port townsend

Port Townsend Cider Route – Road Trip Report

cidersays Alpenfire, Eaglemount, Finnriver, review , , , , , , , , ,

I finally made it out the Olympic Peninsula to visit the three Port Townsend Washington area cideries, Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver.  My husband took me on a birthday weekend getaway, and we stayed the night in Port Ludlow (South of Port Townsend).  This post will cover the trip as a whole, then I’ll have three other posts for tasting notes and info on each of the three cideries.

We planned this trip a couple months in advance, but it ended up being weekend 2/2 of a Red Wine (& Cider) & Chocolate Valentine’s Day thing, so unfortunately that meant I didn’t get the typical tasting experience.  In addition to having a different tasting selection, the cideries appeared to be charging more for tastings (as they were offering chocolate pairings).  However, that also meant that Alpenfire was open (they usually close for the Winter this time of year).

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It was an early wake up for a Saturday, as I wanted to allow extra time for ferry delays or whatever just in case, although the trip is only a couple hours.

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(1) We started with the 8am Edmonds to Kingston ferry, which is a quick 30 minute trip, but actually didn’t save us much time (vs. driving around to the South), but is fun and breaks up the trip.

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(2) Then we headed up North to Port Townsend, did a quick driving tour of the town, and ate a late breakfast at a cute French-themed restaurant called Sweet Laurette (which was very good).

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(3) Next we realized the Mount Townsend Creamery was on our route, and we had a bit of time, so that was a fun quick stop.

route map

(4) Then, on to our first cider stop, Alpenfire!  We got lucky as for this event weekend they opened at 11am instead of noon, giving us an extra hour.  Also, we ended up being the only guests at Alpenfire, likely as it was so early.

I should note that this area is lovely just to take a drive, surrounded by trees.

(5) Next was Eaglemount (at their new location by the way–the cider route maps still have their old address).  They are unique on the cider route as they also make grape wine and honey wine (mead) in addition to cider.

(6) After that we stopped in at the Chimacum Corner Farmstand to take a look.

(7) Last, we ended the cider route at Finnriver.  We made good time and finished up there just before 4pm (so without the hour head start it would have been 5pm).

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(8) Finally, we drove South to Port Ludlow to the Inn at the Resort at Port Ludlow.  It appears to be the nicest accommodations in the area.  There aren’t many newer / higher priced options in Port Townsend.  Port Ludlow is actually closer to Finnriver than Port Townsend (and closer to the ferry), so it wasn’t really an inconvenience.  The main thing it impacted was our dinner options, as Port Ludlow is much smaller than Port Townsend…we ended up at The Fireside restaurant at the Inn for both dinner and breakfast, which was very nice, but definitely added to the cost.  The Inn is beautifully situated on the marina in the planned community of Port Ludlow.

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I was surprised at how small it was, less than 40 rooms, although they also have several event and banquet rooms.  Overall I think it was overpriced (it looked nice on the surface but the room had a lot of little annoyances like a loud heater & mini fridge and uncomfortable bed), but for the level of accommodations we are used to, it was the best option.  We had time before dinner to walk along the waterfront.  Its a popular destination for weddings, and I imagine they are full all summer long (even without air conditioning!).  For our February stay however it was fairly quiet.

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I was drawn to the restaurant’s cider selection on their online menu, but it ended up being a disappointment…they had reduced their ciders from 4 by the glass, 4 by the bottle, 1 Pommeau, and several Finnriver brandywines to only 1 by the glass (Eaglemount Ginger), 1 by the bottle (Alpenfire Glow), and the Finnriver brandywines.  You’d think their best option would be to stock 500ml Finnriver bottles as to not have to keep anything open, have ciders that are widely appealing (not ginger), and have something that one person could order (plus although Glow is amazing, I’d call it more of a dessert cider than something to pair with dinner).  I ended up ordering a cocktail with Prosecco and Finnriver Black Currant brandywine.  The food was amazing but the service was absent at times.  Overall our stay met our needs but didn’t amaze us.

Wanting to make this trip yourself?  Here are my tips:

  • Although its doable to make it a day trip from the greater Seattle area (especially as the cideries are only typically open noon-5pm), staying overnight was great, and gave us a chance to have a leisurely dinner too instead of rushing home.  However, especially in the summer, be warned that hotels book very quickly, likely as there are few options.
  • Definitely be safe and have a designated driver, as its a lot of cider tasting in a short period of time.
  • Plan your route.  I’m glad I planned the order we’d visit the cideries, how long of a drive between them, etc.  It wouldn’t have been fun to go on the trip and end up only making it to 2/3 cideries for example due to running out of time.
  • Bring some snacks, as there are very few options once you start the cider route, and cider tasting on an empty stomach isn’t wise.  Apparently in summer some of the cideries may offer food though (such as pizza at Finnriver).  One option is the Chimacum Corner Farmstand, which is a mix between a roadside produce stand and a mini PCC (plus they even sell garden type stuff like fertilizer outside).  They are close to Finnriver and have some grab & go lunch type stuff.  We stopped in but didn’t end up buying anything.  Due to our large breakfast just before starting the cider route, we ended up being ok food-wise until the third stop at Finnriver, where we had some of the snacks we brought (I went a bit fancy and packed us a cheese plate in a cooler).
  • Cash wasn’t necessary, although it could be handy for tasting fees and tips.  All three cideries used the credit card payment app Square on an ipad (no extra fee).
  • Plan to purchase bottles (and cidery swag if interested), as you will get a chance to taste at least a few ciders that aren’t distributed.  Cinders at Alpenfire and Pommeau at Finnriver for example.

Stay tuned for my tasting notes from Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver!

(UPDATE – Posts on Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver are now up.)

Finnriver Black Currant

cidersays Finnriver, review , , , , , , ,

Review of Finnriver’s Black Currant cider.  I’ve had this a few times, but this is the first time I’ve had it since starting Cider Says.  I picked up a growler of this cider at a Finnriver cider tasting at Around the Table in Lynnwood WA.  They were pouring their Pear, Cranberry Rosehip, and Black Currant ciders, and offering a free glass growler with fill.

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(stock photo as I got a half growler)

Cider:  Black Currant
Cidery:  Finnriver
Cidery Location:  Chimacum WA (near Port Townsend)
ABV:  6.5%
How Supplied:  500ml bottles and on tap

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

Cider Description:  A light, lovely cider, with a purple blush, that blends heirloom and organic dessert apples with the tart mysteries of organic black currant. Immensely drinkable.

Made from Gala, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady apples, which is the base that Finnriver uses for the majority of their ciders.

Cidery Description:  At Finnriver we gather and ferment the flavors of the land to offer you farmcrafted hard ciders and spirited fruit wines. We are inspired by the allure of the fruit, the ancient history of the craft of fermentation and the lively traditions we now seek to revive.  Our mission is to inspire a deeper connection to the land that sustains us….Some of these ciders are small-batch, seasonal and labor-intensive. Others are produced with contemporary methods and more readily available year-round…Finnriver grows over twenty varieties of traditional and heirloom apples in our organic orchard, to feature in our traditional and specialty ciders.  They have a tasting room open seven days a week, noon to 5pm, and are on the Olympic Pennsylvania cider route along with Eaglemount and Alpenfire cideries.

Price:  $9 / 32oz (usually runs $9 / 500ml, or 16.9oz bottle, so this was a great deal even before the free glass growler)
Where Bought:  Around the Table in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Finnriver tasting, although I’ve had it a few times

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First Impression:  Deep purple grape juice-like hue.  Nearly still (no carbonation) with a few large bubbles.  Smells amazing, of grape, black currant, and cranberry.  This was the type of cider where I sat and smelled it for quite awhile before diving in.

Opinion:  Semi-dry to semi-sweet.  Moderate acidity and tartness.  No bitterness, sourness, or funk.  Very fruity and full-flavored, with the same grape, black currant, and cranberry flavors.  The apple however remained pretty well-hidden.  The flavor was overall nice, not overpowering or overly juice-like, which often happens with fruity ciders.  Light to medium bodied.  Medium length finish.

Most Similar to:  Other fruity ciders.  This is the only black currant cider I’ve had, but I know Doc’s Draft and Slyboro also make one.

Closing Notes:   Quite tasty, but a bit tart for my liking, especially having most of this growler myself over the course of the afternoon & evening.  It went really well with Thanksgiving dinner, kinda akin to a cranberry sauce.  However, I liked this better bottled as it seemed to have a higher carbonation level (I’m a big fan of carbonation).  Even better is Finnriver’s Lavender Black Currant variety (part of their Botanicals line), which was especially amazing on Nitro at the Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA.

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

Finnriver Black Currant Wine

cidersays Finnriver, not cider, review , , , , , ,

Review of Finnnriver’s Black Currant wine with apple brandy.  I was lucky enough to host a cider tasting at my house where some friends brought this rarity for us to try.

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Cider:  Black Currant Wine
Cidery:  Finnriver
Cidery Location:  Chimacum WA
ABV:  18.5%
How Supplied:  375ml

Availability:  Likely difficult to find outside of their Port Townsend area cidery & farm and their booth at the Ballard Farmer’s Market.  In general, Finnriver ciders are sold in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, TX, IL, CO, and Alberta & BC Canada (detailed info here).  They also have an online store (which can ship to WA, OR, CA, AK, CO, MN, FL, & WA D.C.).

Black Currant Wine Description: We believe there is an alchemy to making a fine fermented drink. First, sun, rain and soil work earthly magic to produce fruits full of possibilities. Then we handcraft our fruit wines by pressing, fermenting, and blending with apple brandy to bring forth the vital flavors of the fruit. We call these wines “fruit for grown-ups.” Enjoy sipped, as a sweet complement to dessert or as dessert itself!

Cidery Description:  At Finnriver we gather and ferment the flavors of the land to offer you farmcrafted hard ciders and spirited fruit wines. We are inspired by the allure of the fruit, the ancient history of the craft of fermentation and the lively traditions we now seek to revive.  Our mission is to inspire a deeper connection to the land that sustains us….Some of these ciders are small-batch, seasonal and labor-intensive. Others are produced with contemporary methods and more readily available year-round…Finnriver grows over twenty varieties of traditional and heirloom apples in our organic orchard, to feature in our traditional and specialty ciders.  They have a tasting room open seven days a week, noon to 5pm, and are on the Olympic Pennsylvania cider route along with Eaglemount and Alpenfire cideries.

Price:  n/a (but I believe it runs $20)
Where Bought:  n/a
Where Drank:  home (my cider tasting event)
How Found:  n/a

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I tried it at room temperature, but I wouldn’t have minded it cold, or even, shocker, over ice (or maybe ice cream?).  It tasted a lower ABV than it was, which could be dangerous.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-sweet.  Intense black currant with blackberry and cranberry notes.  Low acidity and tartness.  No bitterness, sourness, or funk.  Full bodied.  Medium finish length.

Closing Notes:   Yum!  What a special treat.

Have you tried any Finnriver apple brandy products?  What did you think?

Eaglemount Quince

cidersays Eaglemount, review , , , , , ,

Review of Eaglemount Wine & Cider’s Quince cider.  Note that this is apparently the only commercially-produced Quince cider (although it has been used in low quantities in cider blends).  From the description below it doesn’t appear to be a single varietal, but pretty close.  Here is a cool NY Times article on Eaglemount’s Quince, focusing on the apples, In Praise of the Misunderstood Quince.

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(sorry for the wrinkled label…I guess my fridge is a bit humid!)

Cider:  Quince
Cidery: Eaglemount Wine & Cider
Cidery Location: Port Townsend WA (note they are currently moving the tasting room)
ABV:  8.0%
How Supplied: 750 ml clear glass bottle with a handy flip-top to reseal after popping the metal cap

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Availability:  Very limited release.  Distributed in Seattle WA & Portland OR, a Port Townsend WA area Farmer’s Market, Eaglemount’s tasting room in Port Townsend WA, and Eaglemount’s online store.  They also offer a cider club!

Cider Description:  A one of a kind cider made with Certified Organic Quince and heirloom variety apples.  This unique complex cider has notes of pineapple, grapefruit, honey, and more.  The Quince were grown in Washington’s San Juan Islands. Enjoy this delightful cider with roasted pear salad, light entrees, or as a chilled afternoon cordial by itself or mixed with your favorite spirits.  Our Quince Cider was featured in the New York Times April 2012 in an article on quince. Won Best Specialty Cider in SIP Magazine in 2013.

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(Quince apples, a photo from Eaglemount’s Facebook page)

Cidery Description: We started our winery in 2006 here on the Olympic Peninsula in northwest Washington State.  We own one of the original homesteads in the area and started making wine and then hard cider from the wonderful heirloom apples from our homestead orchard in 1996. Some of the varieties include: Gravenstein, Winter Banana, Jonathan, Roxbury Russet and more. We also have a cider orchard with French and English varieties of cider apples.

They have six cider varieties (Quince, Rhubarb, Ginger, Homestead Semi-Sweet, Homestead Dry, & Boot Brawl), one mead variety (Apple), one Cyser (mead-style cider), and five wine varieties listed on their website (online store), but it appears they have more (at least at their tasting room) from the reviews I’ve read.

Additional Info from Trudy Davis, the vintner at Eaglemount, in Response to My Request:  Our winery is located on an 1883 Homestead that has the original apple trees. These were the foundation for our first ciders. All of our apples come from a 20 mile radius here on the Olympic Peninsula. The quince come from a certified organic orchard in the San Juan Islands. Quince is a hard to describe flavor; honeysuckle, tropical fruit, and grapefruit are some descriptors.

Price:  $20.50
Where Bought:  Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown area of Seattle WA (I’ve also seen Eaglemount ciders at Special Brews, but not Quince)
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing, and I’ve read some reviews.  I’ve had my eye on Eaglemount and was deciding what variety would be best for me to try.  This definitely fit the bill!

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First Impression: Carbonated upon pouring.  Fairly clear yellow amber.  Distinctive scent, which I assume is the Quince apples, with a tropical flair.

Opinion:  Semi-dry, but due to the “sweet” flavors, it comes across a bit sweeter than I think it actually is.  Carbonated mouthfeel.  Very distinctive complex flavor which I agree is difficult to describe.  I definitely pick up tropical aspects, some vanilla & honey, and a touch of an herbal/floral quality.  It has only a slight tartness, and no bitterness, which can be difficult to accomplish with a drier cider.  This is a very well crafted cider–mighty fine!  It drinks more like 5% than 8% ABV; very smooth.  There are also some wine-like qualities to this cider, but not enough to discourage me, which often occurs with wine-like ciders.

Most Similar to: Reverend Nat’s Revival, which also has some tropical aspects to it.  Eaglemount by comparison is slightly less sweet and has a more distinctively complex flavor.

Closing Notes:  Epic cider–highly recommended!  I really enjoy complex ciders like this.  Eaglemount Quince is definitely a treat, worth the higher price tag.  I look forward to trying more of their ciders.  This variety definitely stuck out for me when choosing one, and from what I read, it seems very well received (most posts about Eaglemount seem to mention Quince).  I think I’ve mostly seen their Root Brawl (hopped cider) and Cyser (mead-style cider) around me.

Fun Fact:  Finnriver and Alpenfire are in the same Port Townsend area as Eaglemount; see this cider route map.  Roadtrip anyone?

Postscript:  I wish more craft cideries offered their product in smaller bottles.  For folks like me without someone to share the cider with most of the time (my hubby is more into spirits, beer, & wine), a 750ml bottle of a relatively high ABV cider is a bit much for one sitting.  Also, a smaller bottle would lower the price point.  500ml is a more manageable size.  I made a big dent in emptying the bottle, but had plenty left to drink a second night.  The flip top closure worked fairly well, especially at re-carbonation, and there was very little change in the cider’s flavor (as I’ve had happen before, it mellowed out just a bit).

Have you tried Eaglemount Quince?  What did you think?

Countdown to Cider Summit Seattle!

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7 weeks left until Cider Summit Seattle (Friday & Saturday September 11 & 12, 2015!  I haven’t been before, so am very excited for Seattle’s biggest cider event of the year.  This is part of Washington Cider Week (Sept 10-20), so stay tuned for more Cider Week event notifications as I read of them (100 separate events are expected, so clear your calendar!).

And, speaking of cider events, Summer Cider Day 2015 is coming up (Saturday August 8, 2015, in Port Townsend WA).  I unfortunately won’t be able to make it, but apparently it is a great event for getting face-to-face time with some of the 17 Northwest cidermakers and cidery representatives that are expected to be there.  Although cidery folks will be on hand for Cider Summit, there is a much larger turnout.  Plus, there is a bottle shop.

Press release for Cider Summit Seattle:

Cider Summit Seattle Celebrates 6 Years!
Region’s Largest Cider Festival Returns to South Lake Union

July 21, 2015 – SBS Imports and the Seattle Beer Collective are pleased to announce the return of the Cider Summit Festival to Seattle, WA.  The sixth annual event will be Friday, September 11th from 3p-8p and Saturday, September 12th from 12n-6p.  Cider Summit will once again be at The South Lake Union Discovery Center near Westlake & Denny in downtown Seattle.  The event is presented by Whole Foods Market. 

This will be the 16th Cider Summit produced by SBS & Seattle Beer Collective, having launched the concept in Seattle in September 2010 and expanding to Portland, Chicago, and San Francisco.  Each event features 150+ elegantly crafted ciders from producers in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, California, Michigan, New Hampshire, England, France, Spain and others.

“We’ve been very pleased with the growth of our event in Seattle,” noted SBC’s Ian Roberts.  “We believe we have added some nice features and a unique cider selection that will help us reach an even wider audience of cider enthusiasts.”

The owners and cidermakers will be on hand to inform and guide guests through the samplings which will be available in 4-ounce tasting portions.  In addition to the superb range of ciders, the event will feature live music, specially paired food selections from Whole Foods Market, Capitol Cider and others.  A returning popular feature is the Cider Summit “dog lounge” water station benefitting Seattle Humane. New for 2015 is a Cider Cocktail Lounge hosted by CiderCraft Magazine and Capitol Cider, with a special appearance from author Darlene Hayes.

“We believe we’ve created a unique event,” added event co-founder Alan Shapiro of SBS Imports.  “We have found a great home in the South Lake Union neighborhood and we expect a terrific range of ciders.  Interest in artisanal cider is exploding right now, and this event is the premier sampling opportunity for both the cider enthusiast and cider curious.”

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 (cash only) at the door and are available online via Stranger tickets, all Seattle Metro Area Whole Foods Market locations, Capitol Cider, Umpqua Bank South Lake Union and selected bottle shops. Admission includes a souvenir glass and 8 tasting tickets.  Additional tasting tickets will be available for sale onsite at $2 per ticket.  Re-admission will be allowed at any time with event wristband and tasting glass.  The event is 21 and over only.  Dogs of all ages will be allowed on event grounds.

A special VIP ticket is available for $40.  This ticket includes 4 additional tasting tickets and exclusive early admission on Friday from 2p-3p.  Only 200 of these tickets are available – exclusively online via the event website. Cider Summit benefits Northwest Cider Association, The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, and Seattle Humane.

Cider Summit is presented by Whole Foods Market.  Supporting sponsors include Capitol Cider, Oregon Fruit Products Company, Umpqua Bank, Click Wholesale Distributing, Ryan’s Juice, with media support from The Stranger, KEXP, and Cidercraft Magazine.

For more information contact:
Alan Shapiro – SBS Imports
206.527.4191
alanmshapiro@sbs-imports.com