Tieton Single Varietal Harrison

December 30, 2019May 14, 2020 cidersays review, Tieton cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Harrison, single varietal, tasting notes, Tieton, Tieton cider

Review of Tieton’s single varietal cider from Harrison apples. I first sampled this at a tasting event in August (see here), but this time I’m doing a detailed review of a bottle. I’ve also had their Apricot, Smoked Pumpkin, Wind (Pommeau), Wild Washington, Cherry, Blossom Nectar, Cidermaker’s Reserve, Sparkling Perry, Cranberry, Bourbon Peach, Frost (ice cider), Spice Route, Russian Red, Lavender Honey, Oak Barrel Aged Cider Summit Collaboration, and Organic.

Cider: Single Varietal Harrison
Cidery: Tieton Cider Works
Cidery Location: Yakima WA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft cider from heirloom Harrison apples

Availability: special release, at least in AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, IL, NJ, NM, NV, OR, TX, and WA; check their cider finder

Cider Description: This is our second cider in our single varietal series. We use Harrison apples it in our ciders often because its great for blending with other apples, but since it makes such good cider on it’s own, we chose too make a single variety cider. It is golden colored, with spiced apple, honey notes and a deeply rich mouthfeel finished by a lingering hint of ginger.

Cidery Description: From our orchards to your glass, TCW controls every aspect of the growing and cidermaking process. TCW boasts the largest orchard of cider apple varieties in Washington state and the largest Perry pear orchard in the United States. We blend our cider fruit with all Washington apples. We’ve been growing apples, apricots, cherries and pears on Harmony Orchards – our family farm – since the 1930’s and are thrilled to be involved in Re:interpreting the tradition of cider making.

Price: $7.99

Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: initially at a tasting event

First Impression: Light gold hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild and slightly rich.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of heirloom & green apples, honey, pear, lemon, and an overall flavor which I would best describe as creamy. Moderate length tart finish. Moderate apple flavor, sessionability, overall flavor intensity, and complexity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it. Very approachable for an heirloom apple cider, as many tend towards super dry and tart. Its at a nice price point too.

Most Similar to: Snowdrift Forefathers and Locust Honey Pear

Closing Notes: I always like finding ciders from heirloom and/or cider apples which are a bit sweeter, as I’m not usually into fully dry ciders, but like their flavor and complexity.

Have you tried Tieton Harrison? What did you think?

Double Mountain Arkansas Black

June 24, 2019June 23, 2019 cidersays Double Mountain, review Arkansas Black, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Double Mountain, hard cider, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Double Mountain Arkansas Black, a single varietal cider from Arkansas Black heirloom cider apples made by Double Mountain brewery. It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Jumpin Jack Heirloom Cider and Dry varieties.

Cider: Arkansas Black
Maker: Double Mountain
Location: Hood River Oregon
ABV: 6.7%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft cider from Arkansas Black heirloom apples

Availability: likely only in Oregon and Washington

Cider Description: Purple and black on the tree, the Arkansas Black has been grown since the 1800’s. Now grown in the Hood River Valley, this old-world fruit is renowned for its luscious cider. Juicy red apple, raspberry, honey, and a touch of vanilla cap this delightful cider.

Cidery Description: Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom was established in 2007 in the heart of downtown Hood River, OR. Founder, Matt Swihart, opened the brewery with a clear mission: make great beer for craft beer fans. The unique location of Double Mountain provides the use of pure and clean glacial water for beers and ciders, while also take advantage of regionally grown hops. Reusable bottles allow customers to partake in a softer environmental footprint, affirming they are part of a sustainable future. Double Mountain may be found on tap and in bottles throughout the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.

They have 2 taprooms, in Hood River and Portland Oregon.

Price: n/a (likely ~ $6.99 / bottle)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: their rep contacted me

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Low to moderate carbonation. Smells tart and of honey.

Tasting Notes: Fully dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Low tannins. Hints of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of honey, sharp apple, lemon, floral, and mineral. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Moderate sessionability and complexity.

My Opinion: I liked the flavor profile, but it was a bit too dry for my personal preferences. My husband was a fan though.

Most Similar to: many other dry ciders from heirloom apples

Closing Notes: Its unique to see a brewery making multiple ciders from heirloom apples, as most breweries who attempt it seem to make only 1 cider, from common dessert apples. I’d like to see them make some slightly sweeter (semi-dry) ones though, as I find a bit of sweetness brings out more flavor.

Have you tried Double Mountain Arkansas Black? What did you think?

Whitewood Jonathan

January 17, 2019January 13, 2019 cidersays review, Whitewood cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Jonathan, Olympia, single varietal, tasting notes, Whitewood, Whitewood Cider

Review of Whitewood Cider’s Jonathan. I previously tried this on draft (see here). Plus I’ve had their Summer Switchel, Kingston Black Whisky Barrel Aged, Red Cap, Gravenstein Old Fangled Series 2012 Harvest, Gravenstein Old Fangled Series Barrel Aged, Northland, Winesap, Gibb’s Farm, Newtown Pippin, and South Sounder.

Cider: Old Fangled Series, Jonathan (2015 harvest)
Cidery: Whitewood Cider
Cidery Location: Olympia WA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: American craft heritage cider from Jonathan apples, sugar added, medium dry

Availability: only in Washington – see here

Cider Description: Jonathan is an early American variety and dates back to the early 1800’s. Whitewood’s Single Varietal Jonathan Cider starts out full up front good acid backbone followed by scant traces of a caramel/butterscotch flavors, and finishes clean with notes of, sour orange, meyer lemon, and citrus flavors.

Cidery Description: Whitewood Cider is the South Puget Sound’s first craft cidery. Officially we are a nano cider and can be hard to locate. Fear not as you’ll be able to find us at the finest bottles shops as well pubs and and restaurants that are the most dedicated to locally made craft cider.

They have a tasting room in Olympia; see here.

Price: ~ $15 ?
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing

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

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of tannins. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Notes of juicy apple and lemon with hints of honey and tropical fruit. Quick finish. Low to moderate complexity. Moderate to high apple flavor. High sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it, and so did my husband. Super easy to drink and apple-forward, yet it had a bit of complexity – you can tell it is heritage craft cider.

Most Similar to: a more complex and sessionable version of Portland Cider Perfect 10

Closing Notes: This would make a great introductory craft cider, plus I’d like to see it in a multipack.

Have you tried Whitewood Jonathan? What did you think?

Eden Ezekiel Kingston Black

December 17, 2018December 16, 2018 cidersays Eden, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eden, Eden Specialty Ciders, Ezekiel, hard cider, Kingston Black, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Eden’s Cellar Series #8 ‘Ezekiel’ Kingston Black. It is my first time trying this, but I have had many varieties from Eden – Sparkling Dry, Cinderella’s Slipper, Heirloom Blend Ice Cider, Sparkling Semi-Dry, Northern Spy (Barrel Aged) Ice Cider, Honeycrisp Ice Cider, Imperial 11 Rosé, Heirloom Blend Apple Brandy Barrel Aged, Guinevere’s Pearls, Windfall Orchard Ice Cider, Two Ellies (collaboration with Tilted Shed), The Falstaff, Heritage (canned), and Siren Song.

Cider: Cellar Series #9, Ezekiel
Cidery: Eden Specialty Ciders
Cidery Location: Newport, VT
ABV: 8.0%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: American heritage cider, Kingston Black single varietal

Availability: probably just online, although their regular ciders are sold in stores

Cider Description: This cellar series cider is named after Ezekiel Goodband, the orchardist at Scott Farm who grew the apples from which it is made. 100% Kingston Black apples – a classic British cider variety that is known as one of the few apples that has sufficient sugar, acid and tannin to make a balanced single variety cider. Rare apples, pressed at harvest, carefully fermented and bottle-conditioned with our ice cider produce a cider that is exquisitely delicious and unique.

Winner: 2017 Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition, Silver Medal. 2016 Harvest. 100% Kingston Black, grown at Scott Farm in Dummerston, Vermont. Bottle-conditioned, naturally sparkling, residual lees…Limited run: Only 100 cases produced

Cidery Description: Eden Orchards and Eden Ice Cider began on a trip to Montreal in 2006 when we first tasted ice cider and wondered why nobody was making it on our side of the border. We had dreamed for years of working together on a farm in the Northeast Kingdom; it was a dream that had vague outlines including an apple orchard, cider, and fermentation of some sort. That night we looked at each other and knew ice cider was it. In April 2007, we bought an abandoned dairy farm in West Charleston, Vermont and got to work. Since then we have planted over 1,000 apple trees, created 5 vintages of Eden Vermont Ice Ciders, and have introduced a new line of Orleans Apertif Ciders. Out goals are to create healthy soils and trees in our own orchard, to support out Vermont apple orchard partners who do the same, to minimize our carbon footprint, to contribute to the economic and environmental health of our employees and our Northeast Kingdom community, and most of all to make world-class unique ciders that truly reflect our Vermont terroir.

They have a Tasting Bar in Newport VT, and a Boutique Taproom & Cheese Bar in Winooski VT. Their current product line includes ice ciders, Aperitif ciders, sparkling ciders, and Cellar Series releases.

Price: $20
Where Bought: their online store
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing, as I wanted to check if they had any new varieties since I last looked, and they did, so I ordered some, then they e-mailed to say they were offering free shipping! (through Dec 20 2018, on 3 or more bottles)

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Moderate carbonation. Smells mild, of sharp tart apple.

Tasting Notes: Dry to semi-dry. Light bodied. High tartness and acidity. Low tannins and bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of sharp apple and pomace, lemon, mineral, and honey. Moderate length tart finish. Moderate apple flavor, complexity, flavor intensity, and sessionability.

My Opinion: This was a bit too tart and sharp for my liking. Also, less rich than all the other five Kingston Black SVs I’ve tried, but the KB is a bittersharp not a bittersweet cider apple variety, so rich flavor notes shouldn’t be a given. My husband was a big fan though, and happy to finish the bottle.

Most Similar to: many of the drier tart heritage ciders from heirloom cider apples available in the NE

Closing Notes: My favorite Kingston Black SV so far is from Liberty, although I’ve also tried ones from Farnum Hill, Eve’s, Dragon’s Head, and Whitewood.

Have you tried a Kingston Black single varietal? What did you think?

Alpenfire Foxwhelp SV

August 21, 2018August 21, 2018 cidersays Alpenfire, review Alpenfire, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Foxwhelp, hard cider, port townsend, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Alpenfire Foxwhelp single varietal. It is my first time trying this cider, but I’ve had most of their other ciders – Dungeness, Spark, Smoke, ApoCalypso, Ember, Simple Cider, Calypso, Pirate’s Plank, Glow, Cinders, Shrub, Spiced Tonic Shrub, Traditional Heirloom Cider (batch 1 or 2), Flame, Traditional Heirloom Cider (unknown batch), Tempest

Cider: Foxwhelp SV
Cidery: Alpenfire
Cidery Location: Port Townsend WA
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: American craft orchard-based organic cider from Foxwhelp apples

Availability: limited, probably only in Washington, plus online sales

Cider Description: Our first 100% estate single varietal, produced from our organically grown Foxwhelp apples. The Foxwhelp is an English bittersharp cider apple, known for its aromatics and versatility, one of the oldest surviving cider apples still in use, originally from the Gloucestershire area. Historically a single strength cider from this apple would fetch the same price on the market in London as imported French Wine.

Cidery Description: We invite you to experience the distinctive flavors of our estate grown ciders. Shaped by our maritime climate’s mild summers and tempered by the foggy mist rolling off of Discovery Bay, our apples maintain the qualities they’ve been treasured for by generations of cider lovers. Soft tannins, high sugars, hints of bitterness, and an incredible flavor range are the tools the apples bring us. Slow, cool fermentation, lengthy maturation, and attention to detail is the way we say thank you!

Price: $16.99
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’m always game to buy anything Alpenfire, as they make some awesome ciders. They have been coming out with all sorts of new varieties lately.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Smells very mild, acidic and musty. Low carbonation.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and funk. Low to moderate tannins. No sourness. Notes of acidic heirloom apple, lemon, must, nut/wood, yeast, and mineral. Moderate length finish. Low to moderate apple flavor and sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate to high complexity.

My Opinion: I liked it. I had expected more of a rich cider apple flavor, as Foxwhelp is a bittersharp, but this tasted more like an heirloom apple cider than a cider apple cider. I enjoyed it though, as it was less acidic and more tannic than most heirloom apple ciders, so despite it being fairly dry, it wasn’t at all harsh for my tastes. However, I still prefer a bittersweet cider apple cider, more like Alpenfire’s Ember.

Most Similar to: This reminds me of some of Eve’s ciders, although the flavor notes were different.

Closing Notes: I’m interested to try more of Alpenfire’s new ciders. I already have a bottle of their Rosy Pommeau at home for example.

Have you tried a single varietal cider? What did you think?

Liberty Ciderworks Pink Pearl SV

February 28, 2018February 25, 2018 cidersays Liberty, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, liberty, Liberty Ciderworks, Pink Pearl, single varietal, Spokane, tasting notes

Review of Liberty Ciderworks’ Pink Pearl, a single varietal cider from red fleshed Pink Pearl apples. It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal, Crabenstein, English Style, Abbess, Stonewall Dry Fly Whiskey Barrel Aged, Gravenstein, Cellar Series #G15, New World Style, Cellar Series (unknown), McIntosh, Golden Russet SV, Spokane Scrumpy, Hewe’s Crab, and Porter’s Perfection.

Cider: Pink Pearl SV
Cidery: Liberty Ciderworks
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 7.9%
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged bottle
Style: American craft cider, single varietal from Pink Pearl apples

Availability: In general you can find their ciders in Washington and Oregon (see a list of locations here). However, this variety was very limited (16 cases), released awhile back, and mostly just their tap room and cider club members, and online sales through Vino Shipper (listed in stock for $14.99 at the time of this review – I’m surprised any is still in stock as I think I bought this 6 months ago)

Cider Description: Pink Pearl apples are a rare, red-fleshed varietal we just had to try, since some red apples yield beautiful rosé-colored ciders. Though this cider retained only a hint of pink coloration, the flavors are still quite lovely, with hints of floral, grassy aromatics and soft raspberry flavors. Apples grown near Brewster, WA. (16 cases bottle conditioned in 750 ml bottles, RS 1.0%)

Cidery Description: Located in the largest apple-growing region on the continent, Liberty Ciderworks is all about the apple, showcasing the diversity and wonders of locally grown fruit. From well known apples like McIntosh and Jonathan to rare, cider-specific fruit like Kingston Black and Dabinett, Liberty ciders put apples in their proper place: Front and center. We started Liberty Ciderworks in 2013 with a simple, two-part mission: 1) Using apples from local farms and fields to create unique, wonderful ciders, and 2) Sharing them with friends and neighbors across the great Pacific Northwest. Welcome to the cider revolution.

They have a tap room in Spokane WA, which also now has a bottle shop of selections from around the world.

Price: $17.99
Where Bought: Capitol Cider in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light tangerine hue. Nearly still. Smells nearly of apple brandy (ie. a higher ABV), and midly fruity.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of tannins and bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of blush grape, strawberry, rhubarb, watermelon, and a hint of richness/brandy. Low apple flavor and sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it. I found it to be a unique dry fruity complex mild food-friendly cider. My new ish cider fridge got it to the recommended 55-60 deg serving temperature, which I enjoyed. I think serving it ice cold would have muted the flavor, but I didn’t try it.

Most Similar to: a drier version of Snowdrift Red, Alpenfire Glow, or Tieton Russian Red (I slightly prefer these, especially Alpenfire’s, as I usually go for a semi-dry to semi-sweet cider), or even rosé wine (which I don’t have any experience with)

Closing Notes: I was surprised with the complexity and flavor, and I didn’t mind the dryness due to those factors. If I didn’t know better I would have guessed this had a hint of brandy in it too, as it especially smelled much higher ABV than it drank.

I think it would be a fun cider to share with folks who haven’t had drier complex ciders, as it is unique, but lacks qualities such as high acidity, bitterness, tannins, sourness, or funk which can often be off-putting at least at first. I actually wished I had brought it to the dinner party I went to the night before.

Have you tried Liberty Ciderworks Pink Pearl SV? What did you think?

Liberty Reserve Series Porter’s Perfection Single Varietal

January 15, 2018December 29, 2017 cidersays Liberty, review barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, liberty, Liberty Ciderworks, Porter's Perfection, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Liberty’s Reserve Series Porter’s Perfection Single Varietal. It is my first time trying this, but I have had their Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal, Crabenstein, English Style, Abbess, Stonewall Dry Fly Whiskey Barrel Aged, Gravenstein, Cellar Series #G15, New World Style, Cellar Series (unknown), McIntosh, Golden Russet SV, Spokane Scrumpy, and Hewe’s Crab.

Cider: Reserve Series #0216 Porter’s Perfection Single Varietal
Cidery: Liberty Ciderworks
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 8.6%
How Supplied: 750ml corked bottles
Style: American craft cider from Porter’s Perfection cider apples, barrel aged

Availability: In general you can find their ciders in Washington and Oregon (see a list of locations here). However, this variety was very limited (12 cases), mostly just their tap room and cider club members, plus possibly online sales through Vino Shipper (although at the time of review it was not listed)

Cider Description: Porter’s Perfection apples are another UK favorite, valued in blending and as a stand-alone. Dry, tannic and satisfying, our 2015 Porter’s is a blend of apples from both our Palouse-based suppliers (Bishops’ Orchard & Steury Orchards). Aged in a used whiskey barrel (already stripped of whiskey by our award-winning Stonewall cider), this cider pairs beautifully with smoked poultry, pork and red meat dishes. (12 cases bottled still in 750 ml bottles, RS 0.2%)

They have a tap room in Spokane WA, which also now has a bottle shop of selections from around the world.

Price: $15.75
Where Bought: Capitol Cider in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Perusing their cider bottle list. I was surprised to find this, as I didn’t think the Reserve Series left their tap room.

First Impression: Light orange amber hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells of bittersweet apple juice, caramel, and tannins.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness. Moderate tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of bittersweet apple, caramel, brown sugar, orange, and leather. Long dry tannic finish. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Moderate to high complexity. Moderate apple flavor. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I enjoyed it. However, I think I would have liked a bit more body and residual sweetness, as I think that would have brought out more flavor. However, as-is, it is incredibly food friendly.

Most Similar to: Eve’s Kingston Black, Farnum Hill Kingston Black, and Alpenfire Ember (which is sweeter)

Closing Notes: Next up I have their Pink Pearl to try, another Reserve Series single varietal.

Have you tried any single varietal ciders? What did you think?

Liberty Ciderworks Hewe’s Crab SV

November 7, 2017November 7, 2017 cidersays Liberty, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Hewes Crab, liberty, Liberty Cider, Liberty Ciderworks, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Liberty Ciderworks’ Hewe’s Virginia Crab single varietal. Its my first time trying this, but I’ve had Liberty’s Manchurian Crabapple SV, Crabenstein, Abbess, Stonewall, Gravenstein, Cellar Series #G15, New World Style, Cellar Series (# unknown), McIntosh, Golden Russet SV, and Spokane Scrumpy.

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Liberty Ciderworks. 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: Hewe’s Virgnia Crab SV
Cidery: Liberty Ciderworks
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 8.5%
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged bottles
Style: American craft cider, a single varietal from Hewe’s Virginia crabapples

Availability: This is a limited release, but in general their ciders are sold in Washington and Oregon (see a list of locations here). They also have online sales through Vino Shipper.

Cider Description: An American original, this crab apple was cultivated in Virginia some time in the 18th century with the sole intent of turning it into cider. Another one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorites, this crab apple’s 2016 crop yields floral, buttery plum, herbal aromas, with flavors of dried fruit, herbal sweetness with a dry, tannic finish.

They have a tap room in Spokane WA, which also now has a bottle shop of selections from around the world.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $14.99)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: one of the co-owners/cidermakers contacted me (Rick Hastings)

First Impression: The hue was in between dark straw yellow and light amber. Very low carbonation. Smells tart and tannic with a hint of richness.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of dry. Light bodied. Moderate to high tartness. High acidity. Low to moderate tannins. Low bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of crabapple pomace, caramel, lemon, leather, grapefruit, and oak. Moderate apple flavor and flavor intensity. Low to moderate sessionability. Moderate to high complexity.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed it. I especially liked the richness and tannins. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more sweetness and less tartness/acidity though. This really tasted like a cider made from cider apples, not crabapples, which is pretty cool to be able to do with a crabapple single varietal. I agree this cider is best drank closer to room than fridge temperature (I really wish I had a dedicated cider fridge so I could serve these types of ciders at cellar temperature!).

Most Similar to: Liberty’s Manchurian Crabapple, but not quite as intense (as that one has a much higher ABV and is sweeter and more flavorful).

Side Note: Crabapples are commonly used in cidermaking, especially by home cidermakers that want to add some tannins to their cider but don’t have access to cider apples. They are typically used as part of a blend though, as very few varieties of crabapples are suitable as a single varietal, as they are so tart and tannic (and often nearly impossible to eat).

Closing Notes: This was another great selection from Liberty, and would likely appeal best to fans of dry acidic cider.

Have you tried any ciders from crabapples? What did you think?

Farnum Hill Kingston Black

October 9, 2017October 23, 2017 cidersays Farnum Hill, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Farnum Hill, hard cider, Kingston Black, New Hampshire, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Farnum Hill’s Kingston Black. I got this as part of the September Cidrbox. I previously tried samples of their Extra Dry and Dooryard, plus I reviewed Extra Dry from this Cidrbox.

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Cidrbox. 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: Kingston Black Reserve
Cidery: Farnum Hill
Cidery Location: Lebanon NH
ABV: 8.5%
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged bottles
Style: American artisan cider, single varietal from Kingston Black

Availability: This is a special release so it will probably be more difficult to find, but in general their ciders are distributed in CT, NH, MA, ME, NJ, NY, and RI (see here). I haven’t seen their cider in the Seattle area for awhile.

Cider Description: Kingston Black technically is a “bittersharp” apple variety, which in the English-speaking cider world means that its high tannin and acid levels make it a suitable cider apple: however, its sugar level, at least growing here, regularly yields 8.5% alcohol. We release a hundred or so cases of ‘Special Reserve,’ made only from this apple, in years when our KB is showing all its charms.

This is a still cider, in a 750ml bottle with straight cork. Its aromatic and flavor hooks range from floral through fruity (muskmelon) through hormonal suggestions on to further sensory tricks, viz. whiffs of candle-flame and turning off the phone. Like many distinctive flavor signatures, that Kingston Black je ne sais quoi is loved by some but not all.

With food it performs a version of the FHC effect, lending savor and vividness to many different foods. However, unlike our other ciders, Kingston Black in our view belongs with subtle dishes, rather than with spicy or otherwise rowdy flavors. Note that not only Kingston Black’s alcohol but also its price is quite high for a cider. But it’s worth it when you have time to pay attention to the treats before you.

P.S. In old apple variety names, the word “black” means “extremely dark red.”

Cidery Description: On Farnum Hill, we use the word “cider” to mean an alcoholic beverage fermented from particular apples, just as “wine” is fermented from particular grapes. Cider is a word that covers an enormous variety of adult beverages made from apples. Our style is all about flaunting the delights of the fruit that grows best on this place.

Farnum Hill Ciders, at 6.5-7.5% alcohol, tend toward the dry, sharp, fruity and bountifully aromatic. We make them to gladden the moment and light up the flavors of food. During Prohibition, apple-growers urgently needed a new teetotal image. That PR problem helped cut the normal old word “cider” from its normal old meaning, and paste it to the sweet brown ephemeral juice of autumn, normally called “apple juice” or “sweet cider.” So even now, a lot of our fellow Americans find Farnum Hill ciders a bit startling.

We are proud of Farnum Hill Ciders, and delighted to see more and more small-scale cider-makers coming onto the U.S. cider scene. Meanwhile, we’re also encouraged to see skilled commercial apple-growers planting for cider. As in the wine world, cider-apple growers may want to make their own, or to sell their fruit to cidermakers. Already, the price of cider apples is many times the processing price that eating apples bring. That makes cider orchards valuable. Here’s hoping the future of distinctive American orchard-based ciders will outshine the past!

Here is a nice podcast with transcript from an interview by Cider Guide’s Eric West with Nicole Leibon, a cidermaker at Farnum Hill. Farnum Hill also worked with April White on a book, Apples to Cider – How to Make Cider at Home.

Price: n/a (retails for $17.99+)
Where Bought: n/a (through Cidrbox)
Where Drank: home
How Found: I’ve heard of Farnum Hill ever since I got into the cider world, as they were one of the first cideries in the new cider movement (around 1995).

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Still. Smells of rich cider apple.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of dry. Light bodied. Low tartness, acidity, and tannins. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Notes of cider apple, caramel, brown sugar, lemon, and green apple. Moderate length finish. Low flavor intensity. Moderate complexity, sessionability, and apple flavor.

My Opinion: I liked this one. It was less rich/intense and thinner than I was expecting though, more similar to a NE American heirloom apple cider than an English cider. However, like the Extra Dry, it became more rich and flavorful at room temperature. I’d recommend this to folks of dry still cider.

Most Similar to: I’ve also had Kingston Black single varietals from Whitewood, Dragon’s Head, and Eve’s. My favorite of those was the Whitewood, as it was intensely flavorful, likely at least partially due to the whiskey barrel aging.

Closing Notes: Next up is Farnum Hill’s Semi Dry.

Have you tried Farnum Hill cider? What did you think?

Liberty Ciderworks Golden Russet SV

July 19, 2017October 21, 2017 cidersays Liberty, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Golden Russet, hard cider, liberty, Liberty Ciderworks, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Liberty Ciderworks’ Golden Russet, a reserve series single varietal cider made from golden russet heirloom apples. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve had their Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal, Crabenstein, English Style, Abbess, Stonewall Dry Fly Whiskey Barrel Aged, Gravenstein, Cellar Series #G15, New World Style, Cellar Series (unknown), and McIntosh ciders.

Cider: Golden Russet SV
Cidery: Liberty Ciderworks
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 9.8%
How Supplied: 750ml corked & caged bottles
Style: American craft single varietal cider from golden russet apples

Availability: Likely only in WA, plus their online store (although this variety is no longer listed)

Cider Description: Reserve Series #516. Golden Russet apples are one of America’s greatest cider discoveries, found in New York – a chance seedling – in the early 1800s. This version presents characteristic butterscotch aromas with baked/dried stone fruit flavors. Golden Russets seem to thrive in our region, with off-the charts sugar levels in our 2015 vintage, giving this cider a 9.8% ABV.

Cidery Description: Carrying the torch for Artisan Cider. Located in the largest apple-growing region on the planet, Liberty Ciderworks is all about the apple, showcasing the diversity and wonders of locally grown fruit. From well known apples like McIntosh and Jonathan to rare, cider-specific fruit like Kingston Black and Dabinett, Liberty ciders put apples in their proper place: Front and center. We started Liberty Ciderworks in 2013 with a simple, two-part mission: 1) Using apples from local farms and fields, create unique, wonderful ciders, and 2) Share them with friends and neighbors across the great Pacific Northwest. Welcome to the cider revolution. Cheers! Rick & Austin

Liberty has a tap room in Spokane WA.

Price: $17.00
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’ve tried much of their lineup and liked most of them.

First Impression: Light caramel amber hue. Nearly still. Yeast sediment floaters. Smells rich and boozy.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low bitterness. Low tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of butterscotch, stone fruit, honey, orange, earthiness/wood, leather, and a buttery starchiness. Long warming finish. Moderate apple flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. High complexity.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed it. Nice rich flavor. However, I would have guessed this was a spirit barrel aged cider or even a brandy-fortified cider, as it was that strong (although it is only from the high-sugar apples in this case). I agree with the label’s suggestion to drink it in between fridge and room temperature.

Most Similar to: Liberty Stonewall Dry Fly Whiskey Barrel Aged, Aspall Imperial, 2 Towns Bad Apple, and Wandering Aengus Golden Russet (also, although not very similar, I’ve also tried another Golden Russet SV, from Reverend Nat’s, which was whiskey barrel aged with black currant and excellent – see here)

Closing Notes: This is a heavy-hitting cider, probably best suited for winter sipping (its been sitting around my house awhile…), but enjoyable and an excellent value any time of year.

Have you tried Liberty Golden Russet? What did you think?

Eden Cellar Series Guinevere’s Pearls

May 26, 2017May 20, 2017 cidersays Eden, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eden, Guinevere's Pearls, hard cider, imperial cider, Northern Spy, single varietal, tasting notes, Vermont

Review of Eden’s Guinevere’s Pearls, part of their Cellar Series (#4), only available to club members. It is my first time trying this cider, but I have previously sampled their Sparkling Dry, Cellar Series Cinderella’s Slipper, Heirloom Blend Ice Cider, Sparkling Semi-Dry, Northern Spy (Barrel Aged) Ice Cider, Honeycrisp Ice Cider, Imperial 11 Rosé, and Heirloom Blend Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Ice Cider.

Cider: Guinevere’s Pearls
Cidery: Eden Specialty Ciders
Cidery Location: Newport VT
ABV: 11.0%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: American Artisan Imperial-style semi-sweet Northern Spy apple single varietal

Availability: Eden’s online store, for cider club members, 50 cases of 12 bottles. However, in general, their ciders are available in CA, CO, CT, DE, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, SC, VT, WA, WA D.C., and Alberta B.C. Canada.

Cider Description: In deepest winter’s ice and snow, four containers of fresh apple juice began their journey. We pressed this juice at Eden Orchards from Northern Spy apples conscientiously grown in Vermont by Ezekiel Goodband and Jessika Yates. As the cold set in, the water in the juice began to freeze, intensifying the sugars and flavors in the remaining unfrozen residual apple sweetness to balance this regal apple’s notable acidity. Like Guinevere’s pearls, which she gave to King Arthur as a talisman for his knightly pursuits, the precious drops of sweetness in this unique cider may inspire you to accomplish heroic deeds and win your Queen or King…or just encourage you to sip a little slower to enjoy the beauty they add to your drinking experience.

They have a tasting bar on the main floor of the Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center in downtown Newport VT.

Price: $20
Where Bought: Eden’s online store
Where Drank: home
How Found: browsing

First Impression: Light golden amber. Moderate to high carbonation. Smells of cider apples and yeast.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied with a frothy mouthfeel. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Low to moderate bitterness. Low to moderate tannins. Moderate funk. No sourness. Notes of apple pomace, yeast, must, stone fruit, honey, and brown sugar. Long warming finish. Moderate to high apple flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate to high complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Awesome! I loved the uniqueness, with the combination of high acidity, richness, sweetness, high ABV, and carbonation. The only thing I would change would be to have less bitterness.

Most Similar to: I don’t think I’ve had anything similar. It reminded me a bit of a French cider as it is apple and yeast forward and is fizzy. However, it is more acidic and fruity and has a higher ABV.

Closing Notes: I’m glad I got a chance to try this. Its an excellent value too. I also picked up some Sparkling Semi-Dry and Heirloom Blend Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Ice Cider at the same time which I have to look forward to.

Have you tried Eden Guinevere’s Pearls? What did you think?

Eve’s Cidery 2015 Kingston Black, Dry Still Cider

March 6, 2017February 25, 2017 cidersays Eve's Cidery cider, cider review, cider tasting, Eve's, hard cider, Kingston Black, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Eve’s Cidery 2015 Kingston Black, Dry Still Cider. It is my first time trying this one, but I’ve previously had their Beckhorn Hollow and Autumn’s Gold.

Cider: 2015 Kingston Black, Dry Still Cider
Cidery: Eve’s Cidery
Cidery Location: Van Etten NY
ABV: 8.6%
How Supplied: 750ml corked bottles
Style: American artisan cider, a single varietal from Kingston Black cider apples

Availability: sold out (21 cases made)

Cider Description: 100% Estate grown Kingston Black. Primary fermentation in stainless steel. 21 cases bottled. Residual sugar 0.0%. Titratable Acidity 7.1 g/L. pH 3.8. On the nose, dried apples, macadamia nuts and dusty roses. On the palate, calendula flowers, cloves, wood and tobacco with tense, springy tannin. The finish is kerosene and sour apple.

More info on the cider is available here.

Cidery Description: Eve’s Cidery is a small family run orchard and cidery located in Van Etten, in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. We grow apples and other tree fruits and ferment artisanal ciders. We believe in nature, art, good food and hard work. These beliefs influence the way we farm, make cider and sell our product. We hope you can taste some of it in the bottle.

Their official tasting room is at the Finger Lakes Cider House in Interlaken New York.

Price: $16
Where Bought: Eve’s Cidery’s online store
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing Eve’s Cidery’s website, as they were having a free shipping offer in December.

First Impression: Moderate amber hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells amazingly rich and sweet.

Tasting Notes: Completely dry (the nose on this cider is definitely deceiving). Light to medium bodied. Low tartness and bitterness. Low to moderate acidity and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of concentrated apple juice, brown sugar, caramel, wood, and lemon. Moderate to long finish length, with a slight alcohol burn. High apple flavor. Low sessionability. High complexity. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed it, although I think I would have liked it even more with a touch of residual sugar (I prefer semi-dry to dry). This unique wine-like cider is definitely on the serious side.

Most Similar to: It reminds me of ice cider, except with all the sugar sucked out somehow. I’ve had two previous Kingston Black ciders – from Dragon’s Head (single varietal) and Whitewood (with a bit of Porter’s Perfection). All three were quite different from each other. The Whitewood one had some added complexity due to the whiskey barrel aging (and also had the highest ABV). Eve’s seemed the most characteristically Kingston Black if I had to guess.

Closing Notes: Awesome complexity and an amazing value! Its my favorite from them so far. I still have one bottle from Eve’s left, Rustica.

Have you tried any Kingston Black single varietals? What did you think?

Longdrop Over Yonder

October 12, 2016October 8, 2016 cidersays Longdrop, review cider, cider tasting, hard cider, Idaho, Jonathan, Longdrop, Over Yonder, single varietal, tasting notes

Review of Longdrop’s Over Yonder, from Idaho. I’ve previously tried their Tanager Pear Cider, Vanilla Honey, Derby Canyon, Semi-Sweet, and Electric Cherry.

Cider: Over Yonder
Cidery: Longdrop
Cidery Location: Eagle Idaho
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles (and draft)
Style: American craft cider from Idaho-grown Jonathan apples (single varietal)

Availability: Year round in Idaho, Seattle WA, and Portland OR.

Cider Description: Idaho Jonathan cider. Fresh pressed in Fall.

Cidery Description: The wise chef knows to start with the ingredient, not the recipe. That’s our philosophy as well. We work with a team of local and regional foragers who source ingredients for ciders that respect the seasons. We never use stuff like high fructose corn syrup, or phony colors and flavors. Just Northwest and Idaho grown apples and other of the earth’s goodness. Enjoy.

They will soon have a Cider House in Boise Idaho.

Price: $7.99
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I have tried the other Longdrop varieties available locally, but keep missing this one on draft, so I picked up a bottle.

First Impression: Light straw yellow. Low to moderate carbonation. Smells mild, of sharp apples, honey, and citrus.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Low bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of sharp apples, citrus, honey, mineral, and floral. Moderate to long bitter finish. Moderate apple flavor and sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity and complexity.

My Opinion: I found this a bit average. There was some bitterness and sharpness I wasn’t expecting from it being made from dessert apples (Jonathans). My favorite part was the honey notes.

Most Similar to: Wandering Aengus Wanderlust

Closing Notes: Longdrop’s Vanilla Honey remains my favorite so far.

Have you tried Longdrop Over Yonder? What did you think?

Hecks Somerset Tremletts Bitter

October 3, 2016September 30, 2016 cidersays Hecks, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, English Cider, hard cider, Hecks, single varietal, Somerset, tasting notes

Review of Hecks Tremletts Bitter, from Somerset England. Its the first time I’ve tried their cider, although I’ve sampled many other English ciders.

Cider: Tremlett’s Bitter
Cidery: Hecks
Cidery Location: Street, Somerset, United Kingdom
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 750ml clear glass twist-top bottle
Style: Somerset England farmhouse-style, single varietal from Tremletts Bitter apples

Availability: Unknown. Imported by B. United International Inc., Oxford CT.

Cider Description: A butterscotch aftertaste is just one of the surprises of this cider from the popular Devon variety. It is sharp and dry without too much acidity, a popular choice wherever cider is made.

Cidery Description: We have been making traditional Somerset Farmhouse cider since 1841. Today we offer a range of traditionally made farmhouse ciders, single variety ciders, farmhouse perry, single variety perry, non-alcoholic apple juices, cider vinegars and a range of other products, all produced from the harvests in our own Somerset orchards. Our products are made following family traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation, using tried and tested methods. We hope you enjoy our delicious products as much as we enjoy making them.

Price: $14
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Medium amber. Still (no carbonation), with a foam/bubble ring. Smells rich, tannic, apple-forward, of must, caramel, and some funk.

Tasting Notes: Dry to semi-dry. Very light bodied. Flat dull mouthfeel. Low tartness and acidity. Low to moderate sourness, at the back of the palette. Moderate funk/barnyard. Moderate bitterness. Moderate tannins, but they were of an interesting sort, coating the teeth instead of drying the mouth, maybe due to the combination of tannins and sourness. Notes of leather, orange, and caramel. Moderate length finish with lingering sourness. Moderate apple flavor. Low sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I wasn’t a fan. The flavor was odd and not what I expected from an English cider. I guess I hadn’t previously tried a Farmhouse-style English cider. I thought it smelled much better than it tasted.

Most Similar to: This cider seemed to combine the qualities of English cider (richness & tannins) with American Farmhouse-style cider (sourness & funk). I can’t think of anything similar.

Closing Notes: This isn’t a style I enjoy. However, if you like your cider with some sourness & funk, you may enjoy it. This is the only variety from Hecks I’ve seen locally.

Have you tried Hecks Cider? What did you think?

Alpenfire Cider Glow

April 19, 2016April 10, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire, review Alpenfire, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Glow, hard cider, Hidden Rose, red fleshed, single varietal

Review of Alpenfire Cider’s Glow rosé cider, made from red-fleshed Hidden Rose apples. I’ve tried a number of their ciders; see here. They also make a Methode Champenoise version of this cider called Cinders, which is quite different; see my tasting notes on that cider here.

Cider: Glow
Cidery: Alpenfire Cider
Cidery Location: Port Townsend WA
ABV: 8.2%
How Supplied: 750 ml bottles
Style: American craft single varietal cider from Hidden Rose red-fleshed apples

These are actually a dessert apple variety (rare for Alpenfire, as they use primarily cider and heirloom apple varieties). Hidden Rose apples are rare in the U.S. as the majority are shipped to Japan, where they can fetch $12-$15 per apple! They tried to grow these in the Alpenfire orchard, but they weren’t thriving in the cool climate, so now they source them from Oregon, where the variety was discovered in the 1960s.

Availability: Likely only in Western Washington. This is part of their Burnt Branch Reserve, so it also isn’t as prevalent as some of their other varieties such as Pirate’s Plank.

Cider Description: Glow is a single varietal rosé cider. The color in this unique cider comes not from the skin like in a wine rosé, but from the bright red flesh of the Hidden Rose apple. This incredible apple makes a cider with a crisp acidity and a tropical fruit flavor.

Cidery Description: Alpenfire Organic Cider is made from our estate and locally grown organic apples. We planted our WSDA certified organic orchard in 2004 with over 800 trees and 10 varieties of English, French & Early American cider specific apples. These apples have been used for hundreds of years for the unique qualities they bring to cider production. Namely the tannins and bitters not found in dessert style apples. While the juice, much less the fruit, of many of these apples would be hard to enjoy by the glass they become amazing with a little fermentation. One of our favorites, the “Muscadet de Dieppe”, has a viscous, winey, yes, even musky juice. It takes months of slow, cool fermentation for that to develop the subtle aroma and flavor you will find in our bone-dry cider. We augment our juice and mellow the flavors with organic apples from other local orchards.

Price: $28
Where Bought: the Alpenfire cidery (although it is available near me in the Seattle area)
Where Drank: home
How Found: I was there for a tasting (my first time trying Glow). See my post here.

First Impression: Beautiful deep rosé hue. Smells sweet & apple forward (reminds me of ice cider) and fruity (strawberries & watermelon). Almost no carbonation upon pouring.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to sweet. Moderate to high tartness when I first opened it, but after sitting overnight it was down to mild tartness. Moderate acidity. A hint of bitterness and tannins. No sourness. Still. Medium bodied. Notes of sweet apple, cherry, strawberry, and watermelon. The flavor starts tart and finishes sweet. Moderate finish length. Moderate to strong apple influence. Low to moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: Awesome! I love how unique, flavorful, and fruity this is. However, I like it better when it is lower tartness (I think the complexity can better shine through). So, when I have this again, I’ll let it breathe first.

Most Similar to: The only other rosé red-fleshed apple cider I’ve had is Snowdrift Red. That one is closer to $20 and has greater distribution, but isn’t a single varietal. I find Snowdrift Red to be slightly drier and much higher carbonated. Both cider are fairly tart and very fruity.

Closing Notes: Another winner from Alpenfire. This is one of my favorites from them. I think my absolute favorite however is Smoke. I love that they make such a wide range of ciders, and have a real commitment to being a small artisan cidery who produces outstanding ciders (and vinegars).

Have you tried Alpenfire Glow? What did you think?

Dragon’s Head Kingston Black

February 16, 2016February 15, 2016 cidersays Dragon's Head, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dragon's Head, hard cider, Kingston Black, single varietal, Vashon, washington

Review of Dragon’s Head Kingston Black cider, a single varietal from Vashon Island Washington. I’ve previously tried their Wild Fermented and Traditional ciders.

Cider: Kingston Black
Cidery: Dragon’s Head
Cidery Location: Vashon WA
ABV: 7.9%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: Kingston Black single varietal craft cider

Availability: Limited release (I bought this a few months back so I assume they are sold out by now). Dragons’ Head ciders are only sold in OR and WA.

Cider Description: Kingston Black apples are known for being the ultimate cider apple, producing a well balanced, full bodied cider with a distinctive rich flavor. This cider is made from 100% Kingston Black apples.

Cidery Description: At Dragon’s Head Cider, we believe in producing high quality hard ciders with a traditional approach, which means you will never find us using apple juice concentrate, over sweetening our ciders, or adding other flavors to our ciders. We love the story that apples and pears can tell all by themselves. And so we keep it simple. Press high quality apples and pears, ferment the juice, put it in a bottle. We believe one of the keys to creating great cider is to have control over the entire process. For this reason, we do the pressing, fermentation, blending and bottling all right here on the farm.

Wes and Laura Cherry moved to Vashon Island in 2010 with the dream of planting an orchard and starting a cidery. Dragon’s Head Farm, named for the dragon who guards the apples of immortality in the Garden of Hesperides, is now home to over 2,200 cider fruit trees as well as our production facility.

They have a tasting room on Vashon Island open Saturdays and Sundays.

Price: $19.99
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: The cider house posted about it on Facebook, and I was glad it was still in stock when I made it there. Didn’t see any more next time I was there.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Very low carbonation, a mix of tiny and large bubbles. Some small bits of sediment. Smells rich, slightly sweet, boozy, of caramel, oak, & vanilla, and acidity & tartness.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Moderate tannins, tartness, and acidity. A hint of bitterness. No sour or funk. Medium bodied. Not as rich as the scent suggested, but had a smooth almost buttery texture with light carbonation. Notes of oak (although it doesn’t appear to be barrel aged), vanilla, and caramel. Long warming finish. Low to moderate apple flavor. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I enjoyed this cider, but I think I had too high of expectations due to it being a Kingston Black single varietal, and was slightly disappointed. I think with less tartness the other flavors could have better shined through and made it more to my liking. Barrel aging this cider would also have been amazing.

Most Similar to: Other dry and tart ciders with slightly rich flavors, although I can’t think of any in particular that are similar to this one.

Closing Notes: Kingston Black ciders don’t disappoint, but I enjoyed Whitewood’s Whisky Barrel Aged Kingston Black cider more than this one. Too bad in the U.S. they are all really limited release (due to the lack of cider apples), as I couldn’t buy a bottle of either of them if I tried. Farnum Hill also just released a Kingston Black cider, although it won’t make it out here to Seattle.

Have you tried any Kingston Black single varietal ciders? What did you think?

Wandering Aengus Golden Russet

February 12, 2016February 7, 2016 cidersays review, Wandering Aengus cider, cider review, cider tasting, Golden Russet, hard cider, oregon, Salem, single varietal, Wandering Aengus

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.

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

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.

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?

Gravenstein Cider Tasting Notes and Wassail

January 20, 2016January 20, 2016 cidersays review cider, cider review, cider tasting, gravenstein, gravenstein cider, hard cider, single varietal, tasting notes

I was invited to share in a gravenstein cider tasting and Wassail at Cider Log Sarah’s house. We sampled 9 single varietal gravenstein ciders, the 2013, 2014, & 2015 versions of Sea Cider Wassail, and wassailed the gravenstein tree at Sarah’s house (to encourage it to start producing apples again).

Specific Gravity 2013 Gravenstein, Sebastopol CA, 6.8% ABV
Specific Gravity Nana Mae’s 2013 Early Harvest Gravenstein, Sebastopol CA, 6.9% ABV
Two Rivers Cider Company Gravenstein Hard Apple Cider, Sacramento CA, 6.5% ABV
Seattle Cider Company Harvest Series Gravenstein Rosé, Seattle WA, 6.9% ABV
Bull Run Gravenstein Single Varietal Medium Dry Cider, Forest Grove OR, 5.8% ABV
Whitewood Cider Company Gravenstein Old Fangled Series 2012 Harvest, Olympia WA, 6.7% ABV
Whitewood Cider Company Gravenstein Old Fangled Series Barrel Aged, Olympia WA, 6.7% ABV
Ace Blackjack 21 2014 Release (Chardonnay barrel aged), Sebastopol CA, 9% ABV
WildCraft Cider Works Farmhouse Gravenstein, Eugene OR, 6.7% ABV

I had contributed the WildCraft Farmhouse Gravenstein, a sample bottle, but most of these were from Sarah’s own collection (many not available in WA, but picked up in her travels).

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by WildCraft Cider Works. 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.<<

Tasting Notes: This was my first single varietal comparison tasting, and honestly they all tasted fairly similar to me. I found them all to be light bodied, moderate to long finish, mild acidity, mild tartness, mild to moderate tannins, mild to moderate apple flavor, generally mild flavored, and low carbonation. The flavor in general seemed quite mild, and I didn’t pick up too many other flavor notes, but they were mostly in the floral category. The WildCraft one was the most sour (moderate), but I also picked up mild sourness in the Whitewood and Seattle Cider selections. The barrel aged Whitewood selection was less sour and more smooth than the non barrel aged selection. Ace was the sweetest selection (almost semi-sweet), but the others were all semi-dry to dry. I couldn’t tell any difference between the two selections from Specific Gravity, and they were the ones with the most perceptible tannins.

I’ll admit, I’m not a huge fan of gravenstein cider…I prefer a richer flavor than gravenstein apples can produce. Oddly enough, the Ace was my favorite of these ciders (I say oddly enough as it was the only commercial selection). Probably as the added sweetness brought more flavor. I enjoyed it more than I had when I tried it when it came out in fall 2014 (they also released it again fall 2015). My second favorite was the two selections from Specific Gravity. That said, none of these amazed me. However, it was fun to try so many single varietals and compare our tasting notes (there was a group of seven of us).

I also sampled Sea Cider Wassail. I could tell the cider was slightly different between the years, but couldn’t exactly describe how. See my previous tasting notes on Wassail. Its definitely a high octane cider at 14% ABV, with a lovely rich spiced flavor.

This is the gravenstein tree we wasailled…which involved providing an offering of toast soaked in mulled cider (we gave it the good stuff, from Sea Cider), beating pots & pans with wooden spoons, and reading a verse we found online. I’m sure the neighbors thought we were nuts!

I was sent home with a six pack of ciders that Cider Log made, so it’ll be fun to sample and review some non-commercial ciders in the near future.

Have you done any single varietal cider tastings? What do you think of gravenstein cider?

Liberty Ciderworks Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal

July 18, 2015July 20, 2015 cidersays Liberty, review apple cider, cider, cider review, crabapple, hard apple cider, hard cider, hard cider review, liberty, Manchurian Crabapple, port, review, single varietal, Spokane

Review of Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal by Liberty Ciderworks. This is my first time trying any of their ciders, and is my first time trying a Single Varietal cider as far as I know (most ciders use a blend of apple varieties).

Cider: Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal
Cidery: Liberty Ciderworks
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 12.5%
How Supplied: 375 ml tall clear glass bottle
Availability: Fairly limited. Per the cidery they currently self-distribute to Spokane and Seattle. In Seattle, they can at least be found at Capitol Cider, Schilling Cider House, Full Throttle Bottles & Special Brews & other bottle shops which specialize in local craft cider, and Total Wine.

Cider Description on Bottle: No larger than a cherry, the Manchurian Crabapple packs a huge flavor punch. Ready for one of the most full-bodied, intensely-flavored ciders you’ll ever encounter? This semi-sweet, single-varietal cider is for you. Enjoy on its own as a digestif, with soft artisan cheeses, or with rich, creamy desserts. Still (non-carbonated).

Additional Information from Rick Hastings, co-founder of Liberty Ciderworks (per my e-mail request): Thanks for your interest in the Manchurian! It’s certainly a unique cider (none others that I’m aware of, presently) and has been very poplar in our tasting room in downtown Spokane. It’s certainly an assertive cider that showcases bright acidity and strong tannins – so much so that in describing it to first-time customers, I’ve taken to calling it a “cider port”, even though it’s not fortified with spirits like true Port is. It’s simply the juice of manchurian crabapples, fermented until the yeast we selected gave up at the 12.5% ABV mark. The juice had potential to hit 14% ABV – certainly the highest sugar content in any apple I’ve ever heard of or used. We age the finished cider around nine months, though not in oak (we’re experimenting with that approach now)….I’ve attached an image of the apples below (at right). As you might imagine, harvesting these tiny apples and sorting them into usable juice takes a LOT of work….Here’s hoping you enjoy it. Some sip it by itself as an aperitif, but I’d suggest you try it with a quality goat cheese, cheesecake dessert or creme brûlée – imagine there’s a world of other options, too. I hear Capitol Cider is using it in a mixed drink or two, as well.

Photo of the crabapples they use:

Rick also sent a great link to a blog article on the labels for this cider, from Advanced Labels Northwest (Seattle area) which has some great photos and cidery & cider info in addition to label/packaging info.

Cidery Description: Liberty Ciderworks (founded 2012) is in Spokane WA, where they also have a tasting room. Their website was surprisingly sparse besides the basics, but they are active on Facebook & Twitter. Facebook lists the following Liberty Ciderworks varieties as available by the bottle: English Style, New World Style, Turncoat Dry-Hop, Stonewall, Heirloom Series, McIntosh Single Varietal, Manchurian Single Varietal, Kingston Black Single Varietal, and Reserve Series. There are more varieties available on tap at their tasting room. They won several awards at this year’s GLINTCAP competition, including a Silver medal for this cider. Congrats!

Price: $14
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown (Seattle), who has a huge local craft cider selection
How Found: Browsing. I’ve had my eye on Liberty Ciderworks though, deciding which one to try first (I was lucky enough to have a few options…New World & English style at Total Wine, and a few at Full Throttle Bottles including this and one other Single Varietal). I chose this one as it looked to be their sweetest offering and I find the high ABV / port or dessert style ciders interesting. Oddly enough I like strong flavors and barrel aged ciders even though I don’t like aged spirits!

Where Drank: home

First Impression: Corked bottle (with attached cap for easy re-capping) with foil covering. Lovely bottle/label too! Amber orange hue, completely still, sweet inviting boozy smell.

Opinion: I find this on the sweeter side of semi-dry than semi-sweet. It definitely has some warmth, and reminds me of similar high ABV bold ciders I’ve liked such as Alpenfire Smoke, 2 Towns the Bad Apple, Sea Cider Prohibition, and especially, Tieton Wind (which is a 16% ABV Pommeau with apple brandy). I pick up some mild vanilla & caramel notes and find it rich & earthy with a bit of a bitter finish. Although I haven’t tried any other single varietals to compare with, I find this cider incredibly complex for one apple variety and no additives. It seems like it has some hints of apple brandy (but it doesn’t). To me it has an interesting thick mouthfeel which sticks around for awhile, which from my experience with the above mentioned ciders seems to occur with these high ABV ciders.

This cider definitely won’t be for everyone…oddly enough my husband thought it smelled “off” and tasted “terrible”, but he hasn’t enjoyed similar ciders like I have. I quite like this cider though! Its very different than what most folks would think of when they think of cider. I go for these sorts of ciders though, when I’m in the right mood. I agree it has an intense flavor. Its also impressive they didn’t need to add any sugar to get the crabapple juice to ferment to that high of an ABV; those are definitely some powerful apples!

I didn’t however completely take Liberty’s suggestion of having this more as a dessert cider, nor did I have any goat cheese, cheesecake, or creme brulee in the house (I wish!). I’d like to try pairings in the future so I’ll have to plan ahead better next time. I opened the bottle before dinner and sipped on it throughout the evening, which also did include dessert (meringues, which worked pretty well). I did this mostly as I wanted to at least try to finish the bottle as I wasn’t sure how it would taste on Day 2 or 3 (as I am drinking it all myself). I’ve found the taste of a cider changes as it is open, no matter how well you re-seal it (typically it becomes less intense). Even then, I couldn’t quite finish it off, so I will have a nice small serving later in the weekend.
Update: On Day 2 the flavor had changed slightly, a bit less bold and a bit more bitter.

Closing Notes: I enjoyed this cider. I imagine if my cider palate was more refined I could offer more descriptors and pairing suggestions, but I can overall say I’m glad I tried it and would recommend it if you think this sort of unique bold strong cider would fit your tastes. I hope Liberty Ciderworks can continue to expand so more folks can try their ciders! I imagine down the road I will try more of their ciders (I’m trying to teach myself to enjoy drier ciders). And, a big big thank you to co-founder Rick Hastings (the other co-founder is Austin Dickey) for the extra info. I think it was a great addition to this review. To be able to speak to a cidery founder for more detailed information is definitely an advantage of small craft cideries.

Have you tried anything from Liberty Ciderworks, or any single varietal or high ABV ciders? What did you think?

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