Things change all the time. The seasons cycle through (though less predictably than in the decades gone by), and we all grow and change. Recently, I completed a first draft of a novel manuscript. This is a first for me, and I’m excited to jump into editing. And I’ve accepted an exciting offer of a different role within the larger organization of my day job. That will start next week. I still love apples and cider, so I celebrated the good job news with a special bottle. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on that celebratory beverage: Eden Cidery’s Cellar Series Franklin Pet Nat.
If anyone reading isn’t familiar with the term Pet Nat, that’s totally fair. It’s short for Petillant Naturel. That’s a specific fermentation technique used for wine and cider that leverages the yeast’s transformation of sugar into carbon dioxide to create naturally bubbles in the bottle with just one round of fermentation and no disgorging. Here’s a link to a better explanation by the illustrious Beth Demmon: https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/beer/cider/pet-nat-cider/.
I love a good Pet Nat. They are dry and often taste super fresh, slightly funky, high acid, and bubbly. This is a huge part of what I want from cider. It’s not the only profile, but it’s a trustworthy one!
Eden Ciders are some of my favorites. This small Vermont cidery experiments and creates new delicious ciders all the time while remaining truly orchard and harvest focused. There aren’t enough cideries that can make that claim. I’ve amassed quite the collection of reviews of Eden ciders. Here’s the list.
Fuzz Ball: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/09/cider-review-eden-ciders-fuzz-ball.html
Cobble Knoll: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-eden-ciders-cobble-knoll.html
Sorciere: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/07/cider-review-eden-ciders-sorciere.html
Oliver’s Twist Foxwhelp Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-eden-ciders-olivers-twist.html
Brut Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/07/cider-review-eden-ciders-brut-rose.html
Benjamin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/06/cider-review-eden-ciders-benjamin-and.html
Deep Cut: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/08/cider-review-eden-specialty-ciders-deep.html
Peak Bloom: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/09/cider-review-eden-ciders-peak-bloom-and.html
Ezekiel: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-eden-specialty-ciders.html
Extra Sec: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-angry-orchard-super.html
Eden Heritage Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/06/cider-cans-crush-it-eden-heritage-and.html
Siren Song: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html
Brut Nature: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-con-2018-pt-1-eden-specialty.html
Imperial 11 Degree Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-january-2017-cidrbox-and-edens.html
Sparkling Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/06/cider-review-eden-sparkling-dry-cider.html
The Sparkling Dry supported my Thanksgiving & Birthday celebrations in 2016:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/pick-cider-for-thanksgiving-and-my.html
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/happy-to-pickcider-for-thanksgiving.html
I suggest visiting Eden Cidery’s website. That’s the best place to read about the harvest ciders, aperitifs, and ice ciders available along with the sister brands Eden is now affiliated with: https://www.edenciders.com/
Here’s how the label describes the Cellar Series Franklin Pet Nat.
Franklin is Vermont's own cider apple variety. Propagated from a wild seedling tree found at the edge of a small orchard in Franklin County, Vermont. It is a high volume apple, producing a dry sparkling cider that balances mouth-watering acidity and robust tannins. We were privileged to pick the fruit of the mother tree for this special small batch. Abv 7.2% Residual sugar 0 grams/liter
Appearance: intense butter yellow, brilliant, lots of active fine bubbles
This is a lovely cider! The color just radiates like welcome spring sunshine in a pure buttery shade of yellow. There are tons of bubbles present, all tiny and active!
Aromas: Nutty farmy lemon and moss and grape skin
The Franklin Pet Nat smells nutty and farmy upon first whiff. As I let the aroma notes unfurl, I get lemon, moss, and grape skins. It feels so appropriate for Spring!
Dryness/sweetness: Dry!
Eden’s Franklin Pet Nat is a completely dry cider, and it tells no lies about that. Dry cider fans, rejoice!
Flavors and drinking experience: high acidity, lemon fluff, funk, bubbly
I love the mouthwatering high acidity on this cider. Eden has released something super gorgeous and bubbly with the Franklin Pet Nat. This dry cider comes across with citrus zest, lemon fluff, and some farmy wildness.
The mouthfeel is Austere and spiky with tannic weight. The cider is more indebted to minerals than fruit, but the fruit that is present is firmly citrusy. The gentle notes of funk from the Franklin Pet Nat’s aromas remain present in its flavors. They aren’t out of control, but they remind us that we’re drinking something a bit untamed.