Stem Cider Pommeau

Review of Stem Cider’s Pommeau. It is my first time trying this, although I’ve also had their Le Chene, Malice, Blood Orange Cyser, Remedy, Branch and Bramble, and Whiskey Barrel-Aged Apricot, and also tried Pommeau from 2 Towns, Etienne Dupont, Finnriver, Tieton, Traditions, and Wandering Aengus.

Cider: Pommeau
Cidery: Stem Ciders
Cidery Location: Denver Colorado
ABV: 18%
How Supplied: 375ml corked bottles
Style: American craft Pommeau (apple brandy + apple cider), oak aged

Availability: Only at their tap room, released December 2015

Cider Description: Apple dessert wine aged in oak for 8 months. Full of cherry and fruit skin notes, with distinctive oakiness perfect for sipping slowly.

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: $20
Where Bought: Stem’s tap room
Where Drank: home
How Found: My husband picked this up for me when travelling. He made a special trip to the Stem tasting room just to buy me cider. I’m spoiled!

First Impression: Medium amber hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells sweet, rich, and of caramel.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. Low tannins and bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of caramel, brown sugar, leather, and orange. Long finish. High apple flavor. Very low sessionability. Moderate complexity. Moderate flavor intensity. No overt oak influence.

My Opinion: I liked it. However, it didn’t seem to have quite the amount of complexity of some others I’ve tried (possibly as it wasn’t quite as sweet as some). However, it is more budget friendly than many other options. This year’s Stem Pommeau release was aged 20 months, so I’m curious if that gave it more complexity than this batch.

Most Similar to: The Traditions Pommeau, as it had a similar level of sweetness and complexity.

Closing Notes: My favorites remain the 2 Towns, Etienne Dupont, and Wandering Aengus Pommeaux (the plural of Pommeau…very cool). However, I wouldn’t say I’ve disliked any Pommeau I’ve tried.

Have you ever tried Pommeau? What did you think?

Stem Ciders Branch and Bramble

October 4, 2016September 30, 2016 cidersays review, Stem Ciders Branch and Bramble, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, Denver, hard cider, Raspberry, Stem, tasting notes

Review of Branch and Bramble from Stem Ciders, their dry raspberry cider. I’ve previously tried their Le Chene, Malice, Remedy, and Blood Orange Cyser. My husband brought this and 4 of their other ciders (plus even some Pommeau!) back from Colorado for me.

Cider: Branch and Bramble
Cidery: Stem Ciders
Cidery Location: Denver Colorado
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz cans
Style: American craft dry cider made from dessert apples, with raspberries

Availability: Only in Colorado, year round, at these retailers.

Cider Description: Intense raspberry aromas and ruby hues. Tartness from the raspberries and apples meld in this dry, refreshing cider. A light tannin structure from the raspberries lingers on the palate.

Price: $10 / four pack
Where Bought: Stem Ciders tasting room in Denver
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: Light pink/red hue. Low carbonation with foam. Smells of sweet tart raspberries.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low bitterness. Low tannins. No sourness or funk. The flavor is almost purely sharp raspberry, with hints of green apple and lemon. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Low complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Tasty and refreshing, with a surprising amount of flavor for how dry it is.

Most Similar to: I’ve had a number of raspberry ciders, from Wyder’s, Woodchuck, Doc’s, Schilling, One Tree, Raven’s Moon, and Eaglemount, but they were all sweeter. Raven’s Moon was the driest, a semi-dry, but was much higher in ABV, and the most tart cider I’ve ever had.

Closing Notes: I think this was my favorite of their three canned ciders. Next up I have their Whiskey Barrel-Aged Apricot and Pommeau.

Have you tried Stem Branch and Bramble? What did you think?

Stem Ciders Remedy Dry Hopped Apple Cider

September 30, 2016September 25, 2016 cidersays review, Stem Ciders cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, Denver, hard cider, hopped cider, Remedy, Stem, tasting notes

Review of Remedy from Stem Ciders, their dry hopped cider. I’ve previously tried their Le Chene, Blood Orange Cyser, and Malice. My husband brought this and 4 of their other ciders (plus even some Pommeau!) back from Colorado for me.

Cider: Remedy
Cidery: Stem Ciders
Cidery Location: Denver Colorado
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz cans, and kegs
Style: American craft dry cider made from dessert apples, with Cascade & Citra hops

Availability: Only in Colorado, year round, at these retailers.

Cider Description: Dry hopped with Cascade & Citra hops. Floral and citrus fruit intermingle with apple on the nose giving way to a tart apple zing without any bitterness.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, of hops and citrus.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Moderate bitterness. Low astringency. No sourness or funk. Notes of hops, citrus, floral, herbal, honey, mineral, and green apple. Long bitter finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it, although it was a bit more bitter than I prefer. It has a light wine-like flavor which would pair well with food.

Most Similar to: Incline Explorer, Portland Cider Hop’Rageous, and Tod Creek Mala-Hop

Closing Notes: This is a nice hopped cider option for folks who like dry ciders and want something available in a multipack. Next up I have their Branch & Bramble (raspberry) cider, then special releases Whiskey Barrel-Aged Apricot and Pommeau.

Have you tried Stem Remedy? What did you think?

Stem Ciders Blood Orange Cyser

September 22, 2016September 23, 2016 cidersays review, Stem Ciders blood orange, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, cyser, Denver, hard cider, Stem Ciders, tasting notes

Review of Stem Ciders’ Blood Orange Cyser (a cross between cider and mead, made from both apples and honey). I’ve previously tried their Le Chene and Malice. My husband brought this and 4 of their other ciders (plus even some Pommeau!) back from Colorado for me.

Cider: Blood Orange Cyser
Cidery: Stem Ciders
Cidery Location: Denver Colorado
ABV: 10%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: American craft apple-honey wine with blood orange

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: Apple-honey wine with blood orange. Rosy in hue with light notes of honey and citrus zest on the nose. Acidity from the blood orange plays off the sweetness of the honey, allowing an off-dry yet refreshing beverage. Light apple tannins fill out the finish.

Price: $18
Where Bought: Stem Ciders tasting room in Denver
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: Light orange-pink hue. Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells mild, of honey and tart blood orange.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Moderate carbonation. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Low bitterness. Low tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of blood orange, honey, honeycomb, grapefruit, lemon, mineral, and green apple. Quick to moderate length finish, with less warming than expected for 10% ABV. Low apple flavor. Low to moderate honey and blood orange flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it. Unique citrus champagne-like flavor. I imagine if I actually liked blood orange I would have loved it. I’m a fan of high ABV cider, citrus notes in cider, and cyser & mead though, which is why I wanted to try it.

Most Similar to: I’ve had various cysers (such as Finnriver Cyser Cider, Eaglemount Cyser, Moonlight Meadery Last Apple, and Sea Cider Birds and the Bees), as well as two blood orange ciders (Elemental Calcium and Ace Space), and this is a bit of a cross between the two, and much drier than any of those. It also reminds me a bit of a mimosa, with the citrus, higher ABV, and higher carbonation.

Closing Notes: This cyser is a great value, between it being small batch, blood orange & honey being expensive, and its high ABV. I look forward to trying my other selections from Stem Ciders.

Have you tried anything from Stem Ciders? What did you think?

Stem Ciders Malice

September 20, 2016September 17, 2016 cidersays review, Stem Ciders cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, Denver, hard cider, Malice, Stem, tasting notes

Review of Malice from Stem Ciders, a flagship dry tank-aged cider. I’ve previously tried their Le Chene (see here). My husband brought this and 4 of their other ciders (plus even some Pommeau!) back from Colorado for me.

Cider: Malice
Cidery: Stem Ciders
Cidery Location: Denver Colorado
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz cans, and kegs (previously sold in 750ml bottles)
Style: American craft flagship dry cider made from dessert apples, tank-aged

<isn’t the can design cool? its actually a clear wrap-around sticker, not etched>

Availability: Only in Colorado, year round, at these retailers.

Cider Description: Tart, dry, and clean, allowing the apples to speak for themselves. Alluringly clean and unassuming, this crisp and fruit-forward cider is crafted from Pacific Northwest apples, fermented dry, and aged in stainless steel.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, dry, and of citrus with a hint of funk.

Tasting Notes: Fully dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. High acid. Low to moderate astringency. Low bitterness. Hints of funk and sourness. Notes of lemon, green apple, mineral, and white grape. Moderate length slightly astringent and tart finish. Low to moderate apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Low flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity.

My Opinion: Nice. Wine-like. Its a bit on the boring side for my tastes (I prefer very flavorful ciders), but its well-crafted and I really don’t have any complaints.

Most Similar to: Original Sin Extra Dry, which is also a fully dry sessionable acid and cirtrus-forward canned cider from dessert apples

Closing Notes: If you live in Colorado, enjoy a fully dry cider, and want something sessionable and/or available in a multipack, Stem Malice is a great option. Next up I have their canned Remedy (hopped) and Branch & Bramble (raspberry) ciders, then special releases Blood Orange Cyser, Whiskey Barrel-Aged Apricot, and Pommeau.

Have you tried Stem Malice? What did you think?

Big B’s Lazy Daze Lemon Hard Cider

June 7, 2016June 4, 2016 cidersays Big B's, review Big B's, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, hard cider, Lazy Daze, Lazy Daze Lemon Hard Cider, lemonade, organic

Review of Big B’s Lazy Daze Lemon Hard Cider, their dry hard cider mixed with their lemonade. I’ve also tried their Grizzly Brand (bourbon barrel aged) and Pear Supply ciders. My husband picked this up for me in Colorado.

Cider: Lazy Daze Lemon Hard Cider
Cidery: Big B’s
Cidery Location: Hotchkiss Colorado
ABV: 4.7%
How Supplied: 500ml clear glass bottles and 12oz cans
Style: American Organic craft cider mixed with lemonade (which includes sugar)

Availability: Only in Colorado, although they take phone orders to ship to customers when the state allows it.

Cider Description: Big B’s Hard Lemonade is made by combining our Orchard Original Hard Cider with one of Big B’s most popular selling juices, our Orchard Recipe Lemonade. It’s a perfect marriage between dry cider, sweet and tart lemonade. Ultra refreshing and amazingly crisp!

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.

Price: $4.98
Where Bought: Hazel’s Beverage World in Boulder CO
Where Drank: home
How Found: I read about this online and put it on a list for my husband to check for.

First Impression: Smells like lemonade. Lemonade dark straw yellow hue. Low carbonation.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Fizzy mouthfeel. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. The flavor is lemonade with a bit of baked apple. Quick finish length. Low apple flavor. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Yum! This is simple, but I enjoyed it. Perfect for summer and almost too easy to drink. I’m surprised they kept so much of the lemonade flavor despite the addition of hard cider. I also liked the bit of apple flavor.

Most Similar to: Any other hard lemonade. My other favorite is Crabbie’s Cloudy Alcoholic Lemonade, but I think I now like this one better. Alcopops are becoming quite popular. Another cider based one I’ve tried is Elemental’s NW Atomic Root Beer.

Closing Notes: Too bad this is only sold in Colorado, or else it would be a summer staple in my house. They recently released it in cans too.

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

Colorado Cider Company Ol’ Stumpy

May 25, 2016May 26, 2016 cidersays Colorado Cider Co, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colorado, Colorado Cider Company, Denver, hard cider, Ol' Stumpy

Review of Colorado Cider Company’s Ol’ Stumpy. My husband brought this back from Colorado for me (I may have given him a shopping list…), and its the first cider I’ve tried from them.

Cider: Ol’ Stumpy
Cidery: Colorado Cider Company
Cidery Location: Denver CO
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: 500ml clear bottle
Style: American craft cider made from cider ~~& dessert~~ apples, aged i~~n oak chardonnay barrels~~ with oak spirals

Availability: Limited release, and only in Colorado. See the list on their website for availability.

Cider Description: Made with bittersweet apples, Ol’ Stumpy has a silky mouth feel, aromas of earth, and oak and a touch of tannins. Our modern take on an early American cider. Aged for a full year, including ~~4 months in oak Chardonnay barrels~~. (they now age it with oak spirals)

The bittersweet apples are sourced from New Hampshire while they are waiting for their own orchard to mature. Also see this fact sheet on Ol’ Stumpy.

Cidery Description: Colorado Cider Company was founded in 2011 to produce fresh hard cider for the discerning Colorado drinker. With a well-developed craft beer market and an educated populace, Hard Cider has been a missing choice in the cacophony of craft drinks in local pubs and liquor stores. We set out to remedy that. We bottled our first batch of Glider in April of 2011 – Celebrating 5 years of cidering in the spring of 2016! Glide On!!!

Here are some great writeups on Colorado Cider Company from Drinking Cider and Cider Sage.

Price: $9.48
Where Bought: Hazel’s Beverage World in Boulder CO
Where Drank: home
How Found: I browsed the websites of all the Colorado cideries with an online presence and made my husband a list of ciders to look out for when he was in Colorado. This one sounded the most to my liking from Colorado Cider Company’s lineup, as I love anything with bittersweet apples and/or barrel aged.

First Impression: Light orange amber hue. No carbonation upon pouring. Smells rich and sweet, of bittersweet apples and honey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to dry. Still. Medium bodied. Mild to moderate tartness. Mild tannins. Mild to moderate bitterness. Moderate to high acidity. No sourness or funk. Notes of bittersweet apples, apple pomace, citrus, honey, and oak. Earthy and moderate to full flavored. Moderate length finish. Moderate apple influence. Low to moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: I enjoyed this cider. However, after the AMAZING scent, the taste was honestly a bit of a let down. I think the high acidity and bitterness combined with the dryness made the flavor a tad harsh. I imagine that with a bit of honey this would be even better. I also imagine aging it in neutral oak or anything but chardonnay barrels would decrease the acidity.

Most Similar to: Despite using bittersweet apples, Ol’ Stumpy definitely doesn’t taste like an English cider, due to the addition of dessert apples (including granny smith) and aging in oak chardonnay barrels. Its rather unique and I have a tough time finding any similar ciders that I’ve tasted. I’ve had other bittersweet ciders though, such as from Sea Cider and Locust, and both were sweeter, with less acidity and less bitterness.

Closing Notes: I’m usually a huge fan of bittersweet apples in cider and barrel aging, and although I wasn’t blown away by this one, it was definitely pleasant to drink and I’m glad I got a chance to try it. My husband was an even bigger fan than I was (probably as it was on the dry side but remained really flavorful). Hopefully I’ll get to try more ciders from them in the future.

Have you tried any ciders from Colorado Cider Company? What did you think?

Stem Ciders Le Chene

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stem Ciders has a tasting room in Denver.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have you tried Stem Ciders? What did you think?

Snow Capped Cider 6130′ Dry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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).

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?

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