Salem

Wandering Aengus Bloom

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Review of Wandering Aengus Bloom.  I tried this awhile back, pre-blog.  I’ve also previously tried their Wickson, Wanderlust, Oaked Dry, Byrd, Golden Russet, Bittersweet, Wickson Barrel Aged, Cellar Door, and Pommeau.

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Cider:  Bloom
Cidery:  Wandering Aengus
Cidery Location:  Salem Oregon
ABV:  6.5%
How Supplied:  500ml bottles (and draft)
Style:  American craft cider from heirloom apples

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Availability:  CA, ID, IL, IN, MI, MT, NJ, NM, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WA D.C.

Cider Description:  Orchards: Hood River, OR Sweet and fruit forward “hints of tropical fruit” Pairings: Spicy food or on its own.

Cidery Description:  At Wandering Aengus Ciderworks we press and blend over 20 cider apple varietals to craft our ciders. Our cider specific apples originate from France, England, and pre-prohibition America, but are grown now in Oregon. These heirloom varieties are essential for the depth of flavor, excellent body, and delightful aromatics of our distinctive ciders. All our ciders are always GLUTEN FREE.

They have a tasting room in Salem Oregon open on Fridays.

Price:  ~$8.99
Where Bought:  I forgot
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  I tried it previously

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First Impression:  Medium straw yellow hue.  Low carbonation.  Smells mild and apple-forward.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-sweet.  Medium bodied.  Low tartness.  Moderate acidity.  Hints of tannins and bitterness.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of honey, peach, pineapple, green apple, and mineral.  Moderate apple flavor, flavor intensity, and complexity.  High sessionability.

My Opinion:  This is a tasty cider.  It is a nice introduction to craft cider as it is on the sweeter and easy drinking end (not sour or funky for example).  I liked the honey and fruit notes.

Most Similar to:  Bertolinos Hard Cider and Honeywood Hard Apple Cider

Closing Notes:  This is one of my favorite Wandering Aengus ciders, as it is more approachable and less bitter than many of their other ciders.  I’m also a big fan of their Bittersweet cider, and their Pommeau is also amazing.

Have you tried Wandering Aengus Bloom?  What did you think?

Wandering Aengus Wanderlust

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Review of Wandering Aengus’ Wanderlust.  I previously tried this at Port Townsend’s Summer Cider Day (see here), although I haven’t done a full review.  I’ve had a number of their other ciders (see here).

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Cider:  Wanderlust
Cidery:  Wandering Aengus
Cidery Location:  Salem OR
ABV:  6.7%
How Supplied:  500ml bottle
Style:  American craft cider from heirloom apples

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Availability:  At least in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description:  Wanderlust is a semi-dry cider with a rich body and a long spicy finish.  Enjoy slightly chilled with BBQ, pork, turkey, or aged cheddar.  2015 Oregon Harvest of Organically Grown Golden Russet (45%), Roxbury Russet (21%), Ashmead’s Kernel (16%), Ribston Pippin (12%), and Cox Orange Pippin (6%).  Bottled June 30, 2016.

Cidery Description:  At Wandering Aengus Ciderworks we press and blend over 20 cider apple varietals to craft our ciders. Our cider specific apples originate from France, England, and pre-prohibition America, but are grown now in Oregon. These heirloom varieties are essential for the depth of flavor, excellent body, and delightful aromatics of our distinctive ciders. All our ciders are always GLUTEN FREE.

They have a tasting room in Salem Oregon.

Price:  $4.75
Where Bought:  PCC (a local natural food store chain)
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing.  I remembered liking this at Port Townsend’s Summer Cider Day (see my tasting notes here), and for $4.75, I thought it was worth another try.  At my next trip to PCC I found their ciders were on sale for $4, so I picked up a bottle of Bloom, which I haven’t had in awhile.

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First Impression:  Light straw yellow hue.  Very low carbonation upon pouring.  Smells acidic, slightly tannic, and of citrus, honey, and oak.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-dry.  Low to moderate carbonation.  Light to medium bodied.  Moderate tartness.  High acidity.  Low to moderate bitterness.  Low tannins.  No sourness or funk.  Sharp flavor.  Notes of lemon, honey, green apple, mineral, and oak.  Moderate to long finish length.  Moderate apple flavor, sessionability, flavor intensity, and complexity.

My Opinion:  I liked it, but it was slightly more bitter, sharp, and acidic than I prefer.  However, it mellowed a bit as it warmed some from fridge temperature.  I have found all of the Wandering Aengus ciders I’ve tried so far to have more bitterness than other similar ciders.

Most Similar to:  Wandering Aengus Golden Russet, Dragon’s Head Columbia Crabapple, and Eve’s Beckhorn Hollow

Closing Notes:   I liked this better when I tried it at Summer Cider Day (where I picked up some bittersweet cider apple flavor, vs. this time there was more sharpness & acidity).  As its a relatively small batch craft product, I imagine it changes batch to batch and year to year.  However, it was still enjoyable and a good value.

Have you tried Wandering Aengus Wanderlust?  What did you think?

Honeywood Winery Hard Apple Cider

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Review of Honeywood Winery’s Hard Apple Cider.  This is the winery’s only cider, and the first time I’ve tried it.

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Cider:  Hard Apple Cider
Cidery:  Honeywood Winery
Cidery Location:  Salem Oregon
ABV:  11%
How Supplied:  750ml corked clear glass wine bottle
Style:  American apple wine

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Availability:  Oregon and Washington.  They also have an online store.

Cider Description:  Nothing says autumn like Apples!  There’s bobbing for apples, an apple for your teacher, and of course apple pie.   Honeywood’s Hard Apple Cider is made from Pacific Northwest Apples, the best grown in Washington and Oregon, specially blended into a great Hard Cider. Rich, clean, fresh and fruity, and very flavorful. Can be served heated…add a cinnamon stick or other spices.

Cidery Description:  In 1933, Honeywood Winery was founded by Ron Honeyman and John Wood. It was originally called Columbia Distilleries, and produced fruit brandies, cordials and liqueurs. Eventually, they settled on making premium wines and decided a name change was in order for the winery. Contrary to the obvious, Messrs. Honeyman and Wood did not use a contraction of their names to make Honeywood, and in fact, objected to the name on those grounds. An advertising consultant provided the rationale with a line from Oliver Goldsmith’s play, “The Good Natured Man,” wherin the products of fermentation were referred to as, “smooth as HONEY…aged in WOOD…the drink of the good natured man.” Honeywood became synonymous with the elite in wines. A winery must be close to its source of ingredients, and so it is with Honeywood. Located in Salem, in the heart of Oregon’s great and fertile Willamette Valley, the winery is minutes away from some of the world’s finest vineyards, cane berry fields and fruit orchards. Honeywood is the oldest producing winery in Oregon. The winery produces a full line of premium vinifera wines and the most extensive listing of premium fruit and specialty wines. We offer complimentary tasting and our tasting room includes a gourmet marketplace that sells Oregon food products and wine related gifts.

Price:  $12
Where Bought:  a wine shop in Port Townsend WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  Browsing.  I had never heard of or seen this cider, and couldn’t find any detailed information online, so I decided to pick it up.  I call these finds “mystery cider”.

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First Impression:  Medium straw yellow hue.  Still (no carbonation).  Smells like sweet acidic white wine, with a hint of cork.

Tasting Notes:  Semi-sweet to sweet.  Medium bodied.  Low tartness.  Moderate acidity.  Hints of tannins and bitterness.  No sourness or funk.  Notes of white grape, honey, pineapple, and green apple.  Quick but boozy finish.  Low apple flavor.  Moderate sessionability.  Moderate flavor intensity.  Low complexity.

My Opinion:  Definitely not what I was expecting.  I had guessed this would be dry (based on it being 11% ABV and being made by a winery), but it was the opposite.  However, I enjoyed it.  More of a dessert beverage than something to have with dinner.

Most Similar to:  A cross between sweet white wine and sweet mead.

Closing Notes:   This cider was a good value too.

Have you tried Honeywood Winery’s cider?  What did you think?

Wandering Aengus Golden Russet

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Review of Wandering Aengus Golden Russet, a single varietal cider from Salem Oregon.  I’ve previously tried their Bloom, Wickson, Oaked Dry, Wanderlust, and Byrd (tap only) ciders.  Wandering Aengus also makes Anthem cider, sold in four packs.

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Cider:  Golden Russet
Cidery:  Wandering Aengus Ciderworks
Cidery Location:  Salem OR
ABV:  9.0%
How Supplied:  500ml bottles (and limited quantity of kegs)
Style:  Single varietal craft cider made from Golden Russet apples

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Availability:  CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, MI, MT, NM, NJ, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WA D.C. per this list on their website.

Cider Description:  Made from Golden Russet apples grown organically in Ashland Oregon.  Described as having “rich honey aromas”.  Suggested pairings of roasted duck or aged fontina cheese.  1,200 cases of 12 bottles and 60 kegs bottled Match 2015 from the 2014 harvest.

Cidery Description:  At Wandering Aengus Ciderworks we press and blend over 20 cider apple varietals to craft our ciders. Our cider specific apples originate from France, England, and pre-prohibition America, but are grown now in Oregon. These heirloom varieties are essential for the depth of flavor, excellent body, and delightnful aromatics of our distinctive ciders. All our ciders are always GLUTEN FREE.

They have a tasting room in Salem Oregon open Fridays 4-8pm.

Price:  $8.99
Where Bought:  Whole Foods
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  The Hard Cider Appreciation Society group on Facebook had a couple members mention they really enjoyed this cider.  I haven’t been a huge fan of any Wandering Aengus cider, but wanted to give this one a try.

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First Impression:  Light golden bronze amber.  Very low carbonation, large bubbles.  Smells like acidic & tannic apples, honey, yeast, and caramel.

Tasting Notes:  On the drier side of semi-dry.  Moderate acidity and tartness.  Low bitterness and tannins.  A hint of sourness.  No funk.  Caramel and honey notes.  Medium bodied.  Slightly creamy buttery type texture.  Moderate length finish.  Low apple flavor.  Low sessionability.

My Opinion:  I found this a bit less bitter than most of the other Wandering Aengus ciders I’ve tried.  The tartness seemed to overpower the flavor a bit, but I liked the caramel and honey notes.

Most Similar to:  Wandering Aengus Oaked Dry and Wanderlust.

Closing Notes:   This was nice to try, but not my type of cider.  I think with a bit less tartness and bitterness I would have enjoyed it though, as the flavor notes were really nice.  I imagine I may have liked it better too if I had appropriately paired it, but I ended up drinking most of the bottle before dinner.

Have you tried Wandering Aengus ciders?  What did you think?