2 Towns Traditions Riverwood New World Brut – 2015 Vintage

November 28, 2016November 28, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns 2 Towns, barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Riverwood, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns Traditions Riverwood New World Brut, 2015 vintage, a champagne-style cider. This is one of two ciders which were released to start off their new Traditions line. Their Traditions line will replace their separate Traditions brand and focus on barrel aged vintage cider from heirloom apples. The other is Cidre Bouche. Two others will soon be released, Afton Field and La Mûre. This is the third vintage of Riverwood. I’ve tried the two previous vintages, Traditions brand 2013 vintage and 2 Towns brand 2014 vintage. I’ve also tried many other ciders from 2 Towns (see here).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by 2 Towns. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received it for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

Cider: Traditions Riverwood New World Brut, 2015 Vintage
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis Oregon
ABV: 6.3%
How Supplied: 375ml bottles
Style: American craft champagne-style cider from heirloom apples, barrel aged

Availability: Limited (only 240 cases of 12 bottles), although 2 Towns ciders are generally available in AK, CA, HI, ID, OR, WA, and Minneapolis MN & Chicago IL.

Cider Description: Willamette Valley grown Jonagold apples. Oregon grown bittersharp cider apples. Finished in chardonnay barrels. Inspired by sparkling brut champagnes of the past, Riverwood is a contemporary take on a classic. Slow fermentation at cold temperatures allows the intense passionfruit-like aroma of freshly picked and pressed Jonagold and Porter’s Perfection apples to flourish. Dry, bright, and floral, this New World cider brings the brut style out of the past and into the present. Pairs well with lobster mushroom risotto, butternut squash ravioli in sage brown butter, asparagus with lemon aioli and Moroccan chicken with dates and braised greens.

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

Price: n/a
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Dark straw yellow hue. Moderate carbonation. Smells mildly floral and of high acidity.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Subtle notes of floral, lemon, grapefruit, and mineral. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity. Low oak influence.

My Opinion: This was well made, but not really a style I enjoy, with its subtle wine-like flavor and high acidity. However, its very food-friendly and a great champagne alternative.

Most Similar to: Cockrell Jonastar, Alpenfire Dungeness, and Seattle Cider Washington Heirloom.

Closing Notes: I liked last year’s vintage better, as it seemed more apple forward, more intensely flavored, sweeter, and less acidic.

Have you tried 2 Towns Traditions Riverwood? What did you think?

2 Towns Traditions Cidre Bouche – 2015 Vintage

November 25, 2016November 28, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cidre, cidre bouche, French, hard cider, keeved, tasting notes, Traditions

Review of 2 Towns Traditions Cidre Bouche, a French-style keeved cider. This is one of two ciders which they released to start off their new Traditions line. Their Traditions line will replace their separate Traditions brand and focus on barrel aged vintage cider from heirloom apples. The other is Riverwood, which I’ll be reviewing next. Two others will soon be released, Afton Field and La Mûre. Its my first time trying this cider, although I’ve tried many other ciders from 2 Towns (see here).

Keeving is a special labor intensive process of fermenting the cider slowly, starving it of natural nutrients. It results in an apple-forward, naturally sweet, lower ABV, and higher carbonation cider. This is typical for French cidre, but is very rare in the U.S.

Cider: Traditions Cidre Bouche
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis Oregon
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 375ml bottles
Style: American craft French keeved style cider from heirloom apples, oak aged

Availability: Limited (only 240 cases of 12 bottles), although 2 Towns ciders are generally available in AK, CA, HI, ID, OR, WA, and Minneapolis MN & Chicago IL.

Cider Description: Oregon grown bittersweet heirloom apples. Old world keeving method. Aged in French oak casks….Inspired by the bittersweet ciders of France, Cidre Bouché is made with an Old World process called keeving. We start with 100% traditional cider apple varieties like Kingston Black, Michelin, Reine des Pommes, Dabinett and Muscat de Lense, and then let the fruit ‘sweat’ and intensify in aroma. Next, the apples are crushed and left to soak on the skins before the juice is fermented slowly over the course of a year, and aged in French oak casks. When finished, this keeved cider is rich, thick and brimming with overripe bittersweet apple character. Pairs well with classic French fare— think savory crepes, pork terrine, camembert and blue cheese.

Price: n/a
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Hazy medium orange amber hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells slightly funky and apple forward.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate to high acid. Low funk and tannins. Hints of sourness and bitterness. Notes of unfiltered apple juice, apple pomace, honey, orange, grapefruit, and butterscotch. Moderate length finish. Moderate to high apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed it, and thought it paired well with Thanksgiving dinner. It got a bit funkier as it warmed up, so I preferred it cold. I’m a fan of these sorts of bold and rich ciders, and of (not too funky or sour) French cidre.

Most Similar to: French cidre. It definitely seemed true to the style, in between Normandy and Brittany French cidre as it was a bit funky (as Normandy cidre can tend to be), but not overly so. However, it was a bit higher acidity and more fruity though (although the grapefruit I picked up might have been more from the high acidity than anything else), which was a nice twist.

Closing Notes: I look forward to trying the other ciders in their new Traditions line. I think they made a great choice to release them in smaller 375ml bottles, as it will reduce the price point and increase the number of bottles available. I also think the switch to keep these under their 2 Towns brand but in a separate category was a smart move.

Have you tried 2 Towns Traditions Cidre Bouche? What did you think?

Whitewood South Sounder

November 23, 2016November 22, 2016 cidersays Whitewood cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Olympia, South Sounder, tasting notes, washington, Whitewood

Review of Whitewood’s South Sounder. Its my first time trying it, but I’ve previously had their Summer Switchel, Kingston Black Whisky Barrel Aged, Red Cap, Gravenstein Old Fangled Series 2012 Harvest, Gravenstein Old Fangled Series Barrel Aged, Northland, Winesap, Gibb’s Farm, and Newtown Pippin.

Cider: South Sounder
Cidery: Whitewood
Cidery Location: Olympia WA
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: American craft cider from community sourced apples, with quince added (an astringent & sour fruit that looks similar to a pear)

Availability: Per this list, only in Washington, including Olympia, Seattle, Federal Way, Tacoma, and Eastern Washington.

Cider Description: Semi-dry cider. Community sourced apples & quince. Limited release. Made exclusively from 2015 harvest apples and quince provided by friends and farms of South Puget Sound.

Cidery Description: Whitewood Cider is the South Puget Sound’s first craft cidery. Officially we are a nano cider and can be hard to locate. Fear not as you’ll be able to find us at the finest bottles shops as well pubs and and restaurants that are the most dedicated to locally made craft cider.

Too often the word traditional is haphazardly thrown around when it comes to making cider. At Whitewood Cider Company we make hard cider seasonally, as traditional as it gets, just as cider has always been made.

We pick and press apples in the Autumn as they are ripe and properly sweated out to produce the thickest richest juices possible.
Our ciders ferment slow all throughout the Winter at the cold ambient temperatures of South Puget Sound
We rack and blend our ciders in the late Winter and early Spring.
Curing the late Spring after the ciders have had ample time torest and mature, we rack our cider once more and begin bottling and kegging.

When it comes to apple selection and cidermaking we have a “no compromise” approach. We believe cidermaking is an art and that the best fruit and the best practices yield the best cider possible.

Whitewood Cider is owned and operated by Dave White (of Old Time Cider) and Heather Ringwood. Visits to their Olympia Washington cidery are by appointment only.

Price: $16.25
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. Its one of the few (only?) ciders I hadn’t tried from Whitewood, so I was game to give it a go.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Nearly still. Smells of pineapple, mango, and green apple.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate to high tartness and acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of green apple skin, lemon, pineapple, mango, quince, grapefruit, and hints of floral & herbal. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability, flavor intensity, and complexity.

My Opinion: I liked it. This would especially be a nice summer cider. Its very tart and fruity and finishes with a bite.

Most Similar to: Ciders with high tartness & acidity and tropical notes. Eaglemount Quince, which I think I prefer, as it isn’t as tart. Besides that the only other cider with quince that I’ve tried is Honey Moon CiderHead Quince, which had less complexity than both the Whitewood and Eaglemount ciders.

Closing Notes: My favorite Whitewood cider remains the Kingston Black Whisky Barrel Aged, as I prefer richer flavor. I also really liked Northland and Gibb’s Farm. I’ll have to see if I can find any more to try from Whitewood!

Have you tried Whitewood South Sounder? What did you think?

Cidrerie du Vulcain Transparente

November 21, 2016November 13, 2016 cidersays Cidrerie du Vulcain, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Cidrerie du Vulcain, hard cider, Swiss, Switzerland, tasting notes, Transparente

Review of Cidrerie du Vulcain’s Transparente, from Switzerland. Its my first time trying their cider.

Cider:  Transparente (2014)
Cidery:  Cidrerie du Vulcain
Cidery Location:  Le Mouret, Switzerland
ABV: 7.1%
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged bottles
Style: Swiss semi-dry sparkling cider from native heirloom apples, wild yeast fermented, made using traditional methods

Availability: unknown

Cider Description: Tart apples, peeled and sliced, just starting to brown, waiting to be arranged in a pie crust. With air: cinnamon —the pie is baking. The iron that you’d expect on Cidre de Fer. Floral. Slight animal. Near dry rather than off-dry. Heirloom fruit flavors. The acidity is savory like that of a bright rosé. Salt. A perfectly balanced trinity of salt, acidity, and delicate fruit, delivered with such lightness of texture —that Alpine feeling: not diluted but elusive and aerial, and incredibly refreshing.

Apple Varieties: Transparente de Croncels, Reinette de Champagne, Pomme Raisin, and Rose de Berne

Cidery Description: The cidery was started in 2006 by Jacques Perritaz; here is a great writeup.

Price: $19
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. Its the first time I’ve seen cider from this cidery or Switzerland.

First Impression: Dark straw yellow hue. Smells funky, yeast-forward and apple-forward.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Moderate carbonation, medium bodied, with a smooth frothy texture. Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. Mild funk. Hints of sourness, bitterness, and tannins. Notes of apple pomace, yeast, honey, green apple, and grapefruit. Moderate length finish. High apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

My Opinion: Awesome! I was a bit put off by the funky scent, but it wasn’t as apparent in the flavor as it was in the scent. Great apple-forward flavor without tasting like alcoholic apple juice.

Most Similar to: A combination of typical ciders from Normandy and Brittany France.

Closing Notes: Fun fact – the cidery’s name is from the local Vulcan butterfly that feeds on the juice of fallen apples. Too bad I haven’t seen any of their other ciders locally. This was the first time I saw this one, so hopefully more will make it here soon.

Have you tried any ciders from Cidrerie du Vulcain? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 22 Tasting Notes

November 18, 2016November 18, 2016 cidersays Cockrell, Pomarina, Schilling, Seattle Cider, Snowdrift cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, seattle, tasting notes

Tasting notes from my 22nd visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here.

I was there on a random Thursday. I started with a flight.

Cockrell Brewing (Puyallup WA) Jonastar (6.9% ABV): This is a single varietal from Jonastar apples, and is likely draft-only. Slightly hazy medium straw yellow hue. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Hints of bitterness and sourness. No funk or tannins. Notes of lemon, grapefruit, floral, and green apple. Low apple flavor. Low complexity. Low flavor intensity. High sessionability. I thought it was pretty average.

Schilling Cider (Auburn WA) Blueberry Cobbler (6.6% ABV): This is a spiced blueberry cider, barrel aged 12 months, primarily available in bottles at Bartell Drugs (a collaboration; see here). Cherry hue. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of blueberry, pie spices, and a hint of vanilla. No apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity. I didn’t pick up any barrel influence, but I imagine the other flavors could have overwhelmed them. This cider was a bit weird for my tastes.

Seattle Cider (Seattle WA) Washington Heirloom (7.0% ABV): This is a special release made from heirloom and cider apple varieties, also available in bottles. Higher carbonation. Medium straw yellow hue. Semi-dry to dry. Moderate tartness. High acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of lemon, lime, floral, and herbal. Low flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity. Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. I thought it was pretty average. There was more heirloom than cider apple flavor.

Snowdrift Cider (East Wenatchee, WA) Seckel Perry (8.6% ABV): This is a single-varietal perry (no apples, only pears) made from Seckel pears, also available in bottles. Slightly hazy light straw yellow. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness, tannins, and sourness. No funk. Notes of pear, citrus, green apple, and floral. Moderate sessionability. Moderate pear flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity. I enjoyed it (more than their regular Perry, which I found had a lot of bitterness).

Sarah also shared a bottle pour with me of a Spanish Sidra which is new to the U.S.

Pomarina (Asturias Spain, 7.0% ABV): This Spanish Sidra was made in the style of methode champenoise (to naturally carbonate it). Semi-dry. Light bodied, frothy texture (although it had been open awhile so it didn’t have much carbonation left). Moderate tartness. High acidity. Low sourness. Hints of bitterness. No tannins or funk. Notes of citrus and green apple. Moderate length finish. Moderate sessionability. Low apple flavor. Low flavor intensity. Low complexity. I found this more approachable than most Sidra, as it was less sour. I’m not a fan of sourness though, so I didn’t care for it.

The Snowdrift Seckel Perry was my favorite.

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

Red Tank Roughneck

November 16, 2016November 13, 2016 cidersays Red Tank, review Bend, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, Red Tank, Roughneck, tasting notes

Review of Red Tank’s Roughneck. Its my second time trying it (I previously tried it on draft; see here), and I’ve also tried their Happy Cider, Yukon Cornelius, Sour Cherry, Tropical, and Pear Bear.

Cider: Roughneck
Cidery: Red Tank
Cidery Location: Bend Oregon
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans (and draft)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples

Availability: Year round in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Northern California

Cider Description: A powerfully complex cider blending all elements into each storied sip. Hints of yeast, earthy sour notes and an almost dry profile keep you wanting more.Our Roughneck Cider is for the hard working people of the NW who know that you can’t have the “sweet” without the “dry”. This is serious cider for a good time.

Cidery Description: Born from years of industry experience, Red Tank Cider creates real North West hard cider. We make cider because we have a serious, uncontrollable passion for it. We won’t stop. It’s not supposed to be easy. That’s why it tastes so good. We practice sustainable techniques in our cider house. We use only apples, yeast and natural sulfites to make our cider. We do not put in any chemical additives and present our craft in its natural form.

They have a tasting room in Bend Oregon.

Price: ~$2.50 / single can
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells like acidic apple juice.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of apple juice, green apple, and a hint of floral. Moderate length finish. Moderate apple flavor. High sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity.

My Opinion: This is a typical flagship apple-forward semi-dry cider. I thought it was rather average.

Closing Notes: I think I prefer their Happy Cider; it seemed more flavorful and complex (also, slightly sweeter).

Have you tried Red Tank Roughneck? What did you think?

33 Books Co.’s The Original Cider Tasting Mug and 33 Mugs of Cider Book

November 14, 2016February 18, 2017 cidersays 33 Books Co., book, review 33 Books, 33 mugs of cider, ceramic, cider, cider book, cider mug, cider tasting, cider tasting mug, hard cider

Today’s review is of two products from 33 Books Co. – The Original Cider Tasting Mug and the 33 Mugs of Cider Book. Their website sells the mug for $45 (+$5.75 shipping) and the book for $5 (+$2.60 shipping; discount for buying multiple books), among other products, all manufactured in Portland Oregon.

>>This is a review of sample products provided to Cider Says by 33 Books Co. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received the products for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

MUG

Photos of the mug and box. The box has cardboard cutouts specifically to hold the mug in shipping without extra packaging. It was sent in an exterior USPS box.

Info: The mug was designed specifically for cider. It comfortably holds 12 ounces. It is made from ceramic, which is more insulating than glass. The white ceramic allows the taster to better see the color of the cider. A ceramic mug is also the traditional cider drinking vessel, not glass. Its features are designed to showcase a cider’s clarity and aroma. Ridges from the stamped “33” inside the bottom of the glass serve as nucleation sites to release carbonation.

My Opinion: First off, the packaging and product is high quality. It was easy to hold and drink from. However, the experience is quite different than drinking from glass, so it would take some getting used to. Comparing the color of cider in the mug vs. clear glass, it appears darker, so you can more easily spot differences in hue. The outside of the mug was also cooler to the touch than a glass. Another drinking experience difference is that the lip of the mug is much thicker than that of a typical glass. To me, the cider tasted slightly warmer from the mug, but otherwise no discernible taste difference. To my husband, the primary difference was in the scent–he said the mug concentrated it better.

Bottom Line: I think the mug is ideal for a cider lover who appreciates Artisan products and would like special drinkware for their cider. I’m not sure I’ve been convinced yet to switch from glassware, but I’ll keep trying it out. Note there are a couple other drinkware options marketed specifically for cider, such as made by Angry Orchard and Libbey, but they are glass.

BOOK

Info: The book is pocket-sized and designed to record tasting notes for 33 ciders. Each page has space for the cider name, maker, date, price, rating, format, carbonation level, notes, ABV, and a flavor wheel (to mark flavor notes, body, dry/sweet, acidity, tartness, tannins, etc).

My Opinion: This is definitely a good option for cider tasting notes. I like their flavor wheel as it can record a lot of information compactly and quickly. It has pretty much everything covered. However, it is geared more for folks that still like to take their notes with pen and paper, and would require remembering to bring it along when tasting ciders. Nowadays many people have digitized their lives. One electronic cider tasting notes option is Cider Expert (similar to Untappd or RateBeer, but cider-specific). I actually do carry a mini spiral notebook for cider tasting notes in my purse. I use those notes in writing my reviews (for Cider Says and on Cider Expert). I would go through these notebooks relatively quickly as they only have space for 33 ciders (although that keeps them compact), and I usually try at least a few new ciders a week (sometimes even a dozen at a time at a tasting event).

Bottom Line: I think the 33 Mugs book is a good option for someone who wants to get into taking tasting notes on ciders but doesn’t know where to start, and who is into pen and paper notes.

BOOK 2 (added Feb 2017)

33 Book Co. has come out with a special Golden Russet Edition of the 33 Mugs of Cider book, and sent me a sample copy (thanks!). The photos don’t really do it justice – the covers are way more gold than cardboard brown. This limited edition (1,000 copies) used Oregon Golden Russet cider in the ink, gold staples, and gold foil. Many cidermakers believe the Golden Russet is a special apple, as if the conditions are right, it contains just the right amount of sweetness, acidity, and tannins for cider. This journal debuted at CiderCon and still retails for $5, or 3 for $12, at this page of 33books.com. The inside pages are the same format for cider tasting notes.

SUMMARY

Both of these are great gift ideas for the cider-lover in your life. They aren’t something I would have purchased for myself, so it was nice to try them out. What cider-related products are you looking at this holiday season?

Cherry Cider Tasting

November 11, 2016November 6, 2016 cidersays Anthem, Doc's, Finnriver, Greenwood, Griffin Cider Works, Julian, Rev Nat's, review, Woodchuck Cherry, cherry cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, tasting notes

There was recently a cherry cider tasting at my house (thanks Sarah, Merce, Kevin, and Si from Cider Log for sharing all the ciders!). I took a few tasting notes.

With all of these I didn’t pick up any flavor besides cherry, and maybe a bit of green apple or citrus. The apple flavor was also none to mild.

Woodchuck (Middlebury VT) Sour Cherry (6.9% ABV): This was part of their Cellar Series (since discontinued) and hasn’t been sold since July 2014, but this bottle held up better flavor-wise than the bottle I had that I opened a year ago (review here). Semi-sweet to sweet. Mild to moderate slightly cherry flavor. Still. Medium bodied. Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. Not bad.

Anthem (Salem OR) Cherry (6.2% ABV): This is sold year round and now also available in cans. Semi-dry. Mild cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Mild apple flavor. I didn’t find it flavorful enough.

Julian (Julian CA) Cherry Bomb (6.99% ABV): This is sold year round. Semi-sweet to sweet. Moderate real cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. I liked it.

Reverend Nat’s (Portland OR) Sacrilege Sour Cherry (6.5% ABV): This is a seasonal release. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Moderate cherry flavor, slightly sour. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. I thought it was pretty average; I’d prefer no sourness.

Finnriver (Chimacum WA) Chimacum Kriek (6.0% ABV): This sour cherry cider is part of their Crew Selection series, a limited release in May 2016. Semi-dry. Mild to moderate cherry flavor, moderately sour. Still. Medium to full bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. I didn’t care for this at all, due to the sourness.

Griffin Cider Works (Westlake OH) Strong Woman (6.5% ABV): This is an English-style cider finished with cherry, sold March thru October, whose proceeds go towards fighting breast cancer. Semi-sweet. Moderate cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. Mild tannins. I thought it was pretty average. There was an additional flavor in this that none of us could identify. The tannins were unique.

Doc’s Draft (Warwick NY) Sour Cherry (6.0% ABV): This is sold year round. Semi-sweet. Moderate to strong real cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. Mild tartness. Moderate acidity. I really liked it.

Greenwood Cider (Seattle WA) Cherry (unknown ABV): This appears to be draft only. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Mild weird cherry flavor. Low carbonation. Light bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. I thought this one was a bit strange, but ok.

Between the six of us at the tasting, the clear winner of the evening was from Doc’s. Unfortunately this variety isn’t sold in Washington in bottles, but can be found in Oregon, or sometimes on draft here. My second favorite was from Julian. What both of these had in common was they were a bit sweeter, more intense cherry flavor, and more “real” flavor (not medicinal). The least favorites were the Anthem, Greenwood, and Griffin varieties.

Woodchuck Out on a Limb Ginger Lovin’

November 9, 2016November 4, 2016 cidersays Woodchuck cider, cider review, cider tasting, Ginger, ginger lovin', hard cider, Middlebury, Out on a Limb, tasting notes, Vermont, Woodchuck

Review of Woodchuck’s latest Out on a Limb series variety, Ginger Lovin’. I’ve previously tried nearly their entire line-up; see here.

Cider: Ginger Lovin’
Cidery: Woodchuck
Cidery Location: Middlebury VT
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles
Style: American commercial cider with ginger

Availability: semi wide release, for the next few months until a new Out on a Limb release comes out

Cider Description: Sugar and spice and everything…well, lots of spice. Like our favorite redheads, ginger adds a feisty bite to this cider. With zesty citrus undertones, the root and apple pair to Ginger Lovin’ perfection. Enjoy the brand that started the American cider revolution.

Ingredients: Hard cider. Less than 1% of: natural flavor and sulfites.

Cidery Description: Here at the Woodchuck Cidery in Vermont, we handcraft every batch of Woodchuck Hard Cider. Our Cider Makers utilize the highest quality ingredients and meticulously oversee each small batch from start to finish. We reinvigorated American cider in 1991 and continue to lead the category through our commitment to craft innovative and refreshing hard ciders.

Price: n/a (runs about $10 / six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Very light straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells of candied ginger and spices.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Low acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of very mild ginger (mostly in the finish, but not spicy) with some pie spices and a hint of lemon. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. High sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Low complexity.

My Opinion: I’m not at all a ginger fan, so I was surprised that I didn’t mind this. The ginger remains very mild, unlike every other ginger cider I’ve had where it was overpowering.

Most Similar to: I found the ginger in this less intense than ginger ciders from Argus, Apple Outlaw, Finnriver, Locust, Schilling, and Strongbow. It also didn’t have that after taste/bite like most ginger ciders.

Closing Notes: If you like a hint of ginger but don’t want it to be overwhelming or too lingering, this is a good cider choice.

Have you tried Woodchuck Ginger Lovin’? What did you think?

Woodchuck Semi-Dry

November 7, 2016November 4, 2016 cidersays review, Woodchuck cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Middlebury, Semi-Dry, tasting notes, Vermont, Woodchuck

Review of Woodchuck’s Semi-Dry, their newest flagship cider. I’ve previously tried nearly their entire line-up; see here.

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

Cider: Semi-Dry
Cidery: Woodchuck
Cidery Location: Middlebury VT
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles
Style: American commercial semi-dry cider, including bittersweet apple juice

Availability: semi wide release

Cider Description: Ready for a cider session? You’re going to want a crushable cider. Crisp and refreshing, Semi-Dry uses bittersweet apples to deliver a cider that is not too sweet and leaves you thirsty for another. Enjoy the brand that started the American cider revolution.

Ingredients: Hard cider, less than 1% 0f: natural apple flavor, sulfites

Price: n/a (runs about $10 / six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Light orange amber. Low carbonation. Smells of apple juice.

Tasting Notes: One the sweeter side of semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Low to moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. The flavor is purely watered down apple juice with a hint of alcohol. Quick finish. Moderate apple flavor. High sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Low complexity.

My Opinion: The flavor wasn’t all that impressive, intense, or complex, but this is surely more sessionable than most sugar-laden commercial ciders. I didn’t taste any rich bittersweet apple flavor.

Most Similar to: Woodchuck Day Chaser, which is also semi-dry, although that one had some honey and citrus notes and a hint of bittersweet.

Closing Notes: The color of this cider is a bit interesting. It doesn’t say it was added (which has been listed in the past), so maybe there is a higher bittersweet apple percentage than I tasted…

Have you tried Woodchuck Semi-Dry? What did you think?

Crispin The Saint

November 4, 2016October 30, 2016 cidersays Crispin, review california, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colfax, Crispin, hard cider, Saint, tasting notes, The Saint

Review of Crispin’s The Saint. I tried this a couple years ago, pre-blog. I’ve previously tried most of Crispin’s line-up: Original, Venus Reigns, 15 Men, Browns Lane, Blackberry Pear, Pacific Pear, Bohemian, Honeycrisp, and Steeltown.

Cider: The Saint
Cidery: Crispin
Cidery Location: Colfax CA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles
Style: unfiltered American commercial cider
Ingredients: fresh-pressed hard apple cider, filtered water, Organic maple syrup, apple juice concentrate (finishing sweetener), malic acid, contains sulfites
Yeast: Belgian Trappist

Availability: Wide release

Cider Description: The Saint Artisanal Reserve unfiltered hard cider is made with racked apple-wine and smoothed with pure maple syrup, which balances the bold flavors of sweet, ripe apples. Best served cold for bold, crisp refreshment. Give a full bottoms-up tilt and swirl to disperse unfiltered apple-wine sediment evenly.

Cidery Description: Crispin ciders are naturally fermented using the raw, unpasteurized juice of fresh-pressed American apples and pears. Through classic cold-fermentation and specially selected wine yeasts, we always stay true to the fruit with authentic flavors and unique aromatic notes that are only present in fresh-pressed cider.

Price: $6.99
Where Bought: Albertsons
Where Drank: home
How Found: My husband brought this home for me randomly. He hadn’t remembered I had already tried it a couple years ago.

First Impression: Hazy unfiltered apple juice hue. Smells of apple juice and honey. Nearly still.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to sweet. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate to high acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of apple juice, baked apples, honey, maple, and hints of pie spices. Quick finish length. High apple flavor. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity.

My Opinion: Not bad. Its a bit too sweet and low complexity for my liking though.

Most Similar to: Other sweet unfiltered ciders such as Downeast Original Blend and JK’s Scrumpy Orchard Gate Gold. Of the three, my favorite is the Downeast, as its slightly less sweet, more cider-like than juice-like, and tastes more “real”.

Closing Notes: This is a popular cider in Crispin’s Artisanal Reserve line, available year round.

Have you tried Crispin The Saint? What did you think?

Tieton Spice Route

November 2, 2016October 29, 2016 cidersays review, Tieton cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Spice Route, spiced cider, tasting notes, Tieton

Review of Tieton’s Spice Route. It is my first time trying it, but I’ve had most of their ciders: Cidermaker’s Reserve, Sparkling Perry, Cranberry, Bourbon Peach, Frost (ice cider), Apricot, Smoked Pumpkin, Wind (Pommeau), Wild Washington, Cherry, and Blossom Nectar.

Cider: Spice Route
Cidery: Tieton Cider Works
Cidery Location: Yakima WA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft spiced cider

Availability: Year round, since July 2015. Tieton ciders are available in WA, OR, AK, HI, B.C., ID, CA, NV, MT, WY, UT, CO, AZ, NM, TX, FL, MI, IL, and OH (per their website). They also take orders by phone to be shipped in WA (info here) and have a tasting room (info here).

Cider Description: An exotic and fresh cider. Expect a medium straw with hints of cinnamon, vanilla, clove and allspice. Reminiscent of a fresh baked apple pie.

Cidery Description: From branch to bottle, Tieton Cider Works controls every aspect of the growing and cidermaking process. Tieton Cider Works boasts the largest orchard of cider varieties in Washington state and the largest Perry pear orchard in the United States. We blend our gnarly, inedible cider fruit with our organically grown dessert fruit. We’ve been growing apples, apricots, cherries and pears on Harmony Orchards – our family farm – since the 1930’s and are thrilled to be involved in Re:interpreting the tradition of cider making.

Price: $8
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. Its one of the few ciders from them I hadn’t tried.

First Impression: Dark straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells of hints of spices and vanilla.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of cinnamon, allspice, clove, vanilla, oak, grapefruit, and honey. Moderate to long spiced finish. Low to moderate apple flavor. Low flavor intensity. Moderate complexity. Moderate to high sessionability.

My Opinion: I’m usually not a fan of spiced cider, but I really enjoyed this one. It wasn’t overly spiced or sweet. The complexity (especially the vanilla and oak notes) was nice too.

Closing Notes: This is one of my favorites from Tieton. My absolute favorite was Bourbon Peach, which was a tap-only special release.

Have you tried Tieton Spice Route? What did you think?

Woodinville Cider Tasting at Locust & Elemental – Visit 3

October 31, 2016October 30, 2016 cidersays Elemental, Locust, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Elemental, hard cider, Locust, tasting notes, Woodinville

I spent another afternoon in Woodinville Washington, cider tasting at the tap rooms for Locust and Elemental. See my notes here from visit 1 and here from visit 2.

At Locust I tried two bottle pours of ciders that are part of their new ‘Hootenanny’ series.

Locust Vanilla Bean, 5.0% ABV: Mild scent. Sweet. Medium bodied. Mild tartness and acidity. Hints of tannins. No sourness, funk, or bitterness. The flavor was vanilla creamsicle–yum! Hints of citrus and pineapple. Low apple flavor. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity. I really liked the flavor of this one, but it was too sweet.

Locust Smoked Blueberry, unknown ABV: This cider was made using smoked apples and blueberries. Mild scent. Sweet. Medium bodied. Mild to moderate tartness and acidity. Low tannins. Hints of bitterness and sourness. No funk. Notes of blueberry juice & skin and a hint of lemon. Low apple flavor. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity. I didn’t find this overtly smoked, but I imagine it had some influence.

Elemental ‘Lithium’ Lemoncello, 6.5% ABV: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied with a fizzy mouthfeel. Moderate tartness. Moderate to high acidity. No bitterness, tannins, sourness, or funk. Lots of lemon, slight creaminess, and hints of grapefruit. Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Low complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

Elemental Mango, 6.5% ABV: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. Notes of mango, citrus, and pineapple. Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Low complexity. Low flavor intensity.

My favorite at Locust was Vanilla Bean, although I wouldn’t be able to drink an entire pint of it or anything as it was quite sweet. My favorite at Elemental was the Lemoncello, as it was more flavorful than the Mango.

Finnriver Pommeau

October 28, 2016October 28, 2016 cidersays Finnriver brandy, cider, cider review, Finnriver, hard cider, Pommeau, tasting notes

Review of Finnriver’s Pommeau, which is a mix of cider and apple brandy. I tried a bottle pour of this awhile back. I picked up this bottle in February when my husband took me to Port Townsend for cider tasting for my birthday (see here, plus posts on Finnriver, Eaglemount, and Alpenfire). I’ve previously tried most of Finnriver’s line-up; see here.

Cider: Pommeau
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA
ABV: 18.5%
How Supplied: 500ml square short bottle (cork in cap)
Style: American craft Pommeau apple wine (cider + apple brandy), oak aged

Availability: Likely difficult to find outside of their Port Townsend area cidery & farm and their booth at the Ballard Farmer’s Market. 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.).

Cider Description: Fermenting at Finnriver is a process of discovery – a blend of ancient wisdom, modern chemistry, farm ingenuity, and nature’s magic. We are inspired by the generosity of the orchard and by the possibilities of the apple. We hope this bottle of elegant, aged apple wine gives you a rich and rewarding sip of the earth’s bounty.

Pommeau in general is made from apple juice (typically unfermented but sometimes fermented) and apple brandy. This one was oak aged, and released in January 2016.

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: $40
Where Bought: Finnriver’s tasting room in Chimacum WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: I tried this awhile back when some friends brought it to a cider tasting party at my house.

First Impression: Medium amber. Still. Smells boozy, apple forward, and of caramelized and brown sugars.

Tasting Notes: I preferred this with an ice cube or two. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, honey, leather, oak, and hints of spice. Long warming finish. Moderate to high apple flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate complexity and flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I really liked it. However, it wasn’t nearly as good as when I tried it before; the flavor seemed muted and it had an odd texture in the mouth. Maybe as this bottle had a lot of floating particulates (yeast?).

Most Similar to: Other Pommeau. Besides Finnriver, I’ve tried selections from 2 Towns (2015 release), Traditions (2 Towns, 2013 release), Etienne Dupont, and Wandering Aengus. I’d put Finnriver’s Pommeau somewhere in the middle of the list as far as my favorites go. I like the sweet flavorful ones best.

Closing Notes: This was a special treat! One of the great things about Pommeau is that due to the high alcohol content, it has a longer shelf life after opening it than other ciders, so I can enjoy this bottle for weeks to come.

Have you tried Finnriver Pommeau? What did you think?

Stem Whiskey Barrel-Aged Apricot Cider

October 26, 2016October 22, 2016 cidersays review, Stem Ciders barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Stem, tasting notes, Whiskey Barrel Aged Apricot

Review of Stem Ciders’ Whiskey Barrel-Aged Apricot Cider. I’ve previously tried their Le Chene, Malice, Blood Orange Cyser, Remedy, and Branch and Bramble. My husband brought 4 ciders, a cyser, and a Pommeau back from Stem Ciders in Colorado for me.

Cider: Whiskey Barrel-Aged Apricot Cider
Cidery: Stem Ciders
Cidery Location: Denver Colorado
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: special release American craft cider with dried apricots, whiskey barrel aged

Availability: Their ciders are available only in Colorado, at these retailers, but this is a special release which may only be found at the cidery.

Cider Description: Fresh pressed apple juice barrel aged for 8 months. Dried apricot dipped in smokey butterscotch oak.

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

Price: $16
Where Bought: Stem’s tasting room.
Where Drank: home
How Found: I read about Stem Ciders online. Last time my husband was in Colorado, he picked me up a bunch of ciders, including Stem Le Chene. I keep hearing about their Banjo special release cider, but I’m 0/3 as far as finding it (apparently its only available about 1 month a year; its currently still barrel aging). This time around I thought I’d make it easier on my husband and give him a shopping list all from the same cidery, so he could just stop by the tap room (vs. trying to find ciders at multiple bottle shops). I e-mailed the cidery ahead of time and they were nice enough to send me a list of what they had in stock.

First Impression: Pale straw yellow. Low carbonation. Smells of dried apricot and apricot pit, honey, and hints of oak & whiskey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Low tartness. High acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of apricot pit, dried apricot, peach, honey, and lemon. Moderate length finish with some whiskey flavor, moderate warming, and hints of smoke. Moderate sessionability. Low apple flavor. Low flavor intensity. Moderate complexity. Low barrel and spirit influence. I finished the bottle the following day and the flavor seemed more sharp.

My Opinion: I liked it. However, the flavor intensity was lower than I was expecting and I prefer. This cider would pair well with food and is a bit wine-like.

Most Similar to: I’ve previously had Apricot ciders from Tieton, Locust (Apricot), Anthem (Ap-Bee-Cot), Atlas (Apricot), Summit (Apricot), and Carlton (AHH!!! Apricot Honey Habanero).

Closing Notes: I have one last selection left, Stem’s Pommeau.

Have you tried Stem Ciders? What did you think?

Worley’s Mendip Hills

October 21, 2016October 17, 2016 cidersays review, Worley's cider, cider review, cider tasting, England, English Cider, hard cider, Mendip Hills, tasting notes, worley's

Review of Worley’s Mendip Hills English cider. Its my first time trying this variety, but I’ve tried Worley’s other 2 ciders available locally, Special Reserve and Premium Vintage.

Cider: Mendip Hills
Cidery: Worley’s
Cidery Location: Shepton Mallet, Somerset, UK
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: English cider from cider apples

Availability: Semi wide release

Cider Description: A slightly sparkling medium cider – smooth and rounded flavour with complex, mellow notes. Best served chilled. To create ciders of great depth and roundness, it’s imperative to blend a number of apple varieties and Mendip Hills is a lovely example of this art. Containing some 16 apple varieties, the flavour profile of Mendip Hills is full and rounded, yet smooth and satisfying. This accomplished cider is made from punchy late-season fruit that has had longer to mature in the cool orchard grass of some of Somerset’s finest orchards, before being fermented by wild yeasts and matured for several months. A very light carbonation is applied at bottling to produce a velvet-smooth cider with oodles of warm, spicy apple-pie notes.

Cidery Description: A hobby that got out of control. We first made cider as a bit of fun for ourselves and our friends. Now here we are nearly a decade later and we’re still having fun but we’re making a lot more cider! Our first experience of making was when we bought 50 gallons of juice off the farm press from the iconic Roger Wilkins in Mudgely, Somerset. We made the mistake of adding in a bit of sugar and ended up with 10.5% cider. It was lethal and one of the neighbours spent a few hours in a ditch as a result of downing a couple of pints. Lesson learned, we began to find our own fruit in various small Somerset orchards and gradually started to master the mysterious arts of fruit selection and fermentation. A few years ago we decided if wanted to carry on making cider we’d need the cider to start making a contribution to its upkeep. So we gradually started selling a bit. Now we’re making over 30,000 litres a year and don’t have time to have proper jobs any more!

Price: $11
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’ve tried the other 2 varieties from Worleys available locally, and figured I’d try the 3rd one.

First Impression: Medium pumpkin amber. Moderate carbonation with some foam. Smells tannic, sweet, and of cider apples.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Low to moderate acidity and tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of cider apples, pomace, orange, leather, and caramelized sugar. Moderate length finish. Moderate to high apple flavor and sessionability. Moderate flavor and complexity.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed it. I prefer this to their Premium Vintage and Special Reserve.

Most Similar to: Other English ciders, compared to which its on the entry level end, due to its sweetness, lower tannins, and no sourness or funk. I also found some similarities with French cider, with its higher carbonation, sweetness, and being apple-forward.

Closing Notes: I hope Worley’s offers more ciders in the U.S. soon.

Have you tried Worleys cider? What did you think?

Reverend Nat’s Revival

October 19, 2016October 16, 2016 cidersays Rev Nat's, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, portland, reverend nat's, Revival, tasting notes

Review of Reverend Nat’s Revival. I’ve tried this cider before in 500ml bottles and draft, but not a six pack. I’ve also previously tried his ¡Tepache!, Hopland #5 / Envy, Newtown Pippin, Ciderkin, Winter Abbey Spice, Hallelujah Hopricot, Deliverance Gin & Tonic, Revival Dry, Sour Cherry, The Passion, and Whiskey Barrel Aged Golden Russet with Black Currant.

Cider: Revival
Cidery: Reverend Nat’s
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.8%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles (and 500ml bottles & draft)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with Mexican piloncillo sugar and two yeast strains

Availability: Year round in AK, CA (Southern), HI, ID, OR, and WA, as well as B.C. Canada, Singapore, and Tokyo & Nagano Japan, although the 500ml bottles are easiest to find.

Cider Description: My newest release is Revival Hard Apple and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share it with you. I start with a secret blend of Washington-grown apples and add piloncillo, dark brown evaporated cane juice, purchased direct from Michoacan, Mexico. I ferment this dark base to all the way to dry using two exotic yeast strains: a beer yeast known for the round mouthfeel in Saisons and a rarely-used secret culture which produces aromas of pineapple, guava and peaches. This cider is brilliantly golden in color and deeply complex while remaining subtly familiar, with just the right amount of sweetness and acidity to be an everyday beverage.

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.

Price: $13.99
Where Bought: Target
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. Its easy to find the single 500ml bottles, but this is only the second time I’ve seen the six packs. The first was at Whole Foods, but only once. Per ounce the six packs are a good deal. I was very surprised to see it at Target, which otherwise only had commercial ciders.

First Impression: Light amber hue. Low carbonation. Smells of apples and yeast.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of apple juice, apple pomace, yeast, brown sugar, and honey. Slight richness. Quick finish length. Moderate to high apple flavor. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity.

My Opinion: Yum! This is a tasty everyday cider. It varies quite a bit batch to batch, more than any other cider I’ve tried (but that is typical for craft ciders). Sometimes I like it better than other times, but its always good.

Most Similar to: Breton French cider, as it is apple-forward and yeast-forward, although less carbonation.

Closing Notes: This is Reverend Nat’s most typical cider, and my favorite from him.

Have you tried Reverend Nat’s Revival? What did you think?

Alpenfire Spark!

October 17, 2016October 15, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire Alpenfire, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, port townsend, Spark, tasting notes, washington

Review of Alpenfire Spark!, their semi-sweet cider. I’ve tried it a couple times before, but only bottle pours. I’ve tried most of Alpenfire’s ciders–Dungeness, Spark, Smoke, ApoCalypso, Ember, Simple Cider, Calypso, Pirate’s Plank, Glow, Cinders, and Shrub.

Cider: Spark!
Cidery: Alpenfire
Cidery Location: Port Townsend WA
ABV: 8.9%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: Organic American craft cider from heirloom & cider apple varieties, sugar added

Availability: Year round in Washington and their online store

Cider Description: Spark! is blended from Melrose, Kings, Gravenstein, Winter banana, burgundys and other heritage apples as well as traditional cider apples. This bottle conditioned, unfiltered cider has the wonderfully crisp flavor of a just picked fall apple. This semi sweet cider is delicious with a appetizers, especially cheese and fruit.

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

Price: $15.99
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: I’ve been wanting to pick up an Alpenfire bottle, and this is one of my favorites from them (in addition to Smoke, ApoCalypso, and Glow).

First Impression: Light pumpkin amber hue. Low carbonation and foam. Smells tannic, of honey and apple pomace.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Moderate to high acid. Low to moderate tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Apple-forward and rich. Notes of apple pomace, honey, orange, and leather. Moderate finish length. Moderate to high apple flavor, sessionability, and flavor intensity. Moderate complexity,

My Opinion: Awesome! I forgot how much I like this cider. Its easily in my top 10 favorites, and has all my favorite cider qualities. It would be a great introduction to “real” cider (made with cider apples), as it is sweeter and doesn’t have any overwhelming qualities.

Most Similar to: English cider such as from Aspall (except a bit sweeter and less yeast-forward), Bertolinos, and E.Z. Orchards Semi-Dry.

Closing Notes: I think this cider is a great choice and a good value too. Their Smoke is my favorite, but I need to be in a certain mood for that one…Spark is way more easy drinking.

Have you tried Alpenfire Spark? What did you think?

Nectar Creek Waggle Wildflower Session Mead

October 14, 2016October 9, 2016 cidersays mead, Nectar Creek, not cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, mead, Nectar Creek, tasting notes, Waggle, wildflower

Review of Nectar Creek’s Waggle, a Wildflower Session Mead (lower alcohol content). I’ve previously only tried their Honeycone hopped session mead, at Cider Summit last month (see here). This obviously isn’t a cider, but sometimes I cover non-cider beverages.

Mead: Waggle, Wildflower Session Mead
Meadery: Nectar Creek (Oregon Honey Products)
Meadery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft mead (made from Oregon wildflower honey, water, yeast, and sulfites)

Availability: Year-round, at least in CA, GA, ID, MN, OR, TX, and WA (see their locator)

Mead Description: The complex essence of Oregon wildflower honey is captured in this session mead with flavors and aromas of ripe fruit and fresh honeycomb.

Meadery Description: Founded by two brothers native to Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Nectar Creek combines a passion for beekeeping, agriculture and brewing into delicious, sessionable meads.

They were founded in 2012 and have a tasting room in Corvallis Oregon (which is also home to 2 Towns cider).

Price: $8.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light straw yellow. Low to moderate carbonation. Smells mild, of honey with a hint of floral.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Simple flavor, primarily of honey, with some floral and citrus. Quick finish length. Low to moderate honey flavor. Low flavor intensity. Low complexity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Tasty. I liked it. Simple and sessionable. However, I prefer more flavor. It tasted a bit watered down.

Most Similar to: This was similar to their Honeycone, except Waggle was more honey forward and not hopped. Nectar Creek is the only session mead maker on the market I’ve seen.

Closing Notes: This was nice, but I think I prefer the higher ABV sweeter meads, which I’ve found to be more flavorful. Check out some of my other mead reviews here.

Have you tried Nectar Creek Session Meads? What did you think?

Ole Swede Blend of 9 Cider

October 13, 2016October 9, 2016 cidersays Ole Swede, review Blend of 9, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Ole Swede, tasting notes, washington

Review of Ole Swede’s Blend of 9 Cider. I’ve previously tried their Blueberry cider.

Cider: Blend of 9 Cider
Cidery: Old Swede
Cidery Location: Tonasket WA
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles
Style: American craft cider made from dessert & cider apple varieties, oak aged

Availability: Only in WA

Cider Description: A unique blend of Kingston Black, Storks Red, Harry Masters Jersey, Dabinett, Rome Beauty, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious and Pink Lady apples. Lightly oaked.

Cidery Description: Our ciders are hand crafted from farm to bottle. Out family farm was homesteaded in 1899 as new territories were opened in the west, near Havillah, Washington. Old Swede is born from our roots in North Central Washington’s Okanagan Highlands, a place of natural beauty perched above a valley known around the world for apple production. We moved back to the family homestead in 2014 and began to take our cider into the world in 2015.

They don’t have a tasting room, but do offer mobile juicing and event catering.

Price: $9
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, of oak and honey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. Low tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of honey and citrus. Moderate length finish with some warming. Low apple flavor, oak influence, flavor intensity, and complexity. Moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: I really liked the flavor, but wanted more of it. It tasted a bit watery.

Closing Notes: This is the third cider from Ole Swede I’ve seen in the Seattle area (in addition to Blueberry and Cherry Perry).

Have you tried Ole Swede cider? What did you think?

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