Cider Review: Tilted Shed Ciderworks' 2019 Echolocation

I’ve seen the sun twice this week, and I’ve recovered from Covid. You know mostly recovered in that I’m testing negative and able to go about my business. My congestion isn’t fully gone, and I’m returning to life slowly and carefully. That just seems the safest and comfiest option. That means that this set of notes is another one I took a while ago, and I’ve saved for a rainy day. Hopefully, there won’t be too many more rainy days before I can replenish these! But until then, I’m happy to share my thoughts on Tilted Shed Ciderworks 2019 Echolocation.

Tilted Shed Ciderworks has appeared on this blog regularly, so I’ll refer readers to earlier reviews for more background information on this orchard-based California Cidery.  What I will share again is that the cidery is based in Sonoma County California, where it was founded in 20111 by Ellen Cavalli and her husband Scott Heath. The cider releases are small and highly individualized, so if you’re curious about what Tilted Shed is releasing, the best way to have access is the cider club.

Find out more background in these earlier reviews.

Wickson (my #9 cider of 2021) : http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/02/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Inclinado: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/10/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Love's Labor (my 2nd favorite cider of 2020): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/06/cider-reviews-grisamore-cider-fillmore.html

Lost Orchard: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Barred Rock Barrel Aged Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/04/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted-shed.html

January Barbecue Smoked Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/03/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted.htm

And you can learn all about what’s happening at Tilted Shed Ciderworks on the website: https://www.tiltedshed.com/

I obtained this cider as part of the Tilted Shed Cider Club. Here’s what the Harvest newsletter said about it. 

2019 Echolocation    A coferment of 70% Asian pear varieties (Hosui, Shinseki, and Shinko) from Sebastopol’s Gabriel Farm and 30% Roxbury Russet from Murray Ranch on Sonoma Mountain. This was our first time working with these delightful pear varieties, and we think it turned out really well! Straw gold, with a aromatics of pear skin and just a whiff of marjoram; vivacious acidity with notes of pear and a touch of honeydew melon. I dig it, and the more I drink it, the more I find it rather beguiling. I think it’ll be a great cider for pearing...haha, I mean, pairing with a wide range of foods. Let me know what you think! PS You might be wondering where the name “Echolocation” comes from. Well, when I conceived of the art for this label, I drew four nested concentric circles representing the four types of pome fruit that go into this blend. I asked Scott to paint it for me (I cannot paint!) and when he showed me the finished art, it immediately reminded me of the radarlike imagery of echolocation—that is, the way creatures such as dolphins and bats navigate using sound instead of sight. Hence, the name. I think it is apropos as it shows how we are navigating our way through our cidermaking journey by using all our senses.

Appearance: intense aconite yellow, cloudy, few bubbles

The color of this cider is intense and joyful. It reminds me of Winter Aconite, one of the first flowers we’ll see in upstate New York. The cider is cloudy rather than clear or hazy, and it poured with a bit of a mousse. After a few moments, I can still see just a few isolated bubbles, but I still anticipate some sparkle

Aromas: Dust, red grapes, cantaloupe, apricot

The Echocolation smells rich and exciting like mineral dust, red grapes, cantaloupe, and apricot. I love the concentrated intensity of these aromas. It's tremendously inviting.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry!

Yes! Another dry one. I’m always curious about perceived sweetness when dealing with a perry because of the varying levels of sorbitol in pears. This is a conclusively dry pear and apple blend. 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, floral, astringent, honey, ripe apple  

What a lovely and complex treat! Echolocation taste dry and yet like floral honey and fusel oil. The pear cider offers a long ripe apple finish and strong bubbles. The flavors are wild and intense and communicate while remaining fully dry. The cider creates an astringent experience that feels almost cottony in my mouth. The mid-palate’s bitterness slightly recalls wonderfully fresh red pepper. The overall effect varies between spring flowers and summer vegetables. It’s a wonderful vacation from a cold gray day and it has woken up my taste buds with amazing vibrance.

Cider Review: Wild State Cider's Classic Dry

I’m writing from my bed where I’m stuck with Covid. This is the weekend that I’m grateful to have some sets of cider review notes saved from earlier tasting sessions. For a long while, I was lucky enough to avoid the dread illness, but my luck ran out. I hope the congestion clears and that I’ll return to full sensing form soon. This is one reason why I try to keep a few sets of notes in reserve at all times. Now I’ll just write and feel envious of past and future selves that get to enjoy ciders like Wild State’s Classic Dry. 

Wild State Cider comes to us from Duluth, Minnesota. The cidery was kind enough to send me several samples for review a while back. I’ve reviewed a few Wild State Ciders, and I’ve included more background in the earlier reviews. Here’s the full list. 

Peach Basil: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/04/cider-review-wild-state-ciders-peach.html

Semi-dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/10/cider-review-wild-state-ciders-semi-dry.html

Triple Berry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-wild-states-triple-berry.html

I recommend visiting Wild State Cider’s website to learn about the full cider lineup and the taproom: https://www.wildstatecider.com/ciders

Here’s how Wild State describes the Classic Dry. It’s not a ton of info, but it highlights what the cidery wants us to know about this cider.

The champagne of ciders. Perfectly dry with 0g of sugar. Only 170 calories and 2g carbs. 6.9% ABV

Appearance: hazy, applesauce color, bubbly

The color of the Classic Dry reminds me of applesauce; it's warm in tone but mellow and hazy. There are drifts of bubbles resting in the bottom of the glass.

Aromas: minerals, salt, fresh green apple, sulphites 

Wild State’s Classic Dry smells initially of minerals and fresh apples. Specifically I smell the green apple malic acid note along with some hint of saltiness and sulphites.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

It is dry! I’m always curious when a cider bills itself as fully dry. Many drinkers don’t want fully dry; they prefer off dry described as dry. Not Wild State though, when they say dry, they mean it! 

Flavors and drinking experience: Austere, high acid, bracing, tannic

Wow! This is highly unusual for a canned cider. Not only is the Classic Dry actually dry, it’s bringing high acid and some tannins to the table as well. I find the cider more austere than fruit-forward, but it’s wonderfully bracing.

Because of the combination of acid, dryness, and tannins, the whole experience feels angular, almost sharp. The bubbles are plentiful and powerful too. This is a great way to wake up your mouth! I find it tremendously refreshing and very different from most of what I find in cans. 

Fingers crossed that by next week, I’ll be back up to the usual cider shenanigans. Be well, friends!

Cider Review Farmhouse Cider's Goldrush Single Varietal Cider

Farmhouse Cider is the cider line created by Back Bay Brew House: Farmhouse in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the Goldrush Single Varietal Cider, and I have to mention my thanks to the cidermaker. He shared this cider with me for review and is one of the kind folks I got to meet in the Hudson Valley this summer when I traveled to take my Pommelier exam. 

You can read about Back Bay Brewery: Farmhouse and all their beers, wines, ciders and canned cocktails here: https://backbayfarmhouse.com/.

This is my first ever Farmhouse Cider review.

Here’s what the Goldrush Single Varietal Cider’s label says about it. 

Unlike many other cider apple varieties that are over 200 years old, the Goldrush apple was only brought to market 30 years ago. This apple brings a refreshing tartness, hints of tropical fruit, and a unique spiciness that is both warming and invigorating. 

Appearance: slight haze, vivid warm nectarine color, virtually no visible bubbles

This cider looks warm and homey with its mild haze and inviting nectarine gold color. It reminds me of the warm sunny days that are both behind and ahead of us. (Can you tell I’m missing every season but Winter?)

Aromas: tangerine, pears, ripe apples and old fashioned bubble gum

The Goldrush smells like tangerine and old fashioned bubble gum on an immediate first sniff (hat tip to my co-taster who identified the fruity mix that reminded both of us of old school bubble gum). I noticed Pear and ripe apple notes that are vivid in their intensity as well. 

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This is a dry cider. I often expect that in a single varietal cider, but it cannot be assumed. This is a lovely true dry cider. 

Flavors and drinking experience: High acid, pear, fine bubbles

Much of what comes out in this cider’s aromas are present also in the Goldrush Single Varietal’s flavors as well. It tastes beautifully like ripe apple and pear, with a gentle background of interplaying tropical fruits. This cider brings wonderfully high acid that remains fun and fruity rather than sharp or austere. 

The pleasure of The Goldrush cider is enhanced by its plethora of very fine bubbles. Everything combines to make this cider very drinkable and delightful. I had mine with tilapia, brown rice, and delicata squash. I kept the meal very simple so I could focus on a new and exciting cider. I’m glad I did!

Cider Review: Turncoat Cidery's Madeira Cask Cider

It’s not everyday I get to try a cider that’s as new and mysterious as Turncoat Cidery’s Madeira Cask Cider. I wanted to try something new on a dark winter night in that strange time of lull after the holidays. 

Turncoat Cidery is an up-and-coming small cidery on Benedict Arnold’s historic farm, using all Rhode Island apples. Madeira Cask Cider intrigued me especially because I’ve never actually tasted Madeira. For me, it's always been one of the near infinite list of beverages that show up in novels that have piqued my curiosity for years. For some additional background information, I turned to both online sources and Turncoat’s cider maker. 

I’ll link to Turncoat Cidery’s website more for the future than for the present: https://turncoatcidery.com/

According to the Connecticut and Rhode Island Beverage Journal, “Employing 16 heritage cider varieties—including Golden Russet, Ashmead’s Kernel, Harrison, Arkansas Black, Whitney and Roxbury Russet—Turncoat! farms organically and follows low-intrusion fermentation techniques to add great character to their small-batch production.” The cider is available via distribution and at restaurants. 

Here’s what the cider’s label reads.

Madeira Cask Cider Turncoat ciders are made from heirloom cider apples grown at Fox Hill Farm, a beautiful saltwater farm at the base of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island and the colonial era farm of Benedict Arnold. Today we honor the traditions of cider making past through thoughtful blending of bittersweet and bittersharp apples to give our cider both nuance and character.  

This particular cider went into the bottle about 6 months ago.

Appearance: hazy, medium intensity shortbread color, no visible bubbles 

The Madeira Cask Cider’s color reminds me of perfectly baked shortbread; its golden but gently so. I don’t see any visible bubbles, and the cider has a soft haze. 

Aromas: petrol, apricot, leather, walnuts, mushroom

These descriptors paint a picture for me, just like the Madeira Cask Cider’s aromas do. This is a story of mature, earthy and wild scents. Its very foresty with apricot, walnut, and mushroom notes. The cider doesn’t just smell like fairy woodland though; I also get petrol and leathery elements as well. I so appreciate the multi-dimensional funk going on!

Sweetness/dryness: bone dry

This cider is dry. Don’t ask for it to be sweet. 

Flavors and drinking experiences: sparkling, lemon, smoky and funky

This cider’s  flavors grow very naturally from its aromas. The Madeira Cask Cider has some of the barrel and oxidation-related notes more associated with Madeira itself: walnut, hazelnut, and orange peel. There’s more though; this cider is sparkling, with notes of lemon, barrel, and smoke.

This is a funky cider that I think will appeal most to fans of both UK cider profiles and genuinely dry ciders. Luckily for me, I’m very fond of both! I like the cider’s acidity, austerity, and challenge. The whole experience is angular and savory. It could stand up to a hearty meal beautifully, but the cider is complex enough to enjoy on its own. Lovely.

Cider Review: Big Fish Cider Co.'s Wassail

Let’s start off this year’s cider coverage with Big Fish Cider Co.’s Wassail! A Wassail is a celebration and collective ritual to create community and bring good harvests, so it seems an auspicious way to begin a new year! Here’s to many good and delicious things for all of us.

Big Fish Cider Company makes its home in Monterey, Virginia. The cidery was founded in 2015, though the cidermaker Kirk Billingsly had more than twenty years of home cidermaking to his credit before starting Big Fish. 

Here’s a little about how the cidery is introduced on the website.

We make ciders using locally-grown apples and traditional techniques to create completely new flavors. Our cider is available in a range of off-dry to semi-sweet blends, as well as seasonal offerings.

Big Fish has won multiple best in class, gold, silver, and bronze awards at the Great Lakes Cider and Perry Competition. We have also won both the Good Food Award and a Made in Virginia Award.

More snippets of background appear in all of my earlier reviews of Big Fish Ciders, going back to the cidery’s first appearance in 2018. Here’s the full list. 

Punk and Henry (my #2 Favorite cider of 2022): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/03/cider-review-big-fish-cider-cos-puck.html

And in case you didn’t see the favorites list: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/12/my-favorite-10-ciders-of-2022.html

Virginia Hewes Crab(my #1 favorite cider of 2020!): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/10/cider-review-big-fish-cider-co-virginia.html

Wild Meadow: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/05/cider-review-big-fish-cider-cos-wild.html

Allegheny Gold (my #3 cider from 2019): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-whitewood-cider-company.html

Highland Scrumpy (my #3 cider from 2018): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-angry-orchard-ciders.html

Church Hill Blush: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-aeppeltreows-orchard.html

One of the best ways to find out more about Big Fish Cider is to visit the homepage here: https://www.bigfishcider.com/

If you’d like to read more about wassailing, I recommend Dr. Maria Kennedy’s excellent blog post about Wassails old and new: https://ciderwithmaria.com/2022/12/19/wassail-a-how-to-for-new-traditions/

Here’s what Big Fish Cider has to say about the Wassail.

Still gold naturally cloudy Medium Sweet cider featuring Jonagold, Pink Lady, York, and Stayman apples, 8.5% abv.

From Old Norse “ves heil” literally meaning “be you healthy.” Mulled cider was traditionally drunk as an integral part of wassailing, a medieval English drinking tradition to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year. Wassail is made with traditional mulling spices, but not so much as to eliminate the apple’s essence and taste. It’s a great wintertime drink.

Appearance: hazy, turmeric, bubbly 

The Wassail looks like a mulled cider. The color is a rich turmeric with plenty of haze. I can barely see my fingers on the other side of the glass. There are some bubbles that gather at the edges of the cider where it rings the glass.

Aromas: clove, ginger, cinnamon, minerals, cranberry, apple and cherry

Big Fish Cider Co.’s Wassail smells immediately like cinnamon, clove, ginger, orange, and wet apples. It’s tremendously enticing. Secondarily, I get notes of minerals cranberry, and cherry.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

This is a deliciously sweet cider whose sweetness feels fruity and tastes like brown sugar. The sweetness is completely welcome in this drink. Read on to see how it fits in with this gorgeous cider. 

Flavors and drinking experience: still, spices, citrus, medium acid, some tannins

Wassail delighted us on a wintry holiday evening. All of the flavors promised by the cider’s aromas came through in the flavors beautifully. Big Fish chose to make this cider still with a bloom of warmth, fruit, and spice. The cider needs to be sweet but what I appreciate about the sweetness is how it tastes quite real: nothing fake or out of balance. It’s just so very good! 

This spiced cider not only has the spice notes of clove, cinnamon, and ginger I noted in the aromas; it also uses citrus—orange juice notes quite effectively. The cider uses medium acids and immediate tannins that commingle with the clove flavor especially. Though it's plenty spicy, the cider never feels hot, pointed, or bitter. All notes play in concert beautifully. My mom described it as liquid apple pie. The apple speaks with ripe warmth, but all elements are necessary to the overall experience. What an amazing treat. 

Wassail!