My Favorite Ciders of 2015

January 4, 2016January 8, 2016 cidersays favorite ciders cider, favorite ciders, hard cider, top ciders

What a wonderful year 2015 was! Cider Says has now been up for just over 6 months, and I’ve published 120 individual cider reviews, plus tasting notes, trip reports, news, and other posts. Like other cider bloggers, I thought it would be fun to make a list of my favorite ciders of 2015. To make it a bit different and easier, I put them into categories instead of trying to do a top ten list or similar.

Note that I wouldn’t try to make a list of the best ciders, just those I enjoyed, as it would be an impossible task to try every cider out there and be impartial. My only criteria for this list is to only include ciders I reviewed at Cider Says (which is probably 99% of what I drank since I started the blog).

Favorite dry cider: Eden Sparkling Dry. I’m usually not a huge dry cider fan, but I was impressed by this one. Its made from a blend of heirloom apples (including 50% Kingston Black) using traditional labor-intensive methode champenoise. I was lucky enough to try it with cidermaker Eleanor Leger. Its also oak aged, but that influence remained mild. I enjoyed how well-crafted and balanced the flavor was, and think its a great alternative to champagne. Interestingly enough I didn’t like the Sparkling Semi-Dry (review not yet posted), as it barely had any carbonation and had some sourness & funk, but its possible it wasn’t the intended result.

Favorite sweet cider: Moonlight Meadery How Do You Like Them Little Apples? This is a tasty draft-only cider with rich ripe apple, honey, oak, brown sugar, floral, and whiskey notes. I’ve really enjoyed everything from Moonlight Meadery so far, and they have quite a lineup between meads, ciders, and cysers.

Favorite barrel aged cider: Traditions Bourbon Barrel 2012. This was my favorite cider from Seattle Cider Summit 2015. Its made with Dabinett & Kingston Black cider apples. Traditions was a line of ciders made by 2 Towns, but they recently decided to re-label them all under 2 Towns. I was able to pick up a bottle, and wish I bought more. It was closely followed by Whitewood Whisky Barrel Aged Kingston Black (80% Kingston Black and 20% Porter’s Perfection), which I also tried at Cider Summit. Both were dry, rich, full-flavored, and had significant barrel & spirit influence.

Favorite fruity cider: tie between Eaglemount Quince and Snowdrift Red. Both are wonderfully but subtly fruity. Eaglemount adds quince fruit to the apples for their cider, but Snowdrift used red-fleshed apples (no other fruit additions). Both are quite complex. I picked up a lot of tropical fruit with Quince, plus some vanilla and honey. With Red, I picked up berry, watermelon, and cranberry notes, which is amazing to have all come from the red-fleshed apples.

Favorite herbal cider: Finnriver Lavender Black Currant. I tried this on Nitro, which added a unique creamy froth. Although the addition of lavender wasn’t overtly noticeable, I enjoyed this even more than their regular Black Currant (probably as it wasn’t as tart). Although the apple is well hidden with this cider, the black currant flavor is wonderful.

Favorite single varietal: Liberty Ciderworks Manchurian Crabapple. This was a very unique 12.5% ABV cider that Liberty described as port-style. It tastes like it was fortified with apple brandy, but wasn’t. Bold and boozy (in a good way). Manchurian Crabapples have a unique flavor, and this cider isn’t as tart and in your face as cider I’ve had which used other crabapple varieties.

Favorite spiced cider: 2 Towns Nice & Naughty. I used to think I didn’t like spiced cider, but I’ve found I do, as long as it isn’t overly spiced or sweet (which I haven’t found to be the case yet). I’ve tried both the regular and barrel aged versions of Nice & Naughty, and oddly enough liked the regular version better. This is an imperial spiced cider (10.5% ABV), and I enjoyed it better at closer to room temperature.

Favorite hopped cider: Cider Riot! Champoeg X-17. Although I’m not a big hopped cider fan (I don’t even like beer), I’ve tried a handful of hopped ciders at tastings and such. I like those which are milder on the hops, coming across more with herbal & floral notes.

Favorite Imperial style cider: 2 Towns The Bad Apple. This is a 10.5% ABV barrel aged imperial style cider. Apple-forward with rich apple, honey, vanilla, and oak notes. I think this is a great deal too at $7.50 for 500ml.

Favorite perry: Eric Bordelet Poire Authentique. This is a tasty easy drinking 3.5% ABV French perry with a bold clean balanced flavor. A close second is a similar French perry, Domaine Pacory Poire Domfront. Both were quite different from the American perries I’ve tried, and tasted more like cider from Brittany France–sweet, rich, and sparkling (or at least the Eric Bordelet was sparkling when it was first opened but not by the time I got a sample).

Favorite cyser: Moonlight Meadery The Last Apple. Cysers are made from fermenting apple juice and honey, so are a cross between cider and mead. This is a lovely 16% ABV bourbon barrel aged cyser with complex honey notes. I tried this on tap and was excited to find a bottle of it, although its quite pricey.

Favorite East Coast cider: Slyboro Ciderhouse Old Sin. ~~My review of this cider from New York isn’t up yet~~, but I really enjoyed it. Semi-dry with butterscotch, caramel, and tropical fruit notes. Rich and full-flavored with moderate tannins.

Favorite multipack craft cider: Reverend Nat’s Revival. I reviewed this cider before it became available in a six pack, which is a great change as it makes it significantly less expensive per ounce. I hope more craft ciders I enjoy become available in multipacks, as it really helps the affordability. This is a tasty cider with some tropical fruit notes which were amazingly created only from the yeast varieties used. However, I’ve found the topical fruit and yeast notes in this cider vary by batch…sometimes I enjoy it much more than other times.

Favorite English cider: Aspall Imperial. I’m a huge fan of Aspall, and have really enjoyed every cider from them I’ve tried so far. However, Imperial is by far my favorite. I loved how rich and full-flavored it was, with some mild tannins from using cider apples. I think Aspall is a great value as well, at approximately $8 a 500ml bottle, which is actually less than many local craft ciders. Sheppy’s Oak Matured would probably be a close second, with strong oak influence (the most I’ve found so far).

Favorite French cider: Dan Armor Cuvee Speciale Cidre Brut. Bubbly, sweet, and rich…what’s not to like? This was also a great deal at only $5 for a 750ml bottle at Trader Joe’s. They appear to have stopped carrying it though (and they appeared to have been the only ones offering it in the U.S.). Also, although the first time I tried it was amazing, the second time wasn’t quite as good. Le Brun Organic and Celt would probably be close seconds. Note that all three of these are ciders from the Brittany France area…so far I haven’t been a fan of any cider from the Normandy France area, which have tended to be drier, less carbonated, funky, and sour.

Favorite canned cider: Downeast Original Blend. I obtained a sample case of ciders from Downeast, their Original, Winter, and Cranberry blends. They were all quite tasty, but Original was my clear favorite. Until this I hadn’t been too impressed with any canned cider. Too bad they aren’t available in WA, as they would have a place in my fridge.

Favorite local canned cider: Cascadia Ciderworks United Dry. This was the first local canned craft cider I enjoyed. I find most canned ciders to be very mild, likely as they are intended to be sessionable (easy drinking, low ABV), when in contrast I prefer a full-flavored cider. Cascadia Dry (more semi-dry) however had some richness and even noticeable tannins.

Favorite commercial cider: Woodchuck Winter Chill. Although I am pro craft cider, I still enjoy commercial cider from time to time. This cider is full-flavored with great oak and vanilla notes. Its definitely sweet, but a bit less than many other commercial ciders. I also enjoy Woodchuck Gumption, Spire Mountain Dark & Dry, Ace Joker, and Crispin Original.

Favorite ice cider: Eden Heirloom Blend. I’ve only tried a few ice ciders so there weren’t many to consider, but Eden’s Heirloom Blend was amazing…rich and sweet with notes of caramelized sugar, brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and honey. I look forward to trying more ice ciders from Eden.

Favorite other cider: Locust Bittersweet Reserve. I wasn’t sure what category to put this in, but its a unique and enjoyable cider made with bittersweet apples. I found orange, spice, raisin, honey, caramel, and coffee notes. Its also super local, made probably 20 or 30 minutes from me in Woodinville WA.

Favorite cider-related beverage: Finnriver Pommeau. This is related to cider as its made with apple juice and apple brandy. Its a real treat…rich, high ABV, and full-flavored, with notes of burnt caramel, vanilla, and oak. I’m hoping to pick up a bottle when I do the Port Townsend cider loop next month. A close second would be Schilling Barrel #2.

Well, I think that does it, a list of 32 of my favorite ciders from 2015. They have a lot in common–most are rich and full-flavored. Still, it seems like so many great ciders didn’t make the cut, which is unfortunate.

What are your favorite ciders?

Dan Kelly’s Irish Cider

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

Freyeisen Apfelwein German Cider

December 30, 2015December 20, 2015 cidersays Freyeisen, review Apfelwein, apple wine, cider, cider review, Freyeisen, german, german cider, hard cider

Review of Freyeisen Apfelwein, a german “apple wine”, and the first cider I’ve tried from Germany.

Cider: Freyeisen Apfelwein German Cider
Cidery: Freyeisen
Cidery Location: Frankfurt Germany (Hessen-Rhine-Main)
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: single 330ml bottles (which is a format you don’t see often)
Style: German Apfelwein

Availability: Unknown

Cider Description: Produced in the hills near Frankfurt, from the region of Hessen which has centuries of cider culture and tradition. Freyeisen uses a unique blend of local apple varieties, crushed and fermented using traditional methods only. Fine soft carbonation. Fresh, crisp and full of ripe fruits. Scents of honey, orange blossom, apple tree and almonds.

Note that I couldn’t find much info on this cider besides a few reviews online…even the cidery’s website wasn’t working.

Price: $4 or $5?
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. Both my husband and I are of German heritage (my husband moreso), so I was quite curious to try a cider from Germany. This was the most affordable German cider they had (the others were larger format bottles), so I thought I’d start with it.

First Impression: Medium amber hue. Low carbonation. Smells of bittersweet apples, yeast, honey, spice, and oak.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild tannins and bitterness. No sourness or funk. I picked up the same notes as the scent, except add vanilla & citrus and subtract spice. It had a warming effect (tasted like it had a higher ABV than indicated). Well balanced and crisp flavors tending towards apple-forward. Medium bodied. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate length finish.

My Opinion: Pretty tasty, definitely well above average, but not spectacular. Its an easily likable cider as long as someone isn’t expecting something significantly sweeter. I found its sessionability to be moderate (not higher mostly due to it tasting like the ABV was on the high end due to a warming effect).

Most Similar to: It seemed to have characteristics in between that which I’d associate with English & French (Brittany not Normandy) ciders. I don’t however have any other apfelwein experience to compare to.

Closing Notes: I’m curious to try other apfelweins!

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

Book Review #6, Craft Cider – How to Turn Apples into Alcohol

December 29, 2015December 29, 2015 cidersays book, cider education, review book, book review, cider, cider book, craft cider, hard cider, Jeff Smith

For the sixth book review here at Cider Says (see here for the first five): “Craft Cider – How to Turn Apples Into Alcohol”, by Jeff Smith, published September 2015, with a suggested price of $17.95. Jeff Smith is the one who started Bushwhacker Cider in Portland OR, a cider bar and cidery. I suggested that my local library add this book to their collection, and they bought it for me to borrow! I think libraries are great to check out a book to see if you may want to purchase it.

I always like reading about cider, and this was a nice quick weekend vacation read.

This book includes the following Chapters:

The World of Cider (the cider industry & some cider history)
Styles of Cider (English, Spanish, French, American, German, Irish, Scandinavian, Ice, & Pommeau)
Sourcing Fruit and Juice (Farmer’s Markets, Local Orchards, Grocery Stores, Juice, Neighbors, What Makes a Cider Apple Different?, and Apple Varieties)
A Cider Maker’s Necessary Equipment (Fermentation Vessel, Sourcing and Using Wood Barrels, Hydrometer, Wine Thief, Thermometer, pH Meter and pH Strips, Airlocks and Bungs, Cleaning Chemicals, Sanitizer, Siphons, Bottling Equipment, Kegging Equipment, More About Kegging)
Step by Step (process of making cider)
So You Want to Press Your Own Apples? (Presses, Basic Overview)
Recipes (Basic Dry, Bushwhacker Smoked, New England Style, Lingonberry, Local Cyser, Scrumpy, Cherry, Ginger, Pear Cider and Perry, Dry Oaked, Spanish-Style, Cranberry, High Gravity, Bushwhacker Italian Plum, Spiced, Sweet, Bushwhacker Alice, Forgotten Trail)
How to Taste Cider (Tasting at Home, Setting up a Tasting, Cellaring Ciders, Terms)
Cooking with Cider (Bushwhacker Cider Vinaigrette, Apple Coleslaw, Pulled Pork Butt, Cider House Fondue)
Cider Cocktails (Pommeau Manhattan, Bushwhacker G&T, Apply Brandy “Cide-Car”, Cherry 88, Cider Mule, Forgetful Rob, Basque-Tini, Cider Dark & Stormy, Cider Julep, Apple Cosmo, Big Apple Iced Tea)
Resources (Blogs, Organizations, Events, Country-Specific Cider Terms, Cider-Making Terms)

My favorite parts were those which were unique to this book, such as about using wood barrels, pros & cons of kegging, and cellaring cider.

Overall this book isn’t a bad choice for a newbie to cider, especially one who wants to get into making their own cider, but for others like me, they may not get much out of it. I also didn’t like how often the book mentioned the author’s cider bar & cidery, Bushwhacker (it literally seemed like almost every page), and its language was almost too informal (didn’t seem like it had much editing). I’m glad I got to get it from the library, but its not something I see the need to buy for my own collection.

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?

Nashi Orchards Asian Pear Perry 2013 – Chojuro Blend

December 22, 2015December 19, 2015 cidersays Nashi Orchards, review asian pear, Chojuro, cider, Nashi, Nashi Orchards, pear cider, perry, Vashon, Vashon Island

Review of Nashi Orchards’ Chojuro Blend Asian Pear Perry. Note that true perry is a fermented beverage made only from pears. In contrast, pear cider is typically apple cider back sweetened with pear juice. Pear cider will typically be sweeter and have a stronger pear flavor, but perry is more traditional.

Nashi Orchards specializes in perry, especially from asian pears, and Chojuro Blend is their flagship product. The word “Nashi” in Japaenese means “pear” by the way. This is my first time trying their perry, although I sampled one of their ciders at a tasting event with Bill Bradshaw last summer at Capitol Cider during Washington Cider Week (tasting notes on Issho Ni “Together” cider here).

Cider: Asian Pear Perry 2013 – Chojuro Blend
Cidery: Nashi Orchards
Cidery Location: Vashon Island WA
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: 187ml (6.2oz) clear glass bottle
Style: American perry made from Chojuro and Olympic varieties of Asian pears

Availability: Limited to the greater Vashon Island, Seattle, and Tacoma areas of WA. Nashi self-distributes to independent bottle shops, tap rooms, and fine restaurants in WA. They also welcome visitors to their orchard and tasting room on Vashon Island. Chojuro Blend is their most widely distributed perry. They usually offer an additional 3 or 4 other perries and ciders at a time, some of which are small batch and only available directly through them.

Cider Description: Our signature Chojuro Perry is lightly effervescent with a floral aroma, exhibits flavors of bright summer fruit and pear, and has a clean refreshing finish. Serve it as an aperitif or with NW oysters, halibut and turkey. We carefully control fermentation to preserve some of the natural sweetness, use 100% juice pressed at our winery and never add sugar or flavorings.

Cidery Description: PASSIONATELY PURSUING DELICIOUS LIBATIONS. Nashi Orchards uses sustainable practices to grow the finest Asian Pears and handcraft perry and hard cider. Our orchard and winery is located on beautiful Vashon Island, Washington where we are a part of a growing community of committed producers of artisanal foods, wines and spirits.

Additional Information: Jim Gerlach from Nashi was awesome enough to respond to my request for more info with some amazing detailed notes–thanks!

The Chojuro Asian Pear Perry is a blend of two varieties of Asian pear. The Chojuro pears are grown in our orchard on Vashon Island and are an orange bronze colored fruit with flavors of butterscotch. It is also called “the rum pear”. The second asian pear is a Korean Giant, also called Olympic. We source these from Kiyokawa Orchards in Hood River. It is a very late pear and likes a bit more heat than we get in Puget Sound. Both pears benefit from extended maturation to bring out the flavors and aromatics. This extended maturation process also serves to convert some of the simple sugars into complex sugars which do not ferment and this provides a bit of residual sweetness. I would describe it as off-dry .

We typically ferment the varieties separately using different yeasts and do bulk blending in the spring after fermentation is complete. We like Epernay2 and DV10 for a clean expression of the fruit and use sake yeast on a portion of the batch to provide improved mouthfeel and complexity.

In response to my question on perry from asian vs. other pear varieties: The flavors are similar but I would say that the flavor and aroma of asian pear perry is a bit more floral and delicate.

Traditional european perry pears (Pyrus domestica) may have tannin and commercially available asian pears do not. Tannins will provide some structure as well as astringency and/or bitterness. That being said we have access to a trial orchard of Asian Pears (pyres pyrifolia) and have found varieties with massive amounts of tannins. We are excited to propagate these and add these to our orchard.

The acidity of some Asian pears is thought to be quite low and this creates the need to blend or add acid to create an appropriate pH for fermentation. Most of the varieties of pears from our orchard have a relatively low pH. This is because we only irrigate as much as necessary to maintain tree health. More water in the fruit equals less flavor and less acidity.

Storage, milling and pressing of Asian Pears is much easier than with European pears. European and perry pears are notoriously fickle in terms of ripening and can go from hard as a marble to slime in a matter of days. As I mentioned before, a long maturation process is key to extracting as much flavor as possible from the fruit. Asian Pears store for long periods of time, and mill and press quite readily. Some European pears can be very slimy and difficult to press without aids such as enzymes or rice hulls.

Thanks again to Jim at Nashi for sharing all that awesome detailed info on this perry, asian pears, and their orchard!

Price: $6.50
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. The cute bottle caught my attention. Once at home it sat for quite a few months however as I didn’t find the right time to drink it (with such a small bottle it was more of an aperitif), but lately I’ve been trying to drink some of my oldest ciders, so into the fridge and into the glass it went.

First Impression: Pale straw yellow. Light carbonation & foam. Smells of pear (light), vanilla, spice, sour citrus, floral, and wild yeasr / funk. Drank chilled.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light sourness, funk, tartness, and bitterness. Mild to moderate acidity. Very mild flavored in general, but complex. The primary notes I picked up were pear and citrus, with some honey, floral, and vanilla. I also found it quite wine-like. Light bodied. Medium length finish. Moderate sessionability. I found it a touch alcohol-forward (warming), despite its mild flavor & body.

My Opinion: Although I think it was wonderfully complex and well-crafted, this perry wasn’t really to my tastes. I enjoy full-flavored ciders, yet similar to most other perries I’ve tried, the flavor of this one remained mild. It was nice to try it though. Oddly enough I would have guessed wild yeast was used due to the mild amount of funk, but it sounds like they used some unique fermentation techniques and yeast, so that probably explains what I picked up.

Most Similar to: Other perries and off-dry white grape wine (although I have no grape wine experience so I can’t be more specific than that…and I specify grape wine as cider & perry are actually classified as types of wine, which doesn’t technically only mean grape). The level of funk seemed in between that of for example Snowdrift Perry (almost non existent) and WildCraft (mild to moderate, although Pioneer Perry was less so than the Elderberry Perry). My favorite perry so far is Pear Essentials from Neigel Vintners (NV Cider), likely as it is sweeter and has a more intense pear flavor (as it is back sweetened), although I’ve also had their Half Past Prudent which was drier & milder. Back sweetening perry (and cider) isn’t traditional, but is a technique that is quite common, as its the easiest way to get a sweeter beverage which is fruit-forward. I don’t mind dry, but I prefer full-flavored, which often doesn’t occur with drier ciders & perries.

Closing Notes: I don’t think I truly appreciate perry…I have found perries to have a lot of qualities similar to white wine, which I also don’t care for. It was a nice aperitif though, and I’m glad I got to try it. I’d recommend this perry for folks looking for something unique and local. I think especially in summer it would be tasty.

Have you tried any true perries? What did you think?

Hard Cider News Edition 6

December 21, 2015December 20, 2015 cidersays news, review cider, cider blog, cider news, hard cider, hard cider news

These are some recent hard cider news/articles/links/posts I found interesting and have shared on Facebook lately. To get the latest scoop, like Cider Says on Facebook!

cider news

News

The CIDER Act passed! There are now new tax laws for cider, increasing the max ABV to be taxed as cider (instead of the much higher wine rate) from 7% to 8.5%, including pear juice and apple & pear concentrate in addition to apple juice, and increasing the allowable carbonation level (above which the much higher champagne rate applies). Its definitely a start, but still leaves a lot out. (some articles from CSP Net, Press Republican, Marketplace, & KTVZ)

New Taproom in Luna Center [New Mexico Hard Cider Taproom] Offers Hub for Cider Lovers (Santa Fe New Mexican)

Vegetarian Cider House Wassail Fizzes in the Glass and Dazzles on the Plate (Village Voice)

Surprise Family with Something New for Thanksgiving: Craft Cider (Seattle Times)

Big Cider Brands Aren’t Seeing the Boom They Used To (CNBC)

Cider Industry Body Calls for Alcohol to be Included in New Country of Origin Labeling System [in Australia] (ABC Australia)

HOOPS ON HOPS: The ABCs of Hard Apple Cider (Deluth News Tribune)

Seaport Sightseeing Route Leads to Hard-Cider Heaven (USA Today), article on Olympic Peninsula cider route near Port Townsend WA with Finnriver, Alpenfire, & Eaglemount cideries

Pabst Brewing Partners with Vermont Hard Cider (Vermont Biz), so now Pabst has complete control over distribution of Vermont Hard Cider’s cider brands, which most notably include Woodchuck

Rochester’s First Hard Cider-Only Bar Opening (Democrat & Chronicle)

Blogs

Eric West’s Cider Guide from Nov 20, Nov 27, Dec 4, Dec 11, and Dec 18, where #9 or #10 of each includes some of my reviews

5 Hard Ciders Seeking a Place at Your Holiday Table (The Street): Woodchuck Hot Cha Cha Cha, WILDCIDE, Square Mile Spur & Vine, Spire Mountain Dark & Dry, and Virtue Lapinette Cidre Brut

Woodchuck Winter Chill Snickerdoodles! (Woodchuck), recipe

DIY CiderTime (Farnum Hill / Poverty Lane Orchards), article on home cidermaking complete with infographics

American Hard Cider Hits the Sweet Spot (Gourmet Retailer)

Magazines

Cider Makes a Comeback in New York (High Brow Magazine), featuring Descendant (NY), Farnum Hill (NH), Aaron Burr (NY), West County Cider (MA), and Reverend Nat’s (OR)

Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Cider-Centric Presents (CiderCraft)

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?

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: