Strongbow Gold Apple, Red Berries, and Ginger

November 24, 2015November 22, 2015 cidersays review, Strongbow Bulmer's, cider, cider review, Ginger, Gold, hard cider, Red Berries, Strawberry, Strongbow

Three for one! Review of Strongbow’s Gold Apple, Red Berries, and Ginger varieties. These were freebies from a friend, along with a can of original recipe Strongbow, the kind they no longer sell in the U.S. (which will be a future review). These are relatively new cider varieties from Strongbow, supposedly made for the American palate. It looks like the can of Gold Apple is from Canada by the way (which is where my friend got the original recipe Strongbow), although I’ve had it here.

Cider: Gold Apple, Red Berries, Ginger
Cidery: Strongbow (Bulmer’s, Heineken)
Cidery Location: Edinburgh UK, Aubel Belgium, Aubel Belgium
ABV: 4.5%, 4.5%, 4.5%
How Supplied: 15oz can, 11.2oz bottle, 11.2oz bottle (Gold Apple also comes in 11.2oz bottles). The Gold Apple comes in 4 packs of 15oz cans, 6 packs of 11.2oz bottles, or as part of a multipack of 12 bottles. The Red Berries and Ginger varieties appear to only be sold as part of a multipack of 12 bottles.

Availability: wide release, year round

Gold Apple Description:  Sweet and golden with a crisp kick, a hint of green apple and a long, bittersweet finish.
Red Berries Description:  Hard cider with Strawberry and Elderberry flavors, a hint of lemon notes, and an apple finish.
Ginger Description:  Hard cider with just the right hint of Ginger, floral aroma, and light muscato notes, and an apple finish.

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 (but it runs $7 for a 4 or 6 pack and $14 for a 12 pack in my area)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: n/a

Gold Apple: The most drinkable of the three, but still definitely among my least favorite ciders. It starts with a sweet strong fake apple scent. The fakeness continues with the flavor, which is overly apply, syrupy, and sweet. I didn’t even pick up any noticeable acidity or tartness. Only the lightest carbonation level. It goes down easily though. I’ve had this one before at events that had free drinks and this was the only cider, but I won’t pay for it.

Red Berries: Tastes like what I would imagine a strawberry wine cooler tastes like, although admittedly I’ve never had one. Way artificial tasting. However, it wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting (although definitely sweet), and it wasn’t overly syrupy. No complexity though. One sip was plenty.

Ginger: The ginger remains mild, more like an aftertaste, but is still ginger. However, I’m just not a ginger fan, so one sip was plenty. This one like the Gold Apple was a bit syrupy, and like both, was fake tasting, but a bit less so.

I wouldn’t recommend any of these at all. They give cider a bad name. These are aimed at folks who like their alcohol well-hidden and sweet. Even as an introduction to cider / inexpensive option / easily available option, I think Angry Orchard, Woodchuck, Crispin, etc, are better. Apparently some folks like them, but there is a lot of talk online of folks being disappointed they can no longer get the original drier Strongbow here in the U.S. Its pretty bad they import cider this bad.

Have you tried any Strongbow cider varieties? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 6 Tasting Notes

November 23, 2015November 21, 2015 cidersays Ace, Apple Outlaw, Carlton, Cider Riot, Doc's, Finnriver, Liberty, Rev Nat's, review, Snowdrift, Tieton, Whitewood cider, cider flight, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling, Schilling Cider House, seattle

Yes, I made yet another trip to the Schilling Cider House! Check out my past posts here. This time it was for a Sidra event, but that is one type of cider I’m just not into, so I sampled some non-Sidra selections from of the tap list (and some bottles). The Cider Log crew was there, and brought an awesome spread of Spanish treats–thanks for sharing!

I started with a flight of six, as usual.

Tieton Cider Works Cranberry, 6.9% ABV: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Very tart! Lots of cranberry flavor. More tart than the Finnriver cranberry cider I tried at the same time (see below). A bit astringent. I’m a bit over cranberry (I used to like it more), so I prefer most of Tieton’s other ciders to this one. This is a new release for them, and its also available bottled.

Doc’s Draft Pumpkin, 5.0% ABV: Sweet. Lots of pumpkin pie spices with a bit of earthiness & pumpkin flavor. Full bodied. Unlike many pumpkin ciders & beers, this one uses actual pumpkin. I’m not a pumpkin or spice fan, so needless to say I didn’t really enjoy this cider (I tried it more out of curiosity). The folks who blind tasted it for this article were much bigger fans though, giving it the highest score of 23 pumpkin ciders & beers! This is a yearly seasonal release for Doc’s, and also available bottled. This was my second time trying Doc’s, but neither were flavors I’m a fan of…hopefully I get a chance to try something I have a better shot of actually enjoying soon (I’ve been eyeing their Sour Cherry, but alas it isn’t sold in the Seattle area, so I may need to make a trip down to Portland OR or order online).

Reverend Nat’s (and Cider Riot!) Ciderkin, 3.2% ABV: Dry. Ginger! Moderate tartness, astringency, and acidity. Slightly funky. Ciderkin is a lower alcohol content cider traditionally made from the pommace (apple skin and pulp leftover after pressing apples into juice). This one however is quite different than the version of ciderkin I had awhile back from Argus (tasting notes here). The ginger (although admittedly mild) was overwhelming for my palate as I’m just not a fan of it. My favorite cider from Rev Nat’s so far is their Revival. They’ve released this Ciderkin cider a few times, but it doesn’t appear to be available bottled.

Liberty Ciderworks Gravenstein, 8.0% ABV: Dry. Moderate sourness, tartness, astringency, tannins, and acidity. Almost no carbonation. Very mild on the nose. Although this was a Gravenstein single varietal, I picked up a lot of crabapple notes…it reminds me of their Crabenstein, which used Gravenstein and Crabapples, although not quite as harsh. So far I prefer their Manchurian Crabapple, English Style, and Stonewall to this one. This cider is also available bottled.

Finnriver Cranberry Rosehip, 6.5% ABV: Semi-sweet. Moderate tartness. Lots of cranberry flavor. I didn’t really pick up any herbal (rosehip) flavor, but I imagine it mellowed the cranberry a bit, especially drinking it side by side to the Tieton variety. I liked this one better than the Tieton Cranberry, probably as it isn’t as tart. However, my favorite “cranberry” cider so far is probably a tie for this and Schilling’s Mischief Maker (cranberry-pomegranate). Cranberry Rosehip is part of Finnriver’s Elijah Swan Seasonal Botanical line, which is also available bottled, and includes some of my favorites such as Honey Meadow and Lavender Black Currant.

Apple Outlaw Blackberry Bounty, 5.5% ABV: Semi-dry. Very mild berry flavor. Mild tartness. This seems to be another one of the drier and milder flavored berry ciders coming out. This one was pretty average in my book. It is also available bottled. This was my first time trying their regular line of ciders (although I tried their Oaked Sweet Dark Cherry at Cider Summit Seattle 2015, which appeared to be a special draft release).

I also had a sip of Whitewood Red Cap. It was a bit weird…dry and almost Sidra-ish with some sourness and quite mild flavored. They describe it as a Session cider, which usually indicates a low ABV and easy to drink cider, but its 6.2% ABV. Also available bottled. It reminded me some of their Summer Switchel, but without the salty & ginger notes. Both are quite different from their Kingston Black Whiskey Barrel Aged cider, which is amazing!

I mostly wanted to sample what Schilling had on tap that I hadn’t tried, despite not being too excited about the varieties. Therefore there were a few I didn’t really enjoy, so I ended up not finishing a lot of the flight. Thankfully that freed up some ability to try more ciders! Next up we sampled a couple bottles (which I don’t believe they sell at the Cider House).

Ace Space (blood orange) was another weird one. Odd hazy orange hue. Semi-dry. The nose and some of the flavor was almost medicinal/artificial (like Tang or a Vitamin C supplement), but there is definitely some blood orange flavor too. Mild tartness and sourness. I wasn’t really a fan…not sure what they were thinking with this one? This is Ace’s newest cider, a special release. I kinda had the same opinion on their last special release, Blackjack 21, which tasted like Chardonnay to me (although admittedly it was aged in Chardonnay barrels, so maybe they were going for that). Apparently I’m in the minority though as it sold well so they are releasing it again this year.

Carlton Cyderworks Sugar and Spice. Semi-sweet. I was surprised I liked this, as I usually don’t tend towards spiced cider. However, the spice was quite mild and balanced. It also wasn’t overly sweet. This is a seasonal bottled release for them, new for this year.

I also had a pint of Snowdrift Red–yum! One of my favorites. However, this batch seemed a bit more tart than previous, and with a bit less fruitiness. There can definitely be variability from batch to batch in a craft product. I like when cideries such as Snowdrift batch label their ciders, so you know whether what you buying may be slightly different. Anthem is another example of a cidery which does this, but they actually go so far as to use different apple varieties in different batches of their flagship cider (and you can look up what was used by the batch number on the bottle).

Oddly enough the Carlton Sugar and Spice was the winner of the afternoon as far as a new cider I enjoyed the most! I think it would taste really good warm (which is how I like mead, but I haven’t tried that for cider as I usually avoid spiced cider).

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?

2 Towns The Bad Apple

November 20, 2015November 9, 2015 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, Bad Apple, barrel aged, cider, cider review, hard cider, hard cider review, honey, imperial, oregon

Review of The Bad Apple from 2 Towns. I’ve had this cider before, and many other 2 Towns varieties. Isn’t their bottle styling awesome? Really eye-catching.

Cider: The Bad Apple
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 10.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle (or kegs)

Availability: Year-round, at least in OR, WA, CA, AK, HI, NV (limited), ID, IL (Chicago), & MN (Minneapolis)

Cider Description: Big & bold, The Bad Apple is an imperial style cider, fermented with local meadowfoam honey and aged on Oregon White Oak. Complex notes of apples and wood make the Bad Apple a NW favorite. Sometimes…it’s good to be Bad!

Cidery Description: 2 Towns was founded in 2010 by partners Lee Larsen and Aaron Sarnoff. Dave Takush joined us shortly thereafter. All three of us grew up together in the Corvallis, OR area. We’ve had explosive growth since our inception at which point we had intended to produce and distribute cider to the Corvallis, OR and Eugene, OR areas only (incidentally, the 2 Towns of our namesake). It became readily apparent that our initial vision needed to grow as we hit our maximum capacity in our first production space (a converted 1,000 sq ft garage) in roughly 2 months. We’ve since built 2 new production facilities with a total of 25,000 sq ft of production space and our team has grown to over 30 people to help us to distribute to 9 states and counting.

Over this time, we’ve kept to our original goal of bringing craft hard cider back to the people. We feel that a craft cider is made with fresh-pressed fruit and contain no artificial flavorings. Our fruit is all sourced in Oregon & Washington and all of our ciders are also free from added sugars other than those present in the juice and in some cases local honey. We feel that cider doesn’t need to be sweet to express the natural flavors of the fruits we ferment.

2 Towns Ciderhouse planted an orchard in 2011 with all traditional cider apple varieties such as Kingston Black, Dabinett, Jersey Brown Snout, and many others. 2 Towns has also contracted with several growers in the Willamette Valley and beyond to grow additional traditional cider fruit.

Price: $7.50
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Initially, browsing. I’ve had this cider at least once before and was in the mood to have another bottle.

First Impression: Yellow/orange tinted straw gold hue. Moderate carbonation upon pouring with a light foam ring and tiny bubbles. Smells like rich apples, honey, booze (whisky?), yeast, and oak.

Opinion: Semi-dry. Quite apple-forward, with rich apple, honey, vanilla, and oak notes. The perceived barrel influence remains mild. Moderate acidity and tartness. I almost pick up some citrus with the tartness. Mild bitterness and astringency. No sourness or funk. Medium bodied. Low to moderate carbonation. Longer finish with lingering tartness and acidity. Well-hidden ABV, which mostly presents as warmth. Complex but simple at the same time. I enjoyed this fridge cold, which surprised me as usually with this style of cider I like it closer to room temperature than fridge temperature…when it warmed up the tartness seemed more present.

Most Similar to: This kinda reminds me of Moonlight Meadery ‘How Do You Like Them Little Apples’ cider for some reason…probably as that one tasted like it was higher ABV (but wasn’t), and had honey and oak notes (but it was sweeter and more full bodied). By the way, I find this cider very different from the other 2 Towns Imperial-Style cider I’ve tried, Serious Scrump, which is an 11% ABV English-Style cider available seasonally, which I found to be quite dry and bitter and not to my liking.

Closing Notes: Awesome! This is actually my favorite cider from their regular line so far (and I’ve tried at least 10 ciders from 2 Towns). I think its a great value. I also think 2 Towns is a really cool cidery in general…really down to earth and fun-loving. Their tag line is “Damn Fine Cider” lol. I hope to visit them someday in Corvallis OR. I’ve actually met co-founder Aaron Sarnroff-Wood (at Cider Summit Seattle 2015 and a Schilling Cider House 2 Towns tasting event) and communicated with him by e-mail about their Cider Master Reserve Batch No 01, and he is super helpful. I highly recommend this cider if you enjoy higher-ABV ciders and want something unique.

Have you tried any ciders from 2 Towns? What did you think?

Dublin’s Pub Irish Cider

November 19, 2015November 8, 2015 cidersays Dublin's Pub, review Canada, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dublin, Dublin's Pub, hard cider, Irish, pub, Quebec

Review of Dublin’s Pub Irish Cider, an Irish pub-style cider made in Quebec Canada. Dublin’s Pub also makes Black Velvet and Irish Red cider varieties.

Cider: Irish Cider
Cidery: Dublin’s Pub
Cidery Location: Quebec Montreal Canada
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: Four pack of 12oz clear glass bottles (although I got a single, despite it saying not for individual retail sale on the bottle lol); kegs

Availability: Unknown, but at least Montreal and parts of the U.S.

Cider Description: The sensorial profile of Dublin’s Pub resembles that of beer, without the bitterness. Thus, the selection of the apple varieties and the wine-making techniques used produce a fairly neutral cider with a round, fresh flavour,without the sharp acidity typical of conventional ciders.

Cidery Description: From the Middle Ages to the present day, cider has been Ireland’s most popular beverage. Dublin’s Pub is an apple cider made in the purest Irish pub tradition. Alcoholic and refreshing, Dublin’s Pub’s unique taste is the result of a process involving the crushing of rigorously selected apples and the fermentation of their juice. Dublin’s Pub can be enjoyed on any number of occasions, such as pub outings or gatherings among friends, and makes a superb accompaniment to a variety of dishes. What’s more, it’s the only cider that brings out the Irishman in you!

Price: ~$2 for a single bottle? It was a while ago…
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. My husband picked it up and I didn’t look too closely before buying…I thought it was actually from Ireland. There are definitely some drawbacks to having a combination bottle shop & bar; I always come home with more cider than I was expecting to buy. When I got home I read the bottle and was disappointed to find out this “Irish” cider is actually made in Canada. Then I had a cider buddy say they thought this cider was pretty bad. So, it wasn’t at the top of my list to try and has been sitting in the cabinet for awhile.

First Impression: Pale straw yellow. Moderate carbonation (large bubbles). Basic apple juice scent.

Opinion: On the drier side of semi-sweet. Very back sweetened (not so much that it was very sweet, but it was very juice-like). This is when they add un-fermented juice back in after fermentation, often to bring the alcohol level down to a target as much as to actually sweeten the cider. Crisp & refreshing but a bit boring and one-dimensional. Moderate acidity. Very light tartness. No bitterness, astringency, tannins, or sourness. Light bodied. This cider actually tasted better out of the bottle, which I’ve noticed with some commercial ciders (made it seem not as juice-like and retained more carbonation). This is a type of cider which should be served very cold. I was glad I ended the night with this cider, vs. starting it.

Most Similar to: Possman Pure Cider and Crispin Original. However, I actually enjoy the Crispin as it has a bit more complexity (tartness) and some tropical notes.

Closing Notes: I consider this to be an average commercial cider (although its possible its in the craft category…it just doesn’t taste like it). I’d prefer this to Angry Orchard Crisp Apple and Strongbow Gold Apple for example (mostly as it isn’t crazy sweet & syrupy), but there are many other commercial ciders I’d prefer, such as many Woodchuck varieties, Ace Joker, and Crispin Original & Browns Lane.

Have you tried Dublin’s Pub? What did you think?

Blackfin Cider Company Pacific Peach

November 18, 2015November 8, 2015 cidersays Blackfin, review Apple Beverage Alliance, Blackfin, Blue Mountain, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Grizzly, hard cider, Pacific Peach

Review of Pacific Peach from Blackfin. This is a new cider company out of Oregon that is part of the Apple Beverage Alliance, started by Grizzly Ciderworks (Woodinville WA) and Blue Mountain Cider Company (Milton-Freewater OR).

Cider: Pacific Peach
Cidery: Blackfin Hard Cider
Cidery Location: Milton-Freewater OR
ABV: 5.8%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz cans (or kegs)

Availability: OR & WA

Cider Description: Clean, bubbly and bursting with peach flavor. This cider is vibrant and delivers just the right amount of fruit sweetness.

Cidery Description: At Blackfin Hard Cider we create top quality craft beverages from the freshest local ingredients. Our apples are handpicked and fresh pressed within sight of the orchards from which they came. Our ciders are created to deliver the best possible quality and value at an affordable price. Proudly produced in the state of Oregon, we celebrate all the adventure and beauty of our beloved Northwest in each and every can.

Price: $8 for a four pack of 12oz cans (which I split with a cider friend)
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: The announcement of this new cider had been making the rounds on Facebook, so when I saw it at the Cider House, I was game to give it a try, especially for the very reasonable price.

First Impression: Straw yellow with honey-peach-orange hue. Higher (force) carbonation upon pouring. Smells of ripe apples, peach, tropical fruit, and apricot.

Opinion: Semi-dry. Very tart. Highly acidic. No bitterness or sourness. Moderate astringency. Light bodied. Carbonated mouthfeel. Peach flavor with a hint of tropical fruit and apricot, but they remain mild to moderate, so the apple (including some green apple notes) still shines through. I wouldn’t be surprised if the residual sugar content was higher than my received semi-dry level, but the tartness was quite high on this cider, which could have balanced it out.

Most Similar to: Atlas Apricot, which although was sweeter and not nearly as tart, had some similar apricot, peach, and tropical notes. I’ve had at least two peach ciders, from Blue Mountain (it was quite awhile ago but I remember the peach being very mild), and Finnriver (Country Peach, which was sour, so quite different from this one as well).

Closing Notes: Pretty good, but it was a bit too tart for my liking. My husband was a huge fan though, however that may have mostly been because it was peach (he is a huge peach fan). I’m intrigued to try some of their other varieties, which at this point also include Splash Semi-Sweet, Tidebreak Crisp Apple, and Northwest Berry, although I haven’t yet seen the later two in the Seattle area. The price is definitely right! Plus its great they use local fresh pressed juice and no additives (although that is the norm in this area with craft cider). Here is a neat article from New School Beer on Blackfin.

Have you tried Blackfin Pacific Peach, or any other Peach ciders? What did you think?

McMenamins Edgefield Hard Cider

November 17, 2015November 8, 2015 cidersays Edgefield, review Anderson School, cider, cider review, Edgefield, hard cider, hard cider review, McMenamin's

Review of Edgefield Hard Cider, only available at McMenamins. I tried this at their new Anderson School location in Bothell WA. I was surprised to learn that Edgefield has been supplying McMenamins with cider for their locations since 1992, well before the more recent cider boom.

Cider: Edgefield Hard Cider (Original)
Cidery: McMenamins (made by Edgefield Winery)
Cidery Location: Troutdale OR
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: tap-only (I am surprised they don’t sell it bottled, as they sell bottles of all their beers and wines onsite)

Availability: All McMenamins locations (WA & OR)

Cider Description: Pale yellow gold in color, Edgefield Hard Cider has aromas of fresh apple, apple skin, and pie spices. Lively on the tongue, fresh apple flavor dominates with hints of pear and honey. Crisp and refreshing, the sweetness in this semi-sweet cider is balanced out by tart acidity.

Cidery Description: McMenamins has been crafting hard cider to serve in our pubs since 1992, offering clean, crisp flavors that highlight the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Using quality juices pressed from neighboring orchards in the Columbia River Gorge, we craft this gluten-free cider year-round at Edgefield Winery. The apples pressed off for our cider are primarily a blend of Red Delicious, Golden Delicious (added for color), Granny Smith (for acidity), and Fuji, Galas, and Honeycrisp (to increase sweetness). All of our ciders are lightly carbonated, just under 7% ABV and made with gluten-free ingredients. The freshly pressed juice arrives at the Edgefield Winery, where it is pumped into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Employing a cool fermentation to maintain as much of the fresh apple aromas as possible, we ferment the cider until it is completely dry. A bit of fresh-pressed apple juice is then blended back into the hard cider for some sweetness and to balance the acidity. We keg the cider with some CO2 spritz, and ship it off to all of our locations to enjoy!

Price: $6.50 / pint
Where Drank: McMenamins Anderson School in Bothell WA
How Found: I had heard online that McMenamins made their own cider and it was pretty good, so when we attended an event at McMenamins, I knew I wanted to give it a try. At the Anderson School they had Edgefield Apple and Blackberry ciders, and Schilling Ginger and Chai ciders (at the main bar…the smaller bars only had this one). The actual location (literally a previous school) is pretty cool, with a hotel, multiple restaurants, multiple bars, a swimming pool, gift shop, brewery, movie theater, and event spaces. There is definitely a lack of parking and though, and its pretty busy as they just opened.

First Impression: Pale straw yellow. High carbonation (bubbles rising from bottom to top, which you can actually kinda see in the photo) and a bit of foam. Smells of crisp fresh apples with a hint of yeast, but not much else.

Opinion: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. I was expecting sweeter (to appeal to the masses), so it was nice to find it more middle of the road. I wouldn’t have guessed it was back sweetened (where they add un-fermented juice after fermentation to increase sweetness), as it isn’t really juice-like (as can often happen with back sweetened cider). It was however obviously force-carbonated, but I enjoy high carbonation levels. High acidity. Moderate tartness. Moderate astringency. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Light bodied. Crisp and refreshing. I pick up green apples, citrus, and tropical notes.

Most Similar to: A lot of flagship ciders, such as Boonville Bite Hard, which is also acidic & tart, but a bit drier.

Closing Notes: I’d definitely drink this again, but for my tastes it honestly isn’t too much above average (which isn’t really bad at all, as half of all ciders statistically would be below average in my book). I thought it was quite good for an American flagship cider (which I usually tend away from liking), but I prefer a richer flavor. I’m interested to try their other varieties. For seasonal releases, Edgefield has Black Cherry (April-July), Blackberry (July-Oct), Ginger Perry (Nov-Jan), and Pomegranate (Jan-April). Also, their limited release Estate Cider sounds awesome (barrel aged for 18 months, available in late June at select locations).

Have you tried McMenamins Edgefield Hard Cider? What did you think?

Hard Cider News Edition 5

November 16, 2015November 15, 2015 cidersays news cider, cider blog, cider events, cider news, hard cider, hard cider blog, hard cider events, 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!

News

Cider Industry Body Calls for Alcohol to be Included in New Country of Origin Labellng System, ABC Australia

Wine Meets Cider in Local Mixologist’s New Blend (cider made with yeast byproduct of rosé wine), Washington’s Top News

Saving an Apple Orchard May Graft an Industry’s Growth, Capitol Press

Hard Cider Catches Eye of Home Brewers, Star Tribune

10 Hard Ciders You’ve Never Heard of, But Need to Try (I’ve heard of 9/10), Culture Cheat Sheet

Say Hello To The Apple That Never Browns, Buzz Feed

10 Local Hard Ciders for Your Thanksgiving Table, Oregon Live

Five Super-Fresh Cider Cocktails, Punch Drink

The Story of Cider: How It Got Cool, and Why People Should Stop Freaking Out About An Apple Shortage, Vine Pair

Northwest Travel: Cider Country, Bend Bulletin

Blogs

Believing In Cider At The Hard Core Cider Tour, One Punk Army

Weekly Cider News (Oct 30), Eric West’s Cider Guide, where #9 includes some of my reviews

Weekly Cider News (Nov 6), Eric West’s Cider Guide, where #9 includes some of my reviews

Weekly Cider News (Nov 13), Eric West’s Cider Guide, where #9 includes some of my reviews

Six Tips for Making Thanksgiving a Cider-Centric Holiday, Cider Journal

The Feral Cider Society – Looking for the Future of American Cider on the Side of the Road, Tasting Table

Blackfin Hard Cider Launches Fresh Estate-Grown Cider in Cans, New School Beer

Magazines

Top 8 Events at Cider Week Virginia, CiderCraft Magazine

Spotlight: Sonoma Cider, Paste Magazine

The Drink that Built a Nation – Bubbling a Revolution in Washington State, WSU Magazine

Liberty Ciderworks – What are Trained Architects Doing Making Hard Cider?, WSU Magazine

The Hunt for a $1 Billion Apple, The Week

In Preview: (Franklin County) CiderDays, CiderCraft Magazine

Atlas Cider Company Hard Apricot Cider

November 13, 2015November 13, 2015 cidersays Avid (prev. Atlas), review Apricot, atlas, Bend, cider, cider review, hard cider, hard cider review, oregon, tropical

Review of the Hard Apricot variety from Atlas Cider Company. I’ve now tried all four of their varieties which are available by the bottle, Apple, Blackberry, Pom-Cherry, and Apricot.

Cider: Hard Apricot Cider
Cidery: Atlas Cider Company
Cidery Location: Bend OR
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: 22oz clear glass bottle

Availability: Year-round in OR, WA, & ID.

Cider Description: Pressed golden orange apricots dominate this uniquely tart cider. The Apricots add a subtle flavor that is like combining a peach and a plum but not quite as sweet. The Romans and Greeks had it right when they used apricots as a main ingredient of their drink known as the “Nectar of the Gods”. The driest of our ciders leaves a lasting round finish that calls for more. May the Gods be appeased.

Cidery Description: ATLAS Cider Co. produces authentic hard cider fermented from 100% fresh pressed fruit from our region. Partnering with Northwest farmers to source our fruit has been a priority of ours from the beginning. Our ciders start with a base of NW varieties that are pressed to achieve a balance of sweetness, tartness, and dryness. We forge our ciders in the heart of the NW in Bend, OR. Fermented from 100% fresh pressed fruit. All fruit from our local OR/WA region. No use of anything artificial or colorings. Balanced with just a touch of sweetness. Naturally Gluten free. 22oz bottles and kegs available.

Price: $6
Where Bought: My husband picked this up for me at Albertsons. Actually, he brought home all three Atlas varieties they had there! Apple, Apricot, and Blackberry.
Where Drank: home
How Found: It showed up in the fridge (although I’ve seen them at almost every bottle shop in my area).

First Impression: Straw yellow with a hint of orange. Light carbonation and foam. Smells like apple, apricot, peach, and tropical/pineapple juices.

Opinion: Semi-sweet. Bold apple, apricot, peach, and tropical/pineapple flavors. Very juice-like. Well-hodden alcohol. Light tartness and sourness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, astringency, tannins, etc. Light bodied. Almost no carbonation. Quick finish. Crisp and refreshing. A bit one-dimensional.

Most Similar to: Woodinville Ciderworks Tropical, which I tried at Cider Summit Seattle 2015 (tasting notes here). It also had bold fruitiness and was juice-like but I was a big fan.

Closing Notes: I’m not a huge fruity juice-like cider fan, but I quite liked this. Its an easy drinking cider which would be especially nice in summer. My husband was also a huge fan. I can see why Atlas is so popular! They have tons of Facebook fans at least. I think this cider had the best flavor of the four Atlas varieties, but overall I think I liked the Apple best as it was a touch more complex. Maybe someday I’ll get to try some of their special releases, which mostly seem to be available at their taproom.

Check out their Vimeo site. It currently includes three videos, including a behind the scenes look at the details to operating a cider company.

Have you tried Atlas Apricot? What did you think?

Cider Riot! 1763 (Revolutionary West Country Cider)

November 12, 2015October 31, 2015 cidersays Cider Riot, review 1763, cider, cider review, Cider Riot, cider tasting, hard cider, portland, revolutionary

Review of 1763 (Revolutionary West Country Cider) from Cider Riot! from Portland OR. This is the first bottled cider I’ve had from Cider Riot!, although I had their Never Give an Inch Oregon Blackberry on tap recently.

Cider: 1763 (Revolutionary West Country Cider)
Cidery: Cider Riot!
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 7.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle

Availability: Cider Riot! is available in bottles and on tap in OR, WA, and British Columbia. 1763 is part of their Reserve line, and available in bottles in OR & WA. Its definitely a limited release, with only 100 cases of 12 bottles made.

Cider Description: Our tribute to those who stand up against the status quo, 1763 commemorates the year of the Cider Riots in the English West Country, when cider lovers rose up and overthrew the nefarious Prime Minister Bute who imposed a tax on cider. 1763 is inspired by the West Country ciders that warranted such passion. Yamhill County grown Yarlington Mill, Harry Masters Jersey, Dabinett, & Kingston Black apples lend robust tannins, and rich flavours to a cider that’s worth fighting for. Ranked #2 in the Traditional Apple Category in Sip magazine’s Best of the NW competition 2015.

Cidery Description: Cider Riot! is an urban cidery located in a detached garage off East Burnside Street in Portland’s North Tabor neighborhood dedicated to the production of dry ciders. We use a variety of apples grown in Cascadia, including rare English and French cider variety apples, wild apples from Yamhill County, Oregon, and dessert apples from the Yakima and Hood River Valleys.

Price: $12
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. This was a new release they had at the cash register. Actually it was this year’s release, as this cider actually launched July 2014. Here is a press release from NW Cider on this year’s release of the 2014 vintage of 1763.

First Impression: Slightly hazy amber-orange with a hint of pink oddly enough. Almost still (little carbonation, just a bit of foam). Smells of high tannin apples, a slight earthy funk, and a touch of honey.

Opinion: Dry to semi-dry. High tannins. Moderate to high astringency. Moderate bitterness. Low to moderate acidity. Mild sourness. Earth, yeast, and wood notes. Very mild funk. Full bodied. The flavor of the cider finished quickly, but bitterness lingered at the back & sides of my mouth. I found the bitterness overwhelmed my palate and didn’t let the full richness of the cider apples shine through. I think if the bitterness was decreased and/or the sweetness was increased it would have been a more balanced cider. I also found it to be alcohol-forward, with a warm burn (it is 7.5% ABV though). Oddly enough this cider had some of the flavor characteristics of being barrel aged, but it wasn’t. I recommend drinking this cider between fridge and room temperature, as it mellowed a bit as it warmed up.

Most Similar to: High tannin ciders (such as English-style), including Alpenfire Ember, Traditions Bourbon Barrel 2012, Whitewood Kingston Black, and Liberty English-Style, all of which I tried at Cider Summit Seattle 2015 (tasting notes here), and Worley’s Premium Vintage.

Closing Notes: Unfortunately this cider was too bitter for my liking. I think fans of high tannin ciders who don’t mind bitterness would really enjoy this one however. Its commendable they were able to make a cider using only local cider apples, which are rare and expensive. I also believe that this cider would have greatly benefited from cellaring…I wish I had given it a year or two before drinking, as it likely would have mellowed out some of the bitterness. However, it appears they already aged this cider a year, as it was noted the 2014 vintage was released this year. I look forward to finding another variety to try from Cider Riot! that might be more to my liking.

Have you tried anything from Cider Riot? What did you think?

Craft vs. Commercial Cider – What Are The Differences?

November 11, 2015November 17, 2015 cidersays cider education cider, commercial cider, craft cider, hard cider

Do you know the difference between craft and commercial cider? The subject is open to interpretation, but here is what I think.

Commercial Cider:

Made in large batches
May use apple juice concentrate (which needs to be watered down to be re-constituted), which is often imported
May add additional sweeteners to aid in fermentation
- As it is assumed that any added sugars will be fully fermented, companies need only call the finished product “hard cider” on the ingredient list, without mention of what they use, which could even include HFCS
- ~~It has been confirmed that Angry Orchard uses HFCS, but it is unclear whether many other large cideries use it~~
  - Statement from Angry Orchard, 11/12/2015, correcting the info from 2012: “There is no HFCS in Angry Orchard ciders. The main ingredients in our ciders are bittersweet and culinary apple juices, and we choose which apple varieties based on the specific flavor profile we’re looking for. Sometimes that means that we need to add a little sweetness back into the cider to achieve the balanced taste we’re looking for. We do that by adding things like non-fermented apple juice, cane sugar and honey.”
  - Additional information from Angry Orchard, 11/16/2015: “To answer your question, we started changing our recipes in 2014 to use cane sugar instead, as we’ve found it does a better job of achieving the flavor profile and balanced sweetness we’re looking for. All our cider recipes were transitioned earlier this year.”
May add artificial colors & flavors
Will have more consistency batch-to-batch
Often shipped long distances to consumers
Often made by big beer companies which have a large advertising budget

Craft Cider:

Made in smaller batches
Uses fresh-pressed apple juice
Minimizes the use of sugar as a fermentation aid, and if used, it is table sugar
Does not use any additives (besides yeast, sorbates, any spices/hops/juice, etc)
May be inconsistent batch-to-batch
Often only available locally/regionally
Typically does not have a significant advertising budget

Some cider folks believe that craft cider may have another sub-category, Artisan, which could be defined by cideries using apples they grow in their own orchards. Many craft cider companies don’t have their own orchards, and either buy apples to press themselves or buy the juice.

On this note, I thought I would point out that there are some “ciders” on the market which aren’t actually cider at all…in that they aren’t even made from fermented apple juice! They instead rely on water, juice, sugar, and flavoring, and should be considered “Alcopop”, not cider. For example, Rekorderlig and Kopparberg.

Although I am quite pro-craft cider, I’m not particularly anti-commercial cider. I think commercial cider is a gateway to craft cider, and is definitely more widely available for a lot of folks in areas without craft cider. I will drink commercial cider; sometimes I just want something sweeter, easy drinking, and affordable (I haven’t found too many entry level craft ciders I like) Woodchuck for example will always hold a special place in my heart as it was the first cider I tried, and I was one of the winners of their 2014 contest to attend Ciderbration, celebrating the opening of their new cidery. That said, I try to support craft cider as I believe in its ideals. I wish there were better commercial cider options out there that didn’t add all the artificial stuff.

I think the main point I’m trying to make with this writeup is that its important for consumers to know what goes into what they are drinking. I hope better labeling is required sometime soon, as currently it is difficult to know what really went into what we are drinking.

References:
Compass Cider – What Exactly is Craft Cider
Cider Journal – American Hard Cider and the Meaning of “CRAFT”
ATLAS – Hard Cider History
Ciderplex – Rekorderlig and Kopparberg Are NOT Cider
Pete Brown’s Blog – Alcopop: The Drink That Dare Not Speak Its Name

Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouche Brut De Normandie 2011

November 10, 2015October 29, 2015 cidersays Dupont, review Bouche, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dupont, French, hard cider

Review of Cidre Bouche Brut De Normandie (2011) from Etienne Dupont.

Interesting side note on vintages: In the U.S. current law does not state that cidermakers are allowed to put a vintage or harvest date (only winemakers). Therefore it is rare to see it here, despite the variations in a cider from year to year. Its great to be able to compare reviews and know that you are actually comparing apples to apples (vs. a different vintage of the same cider).

Cider: Cidre Bouche Brut De Normandie, 2011 vintage
Cidery: Etienne Dupont
Cidery Location: Victot-Pontfol France
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 375ml bottle (also available in 750ml size)

Availability: Semi-wide release. See their list of distributors.

Cider Description: Cidre Bouché is created using the traditional method of the Pays d’Auge. Full of fruit and freshness, the taste reveals the aromas of apples and citrus with finesse (“cidre bouché” is a generic term for traditional cider, literally “cider under cork”).

Terroir: Nutrient poor clay and marl soil, perfect for giving small fruit.
Varieties: 80% of bittersweet apples; 20% of acid apples
Harvesting: from October to November

Techniques used: Controlled fermentation in stainless steel vats. Indigenous yeasts. Stabilization of the cider is sought by carrying out successive racking. The fermentation is controlled by successive racking. The cider is bottled unpasteurized between March and April. Density (O.G.): 1060 after pressing, equivalent to 134 g of sugar per litre. 1024 when bottled, which gives 5% alcohol after bottle fermentation has finished.

If well cellared, it can be kept for 5 years after bottling, Because the cider is on its lees, the mouth will improve and become more complex.

Cidery Description: The Louis Dupont Family estate consists of 30 hectares (74 acres) of orchards in Normandy, in the heart of the Pays d’Auge region. The estate produces ciders, pommeau and calvados. For more than 25 years now, the Estate has resolutely followed a path towards high quality. By drawing on the best techniques used to make cognac and its great blends, Etienne Dupont has studied, tried out and refined his cellar work to reach the same levels ofelegance and expressiveness as found in the best wines. Some of these techniques, such as manual sorting of the apples, and even working with an oenologist are found only very rarely in the making of cider.

But just as for wine, the quality of the apples is still the first essential step. It is only after this that the creation of cider can make the most of the apple and its terroir. Specialities of the estate: Ciders bearing a vintage date… a cider blend aged in oak… a blend using traditional methods of making sparkling wines… an apple “sweet wine”… cask strength calvados. Thanks to their qualities of elegance and authenticity, the ciders and calvados from the Domaine Dupont are nowadays appreciated in many countries world-wide. A very great majority of its production goes for export.

See Dupont’s Page on Tasting Cider for some great info. They have an online store which can ship if you aren’t in the U.S. They also offer tours and a tasting room in France.

Price: $7.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Recommendation from a fellow cider lover

First Impression: High carbonation and foam. Smells of rich ripe apples, yeast, with a slight funkiness. Hazy deep orange-amber hue.

Opinion: Semi-dry. Very yeasty, earthy, and beer-like. Low acidity. Moderate bitterness. Moderate tannins. Mild sourness and tartness. Mild to moderate funk. Full bodied. More foam than fizz. Long finish. I didn’t find this cider very apple-forward…its other qualities such as the bitterness, funkiness, and foam were a bit overpowering for my palate. It left me wanting the rich ripe apple flavor that I smelled.

Most Similar to: The beer-like aspect reminds me of Square Mile Original, but that is a completely different style of cider. I’ve only tried a handful of French ciders, but I seem to be picking up on two categories…the drier funky ones and the sweeter apple-forward ones. As far as the French ciders I’ve tried, this is more along the lines of Manoir du Parc Authentic Cidre (vs. Le Brun Organic Cidre, Celt Cidre Breton Traditionnel, or Dan Armor Cuvee Speciale Cidre Brut). This one was the former, while I definitely like the later, with the Dan Armor being my favorite so far (especially for $5!).

Closing Notes: I wasn’t really a fan. My husband was though (which makes sense as he is a beer fan). However, Etienne Dupont seems to be a big hit in the cider community, so this is great example of why its great there are so many ciders…there is something for everyone. Just because I didn’t care for a cider doesn’t mean you won’t! It appears that most of their ciders have these qualities (and that this may be on the milder side for them), but I may have to do more research to see if I’d be open to trying any of their other ciders. Often not liking a cider will have me want to try something else from the cidery as much as liking a cider will.

Note that it appears this bottle had been in the store for quite awhile. I bought it in the last month, yet I was able to find reviews online of the 2012, 2013, and 2014 vintages. Being in the store (vs. cellared with light & temperature control) can unpredictably impact the flavor, so its unknown how the flavor of this cider changed during that time.

Have you tried Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouche Brut De Normandie, or any other French ciders? What did you think?

Ace Joker

November 9, 2015October 25, 2015 cidersays Ace, review Ace, California Cider Company, champagne, cider, cider review, hard cider, Joker

Review of Joker from Ace (California Cider Company). This is the driest variety from Ace, and probably one of the driest commercial ciders out there. I’ve had a number of their other varieties from Ace such as Pumpkin, Pineapple, Blackjack 21, Apple-Honey, Apple, and Berry, which for the most part are tasty, but pretty juice-like and commercial tasting. The Blackjack 21 was a special release of drier cider aged in Chardonnay barrels for their 21st anniversary. It was honestly a bit disappointing as it was very wine-like, and pretty pricey at about $16. However, it was popular, and they are planning to make it a yearly thing.

Cider: Joker
Cidery: Ace (California Cider Company)
Cidery Location: Sebastopol CA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles

Availability: Semi-wide release, year round

Cider Description: Our Ace Joker is our driest cider yet and is made from 100% apple juice; it has champagne characteristics, a bit yeasty with a 6.9% ABV. It has won many awards and recently took the 2013 San Diego Cider and Beer Festival by storm! It even grabbed the Gold Ribbon for “Best Cider” in the competition. Ace Joker is popular with beer and wine drinkers and makes a great base for Mimosas, Snakebites, or Black Satins. Ace Joker first made its appearance in 2008 and has rapidly become our second top selling cider. It is available in 6 packs, 22 ounce bottles and kegs. The Joker tastes great on its own, ice cold in a champagne flute, or with cheese and apple slices.

Cidery Description: We have been making ACE ciders since 1993 in the beautiful Sebastopol area of Sonoma County in California; right along side some of the world’s most renowned wine makers. Thanks to Ace Cider – America’s Best – the cider business in America is growing rapidly. There really is a refreshing alternative to beer and wine and it’s ACE! Unfortunately, some ciders never see an apple and are poor representations of the category. They’ve really given hard cider a bad name. Many ciders are far too perfumy (almost Jolly Rancher-tasting) and are quite a put-off to those seeking a crisp alcoholic refreshment. Some ciders are very dry and barnyard tasting, especially some of the imports. We challenge you to take a taste test of your own if you don’t believe ACE ciders are truly America’s Best! Our Award-Winning ACE Ciders are very pure, clean, and refreshing because we use ONLY the best eating apples for our juice and the best ingredients we can buy. There is a big difference between ACE Ciders and other brands on the market, we guarantee it! We realize that the cider industry in the United States has been weakened in the past by some poor quality ciders on the market and some consumers have been turned off. Now is the time to try something new and exciting to drink! ACE Ciders are great refreshment, chilled on their own and elegant enough to bring to the dinner table, pour in your favorite glass and have with a variety of meals.

Price: ~$2 for a single bottle (runs $10 a six pack in my area)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’ve had my eye on it for awhile, and now that I’m open to drier ciders, I decided to give it a try.

First Impression: Little carbonation but significant tiny bubbles. Champagne hue. Smells dry, slightly musty, with a hint of honey.

Opinion: Definitely dry. Moderate tartness, acidity, and astringency. No bitterness or detectable tannins. Slightly mouth-puckering. Very clean, refreshing, and nice and light. Citrus notes (but I didn’t pick up the honey I smelled). Not very appley however. A small amount of complexity. Light bodied. Nice alternative to champagne although it isn’t very carbonated. Quick finish.

Most Similar to: Argus Ciderkin and Elemental Carbon, but less carbonation. I honestly think I liked this one better than those two, which is sad as its commercial cider and both of those are craft.

Closing Notes: Not bad, especially for commercial cider. My husband especially liked this cider. Not sure that I believe the 3 carbs per 12 oz on the label, but its definitely dry. I ended up picking up a six pack of this mostly for my husband (who can’t have a lot of sugar so usually doesn’t get more than a sip or two of my ciders). I’d recommend this for anyone who wants a drier cider but has trouble finding craft cider in their area, as its pretty widely available. Its my favorite Ace cider so far. For awhile I was really into their Pineapple, but my tastes have moved away from it.

Have you tried Ace Joker? What did you think?

2 Towns Cidre Moscato

November 6, 2015October 31, 2015 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Corvallis, hard cider, hard cider review, Moscato, oregon

Review of Cidre Moscato from 2 Towns, made using Muscat grapes. I had this awhile back and couldn’t remember if I liked it before, so was curious to try it again when I stumbled upon a bottle in the walk-in cooler of a local grocery store. This was a special release quite awhile ago, so I was surprised to find it. I’ve had at least 10 selections from 2 Towns.

Cider: Cidre Moscato
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 500ml glass bottle

Availability: Probably limited at this point as it was a special release in 2014 I think. 2 Towns ciders however are sold in OR, WA, CA, AK, HI, NV (limited), ID, IL (Chicago), & MN (Minneapolis).

Cider Description: Out of the rich soils of the NW grow lush and zesty muscat grapes. Full of vibrant aroma, this blend of Muscat and hard cider will make you wave your pinky in the air like you just don’t care.

Price: $7 on sale from $9
Where Bought: QFC grocery store
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing the walk-in fridge. I also found the first bottle awhile back the same way.

First Impression: Light carbonation, a few small bubbles. Straw yellow, no haze. Very light tropical and white grape scent.

Opinion: Semi-dry. Fruity, refreshing, and light. The tropical and white grape notes continued into the flavor. Higher acidity. Low to moderate tartness. No bitterness. Light astringency. It has some sweet flavor notes without being sweet. The flavor profile on this cider is pretty mild. Very unique. Moderately complex too.

Most Similar to: Attila Scourge of God (review here), although that didn’t have the additional fruitiness. Moa Kiwifruit was also on the drier side and had a light tropical kiwi flavor. Most tropically ciders I’ve had were a bit sweeter, such as Reverend Nat’s Revival (review here) and Woodinville Ciderworks Tropical (review here).

Closing Notes: Tasty! This would especially be a great summer cider. I was surprised I enjoyed it so much as usually I go for bolder ciders.

Have you tried 2 Towns Cidre Muscato? What did you think?

Original Sin Pear

November 5, 2015October 31, 2015 cidersays Original Sin, review cider, cider review, hard cider, hard cider review, Original Sin, pear, pear cider, perry

Review of the Pear variety from Original Sin. Note that this is pear cider (apple cider with pear juice added), not perry (made from 100% pear juice).

Cider: Pear
Cidery: Original Sin
Cidery Location: New York NY
ABV: 4.5%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles

Availability: year round, in over 30 U.S. states, the UK, and Japan

Cider Description: Two parts pear, one part magic. A Dry cider fermented with champagne yeast. Original Sin Pear Cider was developed in line with the company’s mission to produce traditional cider leaving out artificial flavors and additives. Original Sin Pear is light and refreshing with a clean, dry finish.

Cidery Description: 20th-century American ciders were sweet, syrupy – a far cry from the dry, crisp, revolution-inciting ciders of our country’s past. Gidon Coll wanted to reconnect America to its roots by creating a traditional cider with the complexity to satisfy today’s discriminating palates. But where to begin? Coll immersed himself in the history and the craft of cider. He experimented. He brewed batch after batch in a small upstate New York winery. He sought counsel from a local wine expert and from the owners, bartenders and patrons of bars he frequented in New York City’s Lower East Side and East Village. He collected feedback from everyone he knew, adjusting and tinkering with his cider’s flavor until it was clean, crisp, and practically perfect. Then he enlisted friends to painstakingly hand-label bottle after bottle. He lugged cases and cases in and out of NYC’s subways, delivering bottles to establishments of Manhattan and Brooklyn. And it wasn’t long before Original Sin began receiving wide acclaim from sources as diverse as The New York Times, New York Post, Paper Magazine and Market Watch. Today, you can find Original Sin’s unique, award-winning ciders in over 30 states, as well as overseas in the U.K. and Japan. But it all started here in the U.S. — inspired by our country’s past: a clean, crisp, DEVILISHLY DELICIOUS cider for our future. [founded in 1997]

Price: ~$2 for a single bottle (runs $10 for a six pack)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’d been wanting to review an Original Sin cider, and hadn’t tried this one.

First Impression: Almost clear, with a slightly yellow tint. Smells of apples, pears, and citrus. Highly carbonated.

Opinion: Semi-dry. Very fizzy and champagne-like. However, the flavor is much more tart & tangy green apple with citrus than pear. No bitterness. Moderate acidity. Light bodied. No funk. Some yeasty flavor. I agree it is “light and refreshing with a clean, dry finish”, but I prefer a more boldly flavored cider. I liked the carbonation level and the dryness though.

Most Similar to: Portland Cider Pearfect Perry, which I tried on tap at the Schilling Cider House. It was also rather mild with almost no pear flavor, but fizzy and refreshing. That one however was a true perry (100% pear juice, Bartlett and D’Anjou), unlike Original Sin Pear.

Closing Notes: Refreshing, but on the bland side and unimpressive. Original Sin currently offers Apple, Apricot, Pear, Elderberry, Cherry Tree, Northern Spy, and Newtown Pippin varieties. I’ve also tried the Elderberry and Cherry Tree, and would say they were also pretty average. Original Sin’s ciders tend to be on the drier side of the 6 pack cider offerings. They are an affordable and widely available craft cider option however, which is something to be commended.

Have you tried Original Sin Pear? What did you think?

Tod Creek Mala-Hop

November 4, 2015October 25, 2015 cidersays review, Tod Creek cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, hopped cider, Mala-Hop, Malahop, Tod Creek

Review of Tod Creek’s Mala-Hop. This is the second cider I’ve had from Tod Creek. The name is a reference to Malahat, Vancouver Island’s dividing mountain between Victoria and its southern tip, and that is a hopped cider.

Ron from DrinkingCider.com brought me two Tod Creek ciders from his Vancouver detour to his Cider Summit Seattle 2015 / WA Cider Week trip! See here for my review of Tod Creek’s Tod Cider Vancouver Island.

Cider: Mala-Hop
Cidery: Tod Creek
Cidery Location: Victoria B.C. Canada
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: 500ml glass bottle

Availability: Vancouver Island, Vancouver, and a couple store in the interior of British Columbia. They are entering their second season, and have plans to expand into the Kelowna area, possibly Alberta, and hopefully eventually the U.S.

Cider Description: All juice hard apple cider with triple-hop flavour….

Premium cider with a West Coast bite. Cruising the Malahat is a rite of passage for most Islanders, the mountain at your side as Finlayson Arm and Saltspring Island creep into view. Whether you’re heading to Victoria or leaving the capital city, the Malahat is an essential part of Island life. This hard apple cider is prefect for beer-lovers and cider enthusiasts, featuring a touch of tartness from the Granny Smiths and three different hops delivering that distinct flavour and aroma loved by true hop-heads….

This sparkling cider is all juice — no water added to dilute the great taste. Mala-Hop is a triple-hopped treat and tastes great on its own or paired with a spicy pepperoni pizza, nachos loaded with jalapenos, or a hearty beef stew….

Ingredients: apple juice, maple syrup, sulfites, hops….

Hopped cider has been around for years, but only recently in the Pacific NorthWest has it really become discovered and loved by so many. This cider is for the beer drinker, or for anyone who wants to have the tremendous nose and flavour of hops in their cider. Kinda like peanut butter and chocolate….

We use a blend of Granny, Golden, Jona, Sparton apples, and this year we’re also using Mac. In the Mala-Hop is also some cider variety such as Yarlington and Tremlett, with some crab as well.

The three hops we’re using are Chinook, Sterling and Centennial, all sourced from the organic growners HOOH (harvest our organic hops) in Liloette, BC.

Cidery Description: Tod Creek Craft Cider makes small batch, handcrafted cider with BC apples. We source our apples from local trees on Vancouver Island as well as from farmers in the BC interior. Long, slow fermentation brings about great flavours in the traditional way. We typically ferment each batch for about four months. If you want the super-sweet, watered-down canned stuff, we can’t help you. Our ciders are all-juice blends to bring a clean, crisp, enjoyable drink that goes great with dinner, friends, or all by itself. As a small batch cider, you’ll notice that each year the ciders will vary slightly, much like a good wine does. Our apples will be influenced by the sun, the amount of rainfall, and other factors, so each year will yield a slightly different taste. Most of our ciders are coarse filtered, and our hopped cider isn’t filtered at all. Filtering can take some of the flavours out of cider, so we try to limit the amount of filtering we do.

They opened in June 2014 and have a micro-cidery setup, their own orchard in Victoria, and lease an orchard in Kelowna. A tasting room is in the works (hoping for Summer 2016), but they will do a tasting & tour by appointment. Sea Cider and Merridale are also in the same area.

Price: n/a (appears to run $7.60 CAD, or $5.77 USD a bottle)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: Ron gave it to me. I’d never heard of Tod Creek cider before as it isn’t available here in the Seattle area.

First Impression: Almost no carbonation. Light straw yellow with a hint of honey hue, slightly hazy. Mild aromas of hops, floral, citrus, wood, and maple.

Opinion: Semi-dry. This cider tasted spot-on to how it smelled, with the same mild hops, floral, citrus, wood, and maple notes. Low bitterness, astringency, acidity, and tartness. Medium bodied. Very smooth. On the unfiltered side. Balanced complex flavor. Average length finish. The hops are present throughout the sip, but remain very mild. I’m surprised it wasn’t more tart as I pick up a lot of granny smith aple notes, but I imagine the other apple varieties, hops, and maple syrup balanced out the flavor. I’m impressed they really kept the bitterness down. My main comment is that it could use more carbonation, but I say that about almost all ciders!

Most Similar to: Portland Cider Hop’Rageous, which is the only other hopped cider I’ve tried that I actually liked (tasting notes here). Hop’Rageous also has very little hop flavor, more floral & citrus notes with a slight hops aftertaste. Most hopped ciders seem to go quite overboard on the amount of hops, only appealing to beer lovers, which I definitely am not.

Closing Notes: Not bad! I was pleasantly surprised. My husband also enjoyed it. I’m not sure Mala-Hop is something I would buy if it was available here as its not really my type of cider, but like Portland Cider Hop’Rageous, I’d recommend it to anyone who is curious about hopped ciders and looking for something on the mild end of the spectrum. I didn’t have any problem finishing the bottle, which was definitely unexpected. Hopefully I’ll be able to try more ciders from Tod Creek in the future.

Have you tried any cider from Tod Creek? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 5 Tasting Notes

November 3, 2015October 24, 2015 cidersays Avid (prev. Atlas), Bull Run, Carlton, Cider Riot, Cragie's, D's Wicked, Elemental, Eric Bordelet, Finnriver, Fox Tail, Millstone, review, Schilling cider, cider flight, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling, Schilling Cider House, seattle, tasting notes

This time an event brought me to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA, a great excuse to drink cider on a weeknight if you ask me. It was their monthly potluck, which this month had a “sweet” theme, for both cider and food. There were still plenty of drier cider options on tap too (and with 32 tap selections and hundreds of bottles, there is something for everyone). I even found out there is one hush-hush bottled beer selection at Schilling.

I started with a flight of six. However, I ended up staying there for over 4 hours, so it definitely wasn’t the only thing I drank! I picked up a nice weird dinner at PCC of some coleslaw, cheese, and pretzel bread (which is one of my favorite things to have with cider, unsalted though).

Fox Tail Sweet Tooth, 5.0% ABV: This is the second cider I’ve had from this Hood River OR cidery (the first was Fuzzy Haven, tasting notes here). This was an interesting selection as they called it sweet, but it was more semi-dry? Probably more that it was sweet for their cidery. Straw yellow hue, no haziness. Rather plain and on the mild & boring side, but I don’t have any complaints. Mild tartness and acidity. Nicely balanced.

Carlton Black Currant Scrumpy, 4.4% ABV: This is the first cider I’ve had from this McMinnville OR cidery, although I have a bottle of their Slake at home to try. Rich black currant scent and a lovely deep berry hue. Semi-dry. Sour! Definitely wasn’t expecting that. Unfortunately I’m not a fan of sour cider so I didn’t have more than a couple sips.

Cragie’s Ballyhook Flier, 5.8% ABV: This is an Irish cider which I’ve seen in bottles and have wanted to try, so here was my chance. Hazy yellow-orange hue. Dry cider apple and yeast scent. Dry. Moderate bitterness. Mild sourness, funkiness, tartness, and astringency. Moderate tannins. Complex and unique. However, it was too bitter for my liking. I think some additional sweetness to balance it would have been nice. I’ve had some ciders made from higher tannin cider apples which weren’t bitter, but it appears to be difficult to pull off.

Bull Run Strawberry Fields, 6.5% ABV: This is the first cider I’ve had from this Forest Grove OR cidery, although I’ve been meaning to try their ciders for awhile (way too much good stuff available around here). Light cherry color. Lovely real sweet strawberry scent. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Moderate strawberry flavor. I imagine it was difficult to develop this cider, to get a true strawberry flavor without seeming fake or being too sweet. I have found very few fruity ciders that were full flavored without being very sweet or overpowering the apple (Snowdrift Red and Eaglemount Quince are two I love, but they are on the more spendy side). I’m a fan!

Finnriver Pear, 6.5% ABV: I’ve had a number of Finnriver selections, but hadn’t had this one before (Chimacum WA). This is a cider (apple juice) with pear juice added (ie. its not perry, which are made only using pear juice). Straw yellow, no haze. Light clean pear scent. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Plain, but it had a nice real pear flavor. Quite good, but not my favorite from them (I’d recommend Lavender Black Currant, Honey Meadow, and Fire Barrel).

Elemental Atomic Root Beer, 6.5% ABV: I’ve tried a couple of their ciders, but I was curious about this new one (Woodinville WA). Its a hard root beer, but in contrast to other products (such as Not Your Father’s Root Beer), it is cider instead of malt based! Nice caramely root beer hue. Smells of root beer with a hint of baked apple. Tastes like a nice mild root beer with a hint of baked apple at the core. Only semi-sweet, which I appreciated. It could have used some additional carbonation, but I say that about most ciders. Tasty! I can see why this one has been a huge hit for them.

I then realized I had finished my first flight and the actual event hadn’t started yet, as I got there so early (due to my work schedule). So, I ordered a half flight. Without realizing it I got three berry ciders (they were about the only ones left on the board I hadn’t tried, besides ginger & hops & such that I don’t care for).

Atlas Pom-Cherry, 5.8% ABV: I’ve had the Apple and Blackberry selections (reviews here and here) from this Bend OR cidery. I also have their Apricot variety at home to try. Tart cherry scent. Semi-sweet to sweet. Lots of pomegranate flavor. Only mild tartness and the slightest hint of sour. Thin bodied. Bold flavored. It was my favorite of these three, but I still think I like their plain apple best of the three varieties I’ve tried from them so far, and overall its not a favorite of mine or anything.

Cider Riot Never Give An Inch Oregon Blackberry, 6.9% ABV: This is the first cider I’ve had from this Portland OR cidery, although I have a bottle of their 1763 at home to try. Dry. Very tart. Only mild berry flavor. I found it kinda unremarkable, and my least favorite of these three. It was too tart for my liking and I don’t think I finished it. Tart fans who like berry ciders but find them all too sweet may want to give this one a try though.

Elemental Oxygen (Pomegranate), 6.5% ABV: I’ve had a number of ciders from this Woodinville WA cidery. Poured very foamy. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Tart. Thin bodied. Rather mild flavor, which appears typical for them. Their Atomic Root Beer is definitely my favorite from them so far.

During this time the actual potluck started (5pm), and it got busy (for awhile I was the only customer!). I got to see Mick from Click Distributing again, meet two guys from D’s Wicked Cider (Kennewick WA), meet Sarah’s mom, and see Merce from Cider Log again. Plus I nimbled on some tasty treats.

I sampled D’s Wicked Baked Apple, their new 6.9% instead of 8.5% ABV variety. Apparently most folks won’t be able to taste the difference. One of the reasons they did this was because there is an apparent WA state rule against doing growler fills above 7% ABV. This is the first cider I’ve tried from them. I had avoided buying a bottle of this one as I assumed it would be too spiced for my liking (not a spiced cider fan, or any spices in general…not even pepper on food). However, the cinnamon was quite mild (at least when the keg wasn’t fully cold yet), and it had more baked apple flavor. Quite tasty actually. They said the cinnamon showed up more when it was fully cold though. Nice and frothy and on the unfiltered side. Semi-sweet. Medium to heavy bodied. Its not something I’d buy, but I was pleasantly surprised, and definitely see why they are so popular.

Also, Sarah remembered about a bottle of Eric Bordelet Poire Authentique in the cool room (I think this was a sample or something, as its not one of the Bordelet varieties they carry). It was definitely flat after being open about a week (apparently its typically quite sparkling), but we all found it tasty (there was enough for a couple sips each). At only 3.5% ABV, this French perry is easy drinking at its finest. I have only heard rave reviews about Bordelet and they’ve been on my want to try list. Bold flavor, but clean, unlike some perries. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Rich flavor and very balanced. I really enjoyed this one, but I’m not sure I could bring myself to pay $15-20 for a 750ml bottle of a sub 4% ABV cider. This reminded me of the bottle pour of another Poire I had here, Domaine Pacory Poire Domfront (tasting notes here).

They also had a Randall going that night where they infused Schilling Gold cider with oranges, coconut, and Chai tea. An interesting combination, as always! It was pretty tasty, although I would have preferred no tea and lots more coconut. The tea seemed to make the cider seem drier than I remembered Gold tasting (which is one of Schilling’s sweeter varieties, and their only plain cider I believe). Sarah said this was her favorite Randall so far.

Mick also decided to pick up a bottle of Millstone Farmgate Dry and share it with us. I had this one at Cider Summit Seattle 2015 (tasting notes here), in an attempt to see if there was any variety from Millstone I’d enjoy (as I definitely didn’t like their Cobbler). This variety is definitely sour & funky, but less harsh than Cobbler by a few times probably. I’m always surprised to see Cobbler make cider lists without any notes of its sour flavor, but apparently a lot of folks like that sort of thing (like sour beer I guess). Its a good thing they make so many ciders, so there is something for everyone.

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?

Virtue The Mitten Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider

November 2, 2015October 25, 2015 cidersays review, Virtue barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, hard cider review, Michigan, Mitten, Virtue

Review of Virtue Cider’s The Mitten, a bourbon barrel aged cider made using only Michigan apples. This is the first cider I’ve tried from Virtue.

Cider: The Mitten
Cidery: Virtue Cider
Cidery Location: Fennville MI
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 750ml green champagne bottle, capped (also available in kegs)

Availability: Limited release, winter seasonal. Virtue cider may be available in GA, MD, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PN, RI, VA, VT, IL, ID, KY, MI, MN, OH, WI, CA, OR, WA, & TX.

Cider Description: When the leaves fall, there’s a chill in the air and the evening greedily takes hours from daylight, we stand strong and embrace the wintertime. It’s a time of rich foods, roaring fires and our favorite sweaters. Drinks change from refreshing to intense and satisfying. The Mitten is a Winter cider, a blend of last seasons best, aged in bourbon barrels, with the new season’s fresh pressed apple juice. Straight cider, aged for 3 seasons, finds notes of vanilla, caramel and charred American oak, balanced with the best of the orchard, over-ripe apples and their sweet, tart, earthy juice. Many barrels are filled, but only a small portion, the very smoothest, will find their way into The Mitten. We love wintertime, especially when we have The Mitten to keep us warm and happy through the long, cold night.

Northern Spy, Cox’s Orange Pippin, McIntosh, and Jonathan apples blended with cider aging in our barrel house that is made from more than forty varietals of apples.

See Virtue’s info page on this cider.

Cidery Description: Virtue Farm is located in Southwest Michigan, part of the state’s thriving Cider Coast. Michigan’s Cider Coast boasts 200 miles of apple orchards, changing leaves, and stunning vistas best enjoyed with a glass of crisp cider. All along the coast, great cider being made by a bevy of wonderful cider makers, all working hard to revive dozens of varieties of heirloom apples ideal for juicing and fermenting. Virtue Cider is proud to be part of this burgeoning revival of an important Michigan tradition.

They have a tasting room. Also see this page on their barrel aging program. This cider was bourbon barrel aged at least 6 months (depending on the vintage). I’m guessing I tried the 2014 vintage. The 2015 vintage is expected to be released in December by the way.

Price: ~$24
Where Bought: Capitol Cider in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: I’ve read a number of articles & reviews on this cider, which is quite well-received. I’ve been on the lookout for it ever since (although I can find a number of Virtue’s other varieties, this one is more rare in WA). I was very excited to see it on the bottle list at Capitol Cider, and just my luck, they still had it (they only update their printed bottle lists so often, so its possible they have since run out of items).

First Impression: High carbonation (foamed over when I opened it!). Gold amber hue. Lots of tiny bubbles and foam. Hazy. Rich medium sweet very ripe apple, bourbon, vanilla, oak, caramel, and brown sugar scent.

Opinion: Semi-dry. Frothy almost mousse-like sparkling/carbonated mouth feel. Rich bold flavors but light bodied. Very warming. Mild to moderate barrel influence. Moderate to heavy bourbon influence. Moderate to high acidity. Moderate bitterness, Low to moderate tannins. Moderate tartness. Moderate astringency. Ripe apple, bourbon, vanilla, oak, and caramel notes (quite similar to the scent, but tasted less sweet then it smelled). Slightly earthy and smokey. Long bitter finish. The other reviews I’ve read didn’t seem to mention this high of a level of carbonation and the significant bitterness, but each palate is different, and they could have been from a different vintage (a craft product like this varies year to year).

Most Similar to: Other drier bourbon barrel aged ciders with bitter notes. My favorite bourbon barrel aged cider so far is Traditions Bourbon Barrel 2012, made by 2 Towns, which I tried at Cider Summit Seattle 2015. This one definitely had the highest level of carbonation I’ve seen in this type of cider (often barrel aged ciders are presented almost still). The level of heat reminded me of Sea Cider Prohibition / Rumrunner. I would have guessed this cider was a much higher ABV, but it was very smooth and relatively easy to drink.

Closing Notes: I think I psyched myself up a bit too much for this one. I really liked it, but didn’t love it. I think if it wasn’t for the bitterness in the finish, I would have been really impressed. I think it also smelled better than it tasted (more sweetness came across in the scent). Maybe all the sweet-type notes made me want a sweeter cider? All in all it is a nice cider selection which makes me want to try more ciders from Virtue and from the Finger Lakes region (which similar to WA & OR is known for cider).

Second day update: I didn’t finish this cider the first night (as its just me and I have a tendency to make small pours). On the second night, I oddly enough found it had developed a distinct sourness (and remained pretty high carbonation). I’m used to ciders losing flavor / mellowing out, but sour is a new one. It was well-sealed with a flip top. So, I’d recommend drinking this in one night.

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

Boonville Bite Hard – Updated Review

October 30, 2015October 25, 2015 cidersays Boonville, review Bite Hard, Boonville, Boonville Cider House, california, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, sample

Review of Bite Hard from the Boonville Cider House. I actually reviewed this cider about a month ago (see here), but Roger Scommegna, founder of Boonville Cider House, contacted me on Facebook and asked me to give it another try. He sent me a lovely sample box with not one but three bottles of Bite Hard, a t-shirt, and a fact sheet. This time around the cider is bottled not canned, so I’m curious to see if I spot any differences.

He said: “Same variety, but I think I need to explain why it is terrific cider. We use apples and yeast, nothing else. Most cider is made from concentrate and flavoring. It’s truly just a soda. Cider is wine, and you would never drink a wine made from concentrate, and it’s illegal to add flavors to wine, so we make our cider like wine. We ferment dry with two different champagne yeasts, then finish it like Sauvignon Blanc. Our cider is delicate and clean. It’s actually harder to make it that way. I’ll send you a bomber and try it out of a wine glass. Thanks!”

This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by the Boonville 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 this 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: Bite Hard
Cidery: Boonville Cider House
Cidery Location: Boonville CA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 22oz glass bottle

Availability: CA, AZ, WA, MN, WI, IL, MI, NY, IN, CO, and MO

Cider Description: Bite Hard Apple Cider is a crisp, semi dry cider, slow fermented from heirloom apples in an English tradition. Made from tannic and full bodied fruit, this cider carries its distinctive BITE with a clean and unique apple finish and citrus notes. We take the time to seek out and preserve the best that Autumn has to offer.

Cidery Description: MAKING CIDER & TAKING NAMES SINCE 2010! With an orchard first mentality, Boonville Cider House uses its favorite varieties of apples to put the finest cider into every can, bottle, and keg. Made with gumption, and drank with gusto, the Boonville Cider House is less a place and more a state of mind. So crack a can and taste Autumn in Boonville, taste us wassailing beneath the stars, and taste the hard work and great times that go into every gallon.

Additional Information from Boonville: We started in a small town in Northern California called Boonville. Home to Anderson Valley Brewing Co, Roederer Estates and ever growing list of fantastic wineries…We use a blend of Pippins and Russets mostly – hand picked, no windfalls. The goal has been to make a simple and pure cider. Pick apples, squeeze into juice, add yeast, ferment dry, enjoy heartily. We believe the best ciders have a short list of ingredients.

They also shared this blog post written by the founder & cider maker (titled Ruminations on Our Ethics of Fermentation).

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

First Impression: Straw yellow, no haze. Little carbonation with medium sized bubbles. Light dry apple scent.

Opinion: Dry to semi-dry. High acidity. Moderate tartness. Light astringency. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Low carbonation. Light bodied. Clean and refreshing taste. Moderate length finish with acidity & tartness. I pick up citrus, green apple, and tropical notes. I definitely recognize it was made using champagne yeast. I’m surprised how different this tastes than I remember (and noted before). I didn’t pick up any bitterness this time, the tartness level seems higher, and it even seems a touch sweeter. I suspect it may be a different batch. Craft cider can vary significantly batch to batch. I wonder if bottle vs. can makes a difference too. Also, I’ve always noticed that free beverages/food taste better!

Most Similar to: Some other drier flagship ciders. This actually reminds me of Attila Scourge of God that I had recently (review here).

Closing Notes: I was more impressed this time around. I liked the acidity level and tartness, that it lacked bitterness, and that it isn’t very sweet. However, this still isn’t my favorite type of cider…I usually like bolder flavors and some richness in a cider (such as found with English, French, barrel aged, etc, ciders). I think bottles instead of cans is a good route for them, as they seem to be going a bit more higher end, comparing to wine, drier, etc. However, a lot of craft ciders are going the can route, and it seems to be popular. I look forward to enjoying the other two bottles!

Have you tried Boonville Bite Hard? What did you think?

Crispin 15 Men (Rum Barrel Aged)

October 29, 2015October 25, 2015 cidersays Crispin, review 15 Men, barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Colfax, Crispin, hard cider, rum

Review of Crispin’s newest barrel aged limited release, 15 Men. It is a dark rum barrel aged Colfax apple cider with wildflower honey and dark candi syrup. The name 15 Men alludes to the book Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Crispin’s previous barrel aged limited release cider before this was Venus Reigns (my review here). They have had a barrel aging program for 6 years.

Cider: 15 Men
Cidery: Crispin
Cidery Location: Colfax, CA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 22oz bottle

Availability: limited availability, but wide release, since early October 2015

Cider Description: Buccaneers & buried treasure. Mutiny & murder. For the love of adventure and a barrel of rum. Drink and the devil had done for the rest. An epic saga of Colfax classic apple wine matured in dark rum casks, then laced with wildflower honey and dark candi syrup. 15 Men rolls strong like a deep ocean swell with notes of burnt caramel and oak, gentle hints of ripe fall fruits, vanilla and exotic floral fruit carried on the trade winds. Before pouring, give a solid bottoms-up tilt and swirl to disperse sediment evenly and experience the complex aroma and bouquet. Best enjoyed at cellar temperature, 50/55F. With or without 1 or 2 ice cubes.

Cidery Description: Classically refined, but not styled as a traditional “sweet beer” beer alternative, Crispin ciders are crisp and clean, not sweet and sticky and never sacrifice superior quality refreshment satisfaction for overbearing complexity. Always true to the fruit, Crispin Hard Ciders are naturally fermented using fresh-pressed apple or pear juice, not from concentrate, from a premium blend of fruit from the west coast. Additionally, Crispin Ciders do not contain added malt, grape wine, or spirit alcohol. Crispin Ciders are all Gluten Free.

Price: $9.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: I read about this release online, then started the search for it. Total Wine has a convenient online inventory, so I knew before I went in that it was in stock.

First Impression: No carbonation upon pouring. Hazy honey orange amber. Smells of ripe apples, honey, tropical fruit, light floral, caramel, and brown sugar.

Opinion: Between semi-dry and semi-sweet. Still (no carbonation). In the taste, I again pick up the ripe apples, a lot of honey, some fruitiness & floral, and the caramel and brown sugar notes. Additionally, some mild wood barrel notes, a bit of citrus, and mild spiced rum in the finish. I thought the rum presented more in the lingering heat than the actual flavor. I’m surprised by how much honey flavor there is! Mild tartness and bitterness. Medium acidity. No significant tannins or astringency. Medium bodied. Average finish length. The barrel and spirit influence stays mild. This was better between fridge and room temperature, where it became very smooth and the honey flavor mellowed out a bit.

Most Similar to: Rum barrel aged cider always reminds me of Sea Cider Prohibition / Rumrunner (my review here). Honey reminds me of ciders such as Finnriver Honey Meadow (my review here). However, this cider wasn’t anything like either of those. The honey seemed to be competing with the rum & barrel aspects. So, there aren’t really any similar ciders I’ve tried.

Closing Notes: Overall this was a good but not great cider in my opinion. The amount of honey flavor seemed to be too much, and I would have liked more rum & barrel influence. A bit of carbonation wouldn’t have hurt either. Overall it was unique. However, $10 seems a bit steep for what it is, as at the end of the day, Crispin is a commercial cidery.

Have you tried Crispin 15 Men? What did you think?

Hard Cider News Edition 4

October 28, 2015October 25, 2015 cidersays news cider, 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!

Article from Afar, Cider Takes the West, profiling cider bars & tasting rooms, including the Schilling Cider House

Article from Travel & Leisure magazine, Six Great American Towns for Hard Cider, including Portland OR

Article from Inlander, How ‘Bout Them Apples, about the booming cider scene in Spokane, including a feature on Liberty Ciderworks

Schedule for the next CiderCon, Feb 2-5 in Portland OR (this is the cider industry’s biggest convention)

Article from Rodale’s Organic Life, Why The Apples We Eat Today Are Not The Ones Our Grandparents Enjoyed

Article from Komo News, There’s A New Cider Tap Room In Seattle (Number 6 Cider)

Article from Independent UK, Apple Day 2015: 10 Best British Bottled Ciders

Too bad we don’t get most of these in the U.S. I’ve seen/tried Worley’s & Sheppy’s, and have a Hogan’s cider selection at home to try. My favorite from the UK so far is Sheppy’s Oak Matured. Some cideries here make some awesome English-style cider too, such as Liberty Ciderworks.

Article from ABC News, Want to Drink Like a Pilgrim This Thanksgiving? Drink Cider

Eden Sparkling Dry would definitely get a vote from me. However, folks will be hard pressed to find Dragon’s Head Kingston Black as it was a very limited release (although I have a bottle!).
Two ciders that have been very well received with guests at my house are SnowdriftRed (made from red-fleshed apples and is very fruity & complex) and Dan Armor Cuvée Spéciale Cidre Brut (from Brittany France available for only $5, only at Trader Joe’s). Both are pretty middle of the road for sweetness and can appeal to a lot of folks.

Interview from Cider Journal, Q&A With Head Cidermaker of America’s Best Selling Cider (Ryan Burk, Angry Orchard)

Article from 7×7, 5 Sonoma County Ciders to Sip This Fall

I’ve been wanting to try Tilted Shed (heard a lot of good things about them). I’ve had most of the lineups from Sonoma Cider & Ace. Hadn’t even heard of Devoto or Specific Gravity!

Article from Awesome Mitten, Experience Autumn in Mid Michigan at Almar Orchards (J.K.’s Scrumpy)

Article from Amtrack’s magazine of all places, How the Hard Stuff Became the Hottest Drink in the Northeast

Article from Seattle Weekly, Beer Hunter: The Berry Cider Boom (profiles on 5 PNW berry ciders)

I’ve had all five of these!

Article from Columbus Monthly, Cider, All Grown Up

Article from Wine Enthusiast on The Best French Ciders You Should Drink This Fall

I’ve had different varieties of Le Brun and Eric Bordelet, and have Le Père Jules Brut at home to try. Not sure I’ve seen the other two.

Article from Telegraph UK, How One Man Hopes to Put Delicious Fruit Back in Our Hedgerows

Article from Herald Net, Alworth Explains All Things Cider in ‘Cider Made Simple’ (new book)

Article from Local Flavor Magazine, New Mexico’s Artisanal Hard Ciders

Article from Herald Net, Everett Man Grows More Than 150 Types of Apples on 25 Trees (grafting)

Article from Burlington Free Press, Woodchuck Hard Cider Announces Layoffs

Article from New School Beer, Cider Bite, a New NW Portland Cider Tap Room, Now Open

Article from Inlander, Pressing Issues – Making Cider on a Fine Autumn Afternoon on the Palouse

Article from NJ.com, Hard Cider Continues to Stir Up More and More Fans

Article from Chicago Tribune, Cider Cocktails offer a Sparkly Alternative for Fall Quaffing

Podcast from Good Beer Hunting, Kevin Zielinski of E.Z. Orchards Cider

Interview from New School Beer, Interview with the Founders of Women’s Cider Group, the Pomme Boots Society

Article from Muchies, New York City’s Free, Foraged Fruit Makes the Best Cider

Video segment about Washington Cider Week on New Day Northwest in Seattle

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