Cider Review: Kite and String's King of the North Reserve

Writing this hours before any election returns start, I’m nervous. I feel like this year has been an exercise in dealing with uncertainty and unpleasant certainties. I’ll choose measured hope and plenty of actions beyond voting. But while we wait, there’s cider. Today, I’m sharing my notes on a local treat: Kite and String's King of the North Reserve.

Looking back in the blog’s history, I’ve reviewed quite a few Kite and String Ciders before. Kite and String is the home cider at Finger Lakes Cider House. The company won the first New York State Cider Competition (I participated as a judge). I’ll give a caveat that If you read back through earlier coverage, please don’t get confused if you see a few different names or phrases. This cidery has a former name as well as being affiliated with Good Life Farm and the Finger Lakes Cider House. 

Rose ‘17: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/cider-review-kite-and-strings-rose-17.html

Barrel Rye: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-good-life-ciders-barrel-rye.html

Cazenovia: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-good-life-ciders-cazenovia.html

King of Hector: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/07/cider-review-kite-and-string-ciders.html

The Hickok has appeared at a few special dinners including:

Thanksgiving 2016: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/happy-to-pickcider-for-thanksgiving.html

And Finger Lakes Locavore Birthday Dinner:  

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

Read about both the Finger Lakes Cider House and Kite and String Cider on the website: http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com

Unfortunately, I couldn't find an official description of King of the North Reserve, and my photos didn’t include the back of the bottle. I do know that I picked this cider up for myself the last time I visited the Cider House in person. I tasted it and choose it because I quite liked it. This is going to be a super bubbly cider as it’s a “traditional method” cider, using a 2nd in the bottle fermentation to give it natural sparkle.

Appearance: bubbly, brilliant, rich saffron

The cider looks like a champagne. It’s brilliant, bubbly, and wonderfully enticing. The color reminds me of saffron threads.

Aromas: honey, overripe apples, minerals 

I knew this cider would be something special from the first note of aroma. The King of the North Reserve smells like honey and overripe apples. There’s a backbone of steely minerality present as well.

Dryness/Sweetness: Dry!

This is a dry cider that still manages to have so many fruit notes! 

Flavors and drinking experience: intense sparkle, high tannins, high acid, oranges, yeast

Ah yes! This has to be why I bought this cider for myself. It’s just so bubbly! Everyone who reads the blog knows how much I love dry bubbly ciders. They are my weakness. And the King of the North Reserve is a great one in that style! 

I get notes of apple seeds, woodiness, yeast, oranges, and ripe apples. This super bubbly cider has sharply pleasant high acid and high tannins. It feels like every good feature is turned up to maximum. I love the notes of oranges.

I had this cider with a veggie filled pasta bake, and it was good for the season and good for this tense moment. 

Cheers.

Cider Review: Kite and String's Geneva Russet and Grand Illusion Hard Cider's Street Magic

We’re back on the spring roller coaster this week. Two days last week, I saw snow and then the day after I was mowing my yard in shorts and a t-shirt. Obviously, this means I’m still concerned for apple trees, orchards, and growers all over the country. I hope that trees can warm up and wake up slowly enough that they don’t lose most of this year’s apple crop.

As for myself, I’m still tasting in two seasons myself depending on the weather. I wanted to have one more review of something more cold weather friendly and a review of something downright springy.

To start, I got out my bottle of Kite and String’s Geneva Russet. I picked this up after a tasting at the Finger Lakes Cider House last summer. I knew I liked it then, so I felt confident that this would be a beautiful send off for big, structured dry ciders that work well with hearty winter meals.

Kite and String is the house cider brand of the Finger Lakes Cider House at Good Life Farm. The farm is just off of Route 89 outside of Interlaken, New York and on the west side of Cayuga Lake. This cidery and farm is a gathering place (when such things were a normal part of life) for local food, local music, and local cider.  The Geneva Russet is a cider from 2018 apples.  

Here is a quick rundown of my previous reviews of Kite and String ciders (some of which pre-date the name).

Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/cider-review-kite-and-strings-rose-17.html

The Barrel Rye: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-good-life-ciders-barrel-rye.html

The Cazenovia: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-good-life-ciders-cazenovia.html

The King of Hector:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/07/cider-review-kite-and-string-ciders.html

I've enjoyed Kite and String ciders at a few special dinners including:

Thanksgiving 2016: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/happy-to-pickcider-for-thanksgiving.html

Finger Lakes Locavore Birthday Dinner:  
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

I recommend read about both the Finger Lakes Cider House and Kite and String Cider on the website: http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com You can also find out what’s on the curbside pickup menu!

Here’s the official description of the Geneva Russet: 

Dry, Traditional Method.Begins with honeyed floral notes, buttered popcorn, and campfire on the nose, followed by an evolving palate of dirty honey, fresh cut grass, smoked gouda and crème fraiche. Finishes with long and soft tannins. Alcohol 8.40%

Appearance: warm straw, brilliant, bubbly

This is a lovely, luscious, and appealing cider. It uncorked with a soft pop and sprang into bubbly action. The Geneva Russet looks like warm sun-toasted straw in color.  I’ll call it brilliant because it’s transparent and bright, but the bubbles are so active, it’s almost hard to tell if there’s any haze in there.

Aromas: overripe soft fruit, baking spices, autumn leaves, 

When I lifted my glass, I could smell overripe apples and pear long before it reached my nose. Mellow mouth watering soft fruit notes just tumble into the atmosphere. The cider also smells like spices and autumn leaves while still being primarily fruity! 

Dryness/sweetness: Dry to off dry

My tasting companion and I weren’t quite sure where to rate the dryness of this cider. Its not completely bone dry, but it's nearly there. What sweetness is present is very natural and integrated into a larger experience. For me it falls somewhere between dry and off dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: High acid, Clean fermentation, Medium Tannins, Fantastic

Oh what a treat! This cider is something special.  High acid and minerals make the cider bracing and exciting.The Geneva Russet offers a clean fermentation; it’s just fruit speaking. I love how taste after taste, the mouth popping acid just scrubs my palate.

Acid isn’t the only element of this cider though. The Geneva Russet is solidly anchored by  medium tannins and beautiful bubbles. My favorite part might be it’s soft roasted apple finish. Really everything about this cider works and works fantastically together. I had it with a simply meal of veggie sausages, peppers and onions, and sauteed  zucchini. It was perfect.

Now for my look forward to spring with Grand Illusion Hard Cider’s Street Magic.

I’ve reviewed a few Grand Illusion ciders before. The company was kind enough to send me a small sampler quite a while ago. This cidery and restaurant is based out of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Even though the restaurant cannot serve diners inside these days, you can order food and cider for delivery!

Here are both of my earlier reviews of Grand Illusion Hard Ciders!

Citra Pineapple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-grand-illusion-hard-cider.html

Blue Illusion: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-stem-ciders-banjo-and.html

Appearance: hazy, peach nectar

This is a hazy almost cloud cider. I can see some bubbles but not much. The color reminds me of peach nectar.

Aromas: hops, grapefruit, sunflower seeds, tangy yogurt

The aromas are overflowing with lots of hoppy green notes. I also get bitterness and grapefruit smells. Like with many hopped ciders, there’s this combination of sweatiness, grassiness, and pine. This smells tangy almost like yogurt. And I’m surprised by a tiny whiff of sunflower seeds.

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-dry but only just

This cider tastes sweeter than I expected it would from its aromas. Its still semi-dry rather than semi-sweet but just by a hair. The sweetness is both fruity and like crystalized sugar.

Flavors and drinking experience: green apple, hoppy bitterness, grapefruit, hay   

The Street Magic speaks first with high acidity. This is a tart and zesty cider. It’s not one that trades on tannins but I can detect some bitterness that I associate with the hops and the grapefruit. All of the elements are present together and hard to fully tease out separately. I appreciate the integration of the drink.

Street Magic has a pleasant medium intensity of sparkle. There are all kinds of fruity notes in the mix like green apples, crab apples, and peaches. THere are other notes as well like sticky and bitter green hops, wood and hay.

This was my reward cider after my first trip to a grocery store in almost two months. I had it with cheese and crackers. It was a springy reward that I enjoyed very much along with a vintage episode of The X-Files. Yes, there’s a lot going on there, but every bit of it was good.

Cider Review: Mission Trail's Champagne Style Hard Cider and Kite and String's Green Man #1

Good morning, cider fans! This is the last post before the Winter Solstice! This means that very very soon, the days will stop getting shorter and soon start longer again. We may not be able to feel the difference at first, but we’ll be headed in my favorite direction before long. I will raise a glass in the coziness of winter for the eventual return of the sun!

I shared Mission Trail’s Champagne Style Hard Cider with the Tall One’s family when we got together for good meal recently.

Mission Trail is a small cidery out of Bradley, California (that’s Monterey County). I’ve only reviewed the Perry previously. The neat thing about this company is the range of fruit beverages they produce including port, cider, perry, and jerkum (an alcoholic beverage made from only stone fruit like plums). 

Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-2-woodchuck.html

You can learn more about all of the beverages and the farm online: http://www.missiontrailranches.com/

Here’s the official description for the Dry Champagne Style Cider.

“A delicious dry, fruity sparkling cider, made exclusively from 29 apple heirloom varietals. A secondary fermentation create a great cider and champagne alternative. 9% ABV”

Elsewhere on the label, the cider making process is described as Charmat method. I’ll share a link because other folks can explain this elsewhere for those who which to geek out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparkling_wine_production#Charmat_method

Appearance: brilliant, honey, bubbly

As one would expect, this cider is bubbly! It’s also brilliant with glorious shine. The color reminds me of mild clover honey.

Aromas: champagne, biscuits, minerals, and grapes

This cider smells absolutely like a champagne! Maybe it’s the higher ABV coming across, but the cider smells vinous, biscuity, with some hard edges of minerally. I also get clear notes of concord grape.

Dryness/Sweetness: Semi-sweet

I’d definitely call this a semi-sweet. The label says dry. I would have paired it differently had I known. 

Flavors and drinking experience: raisins, blackberry, full body, mild tannins, lots of bubbles

When tasting this cider I was at first surprised by how not dry the method charmat left this cider. Once I got into the groove with this cider, it really grew on me, The champagne style offers a lovely crystalline quality. The cider tastes like raisins, ripe apples, pears, and blackberries. 

I’m pleased to find this cider a little tannic with medium (but bright) acidity. The sweetness that surprised me along with the higher than usual ABV do give this cider lots of body and the bubbles lift that body effortlessly. The whole experience is creamy, relaxing, and languorous. I love the berry notes in the finish.

Next up, I want to share my latest treat from Kite and String: The Green Man #1. 

Kite and String is the cider that comes out of the Finger Lakes Cider House right here in the Finger Lakes region of New York. This company has been featured in quite a few reviews, so I'll leave the background there, if you'd like to learn more. 

Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/cider-review-kite-and-strings-rose-17.html

Barrel Rye: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-good-life-ciders-barrel-rye.html

Cazenovia: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-good-life-ciders-cazenovia.html

King of Hector:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/07/cider-review-kite-and-string-ciders.html

The Hickok has  appeared a few times including:

Thanksgiving 2016: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/happy-to-pickcider-for-thanksgiving.html

and the Finger Lakes Locavore Birthday Dinner:  
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html


Read about both the Finger Lakes Cider House and Kite and String Cider on the website: http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com

Here’s the description by the folks at Kite and String. This is pieced together from a photo of the label because I cannot find the full description online. My apologies if I got the line endings wrong! Please send me corrections!

The Greenman series are ciders created in the Pet-Nat style (petillant naturel) little intervention but with a lot of intention. Peter Hoover, our local Greenman has inspired generations of orchardists, pagans, and lovers of good food and cider. This cider grows out of all the kindness, curiosity and passion for the absurd that Peter poured over our roots over the years. Thank you, Peter. 8% ABV.

I was able to taste and purchase Green Man #1 from a little pop-up shop in the DeWitt Mall in downtown Ithaca. That was a treat, being able to find something new in my regular shopping rounds!

Appearance: Jack O'Lantern glow, hazy, mousse

This Green Man cider poured with an active mousse of bubbles. My tasting companion called the color Jack O’Lantern glow, and I think they are really on to something. The color is warm and orange but lit with something more bright. I’d not call the cider brilliant; it’s just a little hazy. 

Aromas: applesauce, citrus, juiciness

I have to acknowledge the amazing intensity of aroma the Green Man brings! It is a joy! I love it when I can smell a cider seconds after opening the bottle, without even needing to bring my nose to the glass! The cider wafts up soft juicy applesauce scents along with piles of fresh citrus. 

When I do inhale its fragrances, I add notes of raisins, tangerine and ripe apples to the melange. It’s utterly mouthwatering. 

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

This is a dry cider, but it doesn’t feel bone dry because of the fruit and acid.

Flavors and drinking experience: Nectarine, tangerine, pineapple, high acid

This dry cider still brings a fruit party! I can taste nectarine, ripe apples, golden raisins, pineapple and tangerine. The Green Man offers up the region’s signature high acidity, this time balanced with medium tannins. I appreciate how dry and citrusy it manages to be.

In terms of texture, the cider has many small bubbles that make up a gentle sparkle. Petillant Naturel is another specific way of achieving a sparkler. (Please read more about this fabulous style of bubble here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/08/dining/drinks/wine-review-petillant-naturel.html )

This cider pleases from the aroma to it’s long fine finish. It’s an inspired start to a new series of ciders and a tasteful farewell to someone who was so generous to the local cider scene. 

Cider Review: Kite and String Cider's King of Hector and Star Cider Wild Child Rhubarb

 

Welcome to July! The month of fireworks, fresh tomatoes, and sweet corn is here. There are heat waves and cool lakes here in the heights of upstate New York summer. Even though I know I could cover dozens more canned ciders, I can’t neglect other formats. This matters to me especially because I know of some really special ciders never see the inside of a can. I promise to visit to the most summery format soon and often, after a whole month of cans, I do want to review two ciders I tasted in big beautiful 750ml bottles.

Quick geeky aside! Formats aren’t just an issue of convenience. Formats often imply serving size. A lot of folks don’t look at ABV when choosing a cider or pouring a drink. And cider ABVs vary wildly. One can often turns into one serving, whereas a 750ml bottle is more often treated as 4 distinct glasses of cider no matter the ABV. I think it’s awesomely strategy to be cognizant as either a drinker or host when dealing with a beverage that doesn’t have a standardized pour size, glassware, format, or consistent ABV. Read those labels, friends!

Kite and String’s King of Hector

Kite and String is the local cider at the heart of the Finger Lakes Cider House in Ovid, New York. They are also known as Good Life Farm as that's the umbrella farm that makes everything possible. The big news around her is that the Cider House made it into USA Today’s list of the the top 10 Cider Bars in America! That’s huge for a farm-based destination in rural New York. The place really is beautiful, fantastic, delicious, and worth a trip.

I've enjoyed Kite and String Ciders before. 

The Barrel Rye: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-good-life-ciders-barrel-rye.html

The Cazenovia: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-good-life-ciders-cazenovia.html

I've enjoyed the Hickok at a few special dinners including:

Thanksgiving: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/happy-to-pickcider-for-thanksgiving.html

and a Finger Lakes Locavore Birthday Dinner:  
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

Read about both the Finger Lakes Cider House and Kite and String Cider on the website: http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com

Or see what the company (and the farm animals) are up to on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KiteandStringCider/

Today I’m reviewing a cider that I wouldn’t ordinarily be able to get because the King of Hector was a special release for a pairing dinner and the Kite and String Cider Club. Luckily for me, dear friends of mine are in the club, and they were generous enough to bring this bottle over to share. 

Read the full write up with tons of background information here: http://www.fingerlake
sciderhouse.com/blog/2018/6/27/two-more-weeks-to-get-in-on-king-of-hector

I’ll share just an excerpt

Tasting and Cider Maker Notes: Gripping acidity typical of wild seedlings and crab varieties. Slow fermentation (2 months). Hands off approach with little intervention. High acid cider aged well over the winter with beautiful aromas and unique flavor. We were excited to keep this extremely small lot separate that  season and this cider was filtered and bottled as our last traditional method product of the year. 8.4% ABV

And the pairing suggestions:

We think this cider drinks like a dry, Spanish champagne style. It is crisp, long lasting, and acidic, and embodies the heat of 2016. Drink it as a starter to open up your guests’ palates and imaginations, with light appetizers like dried fruit or with lightly fried fish or potatoes.

Appearance: straw, translucent, no bubble 

This cider looks beautifully translucent, though not brilliant. I’ll call the color straw but it warmth and golden hue are more inspiring than the name strictly denotes. I don’t see any bubbles when I pour a glass, but I’m sure they’ll there once I taste the cider. 

Aromas: riple apples, bitter orange, meyer lemon, limestone

I smell citrus and apples, but having seen a few mentions of Spanish stylings (although of sparkling wine rather than Sidra), I did expect some sour notes or even volatile acidity in the smells. They weren’t there. The aromas were more fruity and restrained which suits my preferences well. I did get some fun salivary response.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This is a dry cider. Other features that I’ll describe later only enhance the perception of dryness. Super duper dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: dry, high acid, medium tannins, citrusy

The cider tastes dry and acid driven, but it’s not sour. The acid flavors I taste are more fruity and less funky. The cider doesn’t show volatile acidity or acetic acid. Instead, and more to my personal tastes, I get tons of citrus notes from the King of Hector. It tastes like Meyer lemons, Seville orange, and just a little bit of tropical fruit. 

The King of Hector does have some tannic presence. That’s notable and enjoyable. As the notes on my phone say, “Drrrryyyyy.” The combination of medium tannins, very high acidity, and a dry cider come together to emphasize a dry, zesty, tasting experience. The King of Hector tastes lithe and a little light. I didn’t necessarily expect that because of the 8.4% ABV, but it was seasonally perfect and very refreshing. 

This is a cider for wine and cider lovers. It’s definitely sophisticated and austere. It’s precisely the kind of cider that I like to have even before I put food on the table. The King of Hector has enough to say on its own to be a delightful conversation starter. 

Star Cider's Wild Child Rhubarb 

Confession time, I’ve had these tasting notes for too long! I tasted Star Cidery’s Wild Child Rhubarb for the first time in October of 2016 at a Finger Lakes Cider Week event. I met folks from Star Cidery and learned what I could about the operation. I liked it so much that I got a bottle for later. I consumed that with friends later that winter, taking tasting notes and squirreling them away. I must have hidden them too well, as I’ve just rediscovered them. 

Star Cider makes and sells cider in the greater Rochester, New York area. The company was founded in 2014, but the founders were home cider makers long before. Reading about Star Cider’s approach, I am struck by the focus on process. Cider gets described as a journey with an expectation of change and evolution. That’s appealing  in that’s both grounded in the realities of learning a new business but also in that openness to changes is how improvements happen.  This is my first review of anything by Star Cider.

Read all about the company and the ciders on the web: http://www.starcidery.com

Or check in with the Star Cider Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StarCidery/

Today’s review is of one of Star Cider’s seasonal releases, the Wild Child  Rhubarb.

Let’s start with the official description, “Rhubarb: Fresh heirloom rhubarb is hand-picked at its peak ripeness and blended with cider made from a mix of dessert apples. This cider is crisp, tart, and tastes like biting into fresh rhubarb.”  6.9% ABV

Unofficially I learned that this cider uses 1.5 lb of rhubarb per gallon of juice. The finished cider is back sweetened with sweet cider after being fermented to dryness. The flavor was inspired by the cidermaker’s grandmother and grandfather’s recipes.

Appearance: brilliant, warm canteloupe color, visible bubbles

I wish I had better pictures of this cider. The color really is lovely with a shade that reminds me of canteloupe and beauitful clarity. 

aromas: strawberry, celery, and candy dust

Oh my goodness wow! These aromas are so neat! I definitely smell strawberry, rhubarb and apple, but also celery! There’s also so sweet and powdery candy dust lurking in the background!

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This might be on the slightly sweeter side of semi-dry, but it has a powerful acidity that keeps all sweetness in check. 

Flavors and drinking experience: rhubarb zing, herby, strong sparkle

Like many of my favorite ciders both in the region and more generally, acidity orchestrates the whole experience. The Wild Child Rhubarb just vibrates with zingy acidity. But that’s not all that’s going on. I’m also completely sold on the herbaceous and vegetal notes. They integrate beautifully and really cement that rhubarb plus apple combination. This cider really works.

Part of what I enjoy about the Wild Child Rhubarb is the mouthfeel. Part of that owes to it’s powerful tartness. The cider feels fresh and medium bodied with strong bubbles. There’s also a nice backbone of apple behind everything. And I relish the long cold finish. My first tasting was in a varied set of ciders, and it really stood out. My second experience with this cider was with vegetarian chili, wheat crackers, and sharp cheddar. Both worked, but I’d love to try it with summery foods when I see this cider again. 

Cider Review: Black Diamond Cider's Hickster

Outside, its snowing and has been for hours. I've been bonding with my cats and my couch and some pretty fantastic fantasy novels. I switched over from long walks to hibernation mode after the nights started arriving earlier and the wind began getting colder. My cider choices changed too. Tonight I want to review a cider chosen for the season: Black Diamond's Hickster.

Folks around here who care about cider know of Ian Merwin's works in Pomology, and locals flock to the Black Diamond stall at the Ithaca Farmer's Market for interesting apple varieties. In 2014, this apple legacy expanded to include hard cider. They use their own apples which means they have access to mature trees that grow some fascinating apples: both those traditionally grown for cider and other heritage varietals.

I reviewed the Rabblerouser back in September of 2015:

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-black-diamonds.html

But today I'm considering the Hickster. This bottle was shared with me for review by the kind folks at Black Diamond, but I've tasted it and formed my impressions from a handful of tastings. Here's the official description. "Estate grown. Semi-dry. Sparkling. A blend of heirloom russet and bittersweet apples. Bold tannins and sharp acidity on the front. Smooth, yet complex finish with hints of vanilla and fresh apple. (7.4% ABV, 1.5% RS)"

Appearance: brilliant, dark intense color,

This cider looks very harvesty in color, like autumn leaves against a bright yet cloudy sky. Thankfully my picture shows the brilliance of the liquid. One could easily read through the filled glass. What the photo does not show as clearly are the active bubbles. They are present: trust me.

Aromas: cooked apples, stony, rich, dusty,

Wow! The Hickster offers up so much amazing scent! I love how this cider smells. First, I can smell cooked apples, but something about them makes me think specifically of deeply flavored russet-y apples. The aromas enforce a sense of richness, and I anticipate tannins based on what I smell.

Sweetness/dryness: off dry to semi dry

This is a fabulously rich not-quite-off-dry but more towards off-dry than semi-dry cider. What a funny mouthful. I'm meaning to say that the cider isn't austere and has both fruit and a pleasant hint of sweetness. I'd not quite call it semi-dry, but that's where the official description places it.

Flavors and drinking experience: mellow acidity, high tannin, balanced, rich

The thing I want to note first is that the anticipations I formed based on the official description and the aromas were largely correct! Hooray! How rich. The Hickster tastes mellow and warm in flavor. Some specific notes i can taste are warmed apples, baking spices, pears, caramel, vanilla, and biscuits.

Overall the impression I get is gently roasty. high tannins, mellow acidity. Overally, its just shockingly good and balanced. This is a fantastic cider.

Recommended pairings from me include the Hickster with Cranberry Wensleydale and wheaty crackers or a harvesty soup with big chunks of butternut squash. The cider is balanced enough that one doesn't have to create a contrast to make it work. You can also just enjoy this cider with a cozy view or a good book. I've had this cider a few ways and every time it wins me over. 

A Round Up of Finger Lakes Cider Week Round Ups! Cross Posted

Finger Lakes Cider Week offers many different ways to explore a love of cider. And we don't just do cider here, we have some of the best cider in the world. And during Cider Week, we can learn to make it, tour orchards, try new kinds of apples, pair it with fabulous foods and meet the talented cider makers that craft our favorite beverages.

But, if you're like me, one of the things I look forward to during cider week is going to one place and having multiple cider options! That's why I put together this little list. These are a few of the ways you can explore several cideries in one place during Finger Lakes Cider Week. And if you see me out and about at any of these events, come say hi!

Not to make things difficult, but I do have to share both of these events happening at the same date and time in different places. They are different events though, so read more about them to find out which format and location suits you best. Both of these will have a good number of excellent ciders.

September 30^th: Cider Fest 2015 by Embark Ciderworks at Lagoner Farms in Williamson, NY:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1076952362353422/

September 30: Meet the Cider Makers at Cellar d’Or Wine and Cider Shop in Ithaca, NY

https://www.facebook.com/events/1638937436416547/

Consider me very excited about this next event. It's a stroll from my house and its a pairing event with some world class cider from Bellwether Cidery, South Hill Cider, and Hazlitt. Plus the event only costs $5. Steals like these do not happen every day.

October 5: Tasting and Pairing event at Cornell University's Bear's Den in Ithaca, NY

https://www.facebook.com/events/1134536499959396/

Then we've got a little after work 5:00 – 7:00pm tasting featuring ciders by Black Diamond and South Hill Cider for the weekly Hang Time tasting at Red Feet Wine Market.

October 6:Tasting at Red Feet Wine Market & Spirit Provisions in Ithaca, NY

I admit I've not spent as much time in Geneva as I would like. Its an interesting town with some lovely architecture. Therefore, I'm aiming to drive up for their monthly downtown evening, featuring multiple cideries sharing samples.

October 7: FLX Cider Celebration during Geneva Night Out! 5:00 – 8:00pm in Geneva, NY

https://www.facebook.com/events/1773337879608171/

If you like cider and you like cheese, you're bound to know that they pair like nothing else. This event brings together all the Cider Week FLX cideries and Finger Lakes Cheese Alliance producers for a huge celebration of two of my favorite things in the world.

October 8: Cider and Cheese Saturday Finger Lakes Cider House in Interlaken, NY

https://www.facebook.com/events/1074042209359492/

This list is just the tip of the Finger Lakes Cider Week iceberg. There really is a world of cider to explore right here. This series of events brings together one of the strongest cider regions in the United States. Come out. Try some ciders you've never had before. Remind yourself of your favorites. Bring a friend. You won't regret it.

This blog post originally appeared on the FLX Cider Week blog at: http://www.ciderweekflx.com/a-round-up-of-finger-lakes-cider-week-round-ups/ Catch more information and events listings there!

Cider Review: South Hill Cider's 2014 Pack Basket

My thoughts lately keep going to all of the worried apple growers and cidermakers I know. These last crazy bursts of winter after what seemed like a mild year and early spring are putting the 2015 apple crop at significant risk right now. Spare a good though if you can for the apple buds and blossoms that we need for our favorite beverage. 

Among these local cider companies facing late freezes is South Hill Cider. So, while I root for our apples, I want to review one of these ciders. You can read about the ciders, the orchard, and the process right on South Hill Cider's website: http://www.southhillcider.com/

or get updates on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SouthHillCider

My only previous review of South Hill Cider is one of the hyper-limited Hypothesis: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-south-hill-ciders.html


My review for today is South Hill Cider's 2014 Pack Basket. Here's how the official website describes it.

2014 PACK BASKET

2014 yielded a very light crop for wild apples and pears across Central New York. However, with a bit of luck we found one stand of wild trees in a high valley with a good crop. These hidden trees were far enough from the dirt road that we could only retrieve the fruit by hauling it out on our backs. Hence the name, Pack Basket. 

Naturally Sparkling. Complex, fruity, toasty, bone dry
100% wild pippin apples and pears
Bottle conditioned sur lie and undisgorged
28 cases produced
500 mL, 8.3% ABV.

Appearance: brilliant, few visible bubbles

This is a pale brilliant cider; I'd call the color green-tinted gold. There are just a few visible bubbles, and those I can see are very very small. 

Aromas: overripe apple, pear, stony, and spicy

I love how this cider smell spicy sweet. The Pack Basket definitely smells like pear. I also get some of the stony dusty notes that somestimes come with a rich tannic cider.

Dryness/sweetness: dry

Ooooh! What a true dry cider this is. This is so exciting! It has tons and tons of flavor (keep reading) but no residual sweetness at all.

Flavors and drinking experience: fruity, spicy, balanced, fine bubbles

What defines this cider for me is that it manages to offer Eextremely high acid, dry and yet remain fruity. The balance is quite frankly amazing. I love the mouthfeel with its super fine bubbles. I think the presence of the pears keeps the fruitiness going because not all sugars in pears can fully ferment away. The apple varieties make the cider softly spicy with medium tannins. I cannot say enough about how decadent the Pack Basket tastes. Its amazing!

Yes, I'm a sucker for dual presence of tannins and acids. And yes, I tend to love ciders that include a fair number of crabs. This cider fits those elements of my profile really well, but its the richness and balance that wows me. This cider is special. 

I paired this with a yellow cake with dried cranberries and caramel frosting. Yes, it was a very sweet cake. I'd absolutely pair this with dessert again. But that's far from the only possibility. One could also enjoy it with soft cheese and berries or some toasted nuts. I'd keep the food flavors simple to better showcase the cider's complexity. Glorious!

I also paired the Pack Basket with warm and relaxed conversation with a visiting friend. And that part was absolutely right. Definitely try that if you can. Also, next year's packbasket blend is coming soon, and I heard from Steve Selin himself that this one is going to be sill and 100% apples, no pears. Something nice to look forward to.

Speaking of looking forward! GLINTCAP is coming up! We're less than 2 weeks away! I'm thinking about doing a few bottle trades. Let me know if you're interested. Also, I'll be driving back, so if you'll be there and want your ciders reviewed, its a great time and place to pass on a review bottle and avoid paying for shipping...just a thought.

Cider Review: Good Life Cider's Cazenovia Plus their Call to the Barrel Dinner

 Now that we're so close to the start of Finger Lakes Cider Week, I'm reviewing ciders by local participants. This will be my first year living here when I can really participate in cider week as a cider drinker and not just a cider pourer. Though I'll miss getting to see hundreds and hundreds of reactions to quality craft cider in one cider week, I'm excited to experience it more for myself. This leads us to...Good Life Cider!

Good Life Cider hosts and anchors the new Finger Lakes Cider House along with a handful of other Finger Lakes Cideries. Garrett and Jimmy Miller and Melissa Madden create the cider and care for their larger farm enterprises. 

You can read a bit more about their cider here:

http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com/good-life-cider

I found only a limited amount of information on this cider online, cobbled together from beer review sites and stores selling the bottles. I do know that it is named for a soil type: one present on the Good Life Farm.

Dry. Champagne style. Austere acidity backed with soft round tannins, coming from European bittersweets; Dabinett and Chisel Jersey. Aromas of ripe pear and caraway. Rich, creamy mouthfeel with a long sparkling finish. (8.3% ABV, 0.3%RS) Secondary fermentation lasted three months in bottle

Aromas of Bosc pear and red apple skin float alongside citrus fruit and distinct minerality.  The palate shows a pleasant tartness with round and rich mouthfeel and persistent sparkling finish.

Appearance: pale lemon, visible bubbles, brilliant

The most striking thing about the appearance of this cider is how the bubbles both gather at the bottom of the glass and race upwards. It's beautifully exciting!

Aroma: spicy, cooked apple, caramel

From the smell, I would expect some inclusion of Russet varieties or Northern Spy or Greenings, but that's far from precise. This cider smells lovely and like it will have both tannic and acidic activity in pleasing levels. That edge of soft spiciness is often a good sign.

Dryness/sweetness: dry to off dry

There's almost no percievable sugar or sweetness in this cider. In my book that makes it dry. What I do get though is enough various fruit notes to round it out and make it more lush than austere. There are dry ciders that feel more aggressive or severe than this. There's so much more to a cider like this than its level of sweetness OR dryness.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, medium tannins, strong sparkle,

The high acidity comes across as a bright punch of citrus and pineapple in the mid palate. I'm also getting a lot of cherries and raspberries. The whole experience is taut with acid. Bottle conditioning leads to a high level of sparkle, but not a lot of additional body in this case. Like the smell, the flavors include some on the subtly appley spicy side. 

It's not very yeasty or funky when cold, but hints of farminess became apparent when the cider reaches a cellar temperature rather than the more chilled white wine temperature. When reviewing, I like to taste a cider at both just to see what differences emerge. 

I paired this cider with an evening of relaxing conversation and a Mexico-inspired soup with beans, chickpeas, tortillas, peppers, tomatoes, rice, and avocado. I'd recommend this pairing, or taking it with you on a last picnic before this beautiful mellow fall gets too cool. Enjoy!

And don't forget! Finger Lakes Cider Week is coming up!

This event: Call to the Barrel Dinner will feature Good Life Ciders among others along with tapas inspired dishes and lots of cider toasts! Happening soon: October 6th at 6:30pm. Tickets available online for $50 and include food and drink the whole night through.

http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com/calendar/2015/10/5/call-to-the-barrel-dinner-and-cider