Hi-Wheel Wine & Mead Co. Lavender Lemon

August 29, 2016August 21, 2016 cidersays Hi-Wheel, not cider, review fruit wine, Hi-Wheel, Lavender, lemon, oregon, portland, wine

Review of Hi-Wheel Wine & Mead Company’s Lavender Lemon. This isn’t cider, but instead a carbonated fruit wine, made from fermenting water, lemon juice, sugar, and lavender. Its my first time trying anything from Hi-Wheel.

Beverage: Lavender Lemon Carbonated Fruit Wine
Company: Hi-Wheel Wine & Mead Co.
Location: Portland OR
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft fruit wine made from lemon and lavender

Availability: Oregon and Washington

Product Description: This refreshing drink has the same lemon start as its cousin Ginger Lemon, but infused with lavender.

Company Description: Hi-Wheel Wine & Mead Co. makes fizzy wines out of fruit not typically used for wine making, such as grapefruit, lemon & lime. Brewed with culinary herbs and spices, we present a growing series of session beverages with AVB around 6.8%, such as Ruby Zozzle (grapefruit), Ginger Lemon, Lavender Lemon, & Lime Habanero.

Hi-Wheel also crafts long-aged meads, with a release of Beloved Sovereign – an herbal honey wine made with Sauvie Island honey, savory spices & citrus – later this autumn. These meads are designed for intimate dinners and connections, in tasteful packaging, and run about 14% AVB.

Price: $6.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had seen them before, but only other varieties which didn’t appeal to me (I’m not a fan of grapefruit, ginger, or spicy beverages).

First Impression: Hazy lemonade hue. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of tart lemonade with a hint of lavender.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. High tartness. Moderate acid. No bitterness or sourness. Notes of only lemonade and lavender. Moderate finish with lingering tart lemon and a hint of booze. Moderate flavor intensity. Very low complexity. Very high sessionability (this was too easy to drink!).

My Opinion: A refreshing summer sipper. No complexity, but I liked it. I would have preferred slightly less tartness (as well as more carbonation), but I imagine most folks will like the high tartness, and it only bothered me the first few sips. I appreciated that it wasn’t overly sweet. The lavender worked well and was an appropriate amount–definitely noticeable but not overpowering. This would have been quite boring without the lavender.

Most Similar to: Other alcoholic lemonades, such as from Crabbie’s and Big B’s. I think I slightly prefer the Big B’s Lazy Daze (although its actually a mix of cider with lemonade, so maybe that is why).

Closing Notes: I’m curious to try their other products. I imagine this will sell well, as altervative alcoholic beverages are popular now (alcopop and the like).

Have you tried Hi-Wheel’s fruit wines? What did you think?

Portland Cider Company Strawperry

July 12, 2016July 9, 2016 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, oregon, perry, portland, Straw-Perry, Strawberry, Strawperry

Review of Portland Cider Company’s Strawperry, a perry (made from 100% pears, no apples) with strawberries. This is a summer seasonal for them (2nd year). I’ve previously tried a number of their ciders; see here.

>>This is a review of a sample provided to Cider Says by the Portland Cider Company. 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: Strawperry
Cidery: Portland Cider Company
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 5.4%
How Supplied: draft only
Style: American craft perry (made from 100% pears) with fresh strawberries

Availability: Summer seasonal, limited release, draft only. In general, their ciders are available in Oregon, Washington, California, and Colorado (see here), but this draft-only cider likely has less availability then their bottled varieties.

I have been able to determine it is currently on tap at least at the following places: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA, Portland Cider House (Hawthorne Portland OR), Portland Cider Company Taproom (Clackamas Portland OR), Liberty Tapworks (Dalles OR), Oly Taproom (Olympia WA), and The Growlerie (Beaverton OR).

Cider Description: With a base of our award-winning 100% pear juice Perry, we have blended NW strawberries to create a delicate, delightful cider for the summer.

Cidery Description: Drink it, it’s good! Portland Cider Company was started in the fall of 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing handcrafted cider in the English tradition to the northwest. We don’t use concentrates, flavorings, colorings, or anything you wouldn’t want in your cider. We just use the finest Northwest grown fruit. Always gluten free.

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

First Impression: Light pink-orange hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, fruity and tart.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of strawberry, kiwi, and honey. Quick finish. Low pear flavor. High sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: This is a great summer cider…fruity and sessionable (low ABV and easy to drink).

Most Similar to: I’ve had two strawberry ciders, from Bull Run (Strawberry Fields) and Cider Brothers (William Tell Dry Hard Apple Cider with Strawberry). I find this similar to the Bull Run Strawberry Fields, except Strawberry Fields had a more intense flavor, and Strawperry is more complex. I also find Strawperry similar to Atlas Dragonfruit, which also had strawberry & kiwi notes (but also a weird bitterness).

Random Side Note: This cider holds the record as my most unique sample so far…I received it in a recycled swing-top bottle (its draft only so they didn’t have a typical capped & labeled bottle) and picked it up locally.

Closing Notes: I’m glad I got a chance to try Strawperry–its a unique summer sipper. I think this is one of my favorite Portland Cider Company ciders so far, along with their London Dry Gin.

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

Book Review #7, Cider Made Simple by Jeff Alworth

April 6, 2016April 5, 2016 cidersays book, cider education, review book, book review, cider, cider book review, Cider Made Simple, hard cider, Jeff Alworth, portland

For the seventh book review here at Cider Says (see here for the first six): “Cider Made Simple – All About Your New Favorite Drink”, by Jeff Alworth with illustrations by Lydia Nichols, published September 2015, with a suggested price of $19.95 ($13.28 on Amazon). Jeff Alworth is best known for his writings on beer (online and in print), and lives in Portland Oregon. For this book he traveled to France, England, Spain, Canada, and around the United States for interviews.

I suggested that my local library add this book to their collection, and they bought it for me to borrow! I think libraries are great to check out a book to see if you may want to purchase it. And, this is one I think I do want my own copy of (same with World’s Best Ciders, which is an awesome coffee table book on cider). In fact, Cider Made Simple is my favorite general cider book so far. Unlike most books on cider, it doesn’t have a cider-making focus, so its great for a cider drinking enthusiast who doesn’t necessarily have an interest in making cider. While a quick read, I also found it quite detailed, and learned a lot new information.

Chapters:

Cider Basics: Don’t Call It Hard (info on cider apples, tasting, properties, regions, and types)

A is for Apple (history, growing, and orchards)

Sweating, Grinding, and Fermenting (cider apple types, back-sweetening, flavor enhancers, and how its made)

Proper English Cider (traditions, industrialization, small farms, producers)

Cider Under Cork (French cider, terroir, producers, and Calvados & Pommeau)

Breaking the Cider (Spanish cider, characteristics, producers, throwing the cider, sourness, and regions)

The American Cider Renaissance (Farnum Hill, EZ Orchards, Reverend Nat’s, and traditionalists vs. modernists vs. experimentalists)

Winter Harvest in Quebec (ice cider)

The writing style was spot-on, the book was well-organized, and the language was easy to understand. I think anyone from a cider newbie to someone with a bit more experience would get something from this book. It filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge. I liked that it didn’t go as much into the history of cider, but into other details that aren’t covered in many other books (or at least not in this way). There wasn’t really a single portion of the book I didn’t enjoy or think wasn’t helpful.

I especially enjoyed the portions on cider tasting, and all his stories from his travels to visit different cideries and cider regions around the world (I’m jealous!). I was a bit apprehensive learning the author mostly had beer experience, but it wasn’t apparent. My only complaint is the cover shows a glass of beer, not cider…note all the foam and the hue (oops). Highly recommended!

Portland Cider Company “Apple”

January 21, 2016January 21, 2016 cidersays Portland Cider, review apple, cider, cider review, hard cider, hard cider review, Oregon City, portland, Portland Cider

Review of Portland Cider Company’s canned cider dubbed “Apple”.

Cider: Apple
Cidery: Portland Cider Company
Cidery Location: Oregon City, Oregon (near Portland)
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: four pack of 12oz cans
Style: American craft canned cider made from dessert apples

Availability: OR & WA

Cider Description: Medium-dry classic bursting with juicy crisp apple taste and a tart finish.

This cider was released in late 2015 for the first time, and I couldn’t find much information or a detailed description.

Cidery Description: What do you do when you’re frustrated by the quality of the commercial cider available? You start making your own! What do you do when friends and family keep telling you it’s the best cider they’ve ever had? You start a business! That is the essence of how the Portland Cider Company got its start. Founded by Jeff Parrish, an Oregon native, and his wife Lynda, an ex-patriot from the Somerset region of England (the Mecca of cider), the Portland Cider Company 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 Northwest grown apples. We then carefully ferment it using yeast that protects the delicate characteristics of the fruit. The results are cider blends that are easy to drink, refreshing, and downright delicious. Drink it, it’s good!

Portland Cider was started in 2012, and they have a taproom in the Portland area (with their ciders and some others). They have four ciders available in 22oz bottles (Kinda Dry, Sorta Sweet, Hop’Rageous, and Pearfect Perry), plus Apple and Hop’Rageous in four packs of 12oz cans, and other ciders that are tap only.

Price: ~$2.50 for a single can (runs around $8 for a four pack of 12oz cans)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, although I had seen a release announcement on Facebook from them.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Light carbonation upon pouring with large bubbles. Smells of tart apples with a hint of honey.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Low acidity and tartness. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. I didn’t really pick up any other flavor notes besides apple, which was on the strong side. No carbonation in the mouthfeel despite the visible bubbles. Light bodied. Quick finish. Mildly flavored. Highly sessionable.

My Opinion: I enjoyed how much apple flavor this had without the apple juice type flavor that is common with sweeter commercial ciders which backsweeten. I also liked that although it was light bodied and mildly flavored, it didn’t have a watered down tasting flavor.

Most Similar to: Other semi-dry apple-forward flagship craft ciders, such as Jester & Judge American Apple. However, although they are quite similar, I enjoyed this cider more.

Closing Notes: This is a great basic cider option for folks who want a canned craft cider, but I prefer more flavor and complexity.

Have you tried Portland Cider Company ciders? What did you think?

Cider Riot! 1763 (Revolutionary West Country Cider)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Portland Cider Kinda Dry

October 2, 2015October 2, 2015 cidersays Portland Cider, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Kinda Dry, portland, Portland Cider

Review of Kinda Dry from Portland Cider. They have two flagship ciders, Kinda Dry and Sorta Sweet. Pretty creative naming and to offer two ends of the spectrum.

Cider: Kinda Dry
Cidery: Portland Cider
Cidery Location: Portland WA
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 22oz bottle

Availability: OR & WA

Cider Description: Traditional English cider is dry, lightly carbonated, has very subtle apple flavors, and a lingering fresh finish. It is in the spirit of this traditional cider that we blend our Kinda Dry. We use fresh pressed juice from a blend of NW grown culinary apples such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Gala, Golden and Red Delicious, carefully ferment them with a yeast that preserves their subtle characteristics, give the cider time to develop to its full potential, then bottle or keg at just the right time. Just off dry, light, clean, refreshing, with a pleasant finish, Kinda Dry is the cider to always have on hand.

Portland Cider started in 2012, and they have a taproom in Portland (with their ciders and some others).

Price: ~$7
Where Bought: My husband brought this home from Whole Foods for me. I had joked for him to bring me home some cider, and he did!
Where Drank: home
How Found: I’ve had my eye on Portland Cider after trying their Passion Fruit and Pearfect Perry on tap at the Schilling Cider House (see tasting notes here).

First Impression: High carbonation with tiny bubbles. Shiny light gold amber. Dry clean apple scent.

Opinion: On the drier side of semi-dry. Moderate acidity and bitterness. Mild tannins. Nice higher carbonation level. This has a pretty standard flagship cider flavor and I didn’t pick up too many distinctive flavor notes. I’m surprised there is so much bitterness from dessert apples, but I’ve also found that in other ciders, and its something I’m sensitive to. I think my favorite thing with this cider was the higher carbonation. For me, the more bubbles the better most of the time! Many ciders seem to be lacking in carbonation, which may be due to the current taxation levels which penalize cider and tax it as champagne above a certain carbonation level (one of the main points of the CIDER Act).

Most Similar to: Other flagship ciders with higher bitterness.

Closing Notes: I found Kinda Dry to be kinda boring, but its a solid craft cider choice. For what you get (a 22oz bottle of craft cider from PNW apples and no additives), its a nice price point. I think it just needs more flavor in general. I found the dryness and bitterness to overwhelm the cider a bit. I also wasn’t impressed with their Passion Fruit and Pearfect Perry, also thinking they needed more flavor. I may be convinced to try their Sorta Sweet, but I heard it is quite sweet, and I’ve been moving towards drier ciders. I see on their website they offer “Bourbonator” in their taproom, which sounds more to my liking, as I love anything barrel aged.

Have you tried Portland Cider Kinda Dry? What did you think?

Square Mile The Original Hard Apple Cider

August 25, 2015August 23, 2015 cidersays review, Square Mile cider, cider review, hard apple cider, hard cider, hard cider review, portland, Square Mile, The Original, The Original Hard Apple Cider

Review of Square Mile Cider Company’s “The Original Hard Apple Cider”. I tried this a couple years ago and remember after two sips thinking I got a bad bottle (re-fermented?), and pouring it down the drain. They did have a re-fermenting recall in 2013, but apparently only 22oz bottles, not 12oz. After seeing singles on sale, I decided to give it another try. On the same day as I bought it, the checker at the store said she thought it was pretty good, as did a blog reader. Will I like it better this time around?

Cider: The Original Hard Apple Cider
Cidery: Square Mile Cider Co.
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: 12oz (or 22oz) glass bottles

Availability: WA, OR, CA, HI, AK, NV, AZ, TX, MT, ID, MI, & CO

Cider Description: The Original is a classic American hard cider. Our cider is made from three apple varieties rooted in American culture – Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious and Jonagolds – picked and pressed by hand in Oregon. We chose a lager beer yeast for fermentation to create a cider that perfectly balances sweet and tart with a light, crisp apple flavor and a clean, refreshing finish. The Original is best over ice to complement the cool, crisp apple flavor.

Cidery Description: Inspired by the pioneering spirit of those who traveled the Oregon Trail in the pursuit of a dream, we offer Square Mile Hard Cider. We set out to reinvigorate an enduringly classic American beverage with a blend of apples hand-selected for the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Our hard cider pays homage to the fortitude and perseverance of the original pioneers.

Price: $1.49 for a single bottle (a six pack runs about $8)
Where Bought: Whole Foods, although I’ve also seen it at Fred Meyer & Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. And, browsing again. I gotta stop doing that, as I keep buying cider!

First Impression: Moderate carbonation. Clear yellow amber. Smells of sweet apples with a hint of honey.

Opinion: Semi dry. My nose deceived me! To me this cider has a bitter & acidic appley bite, not a sweet apple-honey flavor. I pick up a hint of pear. It is very beer-like, especially to start. I find the finish on the longer side, drawing out the bitterness. Its interesting it isn’t more sweet, as they use both pear & apple concentrates. Unfortunately I am quite sensitive to bitterness and found it overwhelming to my palate, and wasn’t able to perceive any other discernible flavors. Interestingly I wouldn’t describe this cider as very tart, although the bitterness again may have been overwhelming my palate. Everyone has different tastes, so just because I didn’t like it doesn’t mean you won’t (and it appears Square Mile has plenty of fans). Also, note that I definitely didn’t drink this over ice…although I’m not a cider traditionalist, that is something I haven’t ever felt a need to try!

Most Similar to: Kölsch beer (per my hubby). He rather liked this cider.

Recommended For: The beer fan who is interested in getting into ciders but doesn’t want to stray too far or have an overly sweet cider.

Closing Notes: Square Mile was started in 2013 by the Craft Brew Alliance (who also owns Redhook). So, unfortunately its just another cider by “Big Beer”. They also offer “Spur & Vine” (hopped cider, 12 & 22oz bottles), and over the holidays they offered “Cranberry Hard Cider” (750ml bottle special release). This reviewer liked their hopped cider even though they don’t like beer! Apparently though they have recently switched to a sweeter version for both their ciders, and started using concentrates when they didn’t before? (check out the comments on their Facebook page which unfortunately they didn’t respond to)

Have you tried Square Mile The Original Hard Apple Cider? What did you think?

Reverend Nat’s Revival

July 5, 2015July 12, 2015 cidersays Rev Nat's, review apple, apple cider, cider, cider review, hard apple cider, hard cider, hard cider review, oregon, portland, reverend nat's, review, Revival, tropical

Here is a review of Reverend Nat’s Revival cider, which is one of my favorites:

Cider: Revival
Cidery: Reverend Nat’s
Cidery Location: Portland OR
ABV: 6%
How Supplied: 500ml clear glass bottle
Availability: year round, available in OR, WA, CA, ID, and B.C. (released Dec 2014)

Description: My newest release is Revival 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.

Price: $6.99
Where Bought: The Cave in Kirkland, Total Wine
How Found: Browsing
Where Drank: home (I’ve also had it on tap at Tavern Hall in Bellevue)

Opinion: This is an awesome semi-sweet cider with a unique tropical fruit aroma & flavor. Surprisingly the tropical aspect is all from the apples (dessert, not cider apples) & yeast, nothing else was added. I find this more semi-sweet than semi-dry, although apparently that is a suggestion from the tropical flavor, or as Nat West (Rev Nat’s founder) said, “It gives a perception of sweetness, while maintaining an semi-dry character and rich complexity”. Revival also has a wonderful deep hue from the piloncillo. If you are lucky enough to find this flavor on tap, give it a try, as it is even better than bottled!

Note there is a Rev Nat’s variety called “Revival Dry”, which is different than this one. I’ve also tried Rev Nat’s Tepache, which is a very unique beverage made from fermented pineapple and spices. I look forward to trying more Rev Nat’s cider, once I find one that interests me, as so far near me I’ve seen varieties with spices, hops, and ginger, none of which interest me. Rev Nat’s taproom also sounds like a fun place to visit, and they have had all sorts of events & special releases, so its on my short list. A unique cider from a unique cidery. Highly recommended!

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

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