Cider Reviews: Grisamore Cider Fillmore Perry, Tilted Shed Ciderworks Love's Labour, Plus Prospect Ciderwork's Paradise Notes

This is no time to sink back gently to the status quo. That’s true about systemic racism, police violence and pandemic precautions. Please, educate yourselves and improve the world around us. It’s also June, the month of long warm evenings and more and more fresh produce showing up in our gardens and markets. June is a wonderful time to pair cider with food, with relaxing after work, and maybe a glass beside us as we read or watch something wonderful. 

Today I want to try something a little different. I’m going to share two full cider reviews and one totally unedited set of cider notes. The notes are on a fun cider that I enjoyed but whose cider appears to be no longer active. I thought this might be a fun way to share a super candid peak at what I scribble into my phone as I’m tasting. 

  
But let’s start with Grisamore Cider Work’s newest: Fillmore Perry.

Before I hop into my brand introduction for Grisamore Cider Works, I should mention that I work with one of the founders at my non-cider job. We both work at Cornell University within the Library, but neither of us reports to the other or has any connection that would bias my reviews. I want to be upfront. Grisamore Cider Works is based out of Locke, New York. The cidery grew out of a third generation family farm that also hosts u-pick fruit and a greenhouse. This perry was shared with me for review.

My previous reviews of Grisamore ciders include:

A flight at the tasting room: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/07/cider-review-grisamore-cider-works.html

24.4 squared: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-grisamore-cider-works-244.html

Currantly: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-reviews-redbyrd-orchard-cider.html

Here is Grisamore’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/grisamoreciderworks/

And the online shop: www.grisamoreciderworks.square.site

Tthe Fillmore Perry’s official description reads, “A smooth dry perry with ripe pear notes on the palate.” 6% ABV.

Appearance: Hazy, bright buttery gold, some bubbles

This cider looks so bright and sunny in the glass. I’ll call the color a buttery gold with a mild bit of haze. It shows some bubbles but not too many.

Aromas: tangy pears, sharp cheese, minerals

The Fillmore smells a bit tangy and also like ripe pears. I get hints of volatile acidity, sharp cheese, and loads of minerals. THis is starting to remind me of a UK perry.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

The Fillmore is a semi-dry perry.  This is always a funny category to describe because of the different sweetness (sorbitol) in pear juice.

Flavors and drinking experience: funky, savory, complex, bubbly

Whoa. There is so much to notice and contemplate in the Fillmore. This perry is woody, funky and complex. The acidity somehow feels low in the mouth (imprecise, I know). You could describe the cider as savory as well as fruity with notes that not only include pears and apples but also mushrooms, herbs and carrots. 

The perry isn’t over the top high acid but what’s there is so different from malic acid. The Fillmore also brings some tannins and lots of complexity. I appreciate how bubbly it is, and the floral and rocky finish. This really is like some classic UK perries. 

Next up: Tilted Shed Ciderworks’ Love’s Labor

Tilted Shed Ciderworks is based out of Sonoma County, California. Scott Heath and Ellen Cavalli founded Tilted Shed in 2011. The company prioritizes heritage and cider apples in their ciders. 

I’ll quote from the website for just a bit more of their ethos, “We believe that vintage ciders are the best way to express the beauty of Sonoma County apples, so we only press fresh-picked apples, in season, on-site at our cidery. "Low and slow" and "cool sh*t in small batches" are our mantras for our fermentation, as we make our ciders with wild and cultivated yeasts, and time. That's it—and that's enough!” 

Here are my earlier Tilted Shed reviews:

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.html

You can visit Tilted Shed online to learn about ciders and the cider club (I’m a member): https://www.tiltedshed.com/

The official description for Love’s Labor says:

Our foodshed wild ferment of wild blackberries we picked from the thicket at the edge of our farm and wild native elderberries we foraged from near the Russian River. Co-fermented Sebastopol-grown organic dry-farmed Gravensteins. A beautifully brambly bubbly showcasing the bounty of our little slice of heaven in west Sonoma County.
Alcohol 8.00%

Appearance: deep fuchsia, brilliant, bubbly

This color reminds me of so many late spring flowers: Fuchsias, Peonies, and Impatiens.  The cider is brilliant, bubbly, and looks tremendously inviting.

Aromas: berries, custard, blackberries, minerals

My first thought upon sniffing this cider was, “Super berry!” The aromas remind me of custard with blackberries. The cider just smells so fruity with a lick of minerality.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi Dry

Love’s Labor is clearly a semi-dry cider. The sweetness that’s present tastes entirely natural and very much like the tart fruit that goes into this cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: crisp acidity, full mouthfeel, spritely bubbles

There is so much to love about this ciders. Love’s Labor introduces itself briskly with crisp acid. As the color and aromas promise, this cider is fruity- both berry and apple. I love it’s full mouthfeel- particularly because it’s not sugary but rather comes from that 8.0% ABV. It’s not a surprise to anyone how much I love its spritely bubbles. What anchors the experience is the presence of some tannins and minerality. 

What’s key to all of this is Love’s Labor’s balance. These are all puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. I adore this cider.

And now for the bonus notes on Prospect Ciderworks’ Paradise.

--------------Caution: No Copy Edits Ahead!------------------------

Prospect Ciderworks
Paradise
Appearance: Hazy
Smells tropical sweaty and citrus
Semi sweet
Medium acid
Farro, soft apples
Less tart than I expected from the smell
Low tannins
Genuinely different
Vanilla creamy and tropical
Allspice and cinnamon

Tiki drink esque

Cider Review: Grisamore Cider Works Flight

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been writing about enjoying cider in Summer. I drink cider year round (of course!) but I don’t make the same cider choices during different seasons. What I recommend today is tasting cider on the farm where it’s made. I love to visit cideries and orchards year round, but they are particularly lush and green right now. And you’ll beat the rush of folks will be flocking during Fall! 

When my dad came to visit this summer, I knew I wanted to take him to a cidery. I wanted to share my love of cider and get outside in the sunshine. Simon at Grisamore had invited me out do a tasting at the newly opened tasting room a while ago, so it had been on my list.  Luckily, we had a great weather day for it. 

Grisamore is a third generation family farm, a u-pick apple destination, and a new cidery in the Finger Lakes area of NY state. The farm has been in the family since 1975, and Grisamore Ciderworks has been operating for a few years now.  

Check out Grisamore’s website to learn about the cidermaking and orchards and check out lots of lovey pictures: http://grisamoreciderworks.com

I have reviewed a couple Grisamore ciders before. Here are both of those in depth reviews.

The 24.4 squared: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-grisamore-cider-works-244.html

Currantly: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-reviews-redbyrd-orchard-cider.html 

The Grisamore Flight. I’ll start with Grisamore’s description, followed my impressions.

Alice: “An earthy nose with pungent green apple and allusions of peach.” ABV 7.5%.

I found the Alice very appealing with the Green tea notes in the aroma. This is a high acid, very dry cider. Probably it’s nicest feature is a delightful golden applesauce finish. I found the texture petillant.

24.4²: “An easy, clean drinking cider with tropical notes, aged on citra hops.” 7.6%ABV

Boy oh boy the 24.4²: smells and tastes hopped! I appreciate how remarkably Clean and non-sweaty this cider smells. The hops come across as pineapple and grapefruit. This cider similarly high acid and petillance to what I found in the Alice. This one offers a bit of dry plum at the end and pleasant hay notes

Blue Goose: “fresh minty green blueberry flavor on the palette with a clean sparkling finish.” 7.3% ABV

I didn’t know quite what to expect from the Blue Goose. What I got was luscious blueberry muffin aroma with some sweetness. This cider’s flavors reminded me of rhubarb, watermelon, and minerals. It also had notes of blueberry skins. This cider brings a medium level of bubble and just a little sweetness.

Respect Your Elders: “A semi-dry cider fermented on elderberries sourced from our pensioner bush.” 7.4% ABV

The Respect Your Elders had more subtle aromas than the ciders I tasted before. What I could smell was gently floral. What I taste is foxy and spicy with notes of grass and with poblano notes right upfront. This was a remarkable delight. 

Field of Your Choice: “A farmhouse cider with a golden straw glow. A sour cider with a clean dry finish.” 6.5% ABV

I thought Field of Your Choice would be more sour! Instead I smelled sweet fresh soft apple smells.The sourness is present but understated. This cider also varies in that it has more bubbles. There’s also something in the flavors that strikes me as grainy.

It was a fun flight. I like Grisamore Ciderworks’ stuff, and I love a reason to go out and look at a farm on a beautiful day. This is such a fun way to appreciate cider and enjoy Summer!

Cider Reviews: Redbyrd Orchard Cider Workman Dry and Grisamore Ciderworks' Currantly

We are now in the midst of Finger Lakes Cider Week 2018! I started my cider week celebrations at Ithaca’s Apple Harvest Festival on September 28th, but the fun will go on through October 7th all over the region. 

Find out what events are featuring your favorite ciders here: https://ciderweekflx.com/flx/events/

My highlight so far was enjoying Cider Sunday at Cornell. There were two walking tours of Cornell Orchards as well as the chance to taste and blend soft ciders on site and taste the finished products of eight different Finger Lakes Cider producers, paired with beautiful bites of food from Cornell Catering. I tasted a few ciders there and wanted to share impressions of two local ciders for this week’s blog post.

I’m starting today with the Workman Dry by Redbyrd Orchard Cider. This cider comes from Trumansburg, New York. It was founded in 2010 by Eric Shatt and Deva Mass. This cidery focuses on developing their own biodynamic orchard and farm. 

Visit Redbyrd Orchard Cider online: https://redbyrdorchardcider.com

I’ve reviewed several Redbyrd Orchard Ciders over the years:

The Wild Pippin was my favorite cider of 2014: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

I tried their North Star in 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/01/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

A long while ago I enjoyed the Harvest Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/cider-review-reddbyrd-2013-harvest-cider.html

And my first review of anything by Redbyrd Orchard Cider was their Starblossom: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/finger-lakes-cider-week-special-review.html

But today I’m sharing my impressions of one of their core ciders the Workman Dry (the 2017 batch).

It’s official description focuses very much on the apples used for the cider.  

Workman Dry ’17 – A floral nose of Rose, Honeycomb and Palo Santo.  Mineral, Slate, Lemongrass and Ginger, finishing with bright Citrus and Lemon Zest. Bright , Crisp, Playful. 20% Cox Orange Pippin, 14% Goldrush, 10% Margil, 9% Newtown Pippin, 9% Spigold, 8% Dolgo Crab.  Also containing – Rhode Island Greening, Roxbury Russett, Rubinette, Zabergau Reinette, Baldwin, Freedom, Macfree, Honeycrisp, Zestar, Browns Apple, Dabinett, Brown Snout, Bulmers Norman, Ellis Bitter, Somerset Redstreak, Harrison Crab, Tremblitts Bitter and unnamed wild apples.

Appearance: Transparent, straw, fine bubbles

This cider looks transparent rather than brilliant with a clean straw color. I see some bubbles at the top of the glass. 

Aromas: Peanuts, white grape, ripe apples, meadow flowers

What delightful and surprising aromas! This cider not only smells like fruit in the form of ripe apples and white grapes, but it also smells like delicate meadow flowers, and peanuts. 

Dryness/sweetness: Dry 

This is a dry yet fruity cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, wine like, balanced

I like how this extra tart tastes dry but fruity for every microsecond I am tasting it. The cider has a distinctly vinous finish that reminds me both of crisp white wines and freshly cut nectarines.It has a medium body with good balance. Though there’s some tannin present, the primary driver of the drinking experience is the acidity.

In terms of texture the Workman Dry has a deeply pleasurable bubble. I so enjoy fine and tiny bubble like these. The overall intensity of sparkle comes across as on the higher side of medium. It’s a flexible and approachable cider for one as dry as it is. I’ve had several batches of the Workman Dry and this is definitely the best one I’ve tried yet.

Grisamore Ciderworks Currantly

I like how Grisamore Ciderworks introduces themselves on the cider labels. “In 1975 Paul and Christine Grisamore planted their first apple orchard. As their grandchildren we are using the same apple trees to make Grisamore Cider Works hard cider today. We are fermenting small batches including a wide variety of flavors. Our goal is to provide an affordable hard cider for all to enjoy.”

Check out the website for lots of picture of orchards and cidermaking: http://grisamoreciderworks.com

Or, you can also find them on Facebook for product updates and the most up-to-date information: https://www.facebook.com/grisamoreciderworks/

Previously I reviewed their 24.4: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-grisamore-cider-works-244.html

I was able to taste the newest release Currantly at Cornell’s cider event.

Grisamore’s official description is brief, “An aromatic semi-dry cider aged on our astringent currants.”

Appearance: hazy, pearly pink, bubbly

This cider looks hazy and delicately pink. It’s charming and different, not as intense as a rose hue but something distinct. I can also see lots of bubbles in the cider. 

Aromas: Cool, peppery, fruity

This cider greets me with a bracing salivary reaction. It smells like fresh apples, but it’s a blended with cool and herbal aromas. Something reminds me of mint, rosemary, and pepper.

Dryness/sweetness: off-dry

This cider is off dry but will come across to many people as dry. Read on to find out why.

Flavors and drinking experience: Astringent, savory, high acid, 

This cider is exciting! That’s my overarching impression as I drink it. Though it’s just off-dry, I think many folks will taste it as dry because it’s both high in acidity and astringent. That doesn’t mean the Currantly is simply austere. The cider has lots and lots of flavor ranging from fruit notes including quince, orange, and currants but also spicy and savory like peppercorns. The acidity powers an intense experience.

 Something about this cider encourages me to pair it with rich cheeses and dried fruits. I enjoyed it tremendously. The currants only come through relatively indirectly, but they add something special with that tart astringence.

Cider Review: Grisamore Cider Works 24.4 Squared

Very recently, a new and relatively local cider cider company appeared on the shelves of my usual cider shop and started appearing on the dinner tables of my friends. Great news for me; I'm always keen to try something new and local! Two friends were kind enough to save a bottle to open when we were dining together one cold February evening. 

This is how I found out about Grisamore Cider Works, and I don't know a tremendous amount about these new neighbors. Simon Ingall (with his brother Jesse), works on his family farm and launched the hard cider business. Grisamore hit the scene with their first four releases this past fall, though I started seeing them around my usual haunts in early February. That's when I got to taste the 24.4 Squared.

You can see pictures of the farm and the cidermaking process on the Grisamore website:

http://grisamoreciderworks.com

Or, you can also find them on Facebook for product updates and the most up-to-date information: https://www.facebook.com/grisamoreciderworks/

Today, I'm sharing my review of Grisamore Cider Works' 24.4 Squared. This cider is named after the geographic footprint of Locke, New York. That's where the orchard is and where the apples and cider maker come from. I couldn't find very much information online about any of their cider styles, but I did see a very brief description on Untappd, "An easy, drinking cider with tropical notes, aged on Citra hops" The cider is 6% ABV. I wish I had more information on the apples or more of what this cider is aiming for, but I'm curious. We'll find out more by tasting.

Appearance: warm, still, transparent

Neither hazy nor brilliant, this cider is transparent. It doesn't show any visible bubbes in the glass. The color could be described as like warm homemade applesauce. Between the warm color and level of clarity, it gives off a rustic vibe.

Aromas: laundry, grass, tropical fruits

This cider smells astonishingly like laundry and lawn clippings, along with some white wine tropical notes. The hopped nature of this cider dominates the smells.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This cider offers up a nice initial sweetness that doesn't linger. The finish is cleaner and drier than I would expect from that first burst of flavor.

Flavors and drinking experience: Green tea, cold minerality, woody

So very very interesting. After that first hint of sweetness, the flavors become more herbal. They remind me of green tea, sweet grasses, and fresh saplings. These flavors are very savoy, they even veer into a slightly metallic territory before resting at cooling and minerally.

My more holistic and less detailed impression after a few sips, is that the 24.4 Squared is so fresh and fun! I'm thrilled to add this local cidery to my mix, and I cannot wait to try the rest of what they are doing!

I had this with a wintery meal with homemade pasta, red sauce, and softly cooked carrots and celery, but that was back in February. The next time I have this, I'll do something more summery, as I think that's how to best show off the best qualities of hopped ciders. I like them with light and mustard rich potato salads, with fish tacos, and with pizza of any stripe. Man, I'm making my own mouth water thinking about this cider with pizza. Yum.