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?

WildCraft Flagship Dry Hard Cider

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WildCraft Cider Works Blue River Blueberry

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

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

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

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

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

Made from Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Downeast Cider House Winter Blend

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

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

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

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

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

Overview: Unfiltered, lightly carbonated, gluten free

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Schilling Cider House Visit 7 Tasting Notes

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

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

I started with a flight of six ciders.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Next I got tastes from some sample bottles.

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

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

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

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

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

Aspall English Imperial Cider (Black Label)

December 2, 2015April 19, 2016 cidersays Aspall, review aspall, cider, cider review, England, hard cider, imperial, Suffolk

Review of Aspall’s English Imperial Cider. I’ve previously had their Dry and John Barrington varieties, which are impressive. Aspall has got to be one of the oldest cideries out there, founded in 1728! Aren’t their tall bottles awesomely distinctive? Note that it appears this cider has since been switched to a light blue label (similar description and same ABV), but I don’t have confirmation.

Cider: Imperial
Cidery: Aspall
Cidery Location: Suffolk England
ABV: 8.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle

Availability: Semi-wide release. If you can’t find it locally, you can actually get it for $7 from ShipCider.com, which ships to a number of states. Shipping can be spendy, but their cider prices are the lowest I’ve seen, so overall its not too bad, especially considering you can pick up ciders you normally don’t have access to.

Cider Description: We called this cyder Imperial in honour of our great grandfather JB Chevallier’s success at the Imperial Fruit Show in 1921. Every year we craft a special vintage. This is our 285th….Rich fudgy, tantalising flavour enhanced by bitter-sweet apples from a single year’s crop. Notes of raisins, dates and prunes. Sweet mellow finish.

Apple Composition:
Sweet (35%): Orange Cox Pippin, Royal Gala
Sharp (35%): Bramley Seedling, Howgate Wonder
Bittersweet (30%): Tremlett’s Bitter, Yarlington Mill, Medaille d’Or, Kingston

Cidery Description: Our family cyder-making business was established in 1728 by Clement Chevallier. He planted the orchards at Aspall Hall in Suffolk. The Chevallier family still live and work among Clement’s orchards and today Aspall is run by the eighth generation of the family….Aspall has been home to our family for nine generations. A tiny hamlet north of the small market town of Debenham in mid-Suffolk. It’s a rural and agricultural area characterised by the young river Deben flowing through our orchards.

Price: $8?
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Rich amber. No carbonation except for a few bubbles on the border of the glass. Smells like rich ripe apples, tannins, oak, earth, and a hint of spice and honey.

Opinion: Between semi-dry and semi-sweet. Lovely rich full-flavored English cider. Warming from the slightly higher ABV, but doesn’t taste boozy. Moderate tannins. No to low bitterness and tartness, Low acidity. No sourness or funk. Medium bodied. Medium length finish. Still (no carbonation). Tastes oaky (but isn’t barrel aged as far as I know) and has some caramelized sugar notes. I particularly enjoyed the lack of bitterness and that the level of tannins was noticeable but not extreme. I can definitely taste the bittersweet apple character. From their website I also learned they use champagne yeast on all their ciders. I found this cider’s taste didn’t too significantly change as it warmed up, so I’d recommend anywhere between fridge and room temperature, based on your preference. My go-to cider pairing is pretzel bread, and it didn’t disappoint!

Most Similar to: Other English ciders, such as Aspall, Worley’s, and Sheppy’s, English-style ciders such as from Liberty Ciderworks (English Style and its barrel aged cousin, Stonewall) & Montana Ciderworks (Darby Pub), and higher tannin ciders such as Cider Riot 1763, Alpenfire Ember, Traditions Bourbon Barrel 2012, and Whitewood Kingston Black.

Closing Notes: Awesome! Probably easily in my top 10 favorite ciders, and my favorite Aspall variety so far (although their others are also awesome). This cider is the epitome of my favorite qualities in a cider. Its also a great value, at approximately the same cost as a lot of local craft ciders I see, many of which are made from dessert apples and have flavors added (fruit, hops, spices, etc), when this is imported and contains some cider apple juice. Aspall makes some amazing ciders, and I look forward to trying more. Their website it super informative on their history, cidermaking, and more, so check it out. I highly recommend their ciders! That said, its all a matter of taste…if you prefer a lighter flavor and easy drinking / low ABV / sessionable cider, this isn’t it.

Have you tried Aspall Imperial? What did you think?

WildCraft Snake River Rye Barrel Aged Hard Cider

December 1, 2015December 1, 2015 cidersays review, Wildcraft barrel aged, cider, cider review, Eugene, hard cider, oregon, Snake River Rye, Wildcraft

Review of Snake River Rye, a barrel aged cider from WildCraft Cider Works. WildCraft opened in Eugene Oregon in November 2014. They were nice enough to send me a box full of their cider (which is especially awesome as they aren’t yet available in WA), so I have a number of varieties from them to review in the coming weeks. Barrel aged is my favorite cider variety, so I figured it was a good place to start. Aren’t their labels beautiful? I especially like the uneven edges.

Cider: Snake River Rye
Cidery: WildCraft Cider Works
Cidery Location: Eugene OR
ABV: 7.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle

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

Cider Description: Dry settler style Cider aged 3 months in American Oak Stein Rye Whiskey barrels from eastern Oregon. Deep whiskey notes and a full oak finish compliment smooth vanilla flavor & apple aromatics. Unpasteurized & bottle conditioned.

Made from Jonagold apples.

Price: n/a (but retails for $7.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Facebook and word of mouth

First Impression: Slightly hazy straw yellow with a few large bubbles at the edge of the glass. Slightly funky, dry, sour, tart, oaky apple scent. Surprisingly I didn’t pick up much barrel or spirit influence in the scent.

Opinion: Completely dry. Moderate sourness, tartness, acidity, astringency, funk, spirit (whiskey), and barrel influence. No to low bitterness. Light to medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Relative quick finish with the flavor of the cider, but there is lingering warmth and sourness. I found citrus, herbal, oak, and smoke notes with this unique alcohol-forward cider.

Most Similar to: A barrel aged Spanish Sidra? I found some of the aspects I’ve come to associate with Sidra and Sidra-like rustic ciders, such as sourness, astringency, dryness, and citrus notes. Yet it had definite barrel and spirit influence. It is more approachable than some ciders of a similar style (Millstone comes to mind), but may be a big leap for someone used to approachable sweet commercial cider.

Closing Notes: Snake River Rye was quite an interesting cider, but it wasn’t really to my liking. Without the sourness and with a bit more residual sugar, I think I would have found it more enjoyable…the aspects I enjoyed reminded me of a barrel aged Imperial-style cider (typically characterized by a high ABV). I think folks looking for a unique cider on the dry end of the spectrum which aren’t opposed to some sourness and funk should give this a try. I look forward to trying the rest of the ciders that came in my sample box!

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

Woodchuck Out on a Limb Hot Cha Cha Cha

November 30, 2015November 26, 2015 cidersays review, Woodchuck chili, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Hot Cha Cha Cha, Vermont, Woodchuck

Review of Woodchuck’s newest Out on a Limb release, Hot Cha Cha Cha. The ciders rotate every couple months in the same six pack. They were nice enough to send me a sample bottle.

hot cha cha cha

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

Cider: Hot Cha Cha Cha (Out on a Limb)
Cidery: Woodchuck
Cidery Location: Middlebury VT
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles

Availability: Wide release, but only for the next 60-90 days or so (as Out on a Limb rotates varieties).

Cider Description: Hard cider made with bittersweet apples and infused with Bird’s Eye Chile Peppers. The peppers compliment the bittersweet cider apples and bring out a sweet taste up front with a hot and spicy bite at the finish. Lookin’ for some extra heat? Grab a bottle, take a sip, and let’s do the HOT CHA CHA CHA!

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

Price: n/a (but it runs $9-11 a six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

First Impression: Orange-amber hue (which appears to be natural as coloring isn’t listed). Very little carbonation. Smells sweet and of bittersweet apples with a hint of spiciness.

Opinion: Sweet (but it didn’t perceive as sweet as I was expecting with the listed 25g sugar content). It starts off with a rich & flavorful bittersweet apple cider flavor (similar to their Gumption), then finished with a kick of spice, mostly at the back of the throat (instead of the tongue). Low acidity and tartness. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. No to low carbonation. Medium bodied. Longer finish with the spice presentation I described.

Most Similar to: Other spicy ciders I’ve had, such as Schilling Sriracha Lime, Finnriver Habanero, and Sonoma Crowbar (Habanero Lime), except significantly sweeter and less spicy. I also notice that the base cider has a lot of similarities to Woodchuck Gumption, both made using bittersweet apples (a flavor profile I really love).

Closing Notes: Spicy ciders just aren’t my thing, and I think of them as more of a novelty. A few sips was plenty for me, and the others I shared this with. However, due to the additional residual sugar and less perceived spice of this one, this is probably a more manageable spicy cider for the average person. Also, with the amount of calories (270) & sugar (25g), I’m not sure I’d want an entire bottle let alone more than one in a sitting. I think it will be a tough sell to get folks to buy a six pack of this unless they really like spicy ciders, buy every Woodchuck variety, find it very intriguing, or are getting it as a gag gift or to bring to a party. Thankfully a number of stores such as Total Wine sell singles of six pack ciders such as this, so you may be able to find a single bottle for around $2. If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, you better hurry, as each Out on a Limb variety doesn’t stay on the shelves long.

Have you tried Woodchuck Hot Cha Cha Cha? What did you think?

Downeast Cider House Original Blend

November 27, 2015November 27, 2015 cidersays Downeast, review Boston, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Downeast, hard cider

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

Cider: Original Blend
Cidery: Downeast Cider House
Cidery Location: Boston MA
ABV: 5.1%
How Supplied: four pack or nine pack of 12oz cans (and draft)

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

Cider Description: Inspired by the classic farm-fresh cider New Englanders know and love. Original Blend is the Auerbach to our Celtics, the Satisfaction to our Stones, the Agent K to our Men In Black: our foundation. From its humble beginnings in the basement of a Bates College dormitory, Original Blend is the result of hundreds of test batches aimed at crafting the best damn hard cider you’ve ever tasted. Original Blend is made from freshly pressed local apples – Red Delicious, McIntosh, Cortland, Gala – NEVER with concentrate or artificial flavors/sweeteners. Original Blend is the way cider should be.

Overview: Unfiltered. Lightly carbonated. Gluten Free.

Ingredients: Freshly pressed cider. Ale yeast.

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

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

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

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

Opinion: 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 and honey notes. Mild acidity. Mild tartness. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Unfiltered. No to low carbonation. Medium length finish.

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

Closing Notes: Awesome! 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. This is hands down my favorite canned cider so far. I usually find canned cider to be a letdown for whatever reason. I opened all three Downeast varieties at a cider tasting and this got two thumbs up from everyone. Its definitely an easily likable cider. The Original 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?

WildCraft Cider Works Wild Rose

November 26, 2015November 26, 2015 cidersays review, Wildcraft botanical, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eugene, hard cider, oregon, rose, Wild Rose, Wildcraft

Review of Wild Rose from WildCraft Cider Works. WildCraft was nice enough to send me a box full of their cider (which is especially awesome as they aren’t yet available in WA), so I have a number of varieties from them to review in the coming weeks. This was the second bottle of seven I tried.

Cider: Wild Rose
Cidery: WildCraft Cider Works
Cidery Location: Eugene OR
ABV: 7.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle

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

Cider Description: A WildCraft exclusive! Whole wild roses undergo a lengthy cold conditioning and secondary fermentation on a unique blend of our wild fermented cider. Fresh, crisp and aromatic notes of rose petals lead to a complex cider mid-palate, finishing dry and very smooth.

They use wild foraged botanicals in this line of their ciders. This one is made from Honeycrisp apples and sweet Briar roses.

Price: n/a (but retails for $6.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Facebook and word of mouth

First Impression: Slightly hazy light straw yellow with the slightest pink tint. Light carbonation. Smells like a dry acidic cider, wild fermented, with some floral & herbal qualities.

Opinion: Completely dry. It has some sweet floral qualities, yet it is lacking in residual sugar. Moderate acidity and astringency. Mild bitterness, sourness, tartness, and funk. Light bodied. Moderate length finish. Same as Snake River Rye, I found it a bit alcohol-forward (although it is 7.5% ABV, which is higher than average), but slightly less so.

Most Similar to: Two of the floral ciders I’ve had before have been commercial and on the sweeter side, Angry Orchard Elderflower and Woodchuck Out on a Limb Oopsy Daisy (chamomile), plus one that was craft but still on the sweeter side, Finnriver Honey Meadow (lemon balm & chamomile). This one was on the other side of the sweetness spectrum, and the floral flavor was even lighter.

Closing Notes: Wild Rose was quite an interesting cider, but it wasn’t really to my liking. I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I wasn’t a huge fan, but I imagine a bit less sour, funk, & wild fermentation flavor and/or a bit more residual sugar would have helped. I don’t mind dry, but it has to be a certain type of cider for it to work for me. I did however enjoy the light floral flavor. I opened this (and four other WildCraft ciders) at a cider tasting I had, and two folks really loved it. I think people looking for a unique floral cider on the dry end of the spectrum who aren’t opposed to some sourness and funk should give this a try. Just because I wasn’t a huge fan doesn’t mean you won’t be. I think WildCraft is really on to something with making a unique local product. I look forward to trying the rest of the ciders that came in my sample box!

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

Finnriver Fire Barrel

November 25, 2015November 23, 2015 cidersays Finnriver, review barrel aged, bittersweet, cider, cider review, Finnriver, Fire Barrel, hard cider, hard cider review, washington

Review of Finnriver Fire Barrel. I’ve tried probably 10 other Finnriver ciders. Here is a great illustrated Finnriver product guide.

Cider: Fire Barrel
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle

Availability: Limited release. Finnriver ciders are sold in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, TX, IL, CO, and Alberta & BC Canada (detailed info here). They also have an online store (which can ship to WA, OR, CA, AK, CO, MN, FL, & WA D.C.)

Cider Description: Finnriver is honored to present master cidermaker Drew Zimemrman’s award-winning Fire Barrel cider. Pressed from traditional bittersweet apples and aged in fire charred Kentucky bourbon barrels, this full-flavored cider offers a hint of whiskey, oak aroma, notes of caramel and vanilla, a lingering soft tannin finish.
Drew’s passion for cider helped ignite the cider renaissance in the Pacific Northwest and now, here at Finnriver, we are grateful for his mentorship as we strive to carry on a rooted cider tradition. Made with a seasonal blend of heirloom and traditional cider apples.

The label has “814” handwritten after “Bottled:”…it looks like this may indicate a bottling date of August 2014, although I only bought this a few months ago.

Price: $11?
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I tried this a couple years ago and didn’t like it oddly enough. Then I had it again at a Capitol Cider tasting with Bill Bradshaw and nine WA cideries (notes here) and really enjoyed it. I imagine my tastes had changed since the first time I tried it, as then although I enjoyed barrel aged, I wasn’t into higher tannin ciders. I had actually bought the bottle before the tasting, as I wanted to give it another try now that this type of cider is my favorite.

First Impression: Orange-amber hue. A few large bubbles at the edge of the glass but otherwise still. Smells like ripe apples, tannins, oak, vanilla, spice, and rum?.

Opinion: Semi-dry. Ripe apple, caramelized sugar, bourbon, oak, earth, smoke, and vanilla notes. Lovely bittersweet apple flavor. Although I picked up rum oddly enough in the scent (probably as I got a hint of spice), the flavor is more bourbon/whiskey, and I don’t pick up any spice. Moderate to heavy tannins. Low acidity. Low bitterness. Low tartness. Very light funk (more earthiness than anything else). Mild to moderate barrel influence. Mild to moderate spirit influence. Pretty much still (no carbonation). Medium bodied. Moderate to long finish. It start off with the tannins, then mellows out quite a bit.

Most Similar to: Other tannin-forward ciders. This reminds me of English style cider, but there is the added nice barrel & spirit flavor.

Closing Notes: Awesome! I really enjoyed this cider–one of my favorites, and definitely my kind of cider. Bold and unique. It definitely isn’t an introductory type cider (although still less harsh than for example Sea Cider Prohibition / Rumrunner and Alpenfire Smoke, which I also really enjoy), but is a great example of what can be made when you use cider apples and barrel age.

Have you tried Finnriver Fire Barrel? What did you think?

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