One Tree Staycation

April 25, 2018May 28, 2018 cidersays One Tree, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, One Tree, Pineapple Mango, Spokane, Staycation, tasting notes, washington

Review of One Tree’s Staycation, a new ish pineapple mango cider. It is my first time trying this, but I have also had their Lemon Basil, Caramel Cinnamon, Huckleberry, Dark Cherry, Crisp Apple, Raspberry, and Pina Colada.

Cider: Staycation (Pineapple Mango)
Cidery: One Tree
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 5.6%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with pineapple and mango

Availability: Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Illinois, since October 2017, plus limited online sales

Cider Description:
Tropical Vacations are overrated.
-Sharks eat people, period. End of story
-Vog, It’s volcanic fog… Seriously look it up
-In the rain forest, all it does is rain ALL.DAY.LONG
-Sally doesn’t really sell seashells by the sea shore
-When a jellyfish stings you, there’s only one solution…

Cidery Description: It all started with a love for the Washington apple and a father’s day gift of an at home cider kit … and the rest is history. One Tree Hard Cider is made from locally grown ingredients right here in Washington State. When we started on the journey we wanted to use a wide range of ingredients and flavors in our hard ciders to show that it all starts with apples but it doesn’t end there! Our core ciders are Lemon Basil, Caramel Cinnamon, Huckleberry, and Raspberry. We also release seasonal ciders such as Peach Tea, Ginger Apricot, Pumpkin and Cranberry, and keep your eye out for special draft-only limited release ciders! Whether you like your cider sweet or tart, you’ll find a One Tree Hard Cider just for you!

They have a cider house in Spokane Washington.

Price: $3.99 / single can ($11.99 / four pack)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing (although I had been on the lookout for a single can, as I had seen it in four-packs)

First Impression: Hazy lemonade hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells of pineapple with hints of coconut and mango.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of pineapple, coconut, mango, and lime. Quick finish. Low apple flavor. Low to moderate flavor intensity and complexity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Great! I can’t remember the last time I tried a flavored cider I liked this much; so many are too dry or too sweet, barely flavorful, one dimensional, etc. I loved the coconut flavor, although they didn’t say they added any, so maybe its just me? Update – It has become a staple in my cider fridge, and unlike many other ciders, I liked it just as much (or even more) the second time I tried it.

Most Similar to: One Tree Pina Colada, except more pineapple than coconut, and much less sweet.

Closing Notes: This appears to be a year round release – yay.

Have you tried One Tree Staycation? What did you think?

One Tree Crisp Apple

October 11, 2016October 8, 2016 cidersays One Tree, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Crisp Apple, hard cider, One Tree, Spokane, tasting notes, washington

Review of One Tree’s Crisp Apple cider. I’ve tried it before, but only a draft sample, not canned. I’ve also tried their Lemon Basil, Caramel Cinnamon, Huckleberry, Dark Cherry, and Raspberry ciders.

Cider: Crisp Apple
Cidery: One Tree
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans
Style: American craft cider made from dessert apples

Availability: Year-round in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana; see here.

Cider Description: An army of apple have made their way to your door, housed in a tough metal can. This cider is crisp and delicious with just enough tart apple flavor to keep you coming back for more. Keep that ice chest stocked with One Tree Hard Cider cans. Your taste buds will thank you.

Cidery Description: It all started with a love for the Washington apple and a father’s day gift of an at home cider kit … and the rest is history. One Tree Hard Cider is made from locally grown ingredients right here in Washington State. When we started on the journey we wanted to use a wide range of ingredients and flavors in our hard ciders to show that it all starts with apples but it doesn’t end there! Our flavors range from Lemon Basil, Crisp Apple, and Caramel Cinnamon to Huckleberry, Cranberry and other seasonal or limited release options. Whether you like your cider sweet or tart, you’ll find a One Tree Hard Cider just for you!

They have a tasting room in Spokane WA.

Price: ~$ 3 / single can (runs ~$10.99 / four pack)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: I tried Crisp Apple at One Tree’s release party at the Schilling Cider House in Seattle awhile back (see here), and wanted to give it another go, but only a single can.

First Impression: Hazy orange lemonade hue. Low carbonation. Smells of baked apple.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, tannins, or funk. Notes of baked apple, citrus, and a hint of cinnamon. Quick finish length. High apple flavor. High sessionability. Low complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Yum! Its simple, but tasty. I like that its less filtered and flavorful, and less sweet than their other ciders (my preference is semi-dry to semi-sweet).

Most Similar to: 2 Towns Out Cider, except it is slightly sweeter and more flavorful.

Closing Notes: This is probably my favorite One Tree cider so far; it is the most drinkable of their ciders for me, something I could actually have an entire pint of. Sweet sells though, and One Tree’s ciders are very popular in the Seattle area. They won the Fruit Cider Challenge at Cider Summit Seattle 2016 with their Raspberry cider with peanut butter whipped cream (see here).

Side note: “Crisp Apple” is a popular name for ciders…Angry Orchard, Flatbed, Zeffer, Hornsby’s, Foster’s, and Newton’s all also use it.

Have you tried One Tree Crisp Apple? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 18 Tasting Notes

July 15, 2016July 9, 2016 cidersays Locust, One Tree, Portland Cider, review, Schilling, Tieton, Wandering Aengus cider, cider review, hard cider, Locust, One Tree, Portland Cider, Schilling Cider House, tasting notes, Tieton, Wandering Aengus

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

I was there last Thursday, for the One Tree Crisp Apple cider release party, and enjoyed a flight of four ciders, plus One Tree’s new cider.

Portland Cider Company (Portland OR) Pineapple (5.7% ABV): This draft-only pineapple cider poured foamy but settled down after awhile. This may be their “Maui Cruiser” variety, which also has coconut blossom nectar, as I couldn’t find any evidence that they have a strictly Pineapple cider. Smells of fresh pineapples. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Low acidity. The flavor is purely pineapple, with low flavor intensity. I felt this cider smelled much better than it tasted…it left me wanting more flavor. The pineapple aroma was so strong (especially in comparison to the cider’s flavor) that it makes me curious if it was added.

Wandering Aengus (Salem OR) Barrel Aged Wickson (8.0% ABV): This is a barrel aged draft-only version of their single varietal Wickson crab apple cider, which is available in bottles (which I tried previously and found overly harsh). Smells mild, with hints of crab apples and oak. Dry. Low flavor intensity. The barrel aging seemed to mellow the cider’s intensity compared to the original version. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. Alcohol-forward with crab apple sharpness, oak, and honey notes. This is best drank cold as it becomes more harsh as it warms up. I found this more drinkable than the original version, but I still didn’t care for it.

Tieton (Yakima WA) Bourbon Peach (6.5% ABV): A draft-only bourbon barrel aged peach cider. Hazy lemonade hue. Smells of bourbon, peaches, and pineapple. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Hints of boozy bourbon (but not overpowering) and peach & pineapple notes. Yum! Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Moderate flavor intensity. Low apple flavor. Medium to high sessionability. I’m a fan of bourbon barrel aged ciders, but often they tend towards being overly boozy, harsh, dry, etc…this one was tasty and easy to drink.

Locust (Woodinville WA) Sweet Aged Apple (6.9% ABV): This is a barrel aged cider made from dessert apple varieties which is available on draft and in bottles. I’ve tried this previously (when it was called Aged Washington Dessert Apple; see here), but had heard they significantly changed the recipe, so I wanted to give it another try. Last time it was quite hazy and unfiltered looking, but this time there was no haziness. Smells mild and apple-forward. Semi-sweet (less sweet than the previous recipe). Less flavorful than the previous recipe, but much more sessionable. Mild tartness and acidity. Caramel, vanilla, and honey notes. Medium bodied. Moderate to high apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. I’m not sure which recipe I preferred, as there are pros & cons of each, but I enjoyed both versions.

One Tree Hard Cider (Spokane WA) Crisp Apple (6.8% ABV): This is their new flagship cider, sold in four packs of 16oz cans and on draft. Hazy. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Unfiltered baked apple flavor with honey notes. Moderate tartness and acidity. High sessionability. Strong apple flavor. I enjoyed this. I found it very similar to 2 Towns Out Cider, but slightly sweeter and slightly more flavorful. Much less sweet than any of the other ciders I’ve tried from them.

The Tieton Bourbon Peach cider was my favorite, and my favorite cider from Tieton so far.

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

One Tree Hard Cider Dark Cherry

April 14, 2016April 13, 2016 cidersays One Tree, review Cherry, cherry cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dark Cherry, hard cider, One Tree, Spokane, washington

Review of One Tree’s Dark Cherry Cider. I’ve tried a few of their ciders–see here.

Cider: Dark Cherry
Cidery: One Tree Hard Cider
Cidery Location: Spokane Valley WA
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with cherries added

Availability: This is a new release which appears to be year round, in Idaho, Montana, and Washington (soon to be in Oregon).

Cider Description: Welcome to flavor town my friend. Step into the ring with a cherry hard cider that drops the press (get it?!) on the apples and makes them ride passenger! This is what cherry cider is supposed to taste like, bold & delicious. Lift your pinky finger cider friends! This one is for you!

Cidery Description: Founded in 2014, One Tree Hard Cider has quickly become a well-known, and highly sought after cider in the Pacific Northwest. We believe in bold, flavor-forward profiles using fruit sourced in our home state of Washington. We are naturally gluten-free, and use only the highest quality, natural ingredients. Customers love our bold flavor profiles, with ciders such as Lemon Basil and Caramel Cinnamon leading the pack.

They have a tasting room in Spokane Washington.

Price: $10.75
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles
Where Drank: home
How Found: I saw this was available on their Facebook page, and it sounded interesting. This is my first time reviewing a bottle from One Tree (previously I’ve only tried it on tap).

First Impression: Deep cherry hue. Low carbonation and foam upon pouring. Strong tart cherry scent.

Tasting Notes: Sweet. Definitely sweet. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. It has an almost frothy mouthfeel. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. The apple is well-hidden by the cherry flavor. I really didn’t pick up many other flavors besides cherry, which was strong…maybe some strawberries and watermelon? High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked the strong cherry flavor, but it was too sweet for my liking. I only had half the bottle / 11oz (I had someone to share it with for once), but even that was too much. The sweetness is pretty on-par with their other ciders I’ve tried.

Most Similar to: Other sweeter full-flavored ciders with cherries / cherry juice added, such as from Woodchuck and Washington Gold.

Closing Notes: My favorite cherry cider remains the one from Washington Gold, which I find to be less sweet than this one. For fans of sweet ciders however, I think One Tree’s Dark Cherry cider will be a big hit (as all their other varieties have been).

Have you tried One Tree Dark Cherry? What did you think?

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