Finnriver Fire Barrel

March 8, 2018March 8, 2018 cidersays Finnriver, review barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Finnriver, Fire Barrel, hard cider, tasting notes, washington

Review of Finnriver Fire Barrel. I’ve tried the previous version of this (see here) as well as this new version on tap (see here), but now I’m reviewing a new bottle in more detail. I’ve also tried most of Finnriver’s lineup (see here).

Cider: Fire Barrel
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA
ABV: 9.0%
How Supplied: 750ml bottle (and draft)

Availability: Limited release. Finnriver ciders are sold in WA, OR, CA, AZ, NV, TX, IL, CO, and Alberta & BC Canada (detailed info here). They also have an online store (which can ship to WA, OR, CA, AK, CO, MN, FL, & WA D.C.), but I didn’t see this one at the time of review.

Cider Description: A robust, bold and balanced taste of traditional cider apples— with a whisper of whiskey and rye spice; smoky aromas; notes of caramel and vanilla; and a mature, tannic finish.

100% Finnriver orchard organic cider apples: Chisel Jersey, Brown Snout, Harry Master’s Jersey, Medaille d’Or, Frequin rouge, Dabinette & Major.

Carefully farmcrafted and fermented with a blend of homegrown Finnriver orchard organic cider apples and white wine yeast in stainless steel tanks. Once the fermentation is complete, we cask the cider in Washington rye whiskey barrels for 5 months to impart depth and character. This award-winning cider was inspired by PNW cidermaker Drew Zimmerman, whose mentorship and cider apple trees helped us establish our orchard.

After chilling, allow the cider to warm slightly and serve; we favor Fire Barrel in a Belgian-style tulip glass. Try it with roasted pork, slow roasted brisket, a blue cheese burger, cured meats, smoked cheeses or any other hearty, savory fare. Caramelize an onion with Firebarrel cider and add to a dish for a feisty meal.

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

Finnriver has a great illustrated product guide (see here). They have a tasting room and are on the Olympic Pennsylvania cider route, along with the Eaglemount and Alpenfire cideries.

Price: $25
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: My husband got this for me for Christmas! He didn’t know I had already tried this new release, but had remembered me loving the old one.

First Impression: Light caramel amber hue. Nearly still. Smells of cider apples, caramel, and bourbon.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Very light bodied. Low tartness and acidity. Low to moderate bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of bittersweet cider apples, caramel, brown sugar, leather, orange, bourbon, smoke, and oak. Long bitter finish. Moderate apple flavor and flavor intensity. Low barrel influence and sessionability. Low to moderate bourbon influence. Moderate to high complexity.

Opinion: I enjoyed it. However, compared to the old release, this is a disappointment. The price is significantly higher, it is drier, less flavorful, more bitter, and thinner bodied. I agree to serve this at cellar temperature (between fridge & room temp), as colder would mute the flavor. I even enjoy ciders of this style at room temperature.

Most Similar to: Other ciders from bittersweet cider apples. This reminds me of English cider, but with the added bourbon and oak.

Closing Notes: I am curious about next year’s release, and if it will be more like the previous version that I absolutely love.

Have you tried Finnriver Fire Barrel? What did you think?

Woodchuck Tank Series Pear Ginger

March 5, 2018March 2, 2018 cidersays review, Woodchuck cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Middlebury, Pear Ginger, Tank Series, tasting notes, Vermont, Woodchuck

Review of Woodchuck’s Pear Ginger, the first release in their new “Tank Series”, about which they said “Woodchuck has always been synonymous with innovation and our cider makers honor this pioneering spirit with the Tank Series.” I’ve tried most of their lineup; see here.

>>This is a review of a sample can provided to Cider Says by Woodchuck. 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: Pear Ginger
Cidery: Woodchuck
Cidery Location: Middlebury VT
ABV: 5.0%
How Supplied: six pack of 12oz cans (and kegs)
Style: American commercial cider with ginger and pear flavors

Availability: wide release for 3-4 months, then replaced by the next Tank Series

Cider Description: A crisp ripe pear cider bursting with ginger for a taste that is light and refreshing.

Cidery Description: Vermont Cider Company is a leading hard cider maker in the United States, with a state of the art cidery located in Middlebury, Vermont. Vermont Cider Company crafts a variety of ciders for a variety of consumers. There’s ultra-craft Vermont Cider Co., iconic Woodchuck, fruit-forward Wyder’s as well as the classic Magners Irish Cider and Blackthorn, rounding out our import offerings. Vermont Cider Company reinvigorated American hard cider in 1991, with the launch of Woodchuck, and stays focused on the category today through our commitment to crafting innovative and refreshing hard ciders.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $8.99 / six pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Smells of sweet pear juice with spicy ginger.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of syrupy pear, pineapple, spicy ginger, and a hint of citrus. Moderate finish with lingering ginger. Low apple flavor. Mild to moderate ginger flavor (more spicy than burning). Moderate pear flavor, sessionability, and flavor intensity. Mild complexity.

My Opinion: I’m not a ginger fan, so I was a bit ambivalent, but my husband really liked it. Light and refreshing, with the mild ginger made even milder with the sweet pear.

Most Similar to: Woodchuck Out On a Limb Ginger Lovin’, except with more ginger and the added pear.

Closing Notes: This was originally released in summer 2017, as a new version of their Summer Time (which was previously blueberry). They also plan to have two more Tank Series releases this year.

Have you tried Woodchuck Pear Ginger? 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?

Argus Apple Bomb

February 26, 2018February 26, 2018 cidersays Argus, review Apple Bomb, Argus, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, tasting notes, Texas

Review of Argus’ Apple Bomb, part of their ‘Fermentables’ line. It is my first time trying this cider, but I have had their Ciderkin, Ginger Perry, and Perennial 2013.

Cider: Apple Bomb
Cidery: Argus Cidery
Cidery Location: Austin TX
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: multipack of 12oz cans (and draft)
Style: American craft cider

Availability: this is a newish year round release, in over 20/50 states; see here

Cider Description: Apple Bomb is a demi-sec, or slightly sweet, full bodied cider that delivers a blast of fruit and finishes big with a tannic, fruity pucker. This is not a subtle cider, but a fresh apple explosion derived from a collection of fermentation techniques and patience. Cans and draft offerings available.

Cidery Description: Argus Cidery was founded in 2010 in Austin, Texas, simply because the dry, effervescent ciders we liked to drink weren’t available to us. We set out to create ciders that would [hopefully] make one rethink how an American hard cider should taste. Our roots began working only with Texas apples, utilizing a medium that was often overlooked and never before used in cider available for public consumption within our great state. Those small release, large format-only days afforded us the time to figure out how to work with fruit we love and yield ciders and other fruit fermentables that are distinctly dry, bright, and, at the end of the day, excite us.

Price: $2.83 / single can
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: My husband put this in my Christmas stocking!

First Impression: Moderate yellow hue. Moderate to high carbonation with some foam. Smells mild, of yeast and a hint of sulfur.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Low bitterness, tannins, sour, and funk. Notes of sharp apple (crabapple?), lemon, grapefruit, mineral, yeast, and must. Long slightly bitter finish. Low apple flavor, sessionability, and flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I didn’t care for this one at all, and neither did my husband. However, it was in line with the rest of their lineup (especially Perennial). It was interesting that they called this demi-sec / sweet. Maybe in relation to their very dry lineup? To me it was on the dry end of the spectrum. It was also way more complex than I’d expect for a canned cider, as they are typically of the more easy drinking variety.

Most Similar to: This was like a more complex & sour/funky/bitter version of their Ciderkin.

Closing Notes: After four of their ciders, I think I can conclude that Argus’ ciders aren’t for me. There is nothing wrong with that, as each cider won’t be for everybody. I would recommend their ciders for folks of truly dry, sparkling, subtle, unique ciders. Their Ciderkin (at least when I tried it 2-3 years ago) was the most easy to drink and my favorite so far. However, I like ciders a bit sweeter and more flavorful. Argus has really expanded distribution since I first heard of them in 2015.

Have you tried Argus Apple Bomb? What did you think?

2 Towns Pacific Pineapple

February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Pacific Pineapple, pineapple cider, tasting notes

Review of 2 Towns’ newest release, Pacific Pineapple. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve previously had their Bright Cider, Bad Apple, Serious Scrump, Out Cider, Cherried Away, Made Marion, Cidre Moscato, Throne of Thorns, Reserve #1 Barrel Select Blend, Prickle Me Pink, Nice & Naughty, Nice & Naughty Bourbon Barrel Aged, Dark Currant, Riverwood Brut 2014, Rhubarbarian, Pommeau, Ginja Ninja, Sun’s Out Saison, Return of the Mack, Hop and Stalk, La Mûre, Cot in the Act, Hollow Jack, Traditions Cider Bouche 2015, Traditions Riverwood 2015, Flight of the Kiwi, Prickle Me Pink ^2, Afton Field, Traditions Cidre Bouche 2016, and Man Gogh.

Cider: Pacific Pineapple
Cidery: 2 Towns Cider House
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 5.0%
How supplied: 500ml bottles (and kegs and cans)
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, with Costa Rica gold pineapples

Availability: year round, in Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago and parts of Minnesota (see their cider finder)

Cider Description: Juicy and tropical, Pacific Pineapple rolls ripe Costa Rica golden pineapples into fresh-pressed Northwest apples. This refreshingly juicy and easy drinking session cider will relax your state of mind, no matter your locale!

Ripe Costa Rica Gold pineapples drop in on a fresh-pressed wave of Northwest apples in Pacific Pineapple, a tropical cider made possible by the diverse climate of the vast Pacific. Temperate conditions of the Pacific Northwest nurture apple orchards, whereas proximity to the equator further south creates the consistently warm temperature required to grow pineapples. Connected to apples only by name, pineapples have a radical history traveling the world after being discovered by Western explorers, who named them for their resemblance to the pine cone. Popular wherever it landed, the pineapple was regarded as an exotic delicacy, even becoming a symbol of hospitality, as only the most generous of hosts presented their guests with a pineapple. So #BeMorePacific and show your friends the hospitality of a Pacific Pineapple!

Cidery Description: At 2 Towns Ciderhouse we believe that the long history of cidermaking demands respect and deserves to be done right. Starting with the highest quality whole ingredients from local farms, we take no shortcuts in crafting our ciders. We never add any sugar, concentrates or artificial flavors, and instead use slow, cold fermentation methods to allow the fruit to speak for itself. As a family-owned company, we are committed to the growth of our team and enrichment of our communities. We take pride in producing true Northwest craft cider.

They were founded in 2010 and have a tap room in Corvallis Oregon.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $5.49 / 500ml bottle)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Medium yellow hue. Smells of fresh pineapple. Very low carbonation.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, tannins, or funk. Notes of fresh pineapple (not pineapple juice) and citrus. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor and complexity. Moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Great! Refreshing, with real pineapple flavor. This would be especially nice in summer, and at 5% and not being too sweet, it would be almost too easy to drink. Its a tad drier than all the other pineapple ciders I’ve tried, but just as flavorful.

Most Similar to: Reverend Nat’s Viva La Pineapple (and to a lesser extent, Schilling Pineapple Passion, Jester & Judge Pineapple Express, Locust Pineapple, and Ace Pineapple)

Closing Notes: I’ve been really impressed with 2 Towns lately, as they have delivered many flavorful ciders at just the right level of sweetness for me.

Have you tried 2 Towns Pacific Pineapple? What did you think?

Merridale Cyser

February 16, 2018February 11, 2018 cidersays Merridale, review British Columbia, cider, cider review, cider tasting, cyser, hard cider, Merridale, tasting notes

Review of Merridale Cyser (made from apple juice and honey). It is my first time trying this, but have previously had their Scrumpy and House Craft Cider.

Cider: Cyser
Cidery: Merridale
Cidery Location: Cobble Hill, B.C., Canada
ABV: 10%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: Canadian cyser

Availability: mostly in Southwest British Columbia (see here)

Cider Description: A rich blend of aromatic cider apples and local wildflower honey from our own orchard. Inspired by the finest tradition of Medieval England, where the Normans and Celts credited cyser with magical powers. Aged for several months to a year after bottling…Winner of Silver Medal at the North American Beer Awards, and won ‘Best in Show’ at the 2013 Portland International Cider Cup.

Cidery Description: Since 1990, we have been making our unique ciders from heritage varieties of English, French, and German cider apples. These apples have been used in the cider regions of Europe for many hundreds of years. Each of our ciders is a blend of apples aimed at a particular palate. Our orchard has a wide range of bittersharp and bittersweet apples allowing us to create our distinctive family of products. Some, like the House, Merri Berri and Traditional are designed to be enjoyed as a glass or a pint, with or without food. Others, like our Scrumpy and Cyser are rich in history from medieval times of Olde England. As always, our cider is made without artificial flavours or colours and no added sulphites.

In addition to cider, they also run a farm and distillery under the same name.

Price: $9.49 CAN (~$7.55 USD)
Where Bought: Liquor Express in Victoria B.C.
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Dark straw yellow hue. High carbonation. Smells of acidic apples and honey.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate to high acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of baked apple, honey & honeycomb, floral, lemon, and butterscotch. Long boozy finish. Moderate apple flavor, honey flavor, flavor intensity, and complexity. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I really liked it. Great apple and honey flavor with a bit of an extra kick with the high ABV. However, it was a tad harsh due to that higher ABV; I think barrel aging this would have been awesome.

Closing Notes: This was an excellent value. I look forward to trying more from them.

Have you tried Merridale Cyser? What did you think?

Cidre de Rhuys Brut

February 14, 2018February 14, 2018 cidersays Cidre de Rhuys, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, cidre, French, french cider, French cidre, hard cider, tasting notes

Review of Cidre de Rhuys Brut, from France. It is my first time trying anything from this cidery.

Cider: Brut
Cidery: Cidre de Rhuys
Cidery Location: Brittany France
ABV: 5.5%
How Supplied: 330ml and 750ml bottles, and kegs
Style: French cidre from the Brittany region

Availability: semi wide release (see here)

Description: For three generations our family has perfected the craft of making artisanal natural cider. Made from only freshly harvested fruit, each apple is carefully selected and hand picked. A slow fermentation allows the cider to develop its rich fine flavours and gentle acidity without the use of added sulfites or pasteurization. Award winning in both regional and international competitions, please enjoy our cider fresh and lightly chilled.

Price: ~$4?
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. It was the only French cidre available at the time in single serve bottles, and I hadn’t tried it.

First Impression: Moderate brown amber hue. Very high carbonation with some foam (I ended up spilling about 1/3 of the bottle upon opening!). Smells of sweet bittersweet apple juice.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light to medium bodied with a fluffy texture. Low tartness, acidity, bitterness, and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of primarily apple pomace, with some brown sugar and caramel. Moderate length finish. Moderate flavor intensity, apple flavor, and sessionability. Low to moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I liked it. However, its not one of my favorite French cidres. It smelled quite sweet and of apple juice, but the flavor was surprisingly dry and mild, of apple skin, with some hints of richness. With the flavor profile I think I would have liked it a bit sweeter.

Most Similar to: Herout AOC Cotentin Extra-Brut and Aval. However, for a single serve Brittany France cidre, I prefer Celt (this has a bit less sweetness and more complexity though) as well as Lefevre Winter Cidre.

Closing Notes: This also comes in a Doux version, and in larger bottle sizes, but I’ve only seen this one.

Have you tried French cidre? What did you think?

Salt Spring Wild Cider Semi-Dry

February 12, 2018February 12, 2018 cidersays review, Salt Spring Wild Cider British Columbia, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Salt Spring, Salt Spring Wild Cider, Semi-Dry, tasting notes

Review of Salt Spring Wild Cider’s Semi-Dry. It is my first time trying anything from this cidery.

Cider: Semi-Dry
Cidery: Salt Spring Wild Cider
Cidery Location: Salt Spring Island, B.C., Canada
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: Canadian craft cider from heirloom apples

Availability: In B.C. Canada, such as in Salt Spring, Pender, Victoria, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and Okanagan Valley (see here)

Cider Description: Our ciders are made with the wild apples and pears that grow on Salt Spring Island, and with apples from regional organic orchards. We never add any water. Our process involves slow-fermenting single varieties and allowing each to mature until it has fully developed. The ciders are then carefully blended for complexity and depth of flavor; our Dry and Semi-Dry ciders are each blends of over 10 different apple varieties! While the blending process is crucial (and arduous), the special character of our cider is due to the wealth of heritage cider apples that grow on Salt Spring, and to our commitment to making fully organic ciders. In general, you’ll find that we tend to make our ciders quite dry, with delicate flavors (including our berry and plum ciders), and that’s the way we like them!

Cidery Description: Crafted from handpicked Salt Spring Apples, this refreshing cider brings just a touch of sweetness to brighten up your day. Light-hearted citrusy notes are offset by earthy undertones, making this a well balanced cider that’s great for any occasion. Viva la Cidré!

They have a tasting room on Salt Spring Island.

Price: $14.19 CAN (~$11.28 USD)
Where Bought: Liquor Express in Victoria B.C.
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, while we were in port during a cruise

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells of acidic heirloom apples and citrus.

Tasting Notes: On the drier side of semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Hints of tannins and bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of baked apple, lemon, herbs, and straw. Moderate apple flavor, complexity, and sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: I liked it. However, it was fairly simple and more acidic than I prefer. I was hoping for a bit of cider apple flavor based on the bottle label description, but I just picked up the heirloom apples. I’d recommend this for folks who like drier acidic unflavored ciders, but want something a bit more complex than the more commonly found ciders from dessert apples.

Closing Notes: Salt Spring has a large lineup of ciders I’d be interested in trying if I spot them on a future trip to B.C.

Have you tried Salt Spring Wild Cider? What did you think?

Scenic Road Razz

February 8, 2018February 4, 2018 cidersays review, Scenic Road cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, raspberry cider, Razz, Scenic Road, Scenic Road Cider, tasting notes

Review of Scenic Road Cider’s Razz, a raspberry flavored cider. It is my first time trying anything from this cidery.

Cider: Razz
Cidery: Scnenic Road Cider
Cidery Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: Canadian craft cider from dessert apples, with raspberries added

Availability: in Western Canada (see their cider locator here)

Cider Description: A unique blend of traditional apple varieties from the Okanagan Valley pressed and fermented with Fraser Valley raspberries. This sparkling cider has a distinct well- balanced aroma that leaves a hint of raspberry after each sip.

Cidery Description: Scenic Road’s orchards have produced eight decades of harvest. Our backyard is home to the apple varieties found in our small-batch, hand crafted ciders. Follow the Scenic Road to our tasting room and savour the taste of the good life!

Price: $8.17 CAN (~$6.58 USD)
Where Bought: The Strath in Victoria B.C.
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, while we were on a cruise port stop. This is a gem of a bottle shop near downtown Victoria and the port, with a little bit of everything.

First Impression: Light red hue. Nearly still / very low carbonation. Smells like real raspberries.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of fresh/real raspberry and tart green apple. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor and complexity. Low to moderate flavor intensity. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked it. I’m glad this didn’t get the sweet raspberry candy scent/flavor which I’ve commonly found with fruity ciders. However, this is a rather simple easy-drinking cider, which I think may be better suited for cans (although the price for a 500ml bottle was pretty reasonable).

Most Similar to: Raven’s Moon Apple Raspberry, which is also a B.C. cider, although that one was significantly more tart and less sessionable (and a bit more complex); I think Scenic Road has the edge over Raven’s Moon for raspberry cider. All the other raspberry ciders I’ve had have been significantly more sweet.

Closing Notes: This would be great especially in spring/summer, for folks who want a fruity and flavorful cider without much sweetness.

Have you tried Scenic Road Cider Razz? What did you think?

Foggy Ridge Serious Cider

February 6, 2018February 4, 2018 cidersays Foggy Ridge, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Foggy Ridge, hard cider, Serious Cider, tasting notes, Virginia

Review of Foggy Ridge’s Serious Cider. It is my first time trying anything from this cidery. I picked it up at a cruise port stop in San Francisco CA last fall.

Cider: Serious Cider
Cidery: Foggy Ridge
Cidery Location: Dugspur VA
ABV: 7.0%
How Supplied: 750ml bottles
Style: American craft cider from heirloom & cider apples

Availability: At least in NY, MD, DL, DC, VA, NC, SC, TN, AL, and GA (and CA)

Cider Description: Foggy Ridge Cider began in 1997 with a cider apple orchard in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains. Founder Diane Flynt “grows ingredients”—bitter and acidic apples like Hewe’s Crab, Harrison, Tremlett’s Bitter, Ashmead’s Kernel and Dabinett, all full of complex flavor. For over a dozen years, the Foggy Ridge crew has crafted traditional cider apples into fine cider using all the skill and expertise of modern fermentation.

Cidery Description: Serious Cider mixes traditional English cider apples like Tremlett’s Bitter and Dabinett with tart American favorites like Ashmead’s Kernel and Roxbury Russet. This crisp light food friendly cider is a refreshing aperitif paired with cheesy nibbles. Cidermaker Notes: “Rich apple and citrus aroma with a touch of apricot and apple blossoms. Serious Cider is bright and lively on the palate with creamy layers. It is full bodied with soft minerality and hints of peach and lime zest. Focused acidity combined with textured dusty tannin create a long and pleasantly dry finish.”

Price: $19.99
Where Bought: The Jug Shop in San Francisco CA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had heard of Foggy Ridge, but haven’t seen them in WA.

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mild, of acidic tropical fruit.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness. High acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of pineapple, stone fruit, white grape, green apple, lemon, and mineral. Long acidic finish. Low apple flavor and sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Moderate to high complexity.

My Opinion: I liked it. However, dry acidic ciders just aren’t a style I love. I was hoping for some rich bittersweet apple flavor, but I only picked up the heirloom apples (high acidity with hints of bitterness and tannins). All in all this is well made and will likely appeal to folks who enjoy dry acidic ciders.

Most Similar to: Eve’s Beckhorn Hollow

Closing Notes: Unfortunately Foggy Ridge is no longer making cider, as their lead cidermaker Diane Flynt recently retired. You may be able to still find some of their bottles in stores for a bit, but they have stopped online sales (out of inventory).

Have you tried Foggy Ridge cider? What did you think?

Left Field British Dry

February 2, 2018February 2, 2018 cidersays Left Field, review British Dry, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Left Field, tasting notes

Review of Left Field’s British Dry. I picked this up at a cruise port stop in Victoria B.C. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve had their Little Dry before.

Cider: British Dry
Cidery: Left Field
Cidery Location: Logan Lake, B.C., Canada
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: Canadian craft cider from B.C. apples, including bittersweet varieties

Availability: Year round, only in B.C. and Alberta Canada

Cider Description: Our English Dry cider is dominated by bittersweet cider apple varieties which originated in the United Kingdom. The result is a cider that balances bitter tannins and stringency with rich apple aromatics.

Cidery Description: Family-owned and operated by sisters Theresa and Kate, Left Field focuses on a small batch approach to traditional cider-making which brings out the natural characteristics of the apples. We make handcrafted, artisanal English-style cider by blending English and French cider varieties with BC dessert apples.

They have a tasting room open seasonally.

Price: $9.05 CAN (~ $7.35 USD)
Where Bought: The Strath in Victoria B.C.
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells acidic and of citrus.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of dry. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of juicy tart green apple, lemon, and mineral. Moderate length acidic finish. Moderate apple flavor, flavor intensity, complexity, and sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked the juicy flavor. However, I was disappointed by the lack of perceived bittersweet cider apple flavor and English cider qualities – it tasted more like a mix of dessert and heirloom varieties to me. That said, I imagine the bittersweet apples added to the flavor of the final product, despite them not being individually identifiable.

Most Similar to: Left Field Little Dry and Virtue Cider Michigan Brut

Closing Notes: I’d recommend Left Field to fans of dry cider who live in B.C. They remain one of the best choices for true craft cider in the area, along with Sea Cider, Tod Creek, etc. Stay tuned for more reviews of B.C. cider here, as I picked up a number of bottles when I was there.

Have you tried Left Field cider? What did you think?

Citizen Cider Tulsi

January 31, 2018January 29, 2018 cidersays Citizen Cider, review basil cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Citizen Cider, hard cider, tasting notes, Tulsi, Vermont

Review of Citizen Cider’s Tulsi, a holy basil infused cider. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve previously had their Wit’s Up, Mr. Burlington, and Ms. Burlington.

Cider: Tulsi
Cidery: Citizen Cider
Cidery Location: Burlington VT
ABV: 5.4%
How Supplied: 12oz cans (and draft)
Style: American craft cider from Vermont dessert apples, with holy basil (tulsi)

Availability: limited, but in general their ciders are sold in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Metro Philadelphia (see their cider locator)

Cider Description: Tulsi, more commonly known as Holy Basil an aromatic perennial. Harvested in the summer of 2017 right here in Burlington at Hallow Herb Farm. We add this local herb to our off-dry cider blend and let it steep letting the aromatic basil complement the fresh apple cider. Once a house favorite only shared locally, now a cider to share with the Citizens.

Cidery Description: Justin Heilenbach, Bryan Holmes and Kris Nelson founded Citizen Cider in 2010 on a hunch and some good old-fashioned hard work. Kris was working as a wine salesmen, Bryan as a chemist and Justin as a small farmer. All discontent for one reason or another, they started pressing sweet cider in Kris’s barn and fermenting test batches of hard cider in Bryan’s basement. As it happens, they discovered that their ideas about hard cider translated into some pretty unique and interesting finished products.

See more about their story here. Citizen Cider has a tasting room in Burlington Vermont.

Price: n/a (but retails for ~ $9.99 / four pack)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells mildly herbal.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Hints of bitterness. No tannins, sourness, or funk. Herbal (basil and botanical) notes with lime, lemon, and green apple. Moderate length finish. Low apple flavor and flavor intensity. Moderate sessionability and complexity.

My Opinion: I liked it. This was a very mildly flavored cider, but the herbal citrus mix was nice.

Most Similar to: I’ve had two ciders with basil (Seattle Cider Basil Mint and One Tree Lemon Basil), but neither was similar to this. It was however similar to Citizen’s Ms. Burlington.

Closing Notes: I preferred this to their other releases I’ve tried. However, so far my husband is a bigger fan of their ciders than I am (as he enjoys mild dry ciders more than I do).

Have you tried Citizen Cider Tulsi? What did you think?

Phillippi Fruit Snow Dance

January 29, 2018January 29, 2018 cidersays Phillippi, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Phillippi, Pommeau, Snow Dance, Snowdance, tasting notes

Review of Phillippi Fruit Snow Dance, an apple brandy fortified cider (aka Pommeau). I tried this at a tasting event a couple years ago (see here), but hadn’t ever seen it in stores, so I was thrilled to find a bottle when traveling.

Cider: Snowdance
Cidery: Phillippi Fruit
Cidery Location: Wenatchee WA
ABV: 16%
How Supplied: 750ml cork-top bottles
Style: Pommeau (cider + apple brandy)

Availability: very limited, likely only in central WA

Cider Description: We love winter for the snowpack in can bring to the Cascades. In fact, we are dependent on snowy winters for skiing, whitewater, and the agriculture we enjoy here. Sometimes winter needs a little help, and that’s where Snow Dance come in. Inspired by the French pommeau de normandie, Snow Dance is a hard cider containing 19% alcohol by volume. We fortify partially fermented cider with double distilled apple brandy to preserve the fresh-off-the-farm aroma. Snow Dance brings a wonderful flavor while not being cloyingly sweet. We’re pretty sure this is going to be your new winter warmer!

Cidery Description: Welcome! At Phillipi Fruit, we craft spirits and cider from the world famous tree fruits that surround us in Wenatchee, Washington. With six generations of fruit growing experience to our name, starting a ciderhouse and distillery was a natural extension for us as well as a way to express ourselves, share our heritage, and showcase one of the world’s premier growing regions. Find the perfect place, surround yourself with people you love, have fun, and great things will happen. We’re excited for what’s next for Phillippi Fruit, and look forward sharing it with you. Cheers!

Price: ~ $23 ?
Where Bought: Broken Barrel in Leavenworth WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: I read about this shop online when planning a repeat visit to Leavenworth (a Bavarian-themed mountain town about 2.5 hours East of Seattle). We went in December so all the lights were up, but mid-week, without the crowds. Broken Barrel focuses on wine and cider. The cider selection (both on tap and in bottles) was great, and I picked up this bottle plus a new to me cider. The shopkeeper said I chose her two most expensive ciders – I guess I have good taste!

First Impression: Light gold hue. Still. Smells of alcohol, honey, and apple.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low tartness, acidity, bitterness, and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of honey, ripe apple, caramelized sugar, oak, and tropical fruit. Long finish. Low apple flavor, sessionability, and barrel influence. Moderate flavor intensity and complexity. High spirit influence.

My Opinion: Awesome! I love the flavor of this. Definitely alcohol-forward, but for me it drank more like a sweetish wine than a Pommeau, meaning that I sipped on it all evening, not just after dinner. It also reminded me a lot of cyser (made from honey + apples), as I found it to have a lot of honey flavor.

However, note that I found this didn’t keep as well as I expected for a high ABV beverage. I’d recommend finishing the bottle within a few days. I left the last little bit sit for over a week, and it tasted like the flavor was sucked out of it, leaving only the alcohol. Previously I had found ice cider and Pommeau and the like to maintain their flavor pretty well for up to 1-2 weeks.

Most Similar to: This was lighter / less rich than most of the Pommeaux I’ve had (such as from 2 Towns, Etienne Dupont, EZ Orchards, Finnriver, Stem, and Wandering Aengus). I found it most similar to an Imperial style cider which also had a lot of honey flavor, Central City Limited Edition Imperial Cider.

Closing Notes: It doesn’t appear that Phillippi makes any regular cider, but they also list an Applejack (unaged apple brandy), Kirschwasser (cherry brandy), and Pear Brandy on their website.

Have you tried Phillippi Fruit Snow Dance? What did you think?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They have two tap rooms in the Portland area.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chatter Creek Barrel Roll

January 24, 2018January 24, 2018 cidersays Chatter Creek, review barrel aged, barrel roll, Chatter Creek, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, tasting notes

Review of Chatter Creek’s Barrel Roll, a bourbon barrel aged cider. It is my first time trying this, but I’ve previously had their Pilot Project Batch ‘1’ Golden Cider and Chaider Clipper.

Cider: Barrel Roll
Cidery: Chatter Creek
Cidery Location: Woodinville WA
ABV: 9.4%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle, crown cap, attached flip top
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples, bourbon barrel aged

Availability: Seattle WA area, plus online sales (to AK, AZ, CA, DC, HI, IL, MN, MO, OR, and WA)

Cider Description: This cider was aged for 4 months in American oak barrels that had been used to age JP Trodden Bourbon Whiskey. It is bone dry and displays the balance of oak and apple aromas. About a third of the apples used in the blend are Granny Smith, which provide the nice snap in the finish. Only 4 barrels of this were produced and it is only available through the winery tasting room or a few select taps around town.

Cidery Description: Gordon Rawson has been making grape wine since the 80s, and started Chatter Creek in 1996. Cider is a more recent venture however. All the cider names and labels are aviation-themed. They have a tasting room in Woodinville WA, Northeast of Seattle.

Price: $9.99
Where Bought: Brigid’s Bottleshop in Edmonds WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. This was my first time visiting this bottle shop. They had a great bottle selection, but had higher prices than anywhere else I’d seen. They also had 1 rotating cider on tap I think.

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, of alcohol (bourbon).

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. Low to moderate tartness and acidity. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of bourbon, oak, vanilla, and lemon. Long boozy finish. Low flavor intensity, apple flavor, barrel influence, and sessionability. Moderate bourbon influence. Low to moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I liked the bourbon flavor. However, overall the cider was a bit harsh for my tastes, between the dryness and high ABV, and I prefer a higher flavor intensity. I think backsweetening with honey would have been great (to end up with a flavor profile like Big B’s Grizzly Brand or 2 Towns The Bad Apple). I’d recommend this for folks who enjoy bourbon / spirits.

Most Similar to: Locust Bourbon Barrel Aged (although that was higher ABV) and Carlton Cyderworks Slake (although that was semi-dry)

Closing Notes: Of the three ciders I’ve tried from Chatter Creek so far, my favorite was Pilot Project Batch ‘1’ Golden Cider.

Have you tried barrel aged cider? What did you think?

Portland Cider Concord Grape

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

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

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

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

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

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

They have two tap rooms in the Portland area.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strongbow Limited Edition Minis

January 19, 2018January 8, 2018 cidersays review, Strongbow Artisanal, canned cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, mini cans, Strongbow, tasting notes

Review of Strongbow’s Limited Edition Minis. I’ve previously tried their British Dry (original version), Gold (U.S. version), and Red Berries, Ginger, and Honey Apple.

Cider: Limited Edition Minis
Cidery: Strongbow
ABV: 4.5-6.0%
How Supplied: four pack of 5.1oz cans
Style: American commercial cider (with color and flavor)

Availability: wide release, in the U.S. (see here)

Gold Apple Description:  Crisp, refreshing taste with a hint of golden apple and a smooth, elegant finish.
Orange Blossom Description:  Spring-like fresh orange blossom aroma with a touch of sweetness and a juicy apple finish.
Cherry Blossom Description:  A cherry blossom aroma with a subtle sweetness and a ripe apple finish.
Artisanal Blend Description:  Crafted with semi-sweet, cold-pressed heirloom apples.

Price: $0.99
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had read about these online, but only saw them at Total Wine, several months after other folks talked about it.

Artisanal Blend Notes: Hazy hue. Low carbonation. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness and acid. Apple-forward but mildly flavored, with hints of honey and citrus. I didn’t get any sort of heirloom apple flavor or complexity out of this.

Cherry Blossom Notes: Light pink/red hue. On the sweeter side of semi-sweet. Slightly cherry cough syrupy, with a moderate flavor intensity, and little to no apple flavor.

Orange Blossom Notes: Light orange hue. Semi-sweet. Reminiscent of orange soda, with a moderate flavor intensity, and little to no apple flavor.

Gold Apple Notes: Light gold hue. Sweet. Medium bodied. Overly apple juice like, with a moderate to strong flavor intensity.

My Opinion: The Artisanal was my favorite by far, and something I actually wouldn’t mind drinking again, unlike everything else Strongbow makes. However, it wouldn’t be anywhere near my first choice.

Most Similar to: The overall style/flavor and sweetness of Strongbow Artisanal reminded me of Angry Orchard Easy Apple, but Easy Apple was significantly more complex.

Closing Notes: I’d recommend these for folks who typically drink sweet commercial cider, like Angry Orchard or Woodchuck.

Have you tried the U.S. version of Strongbow? What did you think?

Art+Science Symbiosis

January 17, 2018January 20, 2018 cidersays Art+Science, review Art+Science, barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, grape cider, hard cider, Symbiosis, tasting notes, wild fermented

Review of Art+Science Symbiosis cider, 50% apple + 50% grape. It is my first time trying anything from this cidery.

Cider: Symbiosis, 2015
Cidery: Art+Science
Cidery Location: Sheridan OR
ABV: 10.8%
How Supplied: 750ml crown capped bottle with attached flip top
Ingredients: 50% foraged apple + 50% Grüner Veltliner white grape
Style: American craft apple & grape wine, wild yeast fermented, ancestral method, white wine barrel aged for 10 months, secondary fermentation in bottle

Availability: Oregon (especially Portland), California, Washington, New Orleans LA, and New York NY, plus online sales

Cider Description: Symbiosis: any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different species, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasitic. Symbiosis is made from foraged apples in the Willamette Valley and Grüner Veltliner grown at Johan Vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Grüner Veltliner is the most widely planted white grape in Austria. The apples are milled and pressed and the apple juice is added to the destemmed and crushed Grüner Veltliner. It is 50% apples and 50% white grapes and is naturally fermented with native yeast on the skins of the gruner for 3 weeks then aged in used white wine barrels for 10 months. Then it is re-sweetened and put in bottle to finish a secondary fermentation to add some carbonation. This beverage is made with no added acid, no forced carbonation and no pasteurization. It is the most vinous cider we produce with great mid pallet weight. Take a sip and take a breath of fresh air…..

Cidery Description: Welcome to Art+Science! We are natural cider, perry, and wine producers using primarily foraged fruit & fermenting with indigenous yeast in rural Yamhill County, Oregon. We are working towards building a tasting room in 2018, but we welcome visitors by appointment to drink at our kitchen table with us!

They are associated with Roshamboart Farm and started commercially making wine in 2011 and cider in 2013.

Price: $12.99 (looks like I got a good deal, as the online price is $28)
Where Bought: K&L Wines in San Francisco CA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, while we were in port during a cruise

First Impression: Moderate hazy yellow hue. Low carbonation. Smells of citrus, vinegar, and yeast.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Light to medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate acidity. Low sourness, tannins, bitterness, and funk. Notes of grapefruit, lemon, honey, yeast, white grape, vinegar, oak, must, and cork. Long warming sour finish. Moderate flavor intensity. Low apple & grape flavor, barrel influence, and sessionability. Moderate to high complexity.

My Opinion: I was ambivalent about this cider. I didn’t dislike it, but I wouldn’t choose it again. It was definitely nice to try though, and very unique, wine-like. A lot of effort obviously went into producing it. I would recommend this cider for folks who enjoy a more rustic farmhouse-style cider and/or Spanish Sidra. Note that this was the front of the palate sourness, not as brash (to me at least) as Sidra, but did have a bit of that vinegar type flavor.

Most Similar to: The only white grape cider I think I’ve had is 2 Towns Cidre Moscato (with Muscat grapes), but I’m not sure that was co-fermented, and it was a completely different style. However, the rustic (wild fermented) style of this cider reminded me of Runcible Cider Light of the Moon, Alpenfire Pirate’s Plank, Angry Orchard Walden Hollow, and Wrangletown Cider Co.’s lineup. The other ciders I’ve had with a white grape flavor were sweeter & fruity, which this cider was not.

Closing Notes: At the same shop I also picked up a bottle of Art+Science’s 100% Quince cider (although in that case it would just be fruit wine). Their website says they are distributed in WA, and I was told it was through ‘Walden’, but I don’t think I’ve spotted anything made by them yet.

Have you tried Art+Science Symbiosis? 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?

Oliver’s Gold Rush Cider

January 12, 2018January 16, 2018 cidersays Oliver's, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, England, English Cider, Gold Rush, hard cider, Oliver's, tasting notes, United Kingdom

Review of Oliver’s Gold Rush Cider, batch #2. This was a collaboration between Tom Oliver (of Oliver’s Cider and Perry in the UK) and Gregory Hall (of Virtue Cider in Chicago). I’ve previously tried Oliver’s Herefordshire Perry and Desire.

Cider: Gold Rush
Cidery: Oliver’s Cider and Perry
Cidery Location: Herefordshire United Kingdom
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: 750ml twist-top bottle
Style: English still cider from cider apples, wild yeast fermented, oak aged, secondary fermentation

Availability: limited, although in general Oliver’s can at least be found in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, and USA (see here).

Cider Description: Have you noticed similarities between Tom Oliver’s wild yeast- fermented ciders and traditional lambics? You aren’t the only one. During a visit to Oliver’s farm in 2011, Greg Hall – former brewmaster at Goose Island, and current cidermaker at Virtue Cider in Chicago – proposed a collaborative cider made in the traditional way, but with a lambic yeast thrown in for further complexity. The result is the Gold Rush: a…sparkling, medium dry cider with a deep, burnished color made from 100% bittersweet and sharp vintage cider apples from traditional Herefordshire farms. The juice was slow fermented by wild yeasts in old oak barrels through a cold winter and underwent malolactic fermentation in the warm spring. Oliver then added fruit sugar and lambic yeasts for a second alcoholic fermentation, adding a touch more alcohol and complexity. It was finished in oak, for maturity, before final blending and bottling. The first transatlantic cider that is everything a bittersweet cider should be.

Cidery Description: Oliver’s strives to produce premium products, while valuing the health and well being of its consumers, its employees, the earth’s natural resources, and the environment. In fact, Oliver’s have created a charter that they hope all cider makers will follow. Its tenets are these:

To help secure the future of UK orchards and their ecosystems
Preserve the integrity of cider and perry as valuable products of recognized quality using only UK fruit
Declare ingredients (with traceability), based on a minimum juice content of 85%, control and minimize additives and use only natural products.”

Price: $14.99
Where Bought: The Jug Shop in San Francisco CA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing during a cruise port stop.

First Impression: Moderate amber hue. Still (no carbonation) with some froth. Smells amazingly complex, of bittersweet apple juice, caramel, and a hint of funk.

Tasting Notes: On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Light bodied. Low tartness, acidity, and bitterness. High tannins. Hints of funk. No sourness. Notes of bittersweet apple, caramel, leather, orange, brown sugar, must, and spice. Long finish. Moderate to high apple flavor and complexity. Low sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Amazing! This was crazy rich and complex. I love the color too – it is so rare to find such a naturally dark cider. I was surprised to not find more funk or any sourness, which is rare for a wild fermented cider. This is now one of my favorite English ciders. Best drank at cellar temperature (in between fridge and room temperature).

Closing Notes: I hope I get the opportunity to try more varieties from Oliver’s! I liked this one just slightly more than Desire (as Gold Rush was more tannic and complex).

Have you tried Oliver’s Gold Rush? What did you think?

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