NV Cider Watermelon Hard Pear Cider (Perry)

June 24, 2016June 18, 2016 cidersays NV Cider, review cider, hard cider, Neigel Vintners, nv cider, pear cider, perry, washington, watermelon, Wenatchee

Review of NV Cider’s Watermelon Hard Pear Cider. Its actually a perry as no apples were used, but I imagine they called it a pear cider as a lot of folks don’t know what perry is. I’ve tried a few varieties from them before; see here.

Cider: Watermelon Hard Pear Cider
Cidery: NV Cider (Neigel Vintners)
Cidery Location: East Wenatchee WA
ABV: 5.3%
How Supplied: 500ml green Aluminum bottle
Style: American craft perry with watermelon extract

Availability: WA and OR; see here.

Cider Description: This is a perry made using native pear varieties from East Wenatchee, with watermelon extract. Note that they refer to it as a pear cider, but that is typically reserved for beverages made from both apples and pears, often fermented apple juice with pear juice added afterwards.

Cidery Description: Neigel Vintners is a family affair. Our cider company is run on our family property. Some of the first pears we press each year come off of remnants of the first pears planted by the family. Over 100 years old, these trees have had their heart-wood rot out and survived. There are several places a person can reach through the center of the tree with a hand. These trees have been a staple of the property for generations.

Price: $5
Where Bought: Special Brews in Lynnwood WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Pale straw yellow with hints of pink. Low carbonation. Smells of fresh sweet watermelon, pear, and white grape. The watermelon scent is quite strong at first but quickly dissipates.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Low carbonation. Low tartness but it has some bite. Moderate acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Notes of pear, watermelon, white grape, strawberry, and rhubarb. Quick finish. Low pear flavor. High sessionability. Low flavor intensity/fruitiness.

My Opinion: This was tasty, but it left me wanting more watermelon flavor. Right after opening it had an awesome strong watermelon scent, but that diminished. I know that watermelon juice isn’t very flavorful, but I think this would have been a great cider to leave fairly unfiltered, which likely would have made it easier to get the watermelon flavor.

Most Similar to: NV Cider’s Cherry Perry, which was also a fruity perry (see my tasting notes here). That one had a nice unfiltered aspect to it though, which I think helped add to the complexity. I like watermelon more than cherry, but I think the Cherry was pulled off better. The Cherry Perry was also sweeter, so I think that helped make it seem more flavorful.

Closing Notes: I’m a huge watermelon fan, and although the flavor intensity was a bit lacking, it was an enjoyable perry. I look forward to seeing what else they come up with.

Have you tried any perries? What did you think?

Schilling Cider House Visit 16 Tasting Notes

June 17, 2016June 11, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire, Carlton, Eaglemount, Locust, review, Schilling Alpenfire, cider, cider bar, cider flight, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling Cider House, seattle, washington

Tasting notes from my sixteenth visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts with tasting notes here. I was there on a Tuesday evening for a tasting event with Alpenfire Cider (from Port Townsend WA). Its pretty rare they do events, besides some pricey (but awesome sounding) dinners with cider pairings.

Philippe (Nancy & Bear’s son) was there from Alpenfire. The Cider House was featuring a flight of six ciders from Alpenfire (five of which were bottle pours, which was a first for the Cider House, and Apocalypso on draft, which is a rarity for Alpenfire) plus a Shrub cider cocktail.

I arrived early so I tried a few ciders before the event. I had been there just a week earlier, but quite a few of the taps turned over (although there weren’t too many I hadn’t tried).

Eaglemount (Port Townsend WA) Perry (8.0% ABV): Smells of pear and citrus, slightly sour. Semi-dry. Medium bodied. Mild to moderate tartness and acidity. Mild bitterness. Hints of sourness, funk, and tannins. Notes of pear, citrus, spice, and vanilla. Alcohol-forward and sharp. Moderate length finish.

Locust Cider (Woodinville WA) Apricot (6.0% ABV): Smells sweet, of apricot and peach. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Light to medium bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. A hint of bitterness. No sourness, funk, or tannins. Medium flavor intensity with simple but real tasting apricot flavor. Quick finish.

Carlton Cider (McMinnville OR) Bourbon Peachy Keen (6.5% ABV): Foamy. Smells of bourbon and fruitiness (peach and apricot). Semi-dry to dry. Very light bodied with a frothy mouthfeel. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Low bitterness. No sourness, funk, or tannins. Low barrel influence. Moderate spirit influence. Medium to long length finish. They also make a non barrel aged version of this cider.

The Alpenfire ciders were ready as it got closer to 6pm. I’ve previously tried all the ciders they were offering in the flight, so I decided to just order a pint of Apocalypso (a draft-only version of their Calypso blackberry rum barrel aged cider with double the blackberries and barrel aged 4 instead of 2 months).

Alpenfire (Port Townsend WA) Apocalypso (6.5% ABV): Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Mild to moderate tartness. Mild acidity. Mild tannins. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Mild rum influence. Moderate barrel (oak) influence. Moderate blackberry flavor. Moderate length finish.

I also tried a couple sips of the Shrub cocktail, made with Alpenfire bittersweet cider, Alpenfire apple cider vinegar, blackberry puree, and sparkling water.

Alpenfire (Port Townsend WA) Shrub: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Vinegar more in the scent than flavor. There is tartness and a hint of vinegar flavor, but not any sourness like I was expecting. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Moderate blackberry flavor. Moderate length finish. Unique, but not my thing.

My favorite of the night was the Alpenfire Apocalypso cider. I liked this batch even better than the last one I tried for WA cider week 2015 at the Burgundian Bar (see here), as it was slightly sweeter, more fruity, and more oaky.

They even got in some bottles of Alpenfire Cinders (the Méthode Champenoise version of Glow, their rosé cider made with red-fleshed apples). Its a rare find outside of the Alpenfire tap room (which I visited in February; see here). I actually prefer Glow though, as its sweeter and more flavorful.

Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says! Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

Schilling Bailout (Lemongrass Agave)

June 9, 2016June 4, 2016 cidersays review, Schilling agave, Bailout, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, lemongrass, Schilling, seattle, washington

Review of Schilling’s new seasonal release, Bailout, made with lemongrass and agave nectar. I’ve tried a number of their ciders; see here.

Cider: Bailout
Cidery: Schilling Cider
Cidery Location: Auburn (Seattle) WA
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: 22oz clear glass bottles and kegs
Style: American craft cider made from dessert apples, with lemongrass and agave nectar

Availability: May-August (seasonal, although this is the first year). Schilling Cider is sold at least in AK, AZ, CA, CT, ID, MN, NC, NV, OR, SC, VA, and WA, but this is a special release and is therefore likely to have more limited distribution.

Cider Description: Sometimes you just need to Bail Out! This summer chiller is highly refreshing and perfectly balanced with subtle herbal notes and a kiss of agave nectar.

Cidery Description: In 1881, Colin Schilling’s great-great-grandfather, August, founded the Schilling Spice Company in San Francisco. He brought pure, natural, spices to everyone, at a fair price. Today, at Schilling Cider, we carry August’s core values forward and pair them with innovative cider-making techniques to produce quality, complex, hard ciders.

Based in Seattle, Washington, Schilling Cider captures the essence of the Pacific Northwest by creating ciders that are deliberately innovative, bold and flavor forward. Never back-sweetened, we use only 100% fresh pressed apples, locally sourced non-GMO ingredients and individually hand select yeast strains to create a cider experience that is truly unique.

Price: $6
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Fremont (Seattle) WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing

First Impression: Medium straw yellow hue. Almost no carbonation upon pouring. Smells mild, of apple, citrus, and what I assume is agave nectar (a tart sweetness).

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Still. Light to medium bodied. Low tartness and acidity. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. Notes of lemon, agave nectar, pineapple, and a bit of herbalness. Quick finish. Low flavor intensity. Low apple flavor. High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked this cider, but didn’t love it. I prefer a bit more intense of a flavor. Also not sure if I liked the slight herbal flavor.

Most Similar to: Light spring/summer type ciders with citrus notes. I looked it up online and see that Two Rivers also offers an agave cider.

Closing Notes: I imagine this will sell well, but I prefer their Pineapple Passion / Trouble in Paradise (which is coming out in bottles very soon).

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

Number Six True Cider

May 26, 2016May 23, 2016 cidersays Number Six, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Number Six, seattle, True Cider, washington

Review of Number Six Cider Company’s True Cider. I tried this quite awhile ago, but wanted to give it another go. This is their flagship cider, although they recently came out with a drier version (Dry Ninety-Nine).

Cider: True Cider
Cidery: Number Six Cider Company
Cidery Location: Seattle WA
ABV: 6.0%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans
Style: American craft cider made from dessert apples

Availability: Western Washington

Cider Description: This strong, dry cider is perfect for true cider lovers. With a level of sweetness that is best enjoyed from a glass. Enjoy with family and friends.

Cidery Description: What’s Number 6? It’s a tunnel in the mountains. But this is no ordinary tunnel. This mile of rail at 7000 Sierra Nevada feet connected east to west like no other. In 1867, Transcontinental Tunnel Number 6 finally broke through solid granite after 2 years of hand picks, dynamite, willpower and a startling disregard for safety. Number Six was the most deadly and ambitious railway tunnel ever built. What used to take 25 days to cross, now could be done in a matter of hours. People, materials, and cider now flowed freely.

Number 6 Hard Cider is a tribute to hard fought progress and the connections it creates. Come taste our flagship True Cider and crafted seasonal releases at our rail-side cidery and taproom. 100% Washington apples and a relentless toil for perfect taste is what we’re made of. Raise a cold, crisp pint to progress. Onward!

They have a tap room in Seattle Washington.

Price: $10.99 / four pack
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: I’ve known about this cider for awhile and tried it at a tasting event last year.

First Impression: Light orange pumpkin amber. Very low carbonation. Smells rich, apple-forward, and a bit like French cider.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Nearly still. Mild tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Slightly rich. Apple and yeast forward. Hints of honey, mango, pineapple, and pear. Quick finish. High sessionability. Moderate to high apple influence. Moderate to high flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Yum! I liked how rich, fruity, and flavorful this cider was.

Most Similar to: French cider, except with less carbonation, and more fruity than yeasty.

Closing Notes: I enjoyed this cider…more than I remembered. I may have to pick up a full four pack (although I tend to have bad luck with buying a cider for a second time and not liking it as much).

Have you tried Number Six cider? What did you think?

Woodinville Cider Tasting 2 – Locust & Elemental

May 5, 2016May 1, 2016 cidersays Elemental, Locust, review cider, cider tasting, Elemental, hard cider, Locust, tasting notes, washington, Woodinville

I spent another afternoon in Woodinville Washington, cider tasting at the tap rooms for Locust and Elemental. See my notes here from my last visit.

Locust Mango, 6.0% ABV: Yellow dark straw gold hue. Mild fruity mango scent. Semi-sweet to sweet. Low carbonation with some foam. Medium bodied. Mild tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Real mango flavor with some tropical and honey notes. Quick finish length. Fairly simple, but I liked the moderately intense real mango flavor (although it was a sweet cider, it didn’t have a mango candy flavor).

Locust Elder & Oak, 7.0% ABV: Deep berry hue. Mild scent with hints of berry and oak. Semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness and acidity. Mild tannins. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Very textural with berry tannins. Earthy and wine-like. Moderate length finish. Mild to moderate barrel influence. Very low apple influence. Although I’m a fan of barrel aged ciders, I wasn’t into this. I think it was too tannic (although it tasted like that was only from the elderberries, not applies) oddly enough.

Locust Wabi Sabi, 6.9% ABV: Yellow dark straw gold hue. Low carbonation with some foam. Smells mild, acidic, and of citrus. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Mild tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Apple-forward and a bit juice-like. Notes of fresh apple, honey, citrus (although less than the scent), and apple pomace. Quick finish length. I found this to be a very typical sweeter flagship cider.

Elemental Blackberry Cobbler, 6.5% ABV: Deep blackberry hue. Sweet to very sweet. The flavor is very blackberry, but I also picked up a carbohydrate component in the scent and texture (kinda like “cobbler”, although I was told the only other addition was pie spices, which I didn’t pick up). Medium bodied. Moderate tartness. Mild acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Quick finish length. I wasn’t really into this, but I imagine it will sell very well. It was a one-off keg as they came into some blackberry concentrate (which I learned is about the most expensive flavor), but they plan to make some other blackberry ciders in the future.

Elemental Pomegranate-Rose, 6.5% ABV: Light pink hue with some foam. Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. Mild acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. Very mild and smooth with some mild fruitiness. I tried this before too. Its well balanced and refreshing.

Elemental NW Atomic Root Beer, 6.5% ABV: This is a cider-based hard root beer (vs. making an alcoholic root beer with a malt base). I’ve had this a few times before. This time I really enjoyed it…I think its the best batch yet…I tasted more apple than previously, but apparently it was less. The “root beer” is stronger in the scent than the flavor. This doesn’t taste exactly like root beer, but it has a great flavor. Oddly enough this is my favorite cider that Elemental makes. Probably as it has a rich full flavor (I tend towards English & French ciders).

Elemental ‘Carbon’ Dry, 6.5% ABV: Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Apple-forward. Moderate tartness and acidity. Citrus notes with some mineral. A hint of tannins. This tasted between that that of the first two times I tried it. I liked the previous batch a bit more, as it was richer and less tart. Elemental is unique in that they continue to tweak their ciders after release, so although it has the same name, it may be different.

Liberty Ciderworks New World Style

May 4, 2016April 30, 2016 cidersays Liberty, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, liberty, Liberty Ciderworks, Spokane, washington

Review of Liberty Ciderworks’ New World Style. I’ve tried a number of their ciders, including Manchurian Crabapple Single Varietal, Crabenstein, English Style, Abbess, Stonewall Dry Fly Whiskey Barrel Aged, Gravenstein, and Cellar Series #G15.

Cider: New World Style
Cidery: Liberty Ciderworks
Cidery Location: Spokane WA
ABV: 8.2%
How Supplied: 500ml bottles
Style: American craft New World Style cider, made from heirloom apples and crabapples

Availability: Fairly limited. Per the cidery they currently self-distribute to Spokane and Seattle. In Seattle, I have seen them at Capitol Cider, Schilling Cider House, Total Wine, Full Throttle Bottles, and Special Brews. Look for them in bottle shops in WA which specialize in local craft cider. Liberty’s website lists some locations to find their ciders.

Cider Description: A modern take on colonial-era ciders, New World combines Palouse-grown McIntosh, Cortland, Empire and Liberty apples with tiny, flavor-rich Manchurian crabapples. This off-dry cider features soft aromatics, wine-like tannic structure and vanilla overtones. (PNWCA 2014 Bronze Medal Winner)

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.

Price: ~$9
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I’m a fan of Liberty and hadn’t tried this one.

First Impression: Medium straw yellow. Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells overall mild–acidic, slightly sour, of citrus and with a slight mustiness.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to dry. Light bodied. Moderate tartness. High acidity. Astringent but not tannic. Low bitterness. Hints of sourness. No funk. Notes of citrus, honey, light floral, and mineral. Quick to moderate length finish. Low apple influence. Low sessionability.

My Opinion: I wasn’t so into this one…it was very acidic, and a bit harsh for my liking. I think with some additional sweetness it would have been more doable for me.

Most Similar to: Other dry acidic ciders.

Closing Notes: My favorite Liberty cider remains their English Style. I look forward to trying more from them, even though I wasn’t a huge fan of this one.

Have you tried Liberty New World Style? What did you think?

Apple Outlaw Cider Tasting & More at Around The Table

April 22, 2016April 22, 2016 cidersays Apple Outlaw, Elemental, Moonlight Meadery, review Apple Outlaw, Around the Table, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, lynnwood, Round the Table, washington

I recently attended an Apple Outlaw cider tasting at Around the Table, a game pub in Lynnwood Washington, North of Seattle. Its a unique game shop with tables to play at, snacks, and beer/cider/mead/soda/etc on tap. They have quite a tap list, which usually includes a few ciders and a mead (which is more ciders than most places with even more taps have). They’ve had a few other cider tastings prior to this, which include having a mini cider tap takeover and bringing in a cidery representative to pour them and chat.

They had Apple Outlaw’s Ginger Bite, Original, and Tangerine Twist on tap. The rep Meghan also opened a bottle of their Cranberry Jewel while I was there. I met up with Nathan from The Cider Chronicles, who now also works part time for Elemental Hard Cider. He brought a growler of their Pomegranate-Rose cider with him. Around the Table also had Elemental’s NW Atomic Root Beer cider on tap (a cider-based hard root beer, which I reviewed here), and Moonlight Meadery’s Sumptuous Mango mead.

Apple Outlaw is an orchard-based cidery in Applegate Oregon, in the Applegate Valley in the Southern portion of the state. They actually sold non-alcoholic cider (juice) for quite awhile before starting to sell hard cider, which they make from dessert apples. Oddly enough they no longer sell their unfermented juice. Although the place was rather busy, the cider tasting wasn’t, so Nathan and I got to chat with Meghan for awhile. We learned that Apple Outlaw is still on the small side, and mainly family-run. They don’t currently have a tasting room, but their bottled (and draft) ciders have been sold since 2013, and are available in Oregon and Washington.

Elemental Hard Cider Pomegranate-Rose, 6.5% ABV: Light cherry pink hue. Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Mild to moderate tartness. I mostly tasted pomegranate, but it was smoother than typical, presumably from the infusion of rose petals (although I didn’t pick up any floral notes). Elemental has infused rose petals with other ciders as well, such as Lavender-Rose (which I reviewed here).

Apple Outlaw Tangerine Twist, 5.5% ABV: Cider with tangerines and hops. It is their Spring/Summer seasonal. Semi-dry. Light bodied. The flavor started distinctly citrus and tart, and the finish was hopped (light bitterness and floral notes).

Apple Outlaw Original Hard Cider, 5.5% ABV: This is their flagship cider. Semi-sweet. Medium bodied. Mild tartness. Easy to drink and sessionable. Very apple forward (back sweetened).

Apple Outlaw Ginger Bite, 5.5% ABV: Made with Peruvian yellow ginger. Moderate to strong ginger scent. Semi-sweet. I’m not a ginger fan, but this was definitely more approachable for me than most ginger ciders, as most of the ginger remained in the scent…I really didn’t pick up too much ginger flavor. Most of all, it didn’t have any sinus burn. I think the sweetness also helped its approachability. This was described as being great for food pairings.

Apple Outlaw Cranberry Jewel, 5.5% ABV: This was a bottle pour. Made with cranberries, rose hips, and orange peel. I didn’t pick up the rose hips or orange peel (which I only read about later). It was definitely very cranberry (moderate to strong) and tasted juice-like to me. Semi-dry. Moderate tartness. Medium bodied.

Moonlight Meadery Sumptuous Mango Mead, 13.6% ABV: Nathan let me taste the glass he ordered. Very fruity and alcohol-forward, but the mango flavor isn’t particularly strong. Sweet. Moderate tartness. Full bodied. This was the first beverage from Moonlight Meadery that I didn’t think was amazing…I think I much prefer their ciders, meads, and cysers which are more honey-forward, with richer brown sugar type notes (see my prior reviews here). The fruitiness just didn’t seem to mesh with the whole 14% ABV mead vibe. I think as a lower ABV cyser (apple + honey) it would have worked better.

Of the Apple Outlaw selections, I liked the Original best. I’ve previously tried their Oaked Sweet Dark Cherry and Blackberry Bounty ciders on tap. However, none of the Apple Outlaw ciders are really a style I enjoy (and I’m not really a fan of hops, ginger, or cranberry). My favorite ciders are typically richer and/or made from cider apples. Its always fun to try new ciders though!

One Tree Hard Cider Dark Cherry

April 14, 2016April 13, 2016 cidersays One Tree, review Cherry, cherry cider, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Dark Cherry, hard cider, One Tree, Spokane, washington

Review of One Tree’s Dark Cherry Cider. I’ve tried a few of their ciders–see here.

Cider: Dark Cherry
Cidery: One Tree Hard Cider
Cidery Location: Spokane Valley WA
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 22oz bottles
Style: American craft cider from dessert apples with cherries added

Availability: This is a new release which appears to be year round, in Idaho, Montana, and Washington (soon to be in Oregon).

Cider Description: Welcome to flavor town my friend. Step into the ring with a cherry hard cider that drops the press (get it?!) on the apples and makes them ride passenger! This is what cherry cider is supposed to taste like, bold & delicious. Lift your pinky finger cider friends! This one is for you!

Cidery Description: Founded in 2014, One Tree Hard Cider has quickly become a well-known, and highly sought after cider in the Pacific Northwest. We believe in bold, flavor-forward profiles using fruit sourced in our home state of Washington. We are naturally gluten-free, and use only the highest quality, natural ingredients. Customers love our bold flavor profiles, with ciders such as Lemon Basil and Caramel Cinnamon leading the pack.

They have a tasting room in Spokane Washington.

Price: $10.75
Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles
Where Drank: home
How Found: I saw this was available on their Facebook page, and it sounded interesting. This is my first time reviewing a bottle from One Tree (previously I’ve only tried it on tap).

First Impression: Deep cherry hue. Low carbonation and foam upon pouring. Strong tart cherry scent.

Tasting Notes: Sweet. Definitely sweet. Low carbonation. Medium bodied. It has an almost frothy mouthfeel. Moderate tartness and acidity. No bitterness, sourness, funk, or tannins. The apple is well-hidden by the cherry flavor. I really didn’t pick up many other flavors besides cherry, which was strong…maybe some strawberries and watermelon? High sessionability.

My Opinion: I liked the strong cherry flavor, but it was too sweet for my liking. I only had half the bottle / 11oz (I had someone to share it with for once), but even that was too much. The sweetness is pretty on-par with their other ciders I’ve tried.

Most Similar to: Other sweeter full-flavored ciders with cherries / cherry juice added, such as from Woodchuck and Washington Gold.

Closing Notes: My favorite cherry cider remains the one from Washington Gold, which I find to be less sweet than this one. For fans of sweet ciders however, I think One Tree’s Dark Cherry cider will be a big hit (as all their other varieties have been).

Have you tried One Tree Dark Cherry? What did you think?

Alpenfire Smoke Barrel Aged Cider

April 7, 2016April 9, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire, review Alpenfire, barrel aged, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, port townsend, smoke, washington

Review of Alpenfire Cider’s Smoke Barrel Aged Cider. See my past reviews of their ciders here. I tried this cider before and loved it, but hadn’t been able to find it for awhile (it hasn’t been released for awhile and the next batch is still barrel aging…see my post here), so I was excited to stumble across some again.

2016-04-01 19.06.38.jpg

Cider: Smoke
Cidery: Alpenfire Cider
Cidery Location: Port Townsend WA
ABV: 16.0%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle
Style: American craft port-style triple barrel fermented cider made from cider apples

2016-04-01 19.06.45 2016-04-01 19.07.06 2016-04-01 19.07.16

Availability: Limited (and hasn’t been released in awhile), and only in Western Washington

Cider Description: Smoke, our smoky-oaky after dinner tipple style cider has been triple fermented in whiskey and mead barrels. It starts with Kingston Black, Dabinett and Vilberie apples for a very tannic base. Aging in charred oak concentrates all the best features of each apple variety.

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: $17
Where Bought: Special Brews
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, although I’ve tried it before. I was surprised to see they had a couple cases of this on the shelf, consider how long its been since its release, and that no other shops have any left (including at the Alpenfire Cidery).

2016-04-01 19.09.12

First Impression: Copper light orange amber hue. No carbonation. Smells rich & strong, of oak, peat, spice, orange, bourbon, scotch, honey, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, and baked apples.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Still. Medium to full bodied. Low acidity, tartness, and tannins. A hint of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Notes of oak, peat, spice, orange, bourbon, scotch, honey, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, and baked apples, with a focus on orange and spice (not as much spoke & peat as I remembered). Long warming finish. Moderate apple influence. Moderate barrel influence. High spirit influence. Very low sessionability.

My Opinion: Amazing! This one is definitely one of my all time favorite ciders, and my favorite Alpenfire cider. Its a great after dinner sipping cider, and one bottle lasted me awhile as a few ounces is plenty (and it keeps rather well as it isn’t carbonated). This cider is highly complex, rich, very smooth, and tastes a lower ABV than it is. I enjoyed this at a range of temperatures, from just out of the fridge to room temperature, although I think I tended towards colder. I saw another post that ice could be used, and I think for a higher ABV flavorful beverage that isn’t out of the question (I’ve done so for Pommeau).

Most Similar to: Not much else. Maybe Sea Cider Prohibition / Rumrunner? That is another high ABV complex (rum) barrel aged sipping cider, but even though its higher ABV, I’d say the flavor is a bit more harsh and in your face (its also drier though). Another is Liberty Ciderworks Manchurian Crabapple. It wasn’t barrel aged, but is a high ABV port-style single varietal with a lot of complexity. This is also kinda similar to Pommeau with its complexity and high ABV.

Closing Notes: I’m glad I bought two bottles of this one, as I still have another to tide me over until its next release. This is definitely my kind of cider, having all the aspects I enjoy most–local, craft, higher ABV, sweeter, complex, flavorful, rich, made from bittersweet cider apples, and barrel aged.

Have you tried Alpenfire Smoke? What did you think?

Seattle Cider Dry

March 30, 2016March 27, 2016 cidersays review, Seattle Cider cider, cider review, cider tasting, dry, hard cider, seattle, Seattle Cider, washington

Review of Seattle Cider Company’s Dry cider. I’ve also tried their PNW Berry, Semi-Sweet, Olympic Honey, Plum Gose, Oaked Maple, Harvest Series Gravenstein Rosé, and Gose varieties.

Cider: Dry
Cidery: Seattle Cider Company
Cidery Location: Seattle WA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: four pack of 16oz cans (and kegs)
Style: American craft sessionable canned cider made from dessert apple varieties

Availability: Year round, at least in AK, CA, CO, IL, MN, OR, TX, WA, and WI. Their website includes lists of stores by state & city.

Cider Description: One of the driest ciders on the market. The golden orange glow of this unique unfiltered cider lends way to notes of lilac, blood orange and green apple on the nose. Dry and pleasantly acidic, flavors of nectarine, under ripe peach and tart cherry hit the palate with no residual sweetness.

Made from Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious, and Golden Delicious apples.

Cidery Description: Seattle Cider Company is Seattle’s first cidery since Prohibition, bringing true craft cider back to Seattle and across the country. Bridging the gap between wine and beer with flavorful, small-batch cider, Seattle Cider’s initial offerings – Dry and Semi-Sweet – break the mold of overly sweet cider, bringing the natural flavors of Washington apples to the forefront.

They have a tasting room (The Woods, shared with Two Beers Brewing) in Seattle WA, which I visited last year (see here).

Price: ~$3 for a single can (runs $11-$13 for a four pack)
Where Bought: Total Wine
Where Drank: home
How Found: I’ve always known about this cider, but wasn’t really into drier ciders, so put off trying it.

First Impression: Light straw yellow. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells clean & crisp, very mild, of green apples, citrus, and yeast.

Tasting Notes: Dry. Moderate to high acidity. Light bodied. Low carbonation. Low tartness. Hints of bitterness and tannins. No sourness or funk. Notes of green apples, citrus, yeast, mineral, and floral. Moderate length finish. Low apple influence. Moderate to high sessionability.

My Opinion: This was a pretty standard canned dry cider from dessert apples. I didn’t really pick up the fruity notes the description eluded to. I prefer a bit more sweetness and flavor, so as far as their flagship ciders, I like Semi-Sweet more than Dry. My favorite from them so far is Olympic Honey. However, overall, Seattle Cider Company’s cider style isn’t really to my liking.

Most Similar to: Ace Joker, and especially, Original Sin Extra Dry. I liked the Original Sin best of the three, as I found it to be the most complex.

Closing Notes: This isn’t really a style of cider I enjoy, but it was nice to try.

Have you tried Seattle Cider Dry? What did you think?

Eaglemount Homestead Semi-Sweet

March 28, 2016March 19, 2016 cidersays Eaglemount, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, eaglemount, hard cider, Homestead, port townsend, washington

Review of Eaglemount’s Homestead Semi-Sweet cider, from Port Townsend Washington. I’ve tried a number of their ciders (see here) and visited their tasting room (see here). Eaglemount is unique in that they also make wine and mead in addition to cider. Note that they also make a Dry version of this cider.

Cider: Homestead Semi-Sweet
Cidery: Eaglemount Wine & Cider (& Mead)
Cidery Location: Port Townsend WA
ABV: 8.0%
How Supplied: 750ml flip top brown bottle
Style: American homestead-style craft cider made from Washingon-grown heirloom apple varieties

Availability: Limited release. Eaglemount ciders are distributed in Western Washington, Portland Oregon, Farmer’s Markets in Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Ballard, and Tacoma WA, Eaglemount’s tasting room in Port Townsend WA, and their online store.

Cider Description: Homestead Semisweet cider is made from heirloom variety apples from our homestead orchard and other old orchards on the Olympic Peninsula. This cider is crisp, clean, with a touch of sweetness and apple goodness.

Cidery Description: Our winery is located on an original 1883 homestead on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. The heirloom apple varieties were the inspiration to continue the tradition of the original homesteaders by making hard cider. Some of the heirloom varieties include Gravenstein, Winesap, White Pippin, Roxbury Russet, and twenty ounce. We also source heirloom varieties from other old homestead orchards on the Peninsula.

Our Eaglemount Hard Ciders and Meads are made with certified organic or sustainably grown fruit. The fruit comes from our homestead orchard, other homestead orchards in the area, our English and French cider orchard, and from certified organic growers in Washington State.

Price: $14
Where Bought: Eaglemount tasting room in Port Townsend WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: I tried this at their tasting room and really enjoyed it.

First Impression: Dark straw yellow. Very low carbonation. Smells mild, of fresh apples, yeast, and honey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Mild to moderate tartness. Mild acidity and tannins. Hints of bitterness and funk. No sourness. Notes of yeast, honey, citrus, spice, and must. Slightly rich. Medium bodied. Long warming finish. Moderate apple flavor. Mild to moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: I enjoyed this, but I liked it better when I tried it at their tasting room. Letting it breathe for a bit helped dissipate some of the harshness, but when I tried it previously I didn’t pick up the hints of bitterness, funk, and must. Ciders can change batch to batch though.

Most Similar to: Finnriver Farmstead Semi-Sweet. Both are farmstead/homestead-style ciders on the sweeter side with significant tannins and honey & yeast notes.

Closing Notes: I think my favorite from Eaglemount remains their Quince cider, although I also like this one and their Cyser.

Have you tried Eaglemount Homestead Semi-Sweet? What did you think?

Locust Cider Alder Smoked Apple

March 25, 2016March 19, 2016 cidersays Locust, review Alder Smoked Apple, cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Locust, Locust Cider, washington, Woodinville

This will be a short post, as I only tasted one new-to-me cider during my latest visit to Locust Cider in Woodinville WA. Check out my prior tasting notes and reviews of Locust ciders here. It was an impromptu visit. My husband and I met two friends for lunch at the Tipsy Cow in Redmond (which is an amazing burger place, and I don’t even like hamburgers…I get a veggie burger), and we decided to go to a few tasting rooms in Woodinville before heading home. The boys had some wine at a couple of the winery tasting rooms in the same stripmall as the Locust Cider tasting room, and us girls tried some cider.

Their tap list hadn’t changed much from my visit a few weeks ago…they swapped Chipotle for the Alder Smoked Apple. That worked great for me though, as it was the only one on the menu I hadn’t tried! Their “up next” list also looks really interesting, especially the red wine barrel aged and prickly pear ciders.

Alder Smoked Apple: 6.0% ABV. They get the smoke flavor from alder smoked apple rings added during fermentation, showed in this photo from their Instagram. This is a tap-only release, but has made it to a few other locations in the Seattle area.

Semi-sweet to sweet. Mild acidity. Mild tartness. No sourness, funk, or tannins. Full bodied. Notes of maple, honey, and hints of citrus and alder. I only picked up mild smoke flavor in the moderate length finish. Moderate to high apple flavor. High sessionability.

They said this was less smokey than previous batches. I enjoyed it, but I think with more smoke and less sweetness, it would have been awesome.

I also tried their Winesap cider again. I liked it better last time; this time it was missing that frothy texture I enjoyed, and was a bit more sour.

I also spotted their new bottle design. They are going from 750ml to 500ml bottles on their special release ciders, which I think is a good move. 500ml is my favorite bottle size.

I look forward to trying more from Locust Cider.

Finnriver Farmstead Cider Traditional Semi-Sweet

March 24, 2016March 19, 2016 cidersays Finnriver, review Chimacum, cider, cider review, cider tasting, Farmstead, Finnriver, hard cider, washington

Review of Finnriver’s Farmstead Cider Traditional Semi-Sweet, from Chimacum Washington (in the Port Townsend / Olympic Peninsula area). I’ve tried many ciders from their lineup (see my reviews here).

Cider: Farmstead Cider Traditional Semi-Sweet
Cidery: Finnriver
Cidery Location: Chimacum WA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 500ml bottle (I just love this style bottle by the way!)
Style: farmstead-style craft cider made from Washington-grown homestead, cider, and dessert apple varieties

Availability: In general, 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.). However, this cider might have slightly less availability than some of their more common ones.

Cider Description: Each Autumn, on World Apple Day, Finnriver invites friends and neighbors from across the North Olympic Peninsula to bring over their buckets, bins, and boxes of backyard apples. These apples, often wild and antique varieties, are full of tannins that bring out complex and bittersweet flavors. We ferment this blend of homestead harvested fruit to create an earthy taste of frontier cider tradition. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this cider will benefit local Food Banks. Enjoy with hearty food and a sense of adventure.

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.

Price: $9
Where Bought: Finnriver tasting room
Where Drank: home
How Found: I had heard of this one before but hadn’t got around to trying it. When I saw it at their tasting room and was picking up some other bottles and merchandise, I thought I might as well since I was there.

First Impression: Medium honey straw yellow (the photo turned out a bit dark). Very low carbonation upon pouring. Smells of bittersweet apples with some tannins, yeast, honey, and citrus.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry to semi-sweet. Nearly still (very low carbonation). Low to moderate tannins. Moderate acidity. Low tartness. A hint of bitterness. No sourness or funk. Medium bodied. The flavor starts with acidity and finishes with tannins. Notes of oak, honey, yeast, citrus, spice, and vanilla. Moderate length finish. Moderate apple influence. Low to moderate sessionability. Moderate to full flavor intensity.

My Opinion: Tasty! I liked how flavorful it was without resorting to any additions to the cider (fruit, hops, spice, etc). It has some tannins but remains quite approachable, especially as it has some residual sweetness.

Most Similar to: Eaglemount Homestead Semi-Sweet (see my tasting notes here). Both are farmstead/homestead-style ciders on the sweeter side with significant tannins and honey & yeast notes. Oddly enough I’m drinking the Eaglemount cider as I’m writing this review!

Closing Notes: I enjoyed this cider, but their Fire Barrel remains my favorite (see my review here). Fire Barrel tastes similar to Farmstead, but has a bolder flavor and the added complexity of barrel aging. Plus, Fire Barrel only costs a couple dollars more if I remember correctly, so that seems like a good value. Finnriver makes many cider varieties and they are easy to find in my area, so I’ll continue to try whatever they make.

Have you tried Finnriver Farmstead? What did you think?

Elemental Hard Cider NW Atomic Root Beer

March 21, 2016March 13, 2016 cidersays Elemental, review cider, cider review, Elemental, hard cider, hard root beer, NW Atomic Root Beer, NW Atomic Rootbeer, root beer, washington, Woodinville

Review of NW Atomic Root Beer from Elemental Hard Cider in Woodinville Washington. It is a cider based hard root beer (cider with root beer spices). I’ve tried this twice before on draft (different batches…Elemental is unique in that they continue to tweak recipes after releasing a cider), and I have tried a number of ciders from them (see here).

Cider: NW Atomic Root Beer
Cidery: Elemental Hard Cider
Cidery Location: Woodinville WA
ABV: 6.5%
How Supplied: 22oz brown glass bottle
Style: American craft alcopop, cider based hard root beer

Availability: Likely only in WA

Cider Description: NW Atomic Root Beer starts with out crisp, clean and bright hard apple cider fermented bone dry to 6.5% ABV. We then infuse the base with an intense magical concoction of sassafras and liquorice. Subtle notes of vanilla, anise, fennel and plum are soft on the palette and round off the experience of our unique beverage.

Note that they use caramel color, but its certified non-GMO (apparently rare to find) and gluten free. They are even working on getting an organic version of it.

Cidery Description: Family owned and operated. Brian and Christina Callahan launched Elemental Hard Cider to bring quality, affordable, and delicious hard cider to the world. We strive to bring fun and exciting flavors to the experienced cider enthusiast, as well as novice cider drinkers.

Hand-crafted micro ciders designed for taste, smoothness, and quality. Each of our hand-crafted ciders are made from only the finest Northwest apples and cold-fermented to preserve the fruit. Our ciders are reminiscent of champagne, they are lightly filtered and mildly effervescent for clean taste. Experience our quality for yourself. Come in often to grab a glass. We are constantly trying out new flavors, so the line-up is always changing.

Price: ~$8
Where Bought: The Cave in Kirkland WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: I heard about this at Cider Summit Seattle last year but didn’t get around to trying it until I saw it at the Schilling Cider House on draft (notes here). For awhile it was draft-only, no bottles. Then, I tried it on draft again at Around the Table (notes here). I remembered liking the previous version better (I heard that over time they retained less apple flavor), but wanted to give a bottle a try as it is so unique. I thought that this bottle was closer to the first version I tried than to the second, as it retained more apple flavor, which I like. Apparently most of their customers however seem to prefer less apple flavor than I do.

First Impression: Caramel brown root beer hue. Low carbonation upon pouring. Smells like root beer spices with a hint of baked apple.

Tasting Notes: Semi-sweet to semi-dry. Medium bodied. Low carbonation. Low acidity and tartness. No sourness, bitterness, funk, or tannins. Notes of root beer spices (milder than a typical root beer), rich baked apple, caramel, and honey. The flavor starts as root beer and finishes with baked apple. Quick finish. Moderate apple influence. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Tasty! This is my idea of a sessionable cider…very easy to drink, but also very flavorful and unique. The only thing I’d change would be slightly more carbonation. Not as much as soda, but more than I detected would be nice.

Most Similar to: This is quite different from other hard root beers such as Not Your Father’s as it has a cider (not malt beverage) base, so it doesn’t have the bitterness of that product (and is less sweet and less carbonated). The only similar cider I know of is Sonoma Washboard, but that is sarsaparilla not root beer spices, and quite dry (I really disliked that one, but my husband was a huge fan).

Closing Notes: I’m usually not a huge fan of flavored ciders, but I think one of the reasons I enjoyed this was because it is so far from traditional cider. I hope I can purchase this version/recipe in the future, as I really liked it.

Have you tried NW Atomic Root Beer? What did you think?

Whitewood Cider Northland

March 16, 2016March 22, 2016 cidersays review, Whitewood cider, cider review, cider tasting, hard cider, Northland, Olympia, washington, Whitewood

Review of Whitewood Cider’s Northland, described as a medium dry cider made from heirloom and traditional cider apples grown in the Pacific Northwest. Whitewood Cider was started in Olympia Washington in 2012 and released their first ciders in 2013 (check out this article). I’ve tried five other ciders from them (Summer Switchel, Red Cap, Whiskey Barrel Aged Kingston Black, Gravenstein Old Fangled 2012 Harvest, and Gravenstein Old Fangled Barrel Aged), but this is my first full review.

Cider: Northland
Cidery: Whitewood Cider
Cidery Location: Olympia Washington
ABV: 6.8%
How Supplied: 750ml clear glass bottle
Style: American craft cider made from heirloom and traditional cider apples

Availability: Per this list, only in Washington, including Olympia, Seattle, Federal Way, Tacoma, and Eastern Washington.

Cider Description: Our Northland Traditional Blend is traditional as it gets. European cider apple varieties blended at the press, fermented through the winter, racked, blended again and matured into early Summer. Lightly back-sweetened for balance and bring out fruitiness.

Floral spicy sweet nose, with strong characteristics of sweet apple, stone fruit, ripe orange and a tropical fruit acidity and wine-like tannic/bitter notes balanced with a crisp clean finish.

(~~Note that it looks like this description is from another release, Northland Traditional, which only used traditional cider apples.~~ Mine says both heirloom and traditional cider apples were used.)

ADDED: Dave White from Whitewood said this batch was actually all bittersweets & bittersharps. For awhile some Newtown Pippins had been added “to open it up a bit but the cider evolved and softened to no longer need it.”

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.

Too often the word traditional is haphazardly thrown around when it comes to making cider. At Whitewood Cider Company we make hard cider seasonally, as traditional as it gets, just as cider has always been made.

We pick and press apples in the Autumn as they are ripe and properly sweated out to produce the thickest richest juices possible.
Our ciders ferment slow all throughout the Winter at the cold ambient temperatures of South Puget Sound
We rack and blend our ciders in the late Winter and early Spring.
Curing the late Spring after the ciders have had ample time torest and mature, we rack our cider once more and begin bottling and kegging.

When it comes to apple selection and cidermaking we have a “no compromise” approach. We believe cidermaking is an art and that the best fruit and the best practices yield the best cider possible.

Whitewood Cider is owned and operated by Dave White (of Old Time Cider) and Heather Ringwood. Visits to their Olympia Washington cidery are by appointment only.

Price: ~$16
Where Bought: Schilling Cider House
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing. I had been wanting to try a bottle and do a full review, and this one sounded like something I’d enjoy.

First Impression: Dark straw yellow / light amber. Very little carbonation upon pouring, and a light foam ring. Smells fairly simple and clean, of mild apple juice and yeast.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry, although with all the fruity notes some may perceive it as sweeter. Medium bodied. Nearly still (very little carbonation). Moderate acidity. Mild tartness. Mild tannins. No bitterness, sourness, or funk. Notes of apple, honey, yeast, mineral, floral, tropical fruit, and citrus. Slight richness. Moderate length finish with some unexpected warming. Moderate complexity. Strong apple influence. High sessionability.

My Opinion: Yum! I enjoyed all the apple flavor in this one, likely a product of them back sweetening the cider. This would make a great introductory craft cider..it retains some sweetness, the tannins remain mild, and it has a lot of apple flavor.

Most Similar to: Other semi-dry apple-forward ciders. It actually reminds me of Breton French ciders, except with much less carbonation, as it is so apple and yeast forward (although French ciders are typically keeved, not back sweetened).

Closing Notes: I enjoyed this cider and look forward to trying more from Whitewood. I still haven’t tried South Sounder, or the regular Old Fangled blend (instead of the single varietal Gravenstein one). My favorite cider from them remains the limited release Whiskey Barrel Kington Black, which I tried last year at Cider Summit Seattle and an event at Capitol Cider with Bill Bradshaw, and was one of my favorite ciders of 2015. Hopefully they make it again, as I didn’t get to purchase any bottles.

Have you tried Whitewood Cider Northland? What did you think?

Woodinville Cider Tasting – Locust, Elemental, & Woodinville Ciderworks

March 11, 2016March 4, 2016 cidersays Elemental, Locust, review, Woodinville Ciderworks cider, cider tasting, Elemental, hard cider, Locust, tasting notes, washington, Woodinville, Woodinville Ciderworks

Recently I spent a Saturday in Woodinville with my husband and a friend. I planned to just go to Locust as I wanted to try their new Bourbon Barrel Aged cider, but ended up visiting all three cideries / tasting rooms in the area, which was nice. Locust Cider, Elemental Hard Cider, and Woodinville Ciderworks are all within walking distance of each other, and each has both cidery and tasting room in the same location. It was my first time visiting any of them, although I’m very familiar with their ciders and have met or communicated with the owners. We started with lunch at Big Fish Grill, which was very tasty. They even had local cider on tap (Schilling Mischief Maker Pom-Cran, which I reviewed here).

Next we went to Locust Cider. My husband and friend tried a couple ciders, then left me to finish up mine (and visit the other cideries) while they went wine tasting.

I only tried two of Locust’s ciders, as I had tried all the others or wasn’t interested (and the first one was a large pour of a high ABV cider!). They were offering Original Dry, Winesap, Dark Cherry, Chipotle, Thai Ginger, and Aged WA Dessert Apple on tap, and bottle pours of Bittersweet Reserve and Bourbon Barrel Aged. See my tasting notes on Thai Ginger, Pumpkin, and Dark Cherry, and reviews of Aged WA Dessert Apple and Bittersweet Reserve (plus I’ve tried Original Dry and Green Tea Infused).

Bourbon Barrel Aged (14% ABV) – This is their newest bottle release, originally only for their club members, but sales were opened up to the public as they had a bit extra (tap room only). Aged 9 months in bourbon barrels. Smells like bourbon with only a hint of apple and oak. Golden orange amber hue. On the sweeter side of Dry. Still. Served room temperature. Light bodied. Moderate acidity, mild tartness, mild bitterness, and mild tannins. Moderate to full flavor profile. I could definitely tell it was 14% ABV, and I think I would have liked to try it cold (or even, shudder, with an ice cube or two), as I think it would have smoothed out a bit. As is, it was a bit much for me. In addition to bourbon, notes of oak and vanilla, and a slight bit of maple and must. Long warming boozy finish. Moderate to high spirit influence. Moderate barrel influence. Very low sessionability. Mild to moderate apple flavor.

Winesap (6.0% ABV) – This is a new cider for them (tap only), a single varietal from Winesap apples. They experimented with a Sidra-style fermentation, aiming to smooth out the tartness of the Winesap apples, and aged it a few months (I assume tank as Ryan didn’t specify barrel). Smells mildly sour and of citrus. Hazy light lemon straw yellow hue. Semi-dry. Only very mild sourness (and I’m admittedly sensitive), less so than in the scent. Mild tartness and acidity. Medium bodied. Frothy mouthfeel but low carbonation. Mildly flavored, with citrus, earthy, yeast, and mineral notes. Quick finish. High sessionability. Mild to moderate apple flavor. This was one of the most unique ciders I’ve ever tasted–very textural more than flavorful. This would be a great refreshing summer cider.

They had a neat handout for tasting notes (reminiscent of this source):

Next I walked down the street to Elemental Hard Cider. I hadn’t realized they had so many taps (12, in comparison to 6 at Locust, although 1 was out). The owners Brian and Christina Callahan were tending bar (I had met them previously at Around the Table in Lynnwood). They were offering Dry (Carbon), Acai (Nitrogen), Ginger, Pomegranate-Rose, Margarita (Jalapeno Lime Cilantro), Apple Pie, Pomegranate (Oxygen), Blood Orange (Calcium), NW Atomic Root Beer, Lavender-Rose Petal, and Grapefruit (Hydrogen).

I’ve previously tried Cherry, Dry (version a & version b), NW Atomic Root Beer (version a & version b), Blood Orange, Seasonal Spiced Apple, Pom-Cherry, and Pomegranate. They are unique in that they have made significant tweaks to their recipes after releasing them, and even bottling them in some cases, thus I have very different tasting notes on the same cider in two cases. I learned they plan to release some ciders in six packs (previously they have only done 16.9 or 22 oz bottles).

<Margarita, Lavender-Rose, and Grapefruit>

Margarita, Jalapeno Lime Cilantro (6.5% ABV) – Smells like lime with hints of cilantro and jalapeno. On the drier side of semi-sweet. Only very mild spiciness (although apparently it can sneak up if you drink a couple pints). The flavor was also mostly lime, although surprisingly only mildly tart. Moderate acidity. A hint of bitterness. Light bodied. Moderate finish length. This would pair really well with mexican food.

Lavender-Rose Petal (6.5% ABV) – Sweet. Full bodied, almost syrupy. Floral and herbal flavor, although I’m not sure I could have guessed it was infused with lavender and rose petals (apparently more rose than lavender with this batch). Low acidity and tartness. Too sweet for me (apparently this is their response to requests for sweeter ciders).

Grapefruit, Hydrogen (6.5% ABV) – Very mild grapefruit scent. On the sweeter side of semi-dry. Mild refreshing grapefruit flavor. Low tartness and acidity. Medium bodied. I’m usually not a huge grapefruit fan, but this was surprisingly nice.

Brian at Elemental had mentioned that Leroy at Woodinville Ciderworks was now pouring Asian Pear cider out of his Flying Dreams Winery tasting room (which specializes in Spanish red wines). I was walking to try to meet up with my husband & friend and walked right by it, so I decided to drop in. They only have one other cider, Tropical, which I tasted at Cider Summit Seattle last summer, but they haven’t bottled yet.

Asian Pear (6.5% ABV) – Semi-dry. Mildly flavored with only a hint of pear (the apple also remains mild). Low tartness and acidity. Light bodied. Citrus, pear, and mineral notes. Moderate finish length. I can see why this is popular, especially with fans of white wine, but its not really my thing, as I like a very flavorful cider.

While I was there I learned they will be bottling Tropical in about 6 weeks, and also a new cider, Pomegranate Dark Cherry, this summer.

I actually ended up back at Elemental to meet my husband and friend as they thought I was still there. They tried a few ciders, and Ginger was their favorite of those.

Locust Bittersweet Reserve remains my favorite Woodinville cider so far. I opened my bottle the night before this group of cidery visits–yum!

Have you been to any cidery tasting room lately?

Port Townsend Cider Route – Alpenfire Cider

March 2, 2016March 2, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire, review Alpenfire, cider, cider route, cider tasting, hard cider, Olympic Peninsula, port townsend, road trip, tasting notes, washington

As a continuation of my trip report on the Port Townsend cider route, here is post 2/4, on Alpenfire Cider (see here for post 1/4, an overview). It was our first cidery of the day, just after they opened at 11am, and we were the only customers. This was good as instead of their Red Wine & Chocolate & Cider event pairing, I was offered the option of partaking in their regular tasting (which I chose, then I sampled some of the chocolates!).

Alpenfire Cider is owned & operated by the husband & wife team of Steve (Bear) and Nancy Bishop. They started under the name Wildfire but changed to Alpenfire in 2010. The name is a nod to Bear’s firefighting background. They live on the property with their orchard, cidery, and tasting room. Their orchard is primarily made up of English and French cider apple varieties (although they have recently planted some heirloom apple and perry pear varieties). They were the first certified organic cidery in Washington and had their first harvest in 2008. I learned that currently all of their ciders which have the USDA Organic seal are made from apples from their own orchard, and those that don’t are from other orchards. They also produce a line of vinegars.

I had met Nancy at a few events for Washington Cider Week last year, including Cider Summit Seattle, and she actually remembered me! I had hoped they would have some bottles of Smoke, which I think is my favorite from them (amazingly rich & smokey), but alas their next batch is still barrel aging. Their last batch was 16% ABV, made from Kingston Black, Dabinett, & Vilberie apples, and triple fermented in charred oak whiskey & mead barrels. No estimate on when the next batch will be released as it takes as long as it takes until they are completely happy with it.

They had an interesting cider tasting order, from sweet to dry to sweet.

Spark – Their semi-sweet cider, a customer favorite, made from cider and heirloom apple varieties, and their most “American” cider. Semi-sweet to sweet. Low acidity and tartness. A hint of tannins. Honey and floral notes. Medium to full bodied. Moderate finish length. This would be a great introductory artisan cider for folks used to drinking commercial cider, due to its sweetness (and it was for me).

Ember – Made from late season French and English bittersweet apple varieties. This cider was described as being especially ideal to pair with food. Semi-dry. Low acidity and tartness. Moderate tannins. Bittersweet apple, caramel, honey, and floral notes. Light to medium bodied. Long finish.

Dungeness Orchard Blend – A unique still (non carbonated) cider made from over 200 varieties of apples from the Dungeness Orchard in Sequim WA. It can almost be better compared to white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, than cider. I was also told that due to the number of apple varieties used, it can be a bit “volatile”, varying batch to batch (some past batches have been significantly sweeter). Dry to semi-dry. Slight funk. Light bodied. Low tartness. Moderate acidity. Light tannins. Complex with floral and mineral notes, but otherwise I find the flavor difficult to describe. Long finish.

Pirate’s Plank – Their flagship award winning “bone dry” (zero residual sugar) cider, described as similar to traditional English cider. Aged in white oak. This is a “Scrumpy” unfiltered and unpasteurized cider. It was said that this could be used similar to a sour beer in food pairings. Fully dry. Low acidity and tartness. Moderate tannins. A hint of funk. Light bodied. Citrus, floral, oak, and earthy notes. Long finish.

Glow – A single varietal rosé cider made from Hidden Rose red fleshed apples, which are unique for Alpenfire as they are actually a dessert apple variety (not heirloom or cider apple variety). These 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. The cider is a lovely blush color. It smells very fruity, of watermelon and strawberries. Sweet. Complex and fruity. Very full flavored. Low tartness and acidity. Medium to full bodied. Nearly still. Moderate length finish.

Cinders – This is their newest release, a Methode Champenoise version of Glow, and a very limited release of 454 bottles. Methode Champenoise is an old world labor-intensive way of making a naturally carbonated champagne-style cider. It involves secondary fermentation in the bottle, daily hand turning of bottles on a riddling rack, and manual disgorging of the residual yeast sediment. Semi-dry. Very high carbonation. It smells more yeasty than fruity to me. I was surprised how dry the Methode Champenoise made it. The flavor seemed mild, especially compared to Glow. A completely different cider.

Calypso – This is their only cider which has an addition besides apples, blackberries from Sequim WA. Pippin apples from their orchard were used, and the cider was aged 2 months in Bull Run Distilling rum barrels. Semi-dry. Low to moderate tartness. Very light oak barrel influence. Low to moderate blackberry flavor. Light bodied. Moderate carbonation.

I had tried Spark, Ember, and Dungeness previously (as well as Apocalypso, a twist on Calypso that was aged 4 instead of 2 months, and Simple Cider, which were both draft-only releases). Its crazy how much tastes can change (and ciders, year to year), as the first time I tried Dungeness I really wasn’t a fan…it tasted like dry white wine to me. Now that my cider palate has expanded I could taste the complexity of the cider. Even last summer I remember Ember as being too tannic for my tastes, but now it was enjoyable. The only cider of their current lineup I haven’t tasted yet is now Flame, a Methode Champenoise style cider.

I picked up a bottle of Glow and a cute Alpenfire t-shirt. I was expecting to purchase a bottle of Cinders, but honestly I preferred Glow. I can get Glow at home (but not Cinders, although it is currently on VinoShipper), but its no fun to leave a tasting room without cider! It was my favorite from this tasting. Overall my favorites from them are Glow, Spark, Smoke, and Calypso/Apocalypso.

Stay tuned for posts 3/4 and 4/4 on Eaglemount and Finnriver!

Port Townsend Cider Route – Road Trip Report

March 1, 2016October 23, 2016 cidersays Alpenfire, Eaglemount, Finnriver, review Alpenfire, cider, cider route, eaglemount, Finnriver, hard cider, Olympic Peninsula, port ludlow, port townsend, washington

I finally made it out the Olympic Peninsula to visit the three Port Townsend Washington area cideries, Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver. My husband took me on a birthday weekend getaway, and we stayed the night in Port Ludlow (South of Port Townsend). This post will cover the trip as a whole, then I’ll have three other posts for tasting notes and info on each of the three cideries.

We planned this trip a couple months in advance, but it ended up being weekend 2/2 of a Red Wine (& Cider) & Chocolate Valentine’s Day thing, so unfortunately that meant I didn’t get the typical tasting experience. In addition to having a different tasting selection, the cideries appeared to be charging more for tastings (as they were offering chocolate pairings). However, that also meant that Alpenfire was open (they usually close for the Winter this time of year).

It was an early wake up for a Saturday, as I wanted to allow extra time for ferry delays or whatever just in case, although the trip is only a couple hours.

(1) We started with the 8am Edmonds to Kingston ferry, which is a quick 30 minute trip, but actually didn’t save us much time (vs. driving around to the South), but is fun and breaks up the trip.

(2) Then we headed up North to Port Townsend, did a quick driving tour of the town, and ate a late breakfast at a cute French-themed restaurant called Sweet Laurette (which was very good).

(3) Next we realized the Mount Townsend Creamery was on our route, and we had a bit of time, so that was a fun quick stop.

(4) Then, on to our first cider stop, Alpenfire! We got lucky as for this event weekend they opened at 11am instead of noon, giving us an extra hour. Also, we ended up being the only guests at Alpenfire, likely as it was so early.

I should note that this area is lovely just to take a drive, surrounded by trees.

(5) Next was Eaglemount (at their new location by the way–the cider route maps still have their old address). They are unique on the cider route as they also make grape wine and honey wine (mead) in addition to cider.

(6) After that we stopped in at the Chimacum Corner Farmstand to take a look.

(7) Last, we ended the cider route at Finnriver. We made good time and finished up there just before 4pm (so without the hour head start it would have been 5pm).

(8) Finally, we drove South to Port Ludlow to the Inn at the Resort at Port Ludlow. It appears to be the nicest accommodations in the area. There aren’t many newer / higher priced options in Port Townsend. Port Ludlow is actually closer to Finnriver than Port Townsend (and closer to the ferry), so it wasn’t really an inconvenience. The main thing it impacted was our dinner options, as Port Ludlow is much smaller than Port Townsend…we ended up at The Fireside restaurant at the Inn for both dinner and breakfast, which was very nice, but definitely added to the cost. The Inn is beautifully situated on the marina in the planned community of Port Ludlow.

I was surprised at how small it was, less than 40 rooms, although they also have several event and banquet rooms. Overall I think it was overpriced (it looked nice on the surface but the room had a lot of little annoyances like a loud heater & mini fridge and uncomfortable bed), but for the level of accommodations we are used to, it was the best option. We had time before dinner to walk along the waterfront. Its a popular destination for weddings, and I imagine they are full all summer long (even without air conditioning!). For our February stay however it was fairly quiet.

I was drawn to the restaurant’s cider selection on their online menu, but it ended up being a disappointment…they had reduced their ciders from 4 by the glass, 4 by the bottle, 1 Pommeau, and several Finnriver brandywines to only 1 by the glass (Eaglemount Ginger), 1 by the bottle (Alpenfire Glow), and the Finnriver brandywines. You’d think their best option would be to stock 500ml Finnriver bottles as to not have to keep anything open, have ciders that are widely appealing (not ginger), and have something that one person could order (plus although Glow is amazing, I’d call it more of a dessert cider than something to pair with dinner). I ended up ordering a cocktail with Prosecco and Finnriver Black Currant brandywine. The food was amazing but the service was absent at times. Overall our stay met our needs but didn’t amaze us.

Wanting to make this trip yourself? Here are my tips:

Although its doable to make it a day trip from the greater Seattle area (especially as the cideries are only typically open noon-5pm), staying overnight was great, and gave us a chance to have a leisurely dinner too instead of rushing home. However, especially in the summer, be warned that hotels book very quickly, likely as there are few options.
Definitely be safe and have a designated driver, as its a lot of cider tasting in a short period of time.
Plan your route. I’m glad I planned the order we’d visit the cideries, how long of a drive between them, etc. It wouldn’t have been fun to go on the trip and end up only making it to 2/3 cideries for example due to running out of time.
Bring some snacks, as there are very few options once you start the cider route, and cider tasting on an empty stomach isn’t wise. Apparently in summer some of the cideries may offer food though (such as pizza at Finnriver). One option is the Chimacum Corner Farmstand, which is a mix between a roadside produce stand and a mini PCC (plus they even sell garden type stuff like fertilizer outside). They are close to Finnriver and have some grab & go lunch type stuff. We stopped in but didn’t end up buying anything. Due to our large breakfast just before starting the cider route, we ended up being ok food-wise until the third stop at Finnriver, where we had some of the snacks we brought (I went a bit fancy and packed us a cheese plate in a cooler).
Cash wasn’t necessary, although it could be handy for tasting fees and tips. All three cideries used the credit card payment app Square on an ipad (no extra fee).
Plan to purchase bottles (and cidery swag if interested), as you will get a chance to taste at least a few ciders that aren’t distributed. Cinders at Alpenfire and Pommeau at Finnriver for example.

Stay tuned for my tasting notes from Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver!

(UPDATE – Posts on Alpenfire, Eaglemount, and Finnriver are now up.)

Schilling Cider House Visit 11 Tasting Notes

February 19, 2016March 6, 2016 cidersays 101 Ciderhouse, Celt, Honey Moon, Original Sin, review, Schilling, Sonoma Cider cider, cider flight, cider house, cider tasting, hard cider, Schilling, Schilling Cider House, seattle, washington

Tasting notes from my eleventh visit to the Schilling Cider House in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle WA. Check out my past posts here. I was there mostly as I wanted to pick up a couple bottles (Schilling’s new seasonal King’s Shilling brandy barrel aged & fortified cider and this year’s version of Two Towns’ Pommeau), but this isn’t exactly the kind of place where I can stop in without having some cider!

I got there after work, around 4pm, and started with a flight of five ciders (I had tried everything else so skipped out on #6). I brought some take out food I picked up from PCC (the Caprese sandwich went well with 101 Cider House Piña Mint).

Schilling Blackberry Pear (Auburn WA), 5.5%: This is a new draft-only release. I believe it is apple cider with blackberry and pear juice infused after fermentation (vs. being a blackberry flavored perry). Semi-sweet. Full flavored with blackberry and a hint of pear. Fruity, refreshing, and flavorful without being over the top sweet. The apple remains pretty well hidden. Medium bodied. This was pretty good (and I’m usually not a big berry cider fan), although maybe I was just underwhelmed with most of the rest of the flight. It reminded me of Atlas Blackberry (although less tart) and Crispin Blackberry Pear (although sweeter).

Schilling London Dry (Auburn WA), 6.5%: Described as an English pub style cider, sold in four packs of 16oz cans and kegs. Somehow I had never tried this one even though its been out awhile. Dry. High acidity. Moderarate tartness. Light bodied. It was lacking the richness of English cider, likely as I doubt they used high tannin cider apples. I thought this was a pretty average cider, but many people ordered pints of it while I was there (although maybe because it was the most inexpensive drier cider by far?).

Sonoma Cider Dry Fuji (Healdsburg CA), 6.5%: This is a reserve series release from Sonoma Cider, an organic Fuji apple single varietal, oak barrel aged, sold in 22oz paper wrapped bottles and kegs. Nearly clear hue. Completely Dry (0 residual sugar). High acidity. Moderate sourness. Mild tartness. Light bodied. Kinda Sidra-like due to the sourness, although it also reminded me of white grape wine. Mildly flavored. I wasn’t a fan at all, mostly due to the sourness.

Original Sin Northern Spy (York NY), 6.9%: This Northern Spy single varietal is part of Original Sin’s Heirloom series. This appears to be tap-only at this time (although they had similar heirloom series releases in 750ml bottles, like Newtown Pippin). Semi-dry. Low acidity. Low tartness. A hint of sourness. Citrus notes. Light bodied. Overall mildly flavored. Average.

101 Cider House Piña Menta (Los Angeles CA), 6.9%: This is a new 101 Cider House release, a pineapple mint cider. Smells of citrus and mint. On the sweeter side of Dry. A hint of sourness. Citrus and mint notes. I didn’t really pick up pineapple? Moderately flavored. Light bodied. Unique with the mint flavor, but overall I thought it was average.

They also put Honey Moon CiderHead Quince on tap while I was there.

Honey Moon CiderHead Quince (Bellingham WA), 8.3%: This is described as their Quince mead with cider, so that would make it a cyser. Semi-dry. Mild tannins, tartness, and acidity. Mildly fruity. Light and refreshing. Mild to moderate flavored. Tropical notes, passion fruit and pineapple. This was good, but I prefer Eaglemount Quince, which was more complex and flavorful.

I wanted a little something else, but didn’t feel the need for another pint, so I bought a bottle of Celt for $3 and drank it there. The Cider House is pretty awesome as they don’t charge extra to drink their bottled cider there (vs. taking it home). An awesome cider for an awesome price! Its the only French cider I’ve seen that comes in a multipack (4 bottles). Check out my previous review here. I had forgotten how I much I enjoy this cider, and picked up a couple more bottles to take home.

I’m excited to compare the last two years of Two Towns’ Pommeau in a vertical pour, now that I have a bottle of each. I highly recommend it by the way, and if anyone is in the Seattle area, at $25 for an amazing 375ml bottle of 19% ABV Pommeau at the Schilling Cider House, its also a good buy. I also spotted it at The Cave in Kirkland.

Stay tuned for more Schilling Cider House tasting notes here at Cider Says! Have you had any good draft cider / cider flights recently?

Cockrell Original Hard Cider

February 18, 2016February 18, 2016 cidersays Cockrell, review cider, cider review, cider tasting, Cockrell, hard cider, Puyallup, washington

Review of Cockrell Original Hard Cider from Puyallup WA. They started making cider in late 2014, and so far I have only previously tried their Valley Red (raspberry). Here is an article on their release.

Cider: Original Hard Cider
Cidery: Cockrell
Cidery Location: Puyallup WA
ABV: 6.2%
How Supplied: 22oz bottle
Style: American flagship craft hard cider

Availability: Only in Washington. See this list.

Cider Description: This is the cider that started our journey. Our Original is a semi-sweet cider made with local fruit. We age this cider for months to bring out a smooth taste with just the right amount of tartness. Our Original is a crowd pleaser and winner of many competitions including the Cascade Cup and Washington State Fair.

Cidery Description: Cockrell Hard Cider is the longtime dream of two Puyallup brothers, Richard and John Cockrell. The brothers have been making hand crafted beer and cider for over 25 years. Their creations have won many local, state and national awards and accolades resulting in the encouragement of friends and family to consider sharing their creative talents with a larger audience.

As the brothers began planning for their retirement, they contemplated turning their hobby into a second career. The Pacific Northwest is home to many quality microbreweries but few artisan cider houses. The sophisticated range of flavors crafting ciders offers provides the brothers with the experimentation and creativity they crave.

The brothers began formulating a plan which included searching for the perfect cider apple. For over 100 years the Puyallup Valley, has been an agriculture leader in Washington State. The brother’s quest brought them to Gwyndon Farms. The farm was established in 1967 by Don and Gwendolyn Dewey. The Dewey’s operated the family farm for decades growing apples, cherries, raspberries and rhubarb. At its peak, the farm had over 1500 apple tress offering two dozen varieties.

The ability to utilize local fruit in the production process of their cider cinched the deal. Gwyndon Farms was purchased and Cockrell Hard Cider was launched. Cockrell Hard Cider’s production facility is located on the farm mere footsteps from the apple trees and raspberries utilized in the production process. The farm provides a peaceful setting for visitors to enjoy roaming the apple orchard and viewing the production process.

They have a tasting room open Fridays and Saturdays on their farm in Puyallup WA.

Price: $7.50

Where Bought: Full Throttle Bottles in Seattle WA
Where Drank: home
How Found: Browsing, although I had heard of them online and tried their Valley Red (raspberry) twice.

First Impression: Very light peach amber. Low carbonation upon pouring, with medium sized bubbles. Smells of rich bittersweet apples and honey.

Tasting Notes: Semi-dry. Moderate acidity. Mild tartness. A hint of tannins. Almost still (very low carbonation). Honey, caramel, and vanilla notes. Slight richness. Medium bodied. Quick finish. Moderate apple flavor. Moderate sessionability.

My Opinion: This cider was definitely to my liking. It has more flavor than a lot of flagship ciders and is reasonably priced too.

Most Similar to: Richer ciders, such as those from Brittany France (like Celt, although Cockrell has significantly lower carbonation), and Cascadia Ciderworks United Dry.

Closing Notes: This was a very enjoyable cider. I’m curious what else from them I’ll like.

Have you tried Cockrell ciders? What did you think?

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