Portland CiderAde

Review of Portland Cider’s CiderAde, a special release. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, Concord Grape, Perfect 10, Pumpkin Spice, Pineapple Rosé, Peach Berry, and Razzberry.

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

Cider: CiderAde
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 4.0%
How Supplied: 19.2oz “proper pint” single cans (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with lemon, lime, and salt (as electrolytes)

Availability: small batch special release, starting April 2020, in Oregon (including to-go at Portland Cider’s 2 taprooms), Washington, Northern Idaho, and Northern California

Cider Description: The cider that aids you! Freshly squeezed lemons and limes brighten this cider made with 100% Northwest apples. A cider that’s refreshing & replenishes with electrolytes sourced from sea salt harvested in Netarts Bay along the Oregon coast by Jacobsen Salt Company. Rejuvenation & relaxation in a glass!

Cidery Description: We started the Portland Cider Company in 2013 with the intent of marrying English cider traditions with the innovative Northwest micro-brewing culture. Lynda hails from Somerset county of England, the traditional cider making region, and Jeff is a native Oregonian. It all started from a desire to make the clean, dry cider Lynda grew to love in England, and Jeff yearned to find here. The first batches began in our guest room closet, 5 gallons at a time, made to quench our own thirst. We then introduced it to our friends and family, most never having drank cider before, and discovered we were on to something when our popularity soared and those small batches went fast! That cider is what became our signature and bestselling “Kinda Dry.” Now 6 years on, we continue to devote the same passion for 5000 gallon batches as we did for those first 5 gallon ones. Only now we don’t worry about running out of what we love! We hope you won’t run out of it either!

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $4 per 19.2oz can)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, dry, and of citrus.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of green apple, lemon, salt, and lime. Moderate length tart finish. Low apple flavor, sessionability, and complexity. Very high sessionability.

My Opinion: I wasn’t super into this, as I tend towards slightly sweeter ciders, but my husband who is a bigger fan of dry tart ciders liked it.

Most Similar to: Ulee’s Light Cider with some salt and lime

Closing Notes: I’m not one to mix outdoor activities in hot weather with alcohol, so I don’t really get the appeal of this, but I can imagine others having the opposite opinion. Good thing there is a wide range of ciders so there is something for everyone.

Have you tried Portland CiderAde? What did you think?

Portland Cider Peach Berry

September 23, 2019September 21, 2019 cidersays Portland Cider, review berry cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Peach Berry, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Peach Berry. It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, Concord Grape, Perfect 10, Pumpkin Spice, and Pineapple Rosé.

Cider: Peach Berry
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.2%
How Supplied: 19.2oz single cans, 6 pack of 12oz cans, and draft
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with berries and peaches

Availability: seasonal (fall), in Oregon (including their 1 taprooms) and Washington, plus limited draft availability in Northern CA bay area

Cider Description: Bold, juicy Oregon peaches play with a blend of tart Northwest grown berries for a cider full of sunshine to drink on those grey Portland days. Lively raspberries, blackberries & blueberries burst onto your tongue, just like plucking the fruit from your own backyard. This balanced cider, with a bold peach flavor and slight tartness, pairs well with classics like fish tacos, spicy sausages and corn on the cob.

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest. It has two taproom locations: Portland Cider House at 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214; and Taproom & Cidery at 8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Bldg. F, Clackamas, OR 97015. Visit www.PortlandCider.com and follow @PortlandCider on social media.

Price: ~$4 / 19.2oz can, or ~$12 / 6 pack of 12oz cans
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Deep purple-red hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, tart and fruity.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of berry, stone fruit, and green apple. Moderate length finish. Low complexity and apple flavor. Moderate to high flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed it. Super fruity and flavorful, without too much sweetness.

Most Similar to: Portland Cider Sangria (except more rich berry than light tropical fruit) and Bauman’s Peach Raspberry (except more berry than peach)

Closing Notes: I received both a 19.2oz can and a 12oz can, and oddly enough the batch in the smaller can was a bit drier and more tart than this 19.2oz can that I reviewed was. A great example of craft cider – there will always be some variability batch-to-batch.

Have you tried Portland Cider Peach Berry? What did you think?

Portland Cider Pineapple Rosé

March 26, 2019March 25, 2019 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Pineapple Rosé, portland, Portland Cider, Rosé cider, rose, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Pineapple Rosé. It is my first time trying this, but I have had much of their line-up (see here).

Cider: Pineapple Rosé
Cidery: Portland Cider Company
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.2%
How Supplied: 12oz cans (and draft, plus 19.2oz cans are coming in mid-April)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with pineapple and blueberry

Availability: seasonal, March thru August 2019, in Oregon, Washington, and Northern California

Cider Description: The juicy and delicate pineapple fruit works beautifully with a hint of blueberry juice, creating an elegant cider on par with the rosé wine that so many love.

Price: n/a (although it’ll probably run ~ $10.99 / six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Smells sweet and fruity. Very low carbonation. Hint of peach hue.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of pineapple with hints of green apple and strawberry (I didn’t really pick up any blueberry). Quick finish. Low apple flavor and complexity. Low to moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it. Significantly more pineapple than berry. Super easy to drink. I was surprised to see the can say 20 grams of sugar, as it tasted less sweet (although the body was what I’d expect for that level of sweetness). It was a bit less intensely flavored than I prefer and I’d expect with a sweeter cider.

Most Similar to: a sweeter but less intensely flavored version of 2 Towns Pacific Pineapple plus a hint of strawberry

Closing Notes: Rosé sure is the hottest cider trend – seems like nearly every cidery has one now. On that note, I’m surprised they didn’t add a bit more blueberry if they were trying to go for a rosé look, as it was barely rosé.

Have you tried Portland Cider Pineapple Rosé? What did you think?

Portland Cider Cranberry 2018

November 5, 2018November 2, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider Company’s Cranberry seasonal cider. I had this last year, plus I’ve had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Concord Grape, Perfect 10, and Pumpkin Spice.

Cider: Cranberry
Cidery: Portland Cider Co.
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: 22oz clear bottles (and draft)
Style: seasonal American craft cider from dessert apples, with cranberries

Availability: seasonably (~ Nov-Jan), in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description: Our cranberry cider is a blend of fresh NW grown cranberries & apples, Slightly tart & semi-sweet, with a rich apple taste at its core. Tastes like fresh cranberry relish!

Cidery Description: Authentically crafted Cider with quality Northwest ingredients. Our business is based on the belief that good cider comes from good fruit, honest practices, and attention to detail. Our cider starts with fresh pressed juice from 100% Northwest grown apples. We then carefully ferment it, using yeast that protects the delicate characteristics of the fruit. The results are ciders that are high quality – easy to drink, refreshing, and downright delicious. That’s why we say, Drink it, it’s Good!

They were founded in 2012 and have tap rooms in Hawthorne and Clackamas in Portland Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $6.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: the cidery contacted me

First Impression: Red-pink hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells mild – fruity and tart.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate to high tartness and acidity. Low bitterness. No tannins, sourness, or funk. Notes of berry and citrus to start, then distinctive tart cranberry on the long finish. Low apple flavor and complexity. Moderate sessionability. Moderate to high flavor intensity.

My Opinion: This had some great real cranberry flavor. However, due to that, if you are like me and not really a fan of cranberry, it may not be appealing. If you like cranberry, you are likely to enjoy it.

Most Similar to: Tieton Ciderworks Cranberry, Apple Outlaw Cranberry Jewel, and d’s Wickled Cranny Granny (which is sweeter).

However, I prefer the less intensely cranberry ciders, like Downeast Cranberry Blend, Finnriver Cranberry Rosehip, and Schilling Mischief Maker Pom-Cran,

Closing Notes: The cidery has three suggested cocktail recipes – one with vodka (similar to a Cosmo), a cranberry Sangria, and another with Vodka & ginger.

Do you like cranberry cider? What did you think?

Portland Cider Pumpkin Spice

September 20, 2018September 18, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, Pumpkin Spice, pumpkin spice cider, spiced cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Pumpkin Spice, a seasonal spiced cider (no pumpkin, just pie spices). It is my first time trying this, although I have had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, and Concord Grape.

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

Cider: Pumpkin Spice
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles (and draft)
Style: craft cider from dessert apples with pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, clove, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg)

Availability: seasonally, in fall (Sept-Nov), in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description: Take the flavors of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Allspice, and Ginger, blend them in just the right proportions, and you get our Pumpkin Spice cider. Full of all the spices of your favorite pumpkin pie, this cider is a delicious tribute to the flavors of autumn. A familiar Fall spice blend blended to pair perfectly with a classic American semi-sweet apple cider made with 100% Northwest apples.

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest. It has two taproom locations: Portland Cider House at 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214; and Portland Cider Co. Taproom & Cidery at 8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Bldg. F, Clackamas, OR 97015.

Price: unknown
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells of sweet apple juice and spice.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Low acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of tart apple, pie spices, and citrus. Moderate length finish with a hint of ginger. Low apple flavor and complexity. Moderate flavor intensity and sessionability. Low to moderate spice level.

My Opinion: I liked it. Definitely drier than expected based on the style and the scent. It also interestingly seemed to have more of a fresh tart apple flavor than the baked apple flavor which I more often pick up with spiced ciders, although maybe that is more of a perceived thing? Spiced cider isn’t my favorite, but my husband enjoys it, and was especially a fan of this one, due to it being on the drier side.

Most Similar to: Elemental Seasonal Spiced Apple

Closing Notes: I always find it interesting when products are labeled as “pumpkin spice”, as I think pumpkin + spice, when the convention is just referring to the spices that go with pumpkin pie. There are a handful of ciders that actually add pumpkin though, like Tieton Smoked Pumpkin, Woodchuck Pumpkin, Doc’s Pumpkin, Locust Pumpkin, and 2 Towns Hollow Jack.

Have you tried spiced cider? What did you think?

Portland Cider Perfect 10 Imperial Apple

September 18, 2018September 18, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, imperial cider, Perfect 10, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Perfect 10 Imperial Apple, an imperial-style (high ABV) cider. It is my first time trying this, although I have had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, Cranberry, and Concord Grape.

Cider: Perfect 10 Imperial Apple
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 10%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and draft)
Style: imperial-style craft cider

Availability: year-round in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description: Crafted in the style of a traditional English Scrumpy or Imperial Cider, with a clean Northwest finish. It’s a blend of 100% NW apples, fermented cold and slow to preserve fresh apple flavors and aromas. The cider makers allow the cider to rest for more than two months to further develop the rich flavors. The cider is then sweetened with a touch of juice and balanced with a little acidity to round out the higher tannin profile.

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest. It has two taproom locations: Portland Cider House at 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214; and Portland Cider Co. Taproom & Cidery at 8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Bldg. F, Clackamas, OR 97015.

Price: unknown
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Light gold hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells of high-ABV apple-forward cider.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Low acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of alcohol and apple juice, with hints of wood and citrus. Long finish. Moderate apple flavor and overall flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it, but it was a bit alcohol-forward for my tastes, as expected with an imperial style cider. My husband was a bigger fan, as this is one of his favorite styles. I recommend drinking this cider very cold.

Most Similar to: 2 Towns Bad Apple, although that is a bit more complex, with some honey & vanilla, while Perfect 10 is more apple-forward

Closing Notes: This is a neat addition to their line-up, and the first imperial-style cider I can remember them releasing in bottles. My favorite Portland Cider selection probably remains Sangria, which has a ton of different fruity notes.

Have you tried imperial style cider? What did you think?

Woodbox Double Barrel Ice Cider

April 23, 2018April 20, 2018 cidersays review, Woodbox cider, cider review, cider tasting, Double Barrel, hard cider, ice cider, oregon, portland, tasting notes, Woodbox

Review of Woodbox’s Double Barrel Ice Cider. I first tried this at Cider Rite of Spring (see here), but this time I am doing a full review of a bottle. By the way, ice cider is made by using freezing temperatures to naturally concentrate the flavor and sugar content in apple juice before fermenting it.

Cider: Double Barrel Ice Cider
Cidery: Woodbox
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 12.7%
How Supplied: 375ml bottles
Style: American craft ice cider, whiskey barrel aged

Availability: In general their ciders are sold in parts of Oregon and Washington (see here), but this may be more limited.

Cider Description: Layers of sweet and tart, bourbon and vanilla with hints of oak and dark caramel, this cider is meant for sipping. Cryoconcentrated to four times its normal strength, the juice is fermented then aged in whiskey barrels for six months giving it an irresistible bourbon kick, with alluring aromatics and a long warming finish.

Cidery Description: Woodbox Cider was started [in 2015] by the Thierfelder brothers and their mother, Mama Gibson. We’re a family owned and operated boutique cidery. We source all our apples locally, from our home state of Oregon and production happens in Portland’s very own Northeast quadrant. We’re pretty stoked to present you with several, signature cider blends that are becoming famous for their unapologetically bone dry flavor profiles.

Price: $17
Where Bought: Cider Rite of Spring in Portland Oregon (2017)
Where Drank: home
How Found: tasting at the event

First Impression: Medium caramel amber hue. Still. Smells of sweet caramelized baked apple, spice, whiskey, and oak.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Full bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of caramel, baked apple, spice, whiskey, oak, leather, and orange. Long finish. Moderate apple flavor. High flavor intensity and complexity. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it. However, I remember liking it more at the event. That always seems to happen to me when trying a cider for a second time, even at home when I haven’t had other ciders first (its especially common when I buy a single bottle and like it, then pick up a six pack and am not as impressed). This time around it was a bit more dry and tart than I remembered. However, it is still a really tasty dessert cider, an excellent value, and impressive for their first ice cider release. This is significantly drier than most other ice ciders, so I imagine it may appeal to folks who typically find ice ciders too sweet.

Most Similar to: Eden Specialty Ciders’ Brandy Barrel Aged Heirloom and Northern Spy ice ciders (which I prefer; however, both cost almost twice as much and are much sweeter)

Closing Notes: Its great to see a local ish producer making ice cider, as it is still relatively rare in the cider world, and as far as I know, has only been made in the U.S. for about a decade.

Have you tried ice cider? What did you think?

Portland Cider Cans – Apple, Hop’Rageous, and Sangria

January 26, 2018December 15, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review canned cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Hop'Rageous, portland, Portland Cider, sangria, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s three current canned varieties – Apple, Hop’Rageous, and Sangria. I’ve tried these all before, but had previously only had Hop’Rageous and Sangria in bottles (see my previous reviews of Apple, Hop’Rageous, and Sangria). Their Sangria is new to cans (and is currently also still sold in 22oz bottles), but the Apple and Hop’Rageous have been around in cans for awhile (and “Apple” has only ever been sold in cans). I have also tried their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, London Dry Gin, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Mojito, and Cranberry ciders.

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

Cider: Apple, Hop’Rageous, and Sangria
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.5% or 6.5%
How Supplied: four or six pack of 12oz cans of a single variety (it appears they are moving from four packs to boxed six packs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with nothing (Apple), Citra hops (Hop’Rageous), or fruit added (Sangria)

Availability: year round, in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado

Descriptions:
Apple – An authentic medium-dry cider classic, bursting with juicy crisp apple taste.
Hop’Rageous – Dry hopped with Citra Hops then infused with bitter orange peel to reinforce the citrus notes. Delicious & Hop’Rageous!
Sangria – Blend our delicious cider with the juices of orange, strawberry, pear, passionfruit, elderberry, and lime, to get our Sangria cider. It’s your new favorite fruit punch, for grown-ups!

Cidery Description: Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest.

They have two tap rooms in the Portland area.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $7.99 / four pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

Apple: Medium straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, of tart apples with a hint of honey. On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. The flavor was pure apple with hints of honey & citrus. Quick finish. Mild to moderate flavor intensity. Low complexity. Moderate apple flavor. High sessionability. I liked how this had a lot of juicy apple flavor without tasting like alcoholic apple juice (which I think many commercial ciders do) or being too sweet. Most similar to Jester & Judge American Apple.

Hop’Rageous: Light straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, of citrus and floral with a hint of hops. On the drier side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk or tannins. The flavor was very citrus (orange and lemon) with hints of hops and floral. Moderate length finish with more citrus than hops. Mild to moderate flavor intensity, complexity, and apple flavor. High sessionability. I liked how refreshing it was, with only a mild hops flavor, and lacking bitterness. I used to think I didn’t like hopped ciders, as I don’t like beer and the first couple hopped ciders I tried were very intense, but since then I’ve found a few hopped ciders I enjoy, like this one. Most similar to Tod Creek Mala-Hop and Incline The Explorer.

Sangria: Pink hue. Moderate carbonation. Smells deliciously fruity. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. Notes of strawberry, kiwi, white grape, lime, and passion fruit. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability. Low complexity. I liked the flavor variety and complexity, with all the different fruit flavors. This would be perfect in summer! Most similar to Bull Run Strawberry Fields and Portland Cider Strawperry.

Closing Notes: Canned cider is becoming popular, and I’m seeing a lot of cideries launch with only canned products, add cans to their lineup, or switch to cans, even cideries that you’d never expect to.

Have you tried Portland Cider’s canned ciders? What did you think?

Portland Cider Concord Grape

January 22, 2018January 21, 2018 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Concord Grape, grape cider, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s new seasonal Concord Grape cider. This was a follow up to a Concord grape cider they made for the Willamette Week Beer & Cider Pro-Am in October 2017. It was my first time trying this, but I have had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, Mojito, and Cranberry.

Cider: Concord Grape
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with Concord grapes

Availability: Seasonally, January thru April, in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado

Cider Description: A deliciously tart bend of 100% NW apple cider and fresh pressed Concord Grapes. The result is a delightful treat, reminiscent of your childhood grape juice box.
Apple Varieties: gala, honeycrisp, golden delicious, and fuji

They have two tap rooms in the Portland area.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $6.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Light purple-red hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, of grape juice.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of tart green apple (although that wasn’t listed as a variety), purple grape juice, lemon, and pomegranate. Quick finish. Moderate apple flavor and flavor intensity. High sessionability. Low complexity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it – flavorful and refreshing without much sweetness. The grape flavor was real, but more present in the scent than flavor, and I would have preferred a bit more (I actually picked up more tart apple than grape).

Most Similar to: Nothing I’ve tried, as it was cider not perry (vs. Elk Horn Brewing Grape Perry), and wasn’t very sweet (vs. Attila Rapture).

Closing Notes: I prefer Portland Cider’s Sangria, which has more variety in the flavor and is slightly sweeter.

Have you tried Portland Cider Concord Grape? What did you think?

Portland Cider Cranberry

December 4, 2017December 2, 2017 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Cranberry, cranberry cider, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider Company’s Cranberry seasonal cider. It is my first time trying this, although I’ve had their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Scrumpy, Strawperry, Pineapple, Sangria, and Mojito.

Availability: seasonably (~ Nov-Jan), in Oregon (especially in the Portland area, including at all Safeways, and some Fred Meyers, New Seasons, Whole Foods, and Market of Choices) and Washington

Cider Description: Get into the Holiday Season (which is somehow already here – crazy!!) with our Cranberry cider! A blend of freshly pureed cranberries from local Everest Farms in Bandon, Ore., with our 100% NW apple cider, this cider is brilliantly red in color and incredible to drink. Tastes just like Cranberry relish, making it the perfect pairing for the Thanksgiving table!

Ingredients: apples (honeycrisp, pink lady, golden delicious, fuji), cranberries, and orange zest

They were founded in 2012 and have tap rooms in Hawthorne and Clackamas in Portland Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $6.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: the cidery contacted me

First Impression: Pink hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells mild – fruity and tart.

Most Similar to: Tieton Ciderworks Cranberry, Apple Outlaw Cranberry Jewel, and d’s Wickled Cranny Granny (which is sweeter).

However, I prefer the less intensely cranberry ciders, like Downeast Cranberry Blend, Finnriver Cranberry Rosehip, and Schilling Mischief Maker Pom-Cran,

Closing Notes: The cidery has three suggested cocktail recipes – one with vodka (similar to a Cosmo), a cranberry Sangria, and another with Vodka & ginger.

Do you like cranberry cider? What did you think?

Reverend Nat’s Viva La Pineapple

November 22, 2017November 18, 2017 cidersays Rev Nat's, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, pineapple cider, portland, rev nat's, reverend nat's, tasting notes, Viva La Pineapple

Review of Reverend Nat’s Viva La Pineapple. I first tried this cider awhile when I visited their tap room (see here), during my Portland cider trip, which also included Cider Rite of Spring (see my event review and my cider tasting notes).

I have also tried Rev Nat’s Revival, ¡Tepache!, Hopland #5 / Envy, Newtown Pippin, Ciderkin, Winter Abbey Spice, Hallelujah Hopricot, Deliverance Gin & Tonic, Revival Dry, Sacrilege Sour Cherry, The Passion, Whiskey Barrel Aged Golden Russet with Black Currant, New Moon Mandarin, Revelation Belle de Boskoop, Wooden Hellfire, and Tassjara Peach Book.

Cider: Viva La Pineapple
Cidery: Reverend Nat’s
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: craft cider from dessert apples with pineapple juice and a touch of spices

Availability: Summer seasonal. Rev Nat’s ciders are in general sold in AK, CA, HI, ID, MT, NY, OR, and WA, as well as Alberta & B.C. Canada, and Japan. They have a cider finder and also have online sales for Tent Show ciders.

Cider Description: This cider is a blend of fermented fresh apple juice (sourced, like all the apples I use, from Oregon and Washington, but mostly Eastern Washington in the case of this cider), and unfermented fresh pineapple juice. A touch of spice is added (cinnamon and cloves and allspice) and it is not to be consumed by those allergic to pineapples.

Cidery Description: Reverend Nat is a single-minded cider evangelist who searches the world for superior ingredients to handcraft the most unusual ciders that no one else will make.

Price: ~$7.99
Where Bought: Whole Foods in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: I first tried this at the cidery’s Portland tap room

First Impression: Still (no carbonation). Dark straw yellow hue. Smells of pineapple juice.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of pineapple juice and lime. Low apple flavor and complexity. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it. However, I didn’t pick up any of the spices mentioned in the description, which was just fine with me. Definitely on the easy drinking side. It would be perfect on a hot summer day. I recommend lightly shaking the bottle before pouring as otherwise it will be a bit chunky at the end.

Most Similar to: Jester & Judge Pineapple Express (although I’ve also previously tried pineapple ciders from Ace, Atlas, Locust, Pear Up, Portland Cider, Schilling, Swift, and Wyder’s)

Closing Notes: My favorite ciders from Reverend Nat’s have been the most mainstream ones, like this one, Revival, and The Passion, plus Whiskey Barrel Aged Golden Russet with Black Currant.

Have you tried Reverend Nat’s Viva La Pineapple? What did you think?

Bushwhacker Cider Forgotten Trail

June 1, 2017May 31, 2017 cidersays Bushwhacker, review Bushwhacker, Bushwhacker Cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Forgotten Trail, hard cider, oregon, portland, tasting notes

Review of Bushwhacker Cider’s Forgotten Trail. I tried this previously on draft at their cider house (see here). My husband picked up a few bottles at that time as he liked it so much. This is the only house cider I’ve tried from Bushwhacker (although they offer some others).

Cider: Forgotten Trail
Cidery: Bushwhacker Cider
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 5.6%
How Supplied: single 12oz bottles and draft
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples

Availability: Likely only at Bushwhacker’s cider house in Portland Oregon

Cider Description: Our flagship cider, named after a trail that you may not have time to travel on as much as you’d like. This is a blend of estate grown fruit, sourced from Eastern Oregon. It comes out as a semi-dry cider, appealing to fans of dry cider, yet has a bit of natural sweetness to please a customer with a sweet tooth.

Cidery Description: We opened Bushwhacker Cider – Brooklyn in the fall of 2010 as Portland’s first cidery and the country’s original cider pub. Starting with every cider available in Oregon, we had a measly selection of 35 bottles. This selection has exploded to over 340 bottles of cider from around the country and around the world. Located in Portland’s historic Brooklyn neighborhood our small pub quickly became a place to chat with neighbors and enjoy the diverse flavors that can be found in the cider world.

Price: ~$3 / single bottle
Where Bought: Bushwhacker’s cider house (which I did quite a bit of shopping at; see here)
Where Drank: home
How Found: drinking (and shopping) at their cider house

First Impression: Dark straw yellow. Still (no carbonation). Smells very mild.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of apple juice and honey. Moderate length finish. Low flavor intensity. Moderate to high apple flavor. High sessionability. Low complexity.

My Opinion: I found this pretty average. Very easy to drink and plenty tasty, but a bit boring. Its unlikely to offend anyone, but I doubt too many folks would find it very impressive either. However, its a great local craft option which isn’t too sweet or too dry.

Most Similar to: Semi-dry flagship ciders from dessert apples, like 2 Towns BrightCider, McMenamins Edgefield Flagship, and Boonville Bite Hard

Closing Notes: This is a really interesting cider. My husband and I have tried it three times now (draft, and twice bottled, bought at the same time). It was completely different each time. The first time it was very dry and champagne-style, like my husband likes, so he picked up a few bottles to take home (and he’s not usually a cider drinker so that is saying something…). The second time, when we opened the first bottle, it was semi-sweet and rich, so he was disappointed but I was happy (I liked that version better than this one which I am reviewing). This time (second bottle), it was semi-dry and very mild. I’m guessing that what we tried on draft that time was a different one of their house ciders (maybe Alice? the hue was completely different too, nearly clear), and the bottles were from different batches. My husband asked the bar tender if they had any in bottles and she pointed us to the Forgotten Trail bottles in the cooler, but maybe she forgot my husband was drinking their Alice variety? Its an intriguing mystery.

Have you tried any Bushwhacker Cider flagship ciders? What did you think?

Bushwhacker Cider and Cider Purchases in Portland Oregon

April 5, 2017June 1, 2017 cidersays Bushwhacker, review Bushwhacker, Bushwhacker's, cider, cider review, cider shopping, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, portland, tasting notes

Bushwhacker Cider was the last stop of the weekend, on Sunday, on our way out of town. We arrived when they opened just after noon. It was quiet as expected due to the time of day, with only a couple people stopping in to buy some bottles while we were there. The atmosphere is very casual, with some bar seating, and high top & regular tables, as well as arcade games. The bartender was very friendly and helpful.

They offer up to 8 ciders on tap (mostly their own) plus 6 bottle pours, and some snacks. There are small and large pour size options too. I think the bottle pours are especially awesome as you don’t see that much; they focused on ciders which keep well (like the awesome Etienne Dupont Pommeau which I’ve tried previously; see here). I also really liked that they had detailed descriptions of the ciders they were pouring.

I started off by browsing their bottle selection, which was awesome by the way, on par with the Schilling Cider House, with hundreds of options. Everything was organized by region (and even subregion – their French ciders were labeled Normandy vs. Brittany), and refrigerated. There was a focus on Northwest ciders of course, but also selections from across the U.S., England, France, Spain, and more.

My husband sampled Bushwhacker’s flagship Forgotten Trail cider on tap, made from Oregon apples. After I finished picking out bottles, I sampled a bag in box pour of Hogan’s Picker’s Passion, an English cider (they also sell at least one Hogan’s variety packaged this way with 3 liters of cider, which would be a fun option for a party and apparently keeps very well long term too).

Bushwhacker Forgotten Trail (5.7% ABV): Nearly clear hue (the bar’s “house water” lol). Low carbonation. Dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, tannins, sourness, or funk. Notes of citrus and granny smith apples. Low apple flavor, flavor intensity, and complexity. High sessionability. This reminds me of champagne except with lower carbonation. My husband really enjoyed it and bought a few single bottles. I thought it was average. Easy to drink and refreshing, but not remarkable.

Update – Based on my review of a bottled version of Forgotten Trail (see here), this may have been their “Alice” variety.

Hogan’s Picker’s Passion (5.3% ABV): Hazy unfiltered apple juice type hue. Still (no carbonation). Very thin bodied. Semi-dry. Low tartness, acidity, tannins, and bitterness. Hints of funk and sourness. Notes of apple pomace and bittersweet apple juice, but overall the flavor is simple and mild. Low flavor intensity and complexity. Moderate apple flavor and sessionability. Warming moderate to long finish. I thought it was average (I would have preferred more body and flavor). English cider is one of my favorite categories. So far I prefer English ciders from cideries such as Sheppy’s, Dunkertons, Worley’s, and Aspall over Hogan’s, Pilton, Burrow Hill, Thatchers, Sandford Orchards, and Ross on Wye, as I enjoy a flavorful cider without significant bitterness, sourness, or funk.

I thought this was a good post to summarize what bottles we purchased over the weekend, especially as the majority were from Bushwhacker’s.

We had a great cider weekend in Portland and look forward to another (hopefully longer) trip sometime soon!

Tasting Notes from Reverend Nat’s Tap Room in Portland Oregon

April 3, 2017March 31, 2017 cidersays Rev Nat's, review cider, cider bar, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, portland, reverend nat's, tasting notes

Reverend Nat’s tap room was the next stop in our Portland Oregon cider weekend adventure after Cider Rite of Spring (see my event review and tasting notes), checking into our hotel (the Embassy Suites on Pine St – nice for being in a historic building), and dinner at The Ringside steakhouse (I’m not a steak eater but my husband was a big fan…dinner there was his only request of the weekend).

Reverend Nat’s Cider has been around officially since 2011, and moved into the current building in 2013, although “The Reverend” Nat West (he is actually ordained online) has been making cider since 2004. They specialize in making weird & interesting ciders that no one else would have the guts to make, and they actually sell very well.

It was shockingly quiet in the tap room for a Saturday night, but I guess its not really in an area which gets a lot of foot traffic, despite being in the downtown area. Its a cool building, with high ceilings, and one wall was a roll-up garage door. There were about four barstools at the main bar, a few at a center bar, one booth, and the rest were stools pulled around wine barrel tables. There were maybe six other patrons and one bartender there with us.

They have 12 ciders on tap (and sometimes bottle pours), and sell bottles & growlers of their ciders as well as some merchandise. Many of the ciders poured in the tap room are varieties which never leave the tap room. They also offer a “Tent Show” cider club which gives members first pick at special release ciders (and only if any bottles are left are they sold in the tap room); there is currently a waiting list to even sign up for their cider club.

The tap room is also the production area (although obviously not in use late at night), so I got to have a peek at the cidery itself. I was surprised how small it was compared to how large Reverend Nat’s (and Cascadia Ciderworks United‘s) cider distribution is.

the full menu

My husband and I ordered some tasters to share ($2-$5 for 4oz) of #7 Viva la Pineapple!, #10 Tent Show Wooden Hellfire, #11 Tassjara Peach Book, and #12 Belle de Boskoop (I’ve previously tried the Revival, Sour Cherry 2016 and 2015 versions, Hallelujah Hopricot, and New Moon Mandarin).

Viva la Pineapple! (6.0% ABV): Described as a granny smith apple cider with pineapple juice and cinnamon. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Moderate pineapple flavor. Mild spice. This was reminiscent of their Tepache, but apple not pineapple based, less spiced, and more drinkable by itself. I really liked it.

Revelation Belle de Boskoop (6.8% ABV): Described as a single varietal cider from an heirloom apple variety. Semi-dry. Apple forward. However, the flavor for me was overwhelmingly vinegary with some sourness too. I wasn’t a fan.

Wooden Hellfire (16.6% ABV): This is a very unique cider which was started by boiling cider for 18 hours, making a concentrate (similar to freezing is used when making ice cider), then barrel aged for one year. Very dark hue. Dry to semi-dry. Rich flavor with notes of caramel, prune, oak, and smoke. High complexity and flavor intensity. I liked the flavor (although the prune was odd), but this is something more to sip on a shot of than drink in any quantity or frequency. My husband fell in love with it, saying it was the best cider he had ever tried, and ended up buying a bottle ($30, although its 750ml of 16.6% cider, if you can really call it cider anymore), plus two more bottles for some friends he told it about. I really wish they would have sold this in smaller bottles, as 750ml is a lot of an intense high ABV cider, plus that would decrease the price point.

Tassjara Peach Book (8.5% ABV): A cider with Mosaic hops, which are described as adding the scent and flavor of peaches to this cider without using any actual peaches. Semi-dry. There was definitely a very subtle peach flavor in addition to some citrus and hops notes. Moderately bitter finish. I found it to be average.

Bottom Line: To be honest, most of the ciders Rev Nat’s makes aren’t to my liking…they tend towards the weird, dry, spicy, sour, etc. However, some of the staples such as Revival are awesome. I also had a draft-only special release from them for last year’s Cider Summit (Whiskey Barrel Aged Golden Russet with Black Currant) which I really enjoyed.

Cider Rite of Spring 2017 – Post 2/2 – Tasting Notes

March 31, 2017March 31, 2017 cidersays 2 Towns, 7 Bev, Alter Ego, Bauman's, Elk Horn, event, Finnriver, McMenamin's, NV Cider, Rev Nat's, Runcible, Square Mile, Swift, Tumalo, Woodbox, ^ 5 Cider cider, cider event, cider review, Cider Rite of Spring, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, portland, tasting notes

This is Part 2/2 on Cider Rite of Spring 2017 in Portland Oregon, which includes tasting notes on the 18 ciders I tried. See HERE for Part 1/2, covering the event itself. Note that I have more notes on some ciders than others depending on how much of it I tried and what was going on at the event (kinda tough to take notes with one hand while holding on to your tasting glass in the other!)…its not a reflection on the cider itself.

^ 5 Cider (Portland OR) Strawbasaurus Hop, 6.9% ABV, $6/500ml: This is a flagship hopped strawberry cider, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Dry to semi-dry. Light bodied with a lot of foam. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Moderate bitterness. I couldn’t get past how overly hoppy the flavor was. The light strawberry flavor with the intense hopped flavor was also odd. I think hops are nice to enhance a cider’s flavor, but I don’t like when they overpower it.

2 Towns (Corvallis OR) Pommeau, 19% ABV, $23/375ml, VIP offering: This is an awesome Pommeau (apple brandy + apple cider, oak barrel aged for 1 year); see my previous review here.

7 Bev / Queen Orchard (West Linn OR) Green Man, 6.7% ABV, draft only: This cider is for the Willamette Ale & Cider House, expected to open in West Linn Oregon on June 15th, and is the first I’ve tried from the cidery. It was described as inspired by English cider, but I found it more farmhouse-style than anything else (none of the characteristic tannins of English cider). Hazy hue. Smells of sulfur, sourness, and funk, but those qualities oddly enough didn’t transfer to the flavor. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Low to moderate acidity. Apple-forward with citrus notes. Nice flavor, but the scent was off-putting. It could be a first production issue.

Alter Ego Cider (Portland OR) The Guardian Angel, 6.5% ABV, $8/500ml: This is a flagship blueberry pomegranate cider, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Dark berry hue. Semi-sweet to sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. High flavor intensity, with blueberry, pomegranate, and grape, but not much apple. High sessionability. Juice-like. Reminds me of Atlas’ ciders. I liked it.

Bauman’s Cider (Gervais OR) Peach Raspberry, 6.4% ABV, $12/22oz: This summer seasonal cider adds peaches and raspberries, and is the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Moderate to high flavor intensity, with rather straight-forward peach and raspberry notes. Well balanced with a lot of flavor without being too sweet. I really enjoyed it.

Elk Horn Brewery (Eugene OR) Grape Perry, 6.0% ABV, draft only: This is a perry made from dessert pears, sweetened with Concord grape juice, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Very light fruity flavor, primarily grape. I was expecting a sweeter more flavorful cider between the pear (unfermentable sugars typically lead to a higher residual sugar content even if fermentation isn’t stopped early) and grape, although you can tell even from the color than not a lot of grape juice was used.

Elk Horn Brewery (Eugene OR) Cherry’s Pie, 7.5% ABV, draft only: This is a cider with cherries added. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. I found the flavor a bit weird…kinda bitter…but I just had a sip or two shared with me.

Finnriver (Port Townsend WA) Apply Ol’ Fashion cocktail, VIP offering: Made with Finnriver’s Spirited Apple Wine (brandy-fortified cider, 18.5% ABV, $25/500ml) and Oak and Apple cider (6.5% ABV, $10/500ml). I’ve previously had both ciders on their own, but I didn’t like this cocktail in the least, and neither did my husband or friend, as none of us are fans of bitters. Its likely the proportions may have got off since they made this rather rushed…it was quite an undertaking to serve a non-pre-mixed cocktail at a busy event like this. They were also offering pours of just the Apple Wine, which is what I should have chosen. See my Oak and Apple review here. My favorite from Finnriver however is their Fire Barrel (see here); this year’s vintage was just released, and it is a great value at ~$11/500ml.

McMenamins Edgefield Winery (Portland OR) Black Cherry Cider, 6.8% ABV, draft only: Semi-sweet. Nice real cherry flavor. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. High flavor intensity. I liked it. I had previously only tried Edgefield’s flagship cider.

Pear UP (formerly NV Cider, East Wenatchee WA) Raspberry Perry, unknown ABV, $5/500ml: This is a perry (only pears, no apples) with raspberries. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Nice moderate to strong fresh raspberry flavor with a hint of pear. Refreshingly flavorful. I was surprised how much more flavorful this was compared to their Watermelon Perry, as it is only slightly more sweet. I like the flavor intensity of this best of all their perries I’ve tried, but the watermelon flavor remains my favorite (I’m a huge watermelon fan).

Reverend Nat’s (Portland OR) New Moon Mandarin, 7.2% ABV, $7/500ml: This seasonal cider is made with mandarin and tangerine juice, and finished with chamomile flowers. Dry. Light bodied. High tartness. Moderate acidity. Very mild citrus flavor. Warm boozy finish. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Runcible Cider (Mosier OR) Light of the Moon, 8.1% ABV, $17/750ml: This is their flagship cider made using heirloom apple varieties, and the first I’ve tried from this cidery. Hazy hue. Semi-dry. Low tartness, bitterness, and tannins. Moderate acidity. Hints of sourness and funk. found this to be a slightly farmhouse-style apple-forward cider with some honey and citrus notes. I liked it.

Runcible Cider (Mosier OR) Old Hoot, 7.4% ABV, $17/750ml: This is their Farmhouse-style cider, made with English cider apple varieties. Very hazy hue. Dry. Moderate tartness and acidity. Low funk and tannins. Hints of sourness. This was well made, but a bit too rustic for my liking.

Shoutout to Kelly McCune of Runcible Cider – she had actually heard of Cider Says prior to the event, and said she likes my blog – very cool! They are a brand new cidery (this was their first event) and have their own orchard of 500 cider apple trees, which is awesome, as so many cideries actually aren’t orchard-based. I think it takes a cidery’s cider to the next level.

Square Mile Cider (Portland OR) Rosé, unknown ABV, draft only, VIP offering: This special release cider was made with hibiscus and rose hips. Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. High tartness. Moderate acidity. Very light fruitiness, with floral and herbal notes. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Swift Cider (Portland OR) Marionberry, 6.8% ABV, $8/22oz: This is a dry flagship cider with marionberries, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Dry to semi-dry. Light bodied. Low berry flavor intensity. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Tumalo Cider (Tumalo OR) Prickly Passion, unknown ABV, $6/500ml: This is the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Very low fruity flavor intensity. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Tumalo Cider (Tumalo OR) Hibiscus, unknown ABV, $6/500ml: Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness acidity. Low flavor intensity, more fruity than floral. Slightly more flavorful than the Prickly Passion. This was nice, but more subtle than I prefer.

Woodbox (Portland OR) Double Barrel Whiskey Barrel Ice Cider, 12.7% ABV, $17/375ml: This is a ice cider (made by using freezing temperatures to naturally concentrate the flavor and sugar content in apple juice before fermenting it) aged in whiskey barrels, and the first I’ve tried from the cidery. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Full bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. Low tannins. Rich flavor notes including caramel and vanilla. High apple flavor. Moderate to high whiskey flavor. Moderate oak flavor. Awesome! They made a sign to highlight the cider’s price as the program had a mis-print of $33, which is quite a difference.

Closing Notes:

My favorite ciders of the event were the Woodbox Ice Cider and 2 Towns Pommeau (and my husband and friend agreed).
- The ice cider was an especially good value too (often they run $30+ as they are so expensive to make), and the only bottle we ended up picking up (although our friend bought a number of ciders).
Of the non-specialty ciders, I most enjoyed Alter Ego Guardian Angel, Bauman’s Peach Raspberry, Pear UP Raspberry Perry, and Runcible Light of the Moon.
I was surprised how many dry ciders were being offered, and especially how many cideries were only offering dry ciders, which is nice. However, especially when made from dessert apples, dry ciders can often end up very subtlety flavored, while I prefer a really in-your-face flavorful cider (whether an added flavor or due to use of cider apples). I usually go for semi-dry to semi-sweet, as they tend to be more flavorful, but not too sweet.
There were also a number of cideries breaking from the pack and going more Farmhouse-style (like Runcible and Baird & Dewar), which isn’t typically as crowd-pleasing, but sticks to the roots of early American cider.
There were plenty of sweet offerings too, but mostly from the more established / larger cideries that I had already sampled (like Portland Cider Co., and the Seattle-area’s own Locust and Schilling cideries).

That will do it for Cider Rite of Spring 2017. Stay tuned for more tasting notes from my Portland trip, from Reverend Nat’s tap room and Bushwhacker Cider!

Cider Rite of Spring 2017 – Post 1/2 – Event Review

March 29, 2017March 31, 2017 cidersays Cider Rite of Spring, event cider, cider event, Cider Rite of Spring, cider tasting, hard cider, Northwest Cider, oregon, portland

This past weekend I attended the 4th annual Cider Rite of Spring cider tasting event in Portland Oregon. My husband and I drove down from Seattle (about 4 hours away) and stayed overnight. It was a whirlwind with a lot of driving in two days, but fun. This is the first of a series of posts about my Portland cider weekend, and will cover the event itself, with a forthcoming post with tasting notes on the ciders I tried. Also refer to my preview of the event here.

Overview:

This cider tasting event was held from noon to 6pm on a Saturday at a three-story indoor event space near downtown Portland (The Evergreen PDX). It featured nearly 100 ciders from 31 cideries. The event cost $25-$45, depending on if you purchased a regular or VIP ticket, and pre sale vs. at the door. Entry included 8 drink tickets and a tasting glass. VIP tickets also included access to an upstairs VIP lounge. Each cidery had a booth with a cidery representative pouring 1-4 ciders, a mix of draft and bottle pours.

The event was hosted by the Northwest Cider Association, and also served as a fundraiser for the organization, which aims to bring cideries and cider lovers together to share knowledge, experience, and live the Northwest cider culture. They promote cider and sponsor classes, workshops, events, and more.

My experience:

I arrived a bit past noon with my husband and a friend of ours who lives out of state that we don’t get to see often enough (her parents live in Portland so she visits often). There was a line to get in when they opened, as it required the typical ID check, wristband application, and check in (printed tickets vs. will call tickets vs. ticket sales). We stayed about four hours total, tried over a dozen ciders, and bought some bottles to take home.

The VIP lounge on the top floor.

My favorite parts:

The hourly VIP tastings. They were all exclusive and/or rare releases, listed in the event program, and only being poured in the VIP area. Each hour featured a different cidery and cider to taste, no tickets required. The VIP lounge also included snacks (mostly cheese chosen to be paired with cider from Whole Foods) and some cider options available the entire time (although the one I tried was literally just cider apple juice, not fermented?).
Getting to try Oregon ciders which I don’t see in Washington, from cideries which don’t even distribute out of Oregon yet. Several cideries hadn’t even had their official launch yet.
The bottle shop. Many of the offerings were sold in the bottle shop (except some draft-only options). It was regular retail price, but proceeds went to the Northwest Cider Association, and many are difficult or impossible to find in stores.
The event was well-planned. There was sufficient information available online beforehand. There was sufficient signage and it was laid out well, although squished. The venue was nice besides the size, and indoors, so no weather to deal with. It was even decorated with fresh flowers (very Spring-like). They had water and non-alcoholic cider available, and jars to dump unwanted cider into.
Affordable ticket prices, as low as $25 plus a couple dollars in fees for pre-sales.

The bottle shop offerings.

My least favorite parts:

The crowds! It was literally elbow to elbow push & shove to get anywhere in the building, verging on dangerous. At first the air conditioning wasn’t even on so it was starting to get very hot with all the bodies in the small space, but thankfully that kicked in after awhile. Apparently this was a new venue for this year and they had approximately double the attendees as last year (900), so significantly more than they were expecting. However, I really think they should have capped ticket sales before it got that bad. There is already talk of a larger venue for next year. I don’t mind lines (especially as it ensures you don’t drink too quickly and encourages you to talk to folks you are in line with), but it was difficult to even know where lines were, and to get between them. There were less chances to talk to the cidery folks as someone was always behind you waiting. Even the VIP lounge was overcrowded, which defeated part of its purpose. This was tied for the most crowded tasting event I’ve ever been to.
Lack of seating, or even standing tables to set down your glass and take notes.
No early entry for VIP ticket holders. Often events let you in an hour early, which is nice to get one-on-one time with cidermakers. I had been hoping to get that in the VIP lounge, but it was busy there too.

The event space and crowds.

The in between:

Pours were on the smaller side. This can be good or bad…it enables you to try more ciders without feeling like you have to drink more than you want to or dump some out to try more, but it is easy to run out of tickets quickly (extras were being sold for $2 each).
This was a medium sized event. Less options than the Cider Summit events for example (which also typically includes some imports and aren’t as regional, with cideries outside of just Oregon & Washington for the Seattle event for example), but more than Summer Cider Day in Port Townsend WA.
Lack of food options. The only option was sushi, which seemed an odd choice as many folks don’t like it, and usually more carb-rich foods are better to go with alcohol. There weren’t however any lines for food as is typical at events, as it was a quick prep item (and possibly as there was less interest than typical food offerings). It was also priced low, especially for sushi. However, this was announced in advance, so it wasn’t an issue; we ate lunch before the event and I always travel with snacks.
The downtown location. This enabled us to stay at a hotel which was a cheap Uber ride to the event, restaurants, and cider bars, However, hotel prices and parking are more expensive downtown.

Event map and VIP tasting schedule.

My general cider tasting event tips:

As with any event, it is best to arrive early. If you arrive 5-10 minutes before it starts, you can be among the first in line and get some cider tasting in before the space fills up.
Wear comfortable closed toe shoes. Although there may not be much walking involved, there is typically a lot of standing. I was surprised how many women I saw wearing heels and/or sandals. I’m not a fan of having my feet hurting and toes stepped on…
Eat beforehand and bring some snacks. Crackers are a good choice to absorb alcohol and cleanse your palette. Not having to stop and eat a meal can save time as well (although sometimes taking a decent break is nice too).
Bring a bottle of water, although often it is easy enough to fill your tasting glass with provided water between ciders.
Bring a pen/pencil, and possibly a notebook. You may want to at least note on the program what ciders you don’t want to miss, which you enjoyed and want to purchase bottles of (or if you are like me, take tasting notes).
If possible, plan what ciders you want to try ahead of time. It is unfortunately impossible to try everything. They didn’t release the cider list in advance this time, but I looked through it off the bat to get an idea of what I wanted to taste. I suggest prioritizing ciders that are expensive, special releases, and/or not found in your area. If possible, taste from dry and simple to sweet and weird. What you taste before another cider can impact the next. At least however avoid spicy (hot) ciders until the end of the day, as those wreck the palette the most.
Consider trying multiple ciders from the same cidery/booth. That gives you a good idea of the range of the cidery’s options. Often they will pour you a smaller sample of each offering for a single ticket if you ask / if they aren’t too busy.
If they will have a bottle shop, bring a bag you can put some ciders in, and/or a bottle bag. At this event they were selling them for $5, or giving them away with the purchase of 6 bottles. We ended up buying some ciders midway through the event as we weren’t sure if they would sell out, so a backpack was handy to keep our hands free.
For outdoor events, bring a sun hat, sunblock, and a jacket.

Bottom line:

I liked the cider aspect of the event of course, especially all the new-to-me Oregon ciders/cideries, and the VIP tasting opportunities were awesome. However, I wouldn’t consider attending this event again unless they were going to hold it at a much larger venue with some breathing room and seating. I have every confidence they will remedy this for next year.

I really do like the indoor events though, as for me alcohol + sun/heat isn’t a good combination, and indoor toilets always beat port-a-pottys. Besides a larger venue, another option for them may be to split it into two sessions (with ticket sales for a specific session), which should then half the crowds.

Next time we do Portland we’ll definitely stay at least 2 nights and take some time off work. Doing the drive on two days in a row is rough, and made for a very long day to drive, attend the event, and go out that night. Plus now I’ve been playing catch up all week with all my usual weekend stuff, like house chores and blog posts.

Square Mile had a tiny house on display outside that they will be giving away in a contest…it must have been interesting to navigate downtown and park the large pickup truck with trailer!

Event program:

Stay tuned for Cider Rite of Spring 2017 post 2/2 covering tasting notes (NOW AVAILABLE – see here), as well as posts about my visits to Reverend Nat’s tap room and Bushwhacker Cider.

Oregon Mead & Cider Co. Free Press Hopped Cider

February 20, 2017February 20, 2017 cidersays Oregon Mead & Cider Co., review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, hopped cider, Oregon Mead and Cider, portland, tasting notes

Review of Oregon Mead & Cider Company’s Free Press Hopped Cider. It is my first time trying this cider, although I tried their Dry variety the night before.

Cider: Free Press Hopped Cider
Cidery: Oregon Mead & Cider Company
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft cider, with hops

Availability: Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin

Cider Description: Hard Cider Made Easy. Our ciders were born from the bounty of the Northwest and the pioneering spirit of our grandparents. A perfect balance of dry and tart, our ciders are made by the people, for the people. Press on.

Cidery Description: Oregon Mead & Cider Co. creates award-winning, dry, sparkling meads and ciders from premium Northwest ingredients. All of our beverages are gluten-free, unfiltered, and completely dry. Oh, and we never use sulfites. Ever.

They have a tasting room in Portland (see here).

Price: $6.99
Where Bought: The Cave in Kirkland WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. It was my first time seeing anything from this brand, although I had heard of them.

First Impression: Light amber hue. Moderate carbonation with a large amount of foam. Smells apple-forward, of hops with a hint of peach.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light bodied with a frothy texture. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Moderate bitterness. Low tannins. No sourness or bitterness. Notes of hops, lemon, grapefruit, yeast, and a hint of floral & honey. Moderate length finish. Low to moderate flavor intensity and complexity. Low apple flavor. Moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked the level of carbonation, the frothy texture, and the flavor profile. However, the bitterness was a bit much for me. Like the Dry, it seemed a bit beer-like.

Most Similar to: Double Mountain Jumpin Jack Heirloom Cider and Oregon Mead & Cider Company’s Free Press Dry Cider

Closing Notes: I liked this much better than their Dry cider, which I though had a strange flavor profile.

Have you tried Oregon Mead & Cider Company’s Free Press Hopped Cider? What did you think?

Cider Rite of Spring 2017 Preview

February 13, 2017February 17, 2017 cidersays Cider Rite of Spring, event cider, cider event, Cider Rite of Spring, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, portland

This year I’m excited to be planning to attend a new-to-me event Cider Rite of Spring, on March 25th 2017 in Portland Oregon. The 4th annual event is presented by the Northwest Cider Association. Cider Rite of Spring has been named “The Best NW Cider Festival” by SIP Northwest Magazine.

Date/Time/Location: Saturday March 25th 2017, noon to 6pm, at The Evergreen ballroom (618 Southeast Alder Street) in Portland Oregon; this is a new venue for this year, and all indoors

Admission: $25 or $40* (tickets sold here), which includes 8 tasting tickets and a tasting glass; this is a 21+ event only

*$40 is for VIP admission, which has the same start time, but includes access to the VIP lounge, with complimentary cheese pairings by Whole Foods and one-on-one interaction with 6 PNW cidermakers who will share a special cider offering for tasting and purchase only to VIP ticket holders

Cidermakers: 30 planned (^5 Cider, 1859 Cider Co, 2 Towns Cider House, 7Bev Corp, Alter Ego Cider, Baird & Dewar Farmhouse, Bandon Rain, Bauman’s Cider, Bull Run Cider, Cider Riot!, Dragon’s Head Cider, Elk Horn Brewery & Cider House, Finnriver Farm & Cidery, Locust Cider, McMenamins Edgefield, New West Cider, Pear UP, Portland Cider Co., Red Tank Cider, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider, Runcible Cider Co, Schilling Cider, Seattle Cider Co, Snowdrift Cider Co, Spire Mountain Ciders, Square Mile Cider, Steelhead Cider, Swift Cider, Tieton Cider Works, Tumalo Cider Co, and Woodbox Cider)

Ciders: 100 planned

Bottle Shop: Yes – many ciders will be available to purchase bottles of to take home.

Food: Available for purchase from Wasabi Sushi

My Notes: I’ve never tried ciders from 10 of the 30 cideries (many are Oregon cideries which don’t yet distribute to Washington). My husband and I plan to make a weekend of it, driving down from Seattle on the morning of the event and staying overnight in a local hotel. The location near downtown is great as we can park the car once and take The Max or an Uber to the event and dinner.

Stay tuned for a review of the event and tasting notes!

Portland Cider Sangria

February 6, 2017February 3, 2017 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, portland, Portland Cider, sangria, tasting notes

Review of Portland Cider’s Sangria, released last month. It is my first time trying it, although I have tried their Passion Fruit, Pearfect Perry, Kinda Dry, Hop’Rageous, London Dry Gin, Apple, Crooked Cock Scrumpy, Strawperry, and Pineapple ciders.

Cider: Sangria
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with 7 fruit juices

Availability: year round, in California (Los Angeles), Colorado, Oregon, and Washington

Cider Description: Blend our delicious cider with the juices of orange, strawberry, pear, passionfruit, elderberry, and lime, to get our Sangria cider. It’s your new favorite fruit punch, for grown-ups!

They were founded in 2012 and have tap rooms in Hawthorne and Clackamas in Portland Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~$6.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: contacted by the cidery

First Impression: Pink hue. Moderate carbonation. Smells deliciously fruity.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of strawberry, kiwi, white grape, lime, and passion fruit. Moderate length fruity acidic finish. Low apple flavor. High flavor intensity. High sessionability. Low complexity.

My Opinion: Yum! I really enjoyed it. This would be especially great in summer. The notes of kiwi were interesting considering they didn’t add kiwi juice, but I imagine it was the combination of juices. I liked the higher carbonation level. The acidity helped balance the sweetness.

Most Similar to: Bull Run Strawberry Fields cider also had some great strawberry notes, but didn’t have any other fruits. Portland Cider Strawperry had some similar strawberry notes, but wasn’t nearly as flavorful as their Sangria. Cider Brothers William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Strawberry also had strawberry, but Portland Cider’s Sangria had a more real flavor. As for strawberry (and watermelon) flavor without any strawberries added, Alpenfire Glow is an amazingly complex cider made from red-fleshed apples.

Closing Notes: This is my favorite cider so far from Portland Cider.

Have you tried Portland Cider Sangria? What did you think?

Reverend Nat’s Revival

October 19, 2016October 16, 2016 cidersays Rev Nat's, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, portland, reverend nat's, Revival, tasting notes

Review of Reverend Nat’s Revival. I’ve tried this cider before in 500ml bottles and draft, but not a six pack. I’ve also previously tried his ¡Tepache!, Hopland #5 / Envy, Newtown Pippin, Ciderkin, Winter Abbey Spice, Hallelujah Hopricot, Deliverance Gin & Tonic, Revival Dry, Sour Cherry, The Passion, and Whiskey Barrel Aged Golden Russet with Black Currant.

Cider: Revival
Cidery: Reverend Nat’s
Cidery Location: Portland Oregon
ABV: 5.8%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz bottles (and 500ml bottles & draft)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with Mexican piloncillo sugar and two yeast strains

Availability: Year round in AK, CA (Southern), HI, ID, OR, and WA, as well as B.C. Canada, Singapore, and Tokyo & Nagano Japan, although the 500ml bottles are easiest to find.

Cider Description: My newest release is Revival Hard Apple and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share it with you. I start with a secret blend of Washington-grown apples and add piloncillo, dark brown evaporated cane juice, purchased direct from Michoacan, Mexico. I ferment this dark base to all the way to dry using two exotic yeast strains: a beer yeast known for the round mouthfeel in Saisons and a rarely-used secret culture which produces aromas of pineapple, guava and peaches. This cider is brilliantly golden in color and deeply complex while remaining subtly familiar, with just the right amount of sweetness and acidity to be an everyday beverage.

Cidery Description: Reverend Nat is a single-minded cider evangelist who searches the world for superior ingredients to handcraft the most unusual ciders that no one else will make.

Price: $13.99
Where Bought: Target
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. Its easy to find the single 500ml bottles, but this is only the second time I’ve seen the six packs. The first was at Whole Foods, but only once. Per ounce the six packs are a good deal. I was very surprised to see it at Target, which otherwise only had commercial ciders.

First Impression: Light amber hue. Low carbonation. Smells of apples and yeast.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of apple juice, apple pomace, yeast, brown sugar, and honey. Slight richness. Quick finish length. Moderate to high apple flavor. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Low to moderate complexity.

My Opinion: Yum! This is a tasty everyday cider. It varies quite a bit batch to batch, more than any other cider I’ve tried (but that is typical for craft ciders). Sometimes I like it better than other times, but its always good.

Most Similar to: Breton French cider, as it is apple-forward and yeast-forward, although less carbonation.

Closing Notes: This is Reverend Nat’s most typical cider, and my favorite from him.

Have you tried Reverend Nat’s Revival? What did you think?

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