2 Towns Afton Field

May 30, 2019May 29, 2019 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, Afton Field, cider, cider review, cider tasting, farmhouse cider, hard cider, oregon cider, tasting notes, Traditions

Review of 2 Towns Afton Field, part of their Traditions line. I previously at least tried this on tap (see here), plus I’ve had most of their cider lineup (see here).

Cider: Afton Field, 2017
Cidery: 2 Towns Ciderhouse
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 375ml bottles (and kegs)
Style: American craft heritage farmhouse-style dry cider, barrel aged 1 year, bottle conditioned (soured) with Brettanomyces yeast

Availability: limited release, yearly in April [in Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii, Chicago, and parts of Minnesota & Montana (see their cider finder)]

Cider Description: Inspired by farmhouse ciders of the pioneer West, Afton Field is a testament to the tenacity of these settlers and their enduring orchards. Fresh-pressed, hand-picked Wickson crab, Newtown Pippin and other pioneer apple varieties are fermented, aged in oak barrels, and bottle conditioned with wild Brettanomyces yeast. Bone dry, unfiltered and uncompromising, this farmhouse cider is wild at heart and at home on the rustic table.

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.

Price: n/a (retails for ~ $10)
Where Bought: n/a
Where Drank: home
How Found: it showed up

First Impression: Slightly hazy light straw yellow hue. No carbonation. Smells of musty sharp apple.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Light bodied. High tartness. Moderate to high acidity. Moderate funk. Low sourness and tannins. Hints of bitterness. Notes of sharp crab apple, lemon, must, straw, mineral, and a hint of herbs. Moderate length finish. Moderate apple flavor and sessionability. Low to moderate flavor intensity. Moderate to high complexity.

My Opinion: This isn’t a style that personally appeals to me. I’d recommend this for fans of bone dry farmhouse-style (sour, rustic) ciders and/or beers.

Most Similar to: other bone dry farmhouse-style ciders, such as Alpenfire Pirate’s Plank, Gitche Gumee Ciderworks Entropy, Number 12 Sparkling Dry, Runcible Cider Light of the Moon, Angry Orchard Walden Hollow, and Sietsema Traditional Dry

Closing Notes: I think moving their ‘Traditions’ line from a separate brand of large ~$20 bottles to smaller ~$10 bottles under the 2 Towns brand (but differentiated by bottle type/size and label format) a couple years ago was a very smart move, as they are an easier sell.

Have you tried 2 Towns Afton Field? What did you think?

2 Towns Traditions Cidre Bouche – 2015 Vintage

November 25, 2016November 28, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, review 2 Towns, cider, cider review, cidre, cidre bouche, French, hard cider, keeved, tasting notes, Traditions

Review of 2 Towns Traditions Cidre Bouche, a French-style keeved cider. This is one of two ciders which they released to start off their new Traditions line. Their Traditions line will replace their separate Traditions brand and focus on barrel aged vintage cider from heirloom apples. The other is Riverwood, which I’ll be reviewing next. Two others will soon be released, Afton Field and La Mûre. Its my first time trying this cider, although I’ve tried many other ciders from 2 Towns (see here).

Keeving is a special labor intensive process of fermenting the cider slowly, starving it of natural nutrients. It results in an apple-forward, naturally sweet, lower ABV, and higher carbonation cider. This is typical for French cidre, but is very rare in the U.S.

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by 2 Towns. 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: Traditions Cidre Bouche
Cidery: 2 Towns
Cidery Location: Corvallis Oregon
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 375ml bottles
Style: American craft French keeved style cider from heirloom apples, oak aged

Availability: Limited (only 240 cases of 12 bottles), although 2 Towns ciders are generally available in AK, CA, HI, ID, OR, WA, and Minneapolis MN & Chicago IL.

Cider Description: Oregon grown bittersweet heirloom apples. Old world keeving method. Aged in French oak casks….Inspired by the bittersweet ciders of France, Cidre Bouché is made with an Old World process called keeving. We start with 100% traditional cider apple varieties like Kingston Black, Michelin, Reine des Pommes, Dabinett and Muscat de Lense, and then let the fruit ‘sweat’ and intensify in aroma. Next, the apples are crushed and left to soak on the skins before the juice is fermented slowly over the course of a year, and aged in French oak casks. When finished, this keeved cider is rich, thick and brimming with overripe bittersweet apple character. Pairs well with classic French fare— think savory crepes, pork terrine, camembert and blue cheese.

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

First Impression: Hazy medium orange amber hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells slightly funky and apple forward.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low to moderate tartness. Moderate to high acid. Low funk and tannins. Hints of sourness and bitterness. Notes of unfiltered apple juice, apple pomace, honey, orange, grapefruit, and butterscotch. Moderate length finish. Moderate to high apple flavor. Moderate sessionability. Moderate flavor intensity. Moderate complexity.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed it, and thought it paired well with Thanksgiving dinner. It got a bit funkier as it warmed up, so I preferred it cold. I’m a fan of these sorts of bold and rich ciders, and of (not too funky or sour) French cidre.

Most Similar to: French cidre. It definitely seemed true to the style, in between Normandy and Brittany French cidre as it was a bit funky (as Normandy cidre can tend to be), but not overly so. However, it was a bit higher acidity and more fruity though (although the grapefruit I picked up might have been more from the high acidity than anything else), which was a nice twist.

Closing Notes: I look forward to trying the other ciders in their new Traditions line. I think they made a great choice to release them in smaller 375ml bottles, as it will reduce the price point and increase the number of bottles available. I also think the switch to keep these under their 2 Towns brand but in a separate category was a smart move.

Have you tried 2 Towns Traditions Cidre Bouche? What did you think?

Traditions Ciderworks Bourbon Barrel – 2012 Vintage

April 1, 2016March 28, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, review, Traditions 2 Towns, barrel aged, Bourbon Barrel, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Traditions

Review of Bourbon Barrel (2012 Vintage) from Traditions Ciderworks (a 2 Towns brand, which they have now absorbed into their regular line). I bought a bottle of this after loving it at Cider Summit Seattle 2015 (tasting notes here). I’ve tried a number of ciders from Traditions Ciderworks (see here) and 2 Towns (see here).

Cider: Bourbon Barrel, 2012 Vintage
Cidery: Traditions Ciderworks (2 Towns)
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 6.9%
How Supplied: 750ml champagne bottles, corked & caged
Style: American Bourbon barrel aged cider made from French & English cider apple varieties

Availability: Very limited, plus I think it was released a couple years ago. In general however, ciders from 2 Towns are available in OR, WA, AK, HI, CA, ID, NV, MN, and Chicago IL.

Cider Description: Aged for four months in wheat and rye whiskey bourbon barrels, our Bourbon Barrel Cider is a hedonistic blend of floral, fruit, and sweet-bourbon aromas. Traditional French and English cider apples lend firm tannins and a dry, tart backing to this cider. Sweet wood and caramel notes finish off a cider made for bourbon lovers. 132 cases produced.

It was made with Dabinett & Kingston Black cider apples and aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels. The only ingredients are “fresh local cider apples”, wine yeast, and sulfites. They also had a 2011 vintage of Bourbon Barrel, with 50 cases produced.

Cidery Description: Traditions Ciderworks produces handmade artisan ciders using only locally sourced Oregon farm grown apples. Inspired by the creativity and flair of Pacific Northwest craft brewers and winemakers, we use time-honored traditions & our own unique style to create exceptional, premium ciders. From the heart of Oregon, near the banks of the Willamette River, Traditions Ciderworks is dedicated to bringing artisan cider out of the past and into the present.

2 Towns has a tasting room in Corvallis Oregon. In late 2015 they absorbed their Traditions Ciderworks line, and have started producing those ciders under the 2 Towns label (starting with their Pommeau, then Riverwood Brut).

Price: $17
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: This was my favorite cider I tried at Cider Summit Seattle 2015. They didn’t have any in the on-site bottle shop, so I asked around, and Erika at Full Throttle Bottles was able to find a bottle for me.

First Impression: Light straw yellow hue with a slight haziness. Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of bourbon, oak, crisp apples, honey, and yeast.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Nearly still. Light bodied. Moderate bitterness and acidity. Mild tartness and tannins. Notes of bourbon, oak, honey, yeast, citrus, floral, and smoke. Moderate length slightly warming finish. Mild apple influence. Low sessionability. Moderate barrel influence. Strong spirit influence.

My Opinion: For whatever reason I enjoyed this much more when I tried it at Cider Summit. This time the bitterness was much stronger and it wasn’t quite as tannic or rich. The lovely strong bourbon flavor was still there however. I can’t figure out why it seems more bitter…it was the same vintage (presumably the same batch), it was one of the first ciders I tried at Cider Summit so I shouldn’t have had palate fatigue, my palate has only learned to tolerate bitterness better since then, and this cider should age well.

Most Similar to: Other ciders with a strong bourbon barrel influence include Locust Bourbon Barrel (although much higher ABV), Whitewood Whiskey Barrel Aged Kingston Black (although richer), and Moonlight Meadery How Do You Like Them Apples (although much higher ABV). I also tried the last two ciders at Cider Summit Seattle 2015.

Closing Notes: After saving this bottle for months it was a bit disappointing for it to not taste as I remembered, but still plenty enjoyable. I look forward to see what they come up with next at 2 Towns.

Have you tried Traditions Ciderworks Bourbon Barrel? What did you think?

Traditions Ciderworks (2 Towns) Pommeau – 2011 Harvest / 2013 Release

March 17, 2016March 12, 2016 cidersays 2 Towns, review, Traditions 2 Towns, brandy, Calvados, cider, cider review, Corvallis, hard cider, oregon, Pommeau, Traditions

Review of the 2011 harvest / 2013 release of Pommeau from Traditions Ciderworks, made by 2 Towns. 2013 was their first release of Pommeau, although there have been two releases since then, in 2014 and 2015. Note that 2 Towns’ Traditions Ciderworks brand has since been absorbed into their regular 2 Towns line of ciders. I actually purchased this recently after initially not being able to find the 2015 release, and had assumed it was the 2014 release, but when asking 2 Towns some questions I discovered it was actually the 2013 release (the 2014 release was in a frosted Traditions Ciderworks bottle). I later found the 2015 release (which was labeled under 2 Towns), which I’ll review soon. I’ve previously reviewed a number of ciders from 2 Towns.

Pommeau is a port-style apple wine related to cider. It is made from apple brandy (a spirit from distilling apple cider) with either unfermented apple juice or lightly fermented apple cider blended in (cider in this case), then barrel aged. It is called Calvados when made in Normandy France.

Cider: Pommeau (2011 harvest / 2013 release)
Cidery: Traditions Ciderworks (2 Towns Ciderhouse)
Cidery Location: Corvallis OR
ABV: 19%
How Supplied: 375 ml tall clear glass bottle, wax sealed
Style: American craft Pommeau made from apple brandy and lightly fermented cider, barrel aged in French oak for 1 year

Availability: Limited (100 cases of 12 bottles made, sold 2 years ago). This 2013 release is actually much more limited than their 2015 release, where 500 cases were made. In general though 2 Towns’ ciders are sold in AK, CA, HI, ID, IL, MN, NV, OR, and WA.

Cider Description: Our Pommeau is made from locally grown traditional bittersweet cider apples which are hand-harvested and ‘sweated’ at cool temperatures. After the apples have sweetened, the fresh-pressed juice is lightly fermented and then aged with Clear Creek apple eau de vie. Our Pommeau is then matured in French oak barrels for one year. The result is a tremendously complex apple Pommeau that blossoms with aromas of fresh-pressed cider, dried fruit, and wood. This bottle will improve with cellaring for up to 20 years.

Wow–20 years…I wonder how they came up with that number? I believe it though.

Price: $32.25
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles (I’ve also seen 2 Towns Pommeau in the Seattle area at the Schilling Cider House and The Cave)
Where Drank: home
How Found: I had heard awhile back that 2 Towns made Pommeau, and read an article on their 2015 release in the Fall, so I started looking.

First Impression: Rich amber hue. Still (no carbonation). Smells alcohol-forward, of rich apples, oak, spice, oranges, caramel, and burnt sugar.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to dry. Low acidity and tartness. A hint of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of rich apples, oak, spice, oranges, caramel, burnt sugar, vanilla, and leather. Medium bodied. Long warming finish. Moderate apple influence. Low to moderate barrel influence. Very low sessionability.

My Opinion: This is nice, but on the verge of being a bit much for me. I’m ashamed to admit I enjoyed it with a couple ice cubes; otherwise it seemed a bit too boozy, as it doesn’t have much sweetness (and it was room temperature to start as I didn’t want to rearrange my fridge shelves for the few weeks I kept it open). I much prefer 2 Towns’ newer 2013 harvest / 2015 release, which I’ll review soon. I actually e-mailed them about it as the two releases were so different. They confirmed there were some significant variations in sweetness and tannins due to growing seasons, apple blends, etc. This 2011 harvest release was drier and had a slightly higher percentage of bittersweet apples than the later releases. Going forward they plan to have their Pommeau more similar to the 2013 harvest release–sweeter, richer, and more full bodied.

Most Similar to: I’ve only had four Pommeaux (the plural of Pommeau), so I don’t have much to compare to. However, this was drier, lighter bodied, and less complex than both the Finnriver Pommeau (review here) and the 2 Towns 2013 harvest / 2015 release Pommeau (review soon). I think it was more on par as far as sweetness and consistency with Tieton Wind, but I tried that quite awhile ago (before what I even knew what Pommeau was probably!).

Closing Notes: Pommeau is a unique cider related beverage to try, and I look forward to trying more. However, the newer 2 Towns Pommeau release is more to my liking than this one. In fact, I’m planning to buy at least one more bottle to “cellar” for awhile.

Have you tried Traditions Ciderworks (2 Towns) Pommeau? What did you think?

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