire Mountain cider, especially on draft, but Red Apple definitely hit the spot, and I wouldn’t hesitate to order it if it was available, although its not something I’d buy to keep in the house.

Have you tried Spire Mountain ciders? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 8 Tasting Notes

December 24, 2015August 12, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, AEppelTreow, Cider Riot, Eaglemount, Number Six, review, Schilling cider, cider flight, cider review, cider tasting, flight, Fremont, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, seattle, tasting notes

Yes, I made yet another trip to the Schilling Cider House! Check out my past posts here. This time it was for a random visit in early December, as I knew I wouldn’t have time to go for awhile with the holidays. I wasn’t disappointed, as there were a good number of ciders on tap I hadn’t tried previously.

I had a flight of six ciders, then picked up a half growler of Locust Bittersweet (which I have a bottle of, but was a really good deal and is quite tasty) and a few bottles. I was intrigued by a new Liberty Ciderworks (Spokane WA) cider called Garretza, but learned it is a barrel aged sour, and passed as I’m not into sours.

Schilling Pineapple Passion (aka Trouble in Paradise), 5% ABV, Seattle WA: This is a brand new currently tap-only release at Schilling which added pineapple & passion fruit juices to cider, and may be canned in the future. Slightly hazy pineapple-yellow hue. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate pineapple flavor. I didn’t pick up any passion fruit flavor. The only other pineapple ciders I’ve had are Ace Pineapple (apple cider backsweetened with pineapple juice) and Reverend Nat’s Tepache (made only using pineapple juice, very low ABV, and lots of spice). In my mind I was comparing this to Ace’s pineapple cider. I liked Schilling’s much better, as it wasn’t as juice-like (I used to really enjoy Ace’s Pineapple, but my tastes moved away from ciders which taste like juice). However, Schilling’s Pineapple cider seemed to be missing something…maybe it needed more carbonation?

Number 6 Pomegranate, 5.4% ABV, Seattle WA: I’ve previously only had their “True Cider” variety. Light cherry / pomegranate type hue. Semi-sweet. Light bodied. Low acidity and tartness. It remained light to moderate on the pomegranate flavor, similar to Elemental’s “Oxygen” Pomegranate cider (Elemental is also in the Seattle area, in Woodinville WA). I found this to be rather average, as it left me wanting more flavor. I mostly tried it as I hadn’t had it before.

AeppelTreow Barn Swallow, 6% ABV, Burlington WI: This is the first cider I’ve had from them. Made from Red Delicious, Cortland, Ida Red, and Greenings apples. Semi-sweet. Medium straw yellow. Low acidity and tartness. No bitterness. Medium boded. There was a slight richness which I enjoyed. Overall definitely well above average, and quite tasty. I look forward to trying the bottle of their Appely Brut I have at home.

Eaglemount Cyser, 8% ABV, Port Townsend WA: Cysers are made by fermenting both apple juice and honey, so are classified in between cider and mead. Smells dry, of yeast & honey, with a slight funk. Medium straw yellow. Semi-sweet. Nice mild honey flavor. Medium bodied. Moderate acidity. Mild tartness. The higher ABV was noticeable. Really nice! However, I was more impressed with their Quince cider I had a bottle of awhile back, which was crazy complex and fruity. I want to try more from them.

2 Towns Nice & Naughty Bourbon Barrel Aged, 10.5% ABV, Corvallis OR: I had 2 Towns’ Nice & Naughty (their holiday seasonal) on tap only a couple weeks before this, but this one is a special bourbon barrel aged release of it which appears to be tap-only. Smells spiced, rich, and alcohol-forward. The spice remains very mild, even more so than the regular version. Moderate barrel influence and mild bourbon influence for the flavor, but this tastes quite boozy. Some caramel and vanilla notes, and oddly enough, ginger? Mild tartness, acidity, and bitterness. Medium bodied. Long finish with a lot of warmth. I drank it last, letting it warm up to close to room temperature, based on my previous experience with the regular version of Nice & Naughty tasting better that way. However, it may have been a mistake, as I didn’t really care for this version of the cider. The high ABV, spice, barrel aging, and bourbon influence seemed to be competing for attention. I much preferred the regular Nice & Naughty (which is odd as typically I love barrel aged ciders), but would be curious to try this one again when it was very cold.

Cider Riot Champoeg X-17 on Nitro, 4.6% ABV, Portland OR: This is a hopped cider, part of their new Champoeg line, and made using an experimental hops variety. Smells herbal & floral. Semi-dry. The hops flavor remains very mild, and is more herbal & floral than hoppy. It reminded me some of Portland Hop’rageous and Tod Creek Mala-Hop, which are also both mild (although this cider was even milder on the hops). Very light boded. The Nitro tap didn’t seem to add much except additional foam (I think it works best with Berry ciders). I’m not a hops fan, so I don’t think I fully appreciated it, but it wasn’t bad. Overall it left me wanting more flavor, but I wouldn’t have wanted any more hops flavor.

My favorites of the evening were Eaglemount Cyser, AeppelTreow Barn Swallow, and Schilling Pineapple Passion, in that order.

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

Big B’s Grizzly Brand Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider

December 23, 2015December 25, 2015 cidersays Big B's barrel aged, Big B's, bourbon barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, Grizzly Brand, hard cider

Review of Grizzly Brand, an organic bourbon barrel aged cider from Big B’s out of Hotchkiss Colorado, part of their small batch 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.<<

<aren’t these cool bottle labels & stickers they sent?>

Cider: Grizzly Brand
Cidery: Big B’s
Cidery Location: Hotchkiss CO
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle
Style: American New World Style Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider

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

Cider Description: For over 80 years the Growers Trading and Supply Co. in Hotchkiss Colorado sold millions of lbs of Apples as Grizzly Brand Apples. Big B’s took over this location in 1973 and to pay homage to the Grizzly Brand we created a Hard Cider with historic roots and time honored traditions. Grizzly Brand Hard Cider is aged in used bourbon barrels, it’s unfiltered and bottle conditioned. It’s a crisp and dry cider that’s laced with woody vanilla like tones and finishes with the warmth of fine bourbon. USDA Certified Organic. ABV 6.9% and available in 750ml bottle.

Local organic Winesap apple single varietal aged 12-15 months in High West Distillery barrels from Park City UT. Only apples 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. Grizzly Brand won silver at GLINTCAP 2015, and is in the running for a Good Food award for 2016 (along with Pear Supply & 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: Slightly hazy honey-lemon hue. Carbonation level between still and very low. Smells of sweet honey, oak barrels, citrus, and bourbon. The smell really reminds me of Crispin’s 15 Men–barrel aged and a lot of honey (although that one was rum not bourbon barrel).

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry (which was a bit difficult to decide on as there were some completing aspects). Mild acidity, tartness, and bitterness. No sourness or funk. The flavor was complex, starting with honey & citrus, then moving to oak wood & vanilla, then into the lingering warming bourbon. Moderate barrel and bourbon spirit influence. Medium bodied. Long finish length. Low to moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: Pretty tasty! Definitely unique. I liked that they went a bit stronger on the barrel & spirit influence than most spirit barrel aged ciders.

Most Similar to: The honey combined with barrel aged most reminded me of Crispin 15 Men (rum barrel), followed by Carlton Slake (whiskey barrel), 2 Towns The Bad Apple (bourbon barrel), and Moonlight Meadery How Do You Like Them Little Apples (whiskey barrel). The difficulty in determining the level of sweetness with a barrel aged cider with sweet notes reminded me of Thistly Cross Whisky Cask (which is sweeter). The other bourbon barrel aged ciders I’ve had include Tieton Cidermaker’s Reserve and Traditions Bourbon Barrel 2012 (the Traditions one, made by 2 Towns, is literally one of my favorite ciders by the way).

Closing Notes: Too bad Big B’s Grizzly Brand isn’t available outside of Colorado yet. I think they will do very well with expanded distribution. Barrel aged cider is typically my favorite variety, and this one didn’t disappoint. I look forward to trying the other cider they sent, Pear Supply.

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

Carlton Cyderworks Slake

December 18, 2015December 19, 2015 cidersays Carlton, review barrel aged, Carlton, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Slake

Review of Carlton Cyderworks’ Slake barrel aged cider. Carlton was founded in 2009, and this cider appear to have been released for the first time in September 2015.

Cider: Slake
Cidery: Carlton
Cidery Location: McMinnville OR
ABV: 6.75%
How Supplied: 22oz bottle

Availability: Limited release in OR & WA

Cider Description: Slake: (verb) to cool or refresh. Slake your thirst! Aged in whiskey barrels, this crisp apple cyder features notes of vanilla and oak and just a touch of sweetness.

Cidery Description: Family-owned Micro Cidery. We make some traditional cider. We make some modern cider. It’s all good stuff.

Price: $6.50
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’m a big fan of barrel aged ciders, and pretty much buy every one I see.

First Impression: Light straw yellow. Still (no carbonation). Smells of tannins, oak, honey, yeast, acidity, vanilla, and mild apple.

Opinion: Semi-dry. The oak, honey, and vanilla notes continue. Mild whiskey and mild barrel influence. Low acidity, tartness, bitterness, and tannins. No funk or sourness. Light bodied. Quick finish. Very mild flavored, almost sessionable. Some warmth at the end.

Most Similar to: Mildly flavored barrel aged ciders. A lot of the flavor notes (vanilla, oak, honey) and that it is semi-dry and still reminds me of 2 Towns’ The Bad Apple, although that is over 10% ABV and more fully flavored. I also find some comparisons to Tieton Cidermaker’s Reserve.

Closing Notes: Pretty tasty, but it left me wanting more flavor in general. However, I’m a fan of very full-flavored ciders. I think the price was very reasonable though.

Have you tried Carlton Slake? What did you think?

Finnriver Black Currant

December 17, 2015December 10, 2015 cidersays Finnriver, review Black Currant, Chimacum, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Finnriver, hard cider, port townsend

Review of Finnriver’s Black Currant cider. I’ve had this a few times, but this is the first time I’ve had it since starting Cider Says. I picked up a growler of this cider at a Finnriver cider tasting at Around the Table in Lynnwood WA. They were pouring their Pear, Cranberry Rosehip, and Black Currant ciders, and offering a free glass growler with fill.

(stock photo as I got a half growler)

Cider: Black Currant
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA (near Port Townsend)
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles and on tap

Availability: Year round 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.)

Cider Description: A light, lovely cider, with a purple blush, that blends heirloom and organic dessert apples with the tart mysteries of organic black currant. Immensely drinkable.

Made from Gala, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady apples, which is the base that Finnriver uses for the majority of their ciders.

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.

Price: $9 / 32oz (usually runs $9 / 500ml, or 16.9oz bottle, so this was a great deal even before the free glass growler)
Where Bought: Around the Table in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Finnriver tasting, although I’ve had it a few times

First Impression: Deep purple grape juice-like hue. Nearly still (no carbonation) with a few large bubbles. Smells amazing, of grape, black currant, and cranberry. This was the type of cider where I sat and smelled it for quite awhile before diving in.

Opinion: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Moderate acidity and tartness. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Very fruity and full-flavored, with the same grape, black currant, and cranberry flavors. The apple however remained pretty well-hidden. The flavor was overall nice, not overpowering or overly juice-like, which often happens with fruity ciders. Light to medium bodied. Medium length finish.

Most Similar to: Other fruity ciders. This is the only black currant cider I’ve had, but I know Doc’s Draft and Slyboro also make one.

Closing Notes: Quite tasty, but a bit tart for my liking, especially having most of this growler myself over the course of the afternoon & evening. It went really well with Thanksgiving dinner, kinda akin to a cranberry sauce. However, I liked this better bottled as it seemed to have a higher carbonation level (I’m a big fan of carbonation). Even better is Finnriver’s Lavender Black Currant variety (part of their Botanicals line), which was especially amazing on Nitro at the Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA.

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

Eden Heirloom Blend Ice Cider

December 16, 2015December 16, 2015 cidersays Eden, review apple ice wine, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eden, hard cider, ice cider, Vermont

Review of Eden’s Heirloom Blend Ice Cider. I tried this at Cider Summit Seattle 2015 and fell in love. The night before Cider Summit I actually got to meet the cidermaker Eleanor Leger, chat for awhile, and sample a glass of her Sparkling Dry cider, which is also awesome (notes here). My husband bought me this bottle for our anniversary; its a bit of a splurge and not something I’d normally buy.

From Eden’s website: Ice cider (also sold as apple ice wine) originated in Southern Quebec, and is a dessert wine made using apples which have been concentrated by natural winter cold. Eden harvests apples from the trees at peak ripeness, puts them in cold storage until winter, presses them into juice, then sets the juice outdoors to freeze for 6-8 weeks. The freezing & melting-off process concentrates the flavor and sugar of the apples. The juice is then fermented over several weeks or months until the cider is cold stabilized, filtered, and bottled. Ice cider is typically 8-11% ABV and 12-15% residual sugar (in contrast, typical criteria puts dry cider below 0.9%, medium at 0.9-4.0%, and sweet above 4.0% residual sugar). The final amount of ice cider is typically less than 1/4 of the original amount of pressed juice, and it takes more than 8 pounds of apples to make just one 375ml bottle of ice cider. All this substantiates the high cost of ice cider. Here are photos of the process.

Cider: Heirloom Blend Ice Cider
Cidery: Eden
Cidery Location: West Charleston VT
ABV: 10%
How Supplied: 375ml tall clear glass bottle, corked (also available in some areas in 187ml bottles)

Availability: Year round in AK, CA, CO, CT, DE, IL, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, SC, VT, WA, WA D.C., and Canada. See their list of distributors.

Cider Description: This is our flagship product, now in its sixth vintage. We’ve changed the name from ‘Calville’ to Heirloom to reflect more clearly the heritage and complexity of the the blend. In addition to MacIntosh and Empire, Russets provide full-bodied sweetness, Calville Blanc and Esopus Spitzenburg provide acidity and citrus notes for balance, and Ashmead’s Kernel provides natural tannins for structure. Serve it with artisanal cheeses, game or dessert.

Apple varieties: Empire, MacIntosh, Roxbury Russett, Calville Blanc, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Hudson’s Gem, Ashmead’s Kernel, Esopus Spitzenberg, Black Oxford, Belle de Boskoop, Reinettes

35 Brix after concentration, 10% ABV, 15% residual sugar, and 1.6% titratable acidity. No added sugar, coloring or flavoring of any kind.

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, and can ship ciders to 23 states (see their full page on how to buy). Their current product line includes at least four ice ciders, two Aperitif ciders, and dry & semi-dry sparkling ciders.

Price: $30
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing

First Impression: Rich deep amber-orange hue. Completely still (no carbonation). Smells of rich sweet ripe apples, caramelized sugar, brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and honey.

Opinion: Very sweet, but in a refined and well-crafted way. Low acidity. No to low tartness. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Mild tannins. Very full bodied. Medium finish length. The same rich sweet ripe apples, caramelized sugar, brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and honey notes continue to the flavor. It is a tad alcohol-forward, but still tastes less than its 10% ABV. Rich and full-flavored. I tried it cold, room temperature, and warm, and enjoyed it best when very cold. When warmer the flavors were dulled.

Most Similar to: Other high quality ice ciders. When buying an ice cider (or actually any cider), I’d recommend researching how the product is made. For example, I’ve seen an imported product that retails for only $12 (instead of $20-$30 for 375ml) made from apple juice concentrate. Its at least good to made an educated purchase. Eden was the first to make ice cider in the U.S., but now other cideries make it, including Tieton (Frost), Eve’s (Essence), Newhall Farm, Slyboro (Ice Harvest), Sheldrake Point (Ice Apple Wine) and Angry Orchard (Iceman). You can also find imported ice ciders in the U.S., including from Domaine Etienne Dupont (Givre), Domaine Pinnacle, and Neige.

Closing Notes: Amazing! I highly recommend Eden ice cider, as long as someone doesn’t mind a sweet beverage. It isn’t intended to be drunk in large quantities, but instead small sips, such as with dessert. This ice cider paired especially well with apple pie….mmmm. This bottle easily lasted me a week, including sharing it with a couple other folks, and apparently can remain open in the fridge for quite awhile (I noticed no change in taste over that week, likely as it is still, high ABV, and high residual sugar). I really want to try Eden’s barrel aged ice cider, Northern Spy, but it isn’t sold in WA yet.

Have you tried any ice cider? What did you think?

Dragon’s Head Wild Fermented

December 15, 2015December 18, 2015 cidersays Dragon's Head, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dragon's Head, hard cider, wild fermented, wild yeast

Review of Dragon’s Head Wild Fermented cider. A wild fermented (wild yeast) cider uses the yeast naturally present on the apples and in the environment, in contrast to most ciders which destroy any natural yeast and add their own known strain. A wild fermented cider is typically more unpredictable and difficult to make than typical ciders. I’ve also tried Dragon’s Head Traditional cider, and also have a bottle of their Kingston Black cider in my collection.

Cider: Wild Fermented
Cidery: Dragon’s Head
Cidery Location: Vashon Island WA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle

Availability: Year round in WA and OR. See their list of locations.

Cider Description: This is the Dragon’s Head Cider version of a farmhouse cider. Rather than carefully selecting a yeast strain for the fermentation, we allowed the wild yeast present on the skin of the apples to ferment the cider. It’s a bit of a fun gamble, but one we believe is worth taking.

Cidery Description: From apple to bottle, all right here on our farm. At Dragon’s Head Cider, we take a traditional approach to cider making. Our focus is on the apple varieties that we use and the quality of the fruit. We love the story that apples alone can tell through cider, altering the flavor by changing the blend of apple varieties that we carefully select. The process is simple and the ingredients list is short. Perhaps we’re a little old fashioned.

Dragon’s Head has a tasting room.

Price: ~$15
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing

First Impression: Slightly hazy pale straw yellow. Still (no carbonation). Smells of sour citrus, acidity, funk, yeast, and honey.

Opinion: I perceived it as completely dry, but it has 7 grams of sugar per liter. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild sourness and funk. No bitterness. Moderate length finish. Light bodied and crisp. Honey, citrus, pear, oak, yeast, earthy, and slightly herbal & floral notes. The flavors remain rather mild yet complex. Best enjoyed chilled.

Most Similar to: Wild fermented ciders, Sidra, sour ciders, Farmhouse-style ciders, etc. This very much reminded me of WildCraft ciders, especially the Pioneer Perry for some reason, probably as I had this the day after trying the Pioneer Perry.

Closing Notes: I wasn’t really a fan. Since buying this I’ve found that I’m not a fan of ciders of this style, so knowing what I now know, I wouldn’t have bought it. Its still always nice to try new ciders though, and I was able to share it with a friend who liked it a bit more than I did. I’d suggest this for folks who don’t mind this style of cider–dry, sour, and funky. Its definitely unique and well-crafted.

Have you tried any ciders from Dragon’s Head? What did you think?

Sheppy’s Somerset Draught Cider

December 14, 2015December 10, 2015 cidersays review, Sheppy's cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Sheppy's, Somerset Draught

Review of Sheppy’s Somerset Draught Cider. This is the second Sheppy’s cider I’ve had; the first was their Oak Matured cider, which was truly amazing.

Cider: Somerset Draught Cider
Cidery: Sheppy’s
Cidery Location: Somerset, Taunton, UK
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 500ml brown glass bottle

Availability: Wide release in UK, but likely limited in the U.S.

Cider Description: First created in 2010, this product combines traditional cider apples and eating apples to produce a crisp fruity cider. Medium taste.

This cider was oak barrel aged.

Cidery Description: Farming 320 acres at Three Bridges Farm since 1917, three generations of the Sheppy family have weathered the ups and downs of farming and cidermaking by embracing change and opportunity. Craftsmen cidermakers for over 200 years. Quality is central to all our ciders, which are produced from local and home-grown apples here at Three Bridges Farm. Modern technology has been used to assist the completely traditional production of fine English cider, but never to compromise the quality which is associated with the name Sheppy’s Cider. We are proud to share with visitors from far and wide our beautiful farm and orchards, and to show you as much as possible of how and where we make our delicious ciders.

Price: $6.50
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing, after really liking Sheppy’s Oak Matured

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Still (no carbonation), despite the label saying it was lightly sparkling. Smells dry, acidic, tart, yeasty, and appley.

Opinion: On the sweeter side of semi-dry (so my nose deceived me on the level of sweetness). Mild tannins, tartness, and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Slightly rich, but still fairly sessionable. Medium bodied. Moderate finish length. Mild notes of honey, vanilla, and oak. This would particularly make a nice summer cider. I wouldn’t however call it overly fruity or apple-forward.

Most Similar to: Other English ciders, although its a bit on the lighter side (slightly less rich, less tannins, and less bitterness).

Closing Notes: Yum! I really enjoyed this cider. However, I preferred their Oak Matured, as it was more rich and had a lovely heavy oak influence. Both cider are very good values, especially for imported craft cider. Most other imported English ciders seem to run a couple dollars more per bottle, and I haven’t enjoyed them nearly as much.

Have you tried any Sheppy’s ciders? What did you think?

Sea Cider Bittersweet

December 11, 2015December 11, 2015 cidersays review, Sea Cider bittersweet, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Sea Cider

Review of Sea Cider’s Bittersweet cider variety, which is apparently relatively new. A friend brought this to my cider tasting for us to try. They bought it in Canada, and as far as I know its not available in the U.S. yet (Sea Cider has more varieties available in Canada than the U.S.).

Cider: Bittersweet
Cidery: Sea Cider
Cidery Location: Saanichton, British Columbia, Canada
ABV: 7.2%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle

Availability: Sea Cider is sold at least in Canada (B.C., Alberta, & Manitoba) and the U.S. (WA, IL, & OR), but this variety is likely only found in Canada.

Cider Description: Bittersweet apples are the backbone of traditional English cider and are some of the rarest apples in Canada. We grow several of these prized varietals, which can be heart breaking to grow, yet produce some of the world’s finest cider. Our Bittersweet cider is an off-dry sparkler expressing the classic phenolic character of this coveted fruit. Raise a glass of Sea Cider to a bittersweet tradition!

Sea Cider’s Bittersweet is a cider truly rooted in tradition. Dabinetts, Yarlington Mills and other English bittersweets have been patiently cultivated on Sea Cider’s farm to bring you this rare libation. While most people would consider bittersweet apples inedible in a culinary sense, their bitter flavour imparts a cider full of character. These apples are high in tannin, low in acid and provide the classic flavour of the finest English ciders. Enthusiasm for these varietals and their importance in cider making apples goes back to the 13th century!

In a market increasingly dominated with ciders made from dessert apples, Bittersweet brings the classic phenolic character that can only come from the true cider-making apples of yesteryear.

Cidery Description: Sea Cider is a farm-based cidery located on the Saanich Peninsula just minutes from Victoria, on Vancouver Island. Our ten acre farm is home to over 1,300 apple trees, made up of over 50 varieties of heritage apples. Sea Cider opened its farm gate for business in 2007 when owner Kristen Jordan purchased the property with a vision of creating an organic farm and orchard and producing traditional fermented artisan ciders. Since then, we’ve grown to an annual cider production of over 7,000 cases and growing. We continue to pride ourselves on crafting traditionally fermented ciders from organically grown apples.

Price: n/a (but likely around $20 USD, same as most of their ciders)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Copper-amber hue. Still (no carbonation), although apparently it is supposed to have some and was likely because it had been open awhile. Rich bittersweet apple scent.

Opinion: On the drier side of semi-sweet. Low acidity, tartness, and bitterness. Low to moderate tannins. No sourness or funk. Medium bodied. Moderate finish length. This is a rich full-flavored cider, exactly how I like them. Lovely burnt caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla notes. The flavors remained on the milder side (but I was told it had been open nearly a week–that would never happen in my house!).

Most Similar to: Many English and English-style ciders.

Closing Notes: Yum! I really love cider from bittersweet apples, and this didn’t disappoint. I’m kinda bummed I can’t find this locally, but thankfully there are some great locally-available bittersweet apple ciders, such as the one I just tried from Locust in Woodinville WA.

Have you tried Sea Cider Bittersweet? What did you think?

Strongbow British Dry (Original Recipe)

December 10, 2015December 9, 2015 cidersays review, Strongbow British Dry, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Strongbow

Review of Strongbow British Dry, apparently the original recipe. A cider buddy brought this back from Canada and shared a can with me. Since early 2014 however Strongbow has only had a new sweeter version (Gold Apple) available here in the U.S.

Cider: British Dry
Cidery: Strongbow (Bulmer’s, Heineken UK)
Cidery Location: Edinburgh UK
ABV: 5.3%
How Supplied: 500ml can

Availability: Year round in Canada, UK, etc

Cider Description: A perfectly balanced English apple cider that is light in body, crisp and bittersweet.

Cidery Description: From the orchard to the glass, we are inspired by the power of nature to deliver the golden, crisp refreshment in every drop of Strongbow Hard Apple Cider. And like our namesake, Richard “Strongbow” de Clare, who was legendary for his skill with the bow and arrow, we’re setting our sights and making our mark. Our cider’s crisp, refreshing taste sets the tone for the rest of the night. We’re the go-getters. The makers and doers. To us, every hour is golden.

After the ripest apples are harvested, they arrive at the mill where they’re washed and crushed. This pulp is pressed to extract pure juice, which is then concentrated and stored (with the apples’ natural sugars acting as a preservative). The concentrated apple juice is then fermented and left to mature, allowing smoother flavors to develop.

Our apples are grown to produce crisp and refreshing cider, and nothing else. We have over 125 years of expertise in extracting their natural flavors.

Price: n/a
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: a cider buddy brought it back from Canada

First Impression: Light amber. Low carbonation. Mild dry crisp acidic apple scent.

Opinion: Semi-dry. Moderate tartness. Moderate to high acidity. No detectable bitterness, sourness, or funk. No to low tannins. Light bodied. Quick finish. I found it to be a pretty standard cider without too many other flavor notes, except maybe a bit of green apple…definitely crisp, refreshing, and fairly easy drinking. I was hoping for a bit more bittersweet cider apple flavor, but it wasn’t quite there. It is however fairly flavorful. There are some hints of artificialness, but not nearly as much as sweeter ciders made in a similar method.

Most Similar to: Other drier flagship commercial ciders.

Closing Notes: I’d call this an above average commercial cider. If it was available in the U.S., I’d much rather drink it when out at a bar than Angry Orchard Crisp Apple, Strongbow Gold Apple, or a number of other more commonly available ciders. However, besides that it is on the drier side, I can’t say there is too much that sets it apart.

Have you tried Strongbow British Dry? What did you think?

Downeast Cider House Cranberry Blend

December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 cidersays Downeast, review Boston, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Cranberry, Cranberry Blend, Downeast, hard cider

Review of Cranberry Blend from the Downeast Cider House, their winter seasonal. They sent me a great sample case of their Cranberry, Winter, and Original Blend ciders, which is especially awesome as they aren’t yet available here in the Seattle area (or anywhere outside of the Northeast). Lucky me!

>>This is a review of a sample can provided to Cider Says by the Downeast Cider House. 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: Cranberry Blend
Cidery: Downeast Cider House
Cidery Location: Boston MA
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz cans (and draft)

Availability: Year round, in the Northeast portion of the U.S. See their locator map.

Cider Description: Fresh-pressed cranberries make for a tart, crisp finish. After every batch of Cranberry Blend is finished and ready for the conditioning tank, our head cider-maker, Noah, finds Tyler and hands him a small cup. Tyler takes a sip, contemplating the flavor, the body, the finish, the metaphysical implications of spinning around a dying star on this piece of rock we call planet earth – before making the declaration as old as time itself: “more cranberry.” And so it goes, a ceremonial dash of freshly pressed cranberry juice tops off the batch and it’s whisked off to its cold, bubbly destiny.

Overview: Unfiltered, lightly carbonated, gluten free

Ingredients: Freshly pressed apple cider, cranberry juice, and ale yeast

Cidery Description: Downeast Cider House was founded by Ross Brockman and Tyler Mosher during their senior year of college. After a considerable amount of time spent on the family orchard, an affinity for farm-fresh apple products was born. Meanwhile, at school, the guys could always be found studying. Whether it was deep into a weekend night, Wed/Thurs specials at the local library, or perhaps a casual “Sunday fun-day study-day,” the fellas were relentlessly toiling away, focused primarily on the classic works of Professor Busch and his famous theories on the smooth-cold continuum, copper-top revision.

Although neither was a math major, through some additional “studying” they put two and two together and the result was hard cider. Sometime later, Ross’ older brother Matt approached the two and the following conversation took place:

Matt: I want to join you guys.
Ross/Tyler: Why would we do that?
Matt: I’m going to succeed with or without you, it’d be your loss.
Ross/Tyler: You’re in.

And so it was set. Where others have used juice from concentrate, “natural flavorings,” “essences,” artificial sweeteners, and an endless list of excuses, Downeast Cider House has a firmly established policy of NO SHORTCUTS. No matter the cost to us, we are fully committed to using only fresh-pressed juices and pure, natural ingredients in our cider. When it comes to flavor, there’s no substitute for the best, and that’s what we stand by: simple, honest, authentic.

They were founded in 2012 and have a tasting room in the Boston area. Here is a nice interview, although old.

Price: n/a (but runs about $9 a four pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: online (they have a huge following on Facebook for example)

First Impression: Hazy bright straw yellow with a hint of pink. Smells of unfiltered cider, yeast, citrus, and a hint of tart cranberry.

Opinion: On the drier side of semi-sweet. Full-flavored and apple-forward. Lovely flavor influence from the lack of filtering, although it remained medium bodied. I pick up some mild citrus, honey, and tart cranberry. Mild acidity. Mild to moderate tartness. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Unfiltered. No to low carbonation. Medium length finish. Best enjoyed very cold. The cranberry flavor remained very mild, and was expressed more as some additional tartness. I was surprised that the cranberry juice didn’t significantly tint the cider, which shows how little they likely added. This is a year-round variety, and I think most folks would be able to enjoy it year round as it didn’t seem overly holidayish like many cranberry ciders are.

Most Similar to: J.K.’s Scrumpy, except not nearly as sweet. Besides that, this cider is pretty original.

Closing Notes: Very tasty! I found this cider very difficult to describe. My review comes across a bit simple, yet for a relatively simple cider I found this quite complex. Especially for the retail price, I was quite impressed. I usually find canned cider to be a letdown for whatever reason. I opened all three Downeast varieties at a cider tasting and they all got two thumbs up from everyone. Its definitely an easily likable cider. The Original however was everyone’s favorite of the three varieties, although only by the slightest bit. Hopefully Downeast makes it out to the Seattle area someday, where I’ll save it a place in my fridge.

Have you tried any ciders from Downeast? What did you think?

Jester & Judge American Apple

December 7, 2015December 5, 2015 cidersays Jester & Judge, review American Apple, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, session cider, Stevenson, washington

Review of Jester & Judge’s American Apple. They just launched in September, and also offer Sharp Cherry and Columbia Belle (peach) varieties. Here is an article on their launch and here is an article about their founder (who recently sold the Fox Barrel and Crispin cider companies to MillerCoors). I tried their Sharp Cherry awhile back (tasting notes here).

Cider: American Apple
Cidery: Jester & Judge
Cidery Location: Stevenson WA
ABV: 5.8%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz bottles

Availability: likely only WA & OR

Cider Description: We embrace the challenge of making an apple cider that is both sessionable and subtly complex. Our American Apple cider is strong, clean, and sublimely balanced. Equally at home, at the beach, or at the bistro. 100% Natural, 100% Pacific Northwest.

Cidery Description: We’ll bring the Jester and you be the Judge. At Jester & Judge we believe that balance is important in life and in cider. It’s the foundation of our seriously whimsical attitude. Serious about the quality of the ciders we make. No concentrates, sorbates, artificial flavorings, colorings, or other shortcuts. Whimsical because we have fun making the best ciders we can featuring local ingredients from the Pacific Northwest, which sometimes means snubbing our nose a little at traditional cider.

Price: ~$2.50 for a single bottle (runs $8-9 for a four pack)
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light amber with a touch of orange. No carbonation or foam upon pouring. Smells like apple juice.

Opinion: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Tastes like apple juice which has been slightly watered down with a touch of honey. The alcohol is well-hidden. No noticeable carbonation. Medium bodied. Low acidity. Only the very slightest tartness. No sourness, bitterness, or funk. Quick finish. This is a very simple and apple-forward cider, definitely sessionable (easy to drink multiple bottles in a sitting). I was surprised this was 5.8% ABV, as I would have guessed much lower. I suspect they fermented this cider dry to quite a high ABV and significantly back-sweetened it with juice (plus honey).

Most Similar to: Many plain flagship ciders which are on the milder and drier side. Ace Apple comes to mind.

Closing Notes: I found this cider rather average and on the boring side. I think some carbonation would have gone a long way. It is rare to find a cider like this which doesn’t use sorbates, which can be difficult for cideries to pull off, so for some folks who aim to avoid them, this cider may specifically interest them. I like that this cider is so low in calories (135 in 12oz). So far, from trying their American Apple and Sharp Cherry varieties, Jester & Judge appears to make rather mildly flavored ciders, which likely appeals to session drinkers. Personally, I crave flavor and richness from a cider more than sessionability. However, there is a reason they make so many ciders…something for everyone.

Have you tried Jester & Judge ciders? What did you think?

WildCraft Flagship Dry Hard Cider

December 5, 2015December 5, 2015 cidersays review, Wildcraft cider, cider review, cider tasting, dry, Eugene, flagship, hard cider, Wildcraft

Review of WildCraft Cider Works’ flagship dry Hard Cider. WildCraft opened in Eugene Oregon in November 2014. They were nice enough to send me a box full of their cider (which is especially awesome as they aren’t yet available in WA), so I have a number of varieties from them to review in the coming weeks.

>>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.<<

Cider: Hard Cider
Cidery: WildCraft Cider Works
Cidery Location: Eugene OR
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle

Availability: Year round, but currently only in Eugene, Portland, and Medford Oregon.

Cider Description: Our flagship Dry Cider, made entirely from Oregon apples is locally sourced and pressed. This is a classic dry session cider with enough complexity to enjoy year round, all the time. Unpasteurized & bottle conditioned.

Made from Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny Smith, Pippen, Winesap, and/or Empire apples.

Cidery Description: At WildCraft Cider Works, we pride ourselves on developing innovative, artisanal dry ciders inspired by traditional and wild methodology. Insisting on whole fruit and botanicals grown in Oregon to create pure ciders without artificial flavorings, sulfites or added sweeteners. WildCraft cider is uniquely dry cider unpasteurized & bottle conditioned. We consider ourselves stewards of the outdoors; always acting consciously to ensure that our ingredients are regional.

WildCraft sets themselves apart from most other cideries by using mostly fruit from old homesteads that would otherwise go unused, plus unwanted fruit from community drives. All their fruit is Oregon-grown and pressed at the cidery. In addition to ciders, they also have a line of perries (made from pears). They avoid the use of sulfites in their ciders, which is quite rare and can be difficult to pull off.

WildCraft has a tap house at their Eugene OR cidery with 10 of their ciders & perries on tap at a time, plus they have a full bar (including cider cocktails), and a full farm to table restaurant! This article from Feb 2015 has a nice writeup on them.

Price: n/a (but retails for $5.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Facebook and word of mouth

First Impression: Slightly hazy straw yellow with a few large bubbles at the edge of the glass. Slightly funky, dry, sour, and tart apple scent.

Opinion: Completely dry. Moderate sourness, tartness, astringency, and funk. High acidity. No bitterness. Light bodied. Moderate carbonation. Relative quick finish, and fairly sessionable. I detected some mild citrus and honey notes.

Most Similar to: Nothing I have tried. This flagship cider is definitely unique, having some of those Sidra-like notes but still having a lot of characteristic flavor of what I have come to think of as American flagship cider. However, WildCraft uses a couple heirloom apple varieties in addition to common eating / dessert apples, which give it a touch of tannins, astringency, and depth. This is more approachable than some ciders of a similar style (Millstone comes to mind), but may still be a big step for someone used to approachable sweet commercial cider.

Closing Notes: This was quite an interesting cider, but it wasn’t really to my liking. Without the sourness and with a bit more residual sugar, I think I would have found it more enjoyable. I think they are doing some great things at WildCraft though, and are very reasonably priced. I think folks looking for a unique cider on the dry end of the spectrum which aren’t opposed to some sourness and funk should give this a try. I look forward to trying the rest of the ciders that came in my sample box!

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

WildCraft Cider Works Pioneer Perry

December 5, 2015December 5, 2015 cidersays review, Wildcraft cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eugene, perry, perry review, perry tasting, Wildcraft

Review of WildCraft Cider Works’ Pioneer Perry. Perries are made entirely using pears. In contrast, pear ciders are often an apple base with pear juice added, and cider is of course entirely made from apples. WildCraft opened in Eugene Oregon in November 2014. They were nice enough to send me a box full of their cider (which is especially awesome as they aren’t yet available in WA), so I have a number of varieties from them to review in the coming weeks.

Cider: Pioneer Perry
Cidery: WildCraft Cider Works
Cidery Location: Eugene OR
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle

Availability: Year round, but currently only in Eugene, Portland, and Medford Oregon.

Cider Description: Our 2014 Pioneer Perry is layered with the complex flavors of hazelnut, fresh shortbread & orange blossom honey. The exquisite qualities of pre-prohibition planted American Pear varietals were allowed to reach their fullest potential. Harvested and handpicked from the founding farmlands of Lane County, this is an experience that provides unprecedented, homegrown quality. Unpasteurized & bottle conditioned.

Made from Red Bartlet pears.

Price: n/a (but retails for $16.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Facebook and word of mouth

First Impression: Light straw yellow with a few large bubbles at the edge of the glass. Slightly funky, dry, sour, tart, yeasty, vanilla apple scent.

Opinion: Completely dry. Moderate to high acidity. Mild to moderate sourness. Mild bitterness, funk, astringency, and tartness. Light bodied. Still (no carbonation). Moderate length finish. I picked up mild pear, citrus, vanilla, oak, and honey notes. This was a nice light perry which would be great during summer. It was my favorite of the six WildCraft selections I’ve had, likely as it was a bit less sour & funky.

Most Similar to: Nothing I have tried. Although I’ve drank a number of perries, none was this dry and complex. This is more approachable than some ciders of a similar style (Millstone comes to mind), but may still be a big step for someone used to approachable sweet commercial cider.

Closing Notes: This was quite an interesting perry and more likeable than the others I tried, but it wasn’t really to my taste. Without the sourness & funk and with a bit more residual sugar, I think I would have found it more enjoyable. I also tend to like more of a full-flavored beverage. I think they are doing some great things at WildCraft though, and are very reasonably priced. I think folks looking for a unique perry on the dry end of the spectrum which aren’t opposed to some sourness and funk should give this a try. I look forward to trying the rest of the ciders that came in my sample box!

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

WildCraft Cider Works Elderberry Perry

December 5, 2015December 5, 2015 cidersays review, Wildcraft cider, cider review, cider tasting, elderberry, Eugene, perry, perry review, perry tasting, Wildcraft

Review of WildCraft Cider Works’ Elderberry Perry. Perries are made entirely using pears. In contrast, pear ciders are often an apple base with pear juice added, and cider is of course entirely made from apples. WildCraft opened in Eugene Oregon in November 2014. They were nice enough to send me a box full of their cider (which is especially awesome as they aren’t yet available in WA), so I have a number of varieties from them to review in the coming weeks.

(I somehow forgot to take a full photo of this lovely
wax-topped bottle, so a stock photo will have to do)

Cider: Elderberry Perry
Cidery: WildCraft Cider Works
Cidery Location: Eugene OR
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle

Availability: Year round, but currently only in Eugene, Portland, and Medford Oregon.

Cider Description: These elderberries were wildcrafted in the mountains of Cottage Grove, hand destemmed and fermented whole in a red Bartlett perry. Floral, vinous, fruit-forward berries hail from the rugged Oregon wilderness into a rich & full bodied pear complexity. Unpasteurized & bottle conditioned.

Made from Red Bartlet and Comice pears.

Price: n/a (but retails for $16.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Facebook and word of mouth

First Impression: Light elderberry-grape type hue with a few large bubbles at the edge of the glass. Slightly funky, dry, sour, and tart apple-berry scent. This one had the most funky scent of the six I’ve tried from WildCraft.

Opinion: Completely dry. Moderate acidity, sourness, tartness, astringency, and funk. No bitterness. Light bodied. Moderate carbonation. Relative quick finish. The elderberry influence remained quite mild, but added a nice fruitiness and a bit of tannins. This was a crowd favorite at my cider tasting, but my least favorite, as it was a bit more funky than the others.

Most Similar to: Nothing I have tried. Although I’ve had a number of berry ciders and a handful of perries, none was this dry, and I haven’t had a berry perry. This is more approachable than some ciders of a similar style (Millstone comes to mind), but may still be a big step for someone used to approachable sweet commercial cider.

Closing Notes: This was quite an interesting perry, but it wasn’t really to my liking. Without the sourness & funk and with a bit more residual sugar, I think I would have found it more enjoyable. I also tend to like more of a full-flavored beverage. I think they are doing some great things at WildCraft though, and are very reasonably priced. I think folks looking for a unique perry on the dry end of the spectrum which aren’t opposed to some sourness and funk should give this a try. I look forward to trying the rest of the ciders that came in my sample box!

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

WildCraft Cider Works Blue River Blueberry

December 5, 2015December 5, 2015 cidersays review, Wildcraft blueberry, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eugene, hard cider, Wildcraft

Review of WildCraft Cider Works’ blueberry cider. WildCraft opened in Eugene Oregon in November 2014. They were nice enough to send me a box full of their cider (which is especially awesome as they aren’t yet available in WA), so I have a number of varieties from them to review in the coming weeks.

Cider: Blue River Blueberry
Cidery: WildCraft Cider Works
Cidery Location: Eugene OR
ABV: 6.3%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle

Availability: Year round, but currently only in Eugene, Portland, and Medford Oregon.

Cider Description: Bright whole blueberries from Organic Redneck Farm in Leaburg are fermented on skin, in a blend of Willamette Valley apples & wild yeast strains. Grown by our community, for our community. All Oregon grown, all the time.

Made from Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.

Price: n/a (but retails for $7.25)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Facebook and word of mouth

First Impression: Light blueberry-grape type hue with a few large bubbles at the edge of the glass. Slightly funky, dry, sour, and tart apple-blueberry scent.

Opinion: Completely dry. Moderate acidity, sourness, tartness, astringency, and funk. No bitterness. Light bodied. Moderate carbonation. Relative quick finish, and fairly sessionable. The blueberry influence remained quite mild, but added a nice fruitiness and a bit of tannins (blueberry skin type flavor). You can definitely tell they add real blueberries, not just blueberry juice (or worse, flavoring).

Most Similar to: Nothing I have tried. Although I’ve had a number of berry ciders, none was this dry. This is more approachable than some ciders of a similar style (Millstone comes to mind), but may still be a big step for someone used to approachable sweet commercial cider.

Closing Notes: This was quite an interesting cider, but it wasn’t really to my liking. Without the sourness and with a bit more residual sugar, I think I would have found it more enjoyable. I also tend to like more of a full-flavored cider. I think they are doing some great things at WildCraft though, and are very reasonably priced. I think folks looking for a unique cider on the dry end of the spectrum which aren’t opposed to some sourness and funk should give this a try. I look forward to trying the rest of the ciders that came in my sample box!

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

Downeast Cider House Winter Blend

December 4, 2015December 4, 2015 cidersays Downeast, review Boston, cider, cider review, cider tasting, cinnamon, Downeast, hard cider, oak, Winter Blend

Review of Winter Blend from the Downeast Cider House, their winter seasonal. They sent me a great sample case of their Winter, Original, and Cranberry Blend ciders, which is especially awesome as they aren’t yet available here in the Seattle area (or anywhere outside of the Northeast). Lucky me! Winter is covered in this review, Original is covered here, and Cranberry will be covered soon.

Cider: Winter Blend
Cidery: Downeast Cider House
Cidery Location: Boston MA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz cans (and draft)

Availability: Winter time, in the Northeast portion of the U.S. See their locator map.

Cider Description: Winter Blend pairs well with deep sofas, warm blankets, and a crackling fire. Our winter offering starts with fresh apple cider. It is fermented with our ale yeast and aged on toasted oak chips, cinnamon bark, and nutmeg. Not overwhelming on the spice, Winter Blend finishes clean – with enough kick for a cold winter night.

Overview: Unfiltered, lightly carbonated, gluten free

Ingredients: Freshly pressed apple cider, cinnamon bark & nutmeg, and ale yeast

Matt: I want to join you guys.
Ross/Tyler: Why would we do that?
Matt: I’m going to succeed with or without you, it’d be your loss.
Ross/Tyler: You’re in.

They were founded in 2012 and have a tasting room in the Boston area. Here is a nice interview, although old.

Price: n/a (but runs about $9 a four pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: online (they have a huge following on Facebook for example)

First Impression: Hazy bright straw yellow. Smells of unfiltered cider, yeast, citrus, and a hint of spice.

Opinion: On the drier side of semi-sweet. Full-flavored and apple-forward. Lovely flavor influence from the lack of filtering, although it remained medium bodied. I pick up some mild citrus, honey, oak, and spice notes. Mild acidity. Mild tartness. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Unfiltered. No to low carbonation. Medium length finish. I tried this one cold, room temperature, and warmed, and liked cold best. When warmed the flavor mellowed out too much. I liked how the spice remained on the mild side, as often spiced ciders go too far. This one has a touch more alcohol (6.5% vs. 5.1% ABV) than the Original, but I didn’t really notice. I find it interesting that this cider was aged (I assume in a tank) on oak chips, not oak barrel aged. Its a less expensive method however which can accomplish a very similar effect. The oak influence remained mild, but nice.

Most Similar to: J.K.’s Scrumpy, except not nearly as sweet. Besides that, this cider is pretty original.

Have you tried any ciders from Downeast? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 7 Tasting Notes

December 3, 2015November 26, 2015 cidersays 2 Towns, Attila, Avid (prev. Atlas), Greenwood, Julian, local, Locust, Portland Cider, review, Schilling, William's cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling, Schilling Cider House, Seatttle

Yes, I made yet another trip to the Schilling Cider House! Check out my past posts here. This time it was for a monthly potluck, with a “Thanksgiving Recipe Trial Run” theme. I actually opted out of the potluck as I’m not a big Thanksgiving type food fan (and it ended up having a low turnout anyways), but there were plenty of folks at the cider house.

I started with a flight of six ciders.

2 Towns Ciderhouse Nice & Naughty, 10.5% ABV: I started off not really liking this one much at all, but it became one of my favorites of the night once it warmed up to closer to room temperature. This one had less spice scent than the other two spiced ciders I had in this flight. Semi-dry. The spice hit more at the back of the palate, and wasn’t so much cinnamon as it was clove and nutmeg. I bet this would be amazing served warm. The alcohol remained pretty well-hidden, and it reminded me of Imperial-style cider.

Atlas Hard Cider Company Cinnamon Pear, 8.5% ABV: Very mild cinnamon scent, and I don’t detect any pear scent. This one is an apple-based cider with some pear juice (not perry). Semi-sweet. A bit boozy (alcohol-forward). Only a hint of pear flavor. The cinnamon came across more in the finish. This one remained rather mild flavored.

Portland Cider Company London Dry Gin, 6.8% ABV: Dry. Smells like tannins, spice, herb, and dry cider. Quick finish. Acidic with some bitterness. Higher tannins but light bodied, which is an interesting and rare combination. Quite herbal. This one grew on me a bit and I ended up liking it. It reminds me of Liberty Ciderworks Abbess, which used gin botanicals.

Julian Hard Cider Apple Pie, 6.9% ABV: Very strong cinnamon scent, but less so in the flavor. Semi-sweet. I was surprised with the moderate tartness. I’m not a huge spiced cider fan to begin with, but this was my least favorite of the three spiced ciders I tried in this flight. Its fairly popular though.

Attila Hard Apple Cider Rapture (Concord Grape), 6.5% ABV: Deep berry color with foam from the Nitro process. Semi-sweet to sweet. I pick up grape, with hints of pomegranate, cranberry, and huckleberry. Juice-like and the apple is well-hidden, but it was tasty and full flavored.

Schilling Cider Company Grumpy Bear Cold Brew Coffee Nitro, 5.0% ABV: Another very unique cider. Deep hazy amber with froth from the Nitro process. Semi-sweet. Smells mildly of coffee grounds, and I don’t pick up any apple. Moderate to full bodied. Some spice and herbal qualities. The coffee comes across more in the scent than the flavor, but still, the apple remains hidden. Its a bit like an iced coffee drink with some alcohol. This one became a bit more bitter as it warmed up. Its not really my thing, but not as bad as I was expecting.

I got handed a sample of Greenwood Sweet Orange Cinnamon. This batch ended up having the carbonation really mellow out the flavor (per the cidermaker), so it mostly had a hint of spice in the scent and that was it. They put together a Randall while I was there to add additional orange and cinnamon flavor, using ingredients from the cidery.

Next I got tastes from some sample bottles.

I had a few sips of Locust Washington Dessert Apple Aged Hard Cider. I had this one a few months ago (review here), but this batch definitely was a bit wonky, as it continued to aggressively bottle condition. Like my bottle, it was very fizzy, even after being open for awhile. However, the additional time in the bottle had made it significantly drier than mine.

William’s Excalibur: This one tastes like a typical sweet commercial cider (and has an ingredient list to confirm this). It had the slightest bittersweet flavor, but was otherwise quite disappointing. I can’t believe they import this type of cider!

William’s Sir Perry: A bit more drinkable than Excalibur, but its still a sweet commercial cider. I don’t pick up much pear flavor at all. Slightly less sweet than Excalibur.

Locust Bittersweet Reserve: This is a special release cider for them which benefits Hydrocephalus (which the owner’s daughter and 1/1,000 babies has). Only 1,000 bottles and some kegs were released Nov/20/2015. Made from French and English bittersweet apple varieties. Bittersweet apple scent with hints of orange and spice. Semi-sweet to sweet. Rich, smooth, and luscious! Caramel notes, full flavored, and medium bodied. Lovely mild to moderate tannins. This reminds me of English-style cider, but its a bit more approachable than some, and the hints of orange and spice are nice (even though I usually don’t like those sorts of flavors). No bitterness, which can be difficult to pull off. This was definitely my favorite cider of the evening! I’m happy I was able to pick up a bottle (so look for a future full review of it here). $18 for 750ml, likely only found in the Seattle WA area. Oddly enough I was told it must stay refrigerated (although it didn’t say that on the bottle)?

I definitely tried a lot of cider and had a blast, as always. Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says! Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

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