Cider Reviews: Castle Hill's Levity and Treasury Cider's Burr Knot

Last week, I shared two ciders with extra seasonal ingredients. But I can’t leave heritage orchard-based cider out in the cold. As much as I love experimentation, my fondness for this cider style cannot be matched. Apple only ciders can be so much more than the familiar flavor of the fresh fruit. Often these ciders are the most wine like in the cider world, and like many wines, one cider will offer up dozens of aromas, flavors, and scintillating nuances.

Let’s start today with Castle Hill’s Levity. Castle Hill is an orchard-based Cidery in Keswick, Virginia. This cidery was founded in 2011, but many of the trees that grow its apples are more than eighty years old. It’s history is closely connected with the Albemarle Pippin apple. Many of the apple choices and fermentation techniques at this cidery appear to be inspired both by history but also by technical exploration, seeking traditions from around the world and local apples to make their cider.

Read about Castle Hill on the cidery website: https://www.castlehillcider.com/

I’ve had a few Castle Hill ciders before.

Most recently, the Terrestrial had a place on the table for my friend Elizabeth’s pairing birthday dinner: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-dear-friend-el-just-had-birthday.html

My first review of Castle Hill was their Celestial in 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/02/cider-review-castle-hll-ciders-celestial.html
That cider made it to #5 of my favorites list of that year.

And I did get to taste the Levity at CiderCon this past winter as part of the Heritage Cider track: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cidercon-part-2-including-heritage.html

This bottle was shared with me as a sample. Here’s the official description:

“A feral yeast fermentation of traditional high-tannin cider apples, high-tannin and high-acid crabs, and heirloom varieties --some gathered from 80+ year old trees. Levity is fermented in buried beeswax lined terra cotta fermenters called Qvevri-the world’s oldest known fermentation vessels. We draw Levity out of its earthen womb and place in bottles before fermentation completes, allowing the yeast to naturally produce a sparkling cider. Enjoy at cellar temperature.”

Appearance: very bubbly, rich butternut color, brilliant

Thought this cider is super bubbly, it’s also brilliant. One could easily read straight through that rich butternut color. What a lovely sight.

Aromas: cinnamon, cooked apple, Baking spice

I have to make known that glorious intensity of the Levity’s aroma. Wow! It smells just divine. I love the cooked apple, baking spice, and cinnamon notes. What’s harder to describe is the warm clean fermentation character I’m also picking up on.

Sweentess/dryness: Dry

This is a dry cider. Yes, it’s rich and lucious and fruity, but it’s also dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: Golden, tiny bubbles, high acid, tannins

Ooh! I get shivers just thinking about how good this cider is. Wow! The baking spice notes I detected as aromas also approach as flavors, but they aren’t alone. The Levity also tastes of fall flowers, cooked fruit, and quince. I don’t know how to say it exactly but there’s something light and silvery to the flavors also.

Dry, yes. High acidity and medium high tannins, yes but fresh and fruity. No one characteristic can fully describe this cider. It’s light and playful yet rich and complex. The bubbles are so fine and numerous. Of any individual note, quince probably comes through the most clearly. It’s just such a lovely cider.

From Virginia to New York, I want to share my thoughts on Treasury Cider’s Burr Knot next. Fishkill Farms is the home orchard for this relatively young cidery. They use heritage, crab, and eating apple varieties. I love the simple yet sophisticate sense of graphic design I get from both their labels and website.

Visit Treasury Cider online: http://www.treasurycider.com/

I have talked about this cider briefly in February when I wrote about the Gathering of the Farm Cideries: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/gathering-of-new-york-farm-cideries.html

The Burr Knot’s official description reads:

A careful mix of apples from our family orchard, Fishkill Farms, was selected to make the hard cider in this bottle. Heirloom varieties, proper harvest timing, ecological farming, and traditional wine-making methods all come together in our cider. Our name is an homage to the farm's founder Henry Morenthau Jr., who served as Secretary of the Treasury under FDR. It also celebrates the revival of hard cider in America. 8.4% ABV

Other descriptors include, “Dry and unfiltered / orchard cider / traditional method” and a list of apples, “Hyslop crab / Granny Smith / Pink Lady / Old-Growth Golden Delicious / Jonamac”

If you have the chance I do recommend looking at the cider descriptions online because you can click on any variety and get some incredibly rich detail on the orchard and the cider making info.

Appearance: hazy, no visible bubbles, goldenrod

This unfiltered cider has a harvest glow about it, as it’s hazy and warm hued. I love the goldenrod color. I didn’t see any bubbles when I poured.

Aromas: Stony, melon, quince

The cider smells like apple juice splashed onto limestone; it’s all fruit and minerals. Those gorgeously stony smells appear at the same time as fruit notes, but they never compete. I get tons of quince and melon with a delicate creamy background of velvety yogurt.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

I love how dry dry dry this cider is.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, funky, milk chocolate

Even though I expected relatively high acidity, this tartness was striking! But I also got some of the creaminess I smelled in a new rich milk chocolate note. What a fun and surprising facet.

This intensely flavorful is fruity and funky! There’s peach and strawberry but also savory notes like sesame seeds and toasted grain. The Burr Knot goes everywhere, powered by that zesty acid and structured by medium tannins. Needless to say, I adore this one.

Gathering of the New York Farm Cideries: Nine Pin Ciderworks, Treasury Cider, Awestruck Cider, and Descendant Cider Co.

This past Saturday, I bundled some friends who happen to be fellow cider nerds into the car to make the trek up to Albany for the Fourth Annual Gathering of the Farm Cideries. For a little background, this is a New York even that Nine Pin hosts yearly to celebrate the birthday of their own business, but also to celebrate a whole generation of young NY cideries that operate under New York's Farm Cidery license. Nine Pin was the first to open as an official NY Farm Cidery, so it makes all the sense in the world that they gather everyone to Albany. I love that these cider companies are forming a community and sharing their huge range of beverages with the public together. This is crucial cider education!

Each year, more cideries work under this license and are thus eligible to take part. This year around 17 cider companies participated by setting up a table, sampling, introducing and selling their ciders under one warehouse roof. That's one of the things I love about the gathering. Some of these operations are either quite young or quite small, and many self distribute to a very limited local area. This may be the only chance many people have to buy anything from Roger's Cideryard(https://www.facebook.com/RogersCideryard/), and it was assuredly my first tasting with Ithaca's newest cider producer: New York Cider Co. (https://www.facebook.com/NewYorkCiderCompany/).

When we arrived, about 20 minutes after doors were due to open, there was already a line stretching around the corner from the cidery's entrance. One of the things to note about Ninepin is their extensive and agile menu of limited release ciders. Several of these are only ever available in their tap room and only around for a short time. These run the gamut from this year's Ashmead's Kernel single-varietal to the wildly inventive such as their Blueberry Peach Cobbler. And I think their adventurousness has rubbed off on Albany's cider scene more generally, hence the folks waiting for doors to open on Saturday.

Once inside I tasted and chatted and listened to what other folks were saying about the sold-out event.

I didn't get to try everything; I never manage to, but I did find several things to take home. But here are four highlights of what I did get to try.

Nine Pin Ciderworks,

http://www.ninepincider.com

Cascara Nectar

This is a soon to be officially released cider and it was astounding! Cascara is the berry of the coffee plant, but this cider struck me as tart and spicy more than anything else. This cider is the result of a collaboration between Nine Pin and Joe Bean Coffee Roasters. It uses Cascara Coffee Cherry Tea and the hulks of Bolivian Cascara fermented with New York State Apples. I bought a four pack of cans to take home because this spicy, fruity, high acid cider exhibits what I love about experimental ciders. The apple flavor remains present but does something new with these additional flavors.

Here's a link to Joe Bean and Nine Pin's Release party coming up soon on February 24th: https://www.facebook.com/events/147819415930296/

Treasury Cider

http://www.treasurycider.com/

Burr Knot

The official description reads:

A careful mix of apples from our family orchard, Fishkill Farms, was selected to make the hard cider in this bottle. Heirloom varieties, proper harvest timing, ecological farming, and traditional wine-making methods all come together in our cider. Our name is an homage to the farm's founder Henry Morenthau Jr., who served as Secretary of the Treasury under FDR. It also celebrates the revival of hard cider in America.

Other descriptors include, “Dry and unfiltered / orchard cider / traditional method” and a list of apples, “Hyslop crab / Granny Smith / Pink Lady / Old-Growth Golden Delicious / Jonamac”

Wow! Just wow! I've had other ciders by this maker, but nothing in the past year. They've really matured and this cider shows their best qualities. Yes, I'm fond of a cider with crab apples, but the maker has to do know what to do with them. Treasury Cider certainly does!

Awestruck Cider

http://www.awestruckciders.com/

Lavender Hopped

I love their introduction to this cider.

Think of lavender and you imagine rows of sun-kissed purple, with a gentle scent of Mediterranean summer evenings. Our Lavender Hops is created to capture the same sensation of warm, fragrant summertime. We infuse our traditional hard cider with a secret blend of hops and sweet lavender. This adds a mildly bitter complexity which, together with the citrus and floral undertones, combines to produce a unique flavour. Like a summer evening, Lavender Hops is mellow - perfect for cider and beer drinkers alike

This one sold out entirely at the event! I loved it and one of my cider compatriots did too. The lavender tastes herbal without being soapy. The cider has zesty high acid that always goes well with hops. Its a balanced and full bodied cider. Other fruit notes were tropical fruit and berries.

Descendant Cider Co.

http://www.descendantcider.com/

Dry

The limited release Descendant Dry is introduced like this by the cidery,

DESCENDANT DRY (6.9%) - 2016 Harvest availableDry" has strong ripe apple aromas and bright acidity balanced with bittersweet tannin. It is medium body and bone dry. It also has bright appearance as a result of the aging process.

What I like about this cider is both its body and its balance. It has some zesty acidity, mild astringence, and soft tannins. It also had some floral and spicy characteristics that really add to its complexity. Yum! I also picked up a few of their other ciders for future tasting.

Overall, it was a wonderful day. Yes, there were cider donuts! Nine Pin Ciderworks really knows how to host this event well. They managed a big crowd and avoided many of the common pitfalls to such events. I had a fantastic time and only wish I could visit these cider folks more often.

Cider Review: Black Diamond's Solstice

Today I've a really exciting local review and some fun news! The weather is gorgeous. Apple season is starting, so its a good day to taste something grown close to home. I chose Black Diamond's Solstice. This is a still cider made from late harvest apples, so I'll consider this a preview.

Black Diamond is the small family cidery of Ian and Jackie Merwin. They have a 150+ variety strong orchard near Trumansburg, New York. This is firmly Finger Lakes territory and my own cider backyard. Though the cidery dates back to 2003, the Merwins contribution to cider goes back far longer and stretches broadly. Dr. Merwin taught Pomology at Cornell University, and I've met former students who still rave about his classes years later.

You can find amazing information about Black Diamond on the Finger Lakes Cider House website: http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com/black-diamond/

And even more on the Black Diamond website: https://www.blackdiamondcider.com

I give more background about this Finger Lakes Orchard Cidery in previous reviews:

My first review was of the Rabblerouser: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-black-diamonds.html

Last year, I really enjoyed the Hickster: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/cider-review-black-diamond-ciders.html

But today, I'm in the mood for a still cider: Solstice. Full disclosure, this bottle was a review sample shared by the cidermaker. As always, that doesn't sway my opinions about a cider. 

Black Diamond's official description reads, “Solstice Still Cider is a blend of late harvest Golden and Roxbury Russets, Hudson's Gem, Chisel Jersey, Dabinett, Brown Snout, Porters Perfection and GoldRush apples. Its flavors are ripe and round, with aromas of roasted nuts and cinnamon, and a tantalizing complex finish. Solstice is still and bone dry (0.0% R.S.), with crisp acidity (pH=3.5, TA=7.6 g/L) and soft, dense tannins.” ABV 7.2%

Appearance: bright jeweler's gold, brilliant, still

This looks like a still cider with bright rich color and great clarity.

Aromas: caramel, overripe apple, limestone

Ooooh, these aromas give me chills. I smell overripe apples, sun warmed rocks, late summer dust, and just a hint of caramel. These are all smells that I associate with rich tannic cider. We'll see if their promise delivers.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

Yes, this cider is dry. Its fruity and beautiful and complex. Its also uncompromisingly dry. Yes, please!

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, high tannin, rich, and complex

My nose did not deceive me and neither did Solstice. This still cider tastes acidic enough, it seems almost sparkling. But, its important to note that those high acids are balanced with high tannins. The Solstice comes across as astonishing and rich. Some flavors are darkly fruity or remind me of baking spices even though the cider isn't sweet. The ABV does impact my perception; the cider has a big slightly boozy mouthfeel. I don't know if this cider had anything to do with a barrel in its life, but something feels slightly and pleasanty barrely about the Solstice. The finish is lingering and the cider's mouth coat is decadent.

In terms of strict flavor notes, Solstice tempts us with spices and dried flowers. Though its structurally tannic, this cider also tastes warm and delicate.

I had Solstice with a modified Cobb Salad, lots of smoked salmon, and friends. It was our first dinner in their new house, and it could not have been more ideal. The cider, the food, and the company made for an entirely delightful evening. But, to be a bit more food specific, the salad was a bed of romaine covered with wedges of cut veggies and toppings: asparagus spears, blue cheese, boiled eggs, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and smoked salmon.

So, the other thing I wanted to share today is that I'm going to San Francisco!

A vacation? Not exactly, I'm travelling to judge for the Good Food Awards.

This organization awards foods in a growing number of categories that combine tastiness with ethical and responsible production. Truly good foods as it were. I feel totally honored to be invited to judge along with some of my favorite cider friends. If you're coming, say hi!

Read more about all 15 categories here: http://www.goodfoodawards.org/

The blind tasting is September 17^th, but I'm counting down the days already!

The January 2017 Cidrbox and Eden's Imperial 11° Rose Cider

Today, March begins with thunderstorms and wind; its unseasonably warm. But I want to share a cider experience from just before CiderCon, in the first days of last month. Imagine weather like March in upstate New York is supposed to have; that was much of our February. And that's when I got my sample Cidrbox in the mail. 

Full disclosure, I got to try a free Cidrbox for review purposes. I assure you that this does not sway my opinion about either the experience of getting a cider subscription or the cider from the box that I'm reviewing here. It did get to skip much nearer to the front of the review line somewhat though, but I don't want the December box being reviewed much later!

To give a bit more background about CidrBox as a service, the business is a subscription and curation service as well as a guide to the ciders it supplies. Dayna Bateman put it together and launched the project in December of 2016. She shared some of her time with me so I could learn more about what they offer. 

Most cider fans are extremely limited in their access to high quality craft, artisan, or orchard ciders. These products tend to stay local. Shipping laws are complicated and many wonderful ciders are made in such small quantities that anything like national or even regional distribution is impossible. That's where Cidrbox comes in as a service to both cidermaker and cider lover. 

Cidrbox finds cider makers who make amazing orchard based ciders. Dayna specifically seeks out ciders made from apples cultivated especially for cider. Things are very place based and the whole service gives cider lovers a window into a different cider terroir than the ones they might be able to find at home. 


I want to emphasize the reduced shipping rate. Each Cidrbox ships for ten dollars. That means you can get a box of cider from across the country for less than the cost of one bottle of good cider. The price applies to all three sizes of Cidrbox: three bottle, six bottle, and 12 bottle. Most bottles will be the 750ml size but a few, like the ice ciders in this box, will be 375ml.

You can read much more about this subscription service here: http://www.cidrbox.com/

Then the actual unwrapping experience, my ciders were packaged securely and neatly. I've gotten perhaps more than my fair share of cider arrivals in the mail, so I've witnessed a large range in how cider can be prepared for transport. Each bottle came in an individual protective box within the larger package.

Here's how they all look freshly unboxed on the piano bench.

Another fun part of trying a new cider is tasting with others, so Cidrox includes recordings of tasting sessions, extensive shared notes, and pairing suggestions. 

Here's a link to the material accompanying the Eden box:  http://www.cidersessions.com/eden/

There's both plenty of helpful information to contextualize these varied ciders and a ton of personality here. I love the photos and videos. The layout is clear and approachable. It certainly made me feel like i could open any one of these ciders and drink with Eleanor and David and the Eden crew. 

One of the other really social feeling and enjoyable elements is the feeling that getting a Cidrbox from a company starts an ongoing connection to that cidery. Cidrbox makes it easy to order more ciders from them after you've enjoyed learning about them and drinking everything from the box. That contextualization and ongoing flow of information and connection really makes it feel like more than the other subscriptions I've tried. Instead it feels more like an introduction at a small party with really good cider.

From my Cidrbox today, I want to review Eden's Imperial 11° Rose
 
Eden Sparkling Cider's Official description for the Imperial 11° Rose reads as follows, "Imperial 11° Rose Cider - New! Heirloom apple cider made with red currant and lightly dosed with ice cider. It is just off-dry and gently fizzy, with bright acidity and chewy tannic structure. A perfectly refreshing summer sipper!" The ABV is listed as 11% and the cider comes in either 750ml or 375ml bottles. My Cidrbox came with a full size 750ml.

Appearance: brilliant, deep fuchsia pink hedging into the red of rubies, few bubbles

I cannot overemphasize how pretty this cider is. I cannot do it. This red brilliance is lovelier than both rose and rubies to me. Perhaps, I am sharing too effusively, but many rubies do not have perfect clarity and many rose wines are not so intense in their color. The color reminds me of the dark pink of peonies, one of my favorite flowers.

Aroma: red currants, dust, cranberries

Apples do not come to the forefront of these scents. Instead, I am met with red currants, cranberries and that familiar dusty smell that has come (at least to me) to predict the presence of tannins and astringency.

Sweetness/dryness: off dry and tart

This tastes extremely tart, enough to make me question how much sweetness I perceive in this cider. It comes across as off-dry, but I'm guessing the measurable sugar would be slightly more than it seems.

Flavors: tart, fruity, vinous, bubbly 
The Imperial 11° Rose cider is fruity and tart and extremely pleasantly balanced. The balance isn't an easy one, but more the dymanic balance of a tightrope walker, and my sense of excitement is only supported by how bubbly it is! The cider tastes far more vinous than most and reminds me of black currants, though the currants in the beverage are the more unusual red currants. The whole experience is deliciously mouth-puckering, jammy, nearing a hint of solvent, but ending up estery instead.
 
This cider is so very zingy, it reminds me of the letter z, the zest of fruit, and the feeling of a stretched string (back to the tightrope image). 

But, I am going to disagree with the official description. I think calling it a "summer sipper" undersells the complexity and flexibility of this lovely beverage. The Cidrbox folks are genius to pack this bit of flavorful intensity into a winter box. Right now is when we need the pop and zing of red fruit. Winter can be worrisome, disappointing, and glum (sorry winter lovers), so each moment of vibrant awesomeness should be seized. That's what this cider is all about for me.

And as for the Cidrbox experience, I could not be happier! The ciders were packed securely, shipped promptly, presented contextually, and best all well chosen.

Cider Event: Twilight Walk, Talk and Picnic Dinner with Autumn Stoscheck of Eve’s Cidery and Steve Cummins at Indian Creek Farm *PLUS* Cider Monday in Ithaca

Today, I want to talk about a highlight of the recent Finger Lakes Cider Week. Of course, I love the tastings and the pairings and hearing folks thinking seriously about cider, often for the first time. But, this was something altogether different and very special.

I was invited to join a group, drawn from both home orchardists and cider lovers, to tour Cummins Nursery and talk about apple choice and apple growing for cider. And the orchard happens to share a site with my favorite local U-Pick spot, Indian Creek Farm. Thanks very much to Autumn for the invitation.

This was the official description:

Twilight Walk, Talk and Picnic Dinner with Autumn Stoscheck of Eve’s Cidery and Steve Cummins at Indian Creek Farm

With the American cider revival well under way and hundreds of new ciders finding their way to market each year, folks are making cider with whatever apples they can get their hands on. But is it good cider? In this interactive tour/talk tasting we’ll take a look at what makes a good cider variety and why. 

4:00pm -5:00pm – We’ll tour Cummins Nursery and learn why you should plan 3 years ahead of planting your cider orchard and just what goes into propagating apple trees. We’ll also take a look at various planting systems and tree sizes from modern slender spindle to 100 year old full size trees and discuss their implications for cider quality. 

5:00pm – 6:00pm – We’ll sit down to discuss cider apple characteristics and how they translate into cider while tasting cider varieties like Kingston Black and Ellis Bitter and cider made from these apples. Where does a cider get it’s structure, finish and balance? Which cider varieties best represent Finger Lakes terroir? 

6:00pm – 7:00pm – Dinner and drinks! Picnic dinner by the Piggery plus a glass of Eve’s cider, family style in the orchard. Farmer/Chef Heather Sandford will give a brief introduction to her famous Finger Lakes charcuterie and why it pairs so well with local cider. Make sure you RSVP – This event is $15 per person and includes dinner and drinks.

I know Autumn and ciders from Eve's Cidery well (https://www.evescidery.com). My respect for the cider and Autumn's knowledge were a huge draw for me. I've been hearing about Cummins nursery (http://www.cumminsnursery.com)since moving to Ithaca more than three years ago. But enough foreword, let me share a bit about the event itself. 

This picture is some of the group leaving the young section of the nursery. Steve let us know that right now there's a three year wait to even get many varieties of cider apple trees. Their orchard has been growing these varieties for more than 16 years ago, but back then they couldn't sell them. This reminds me of my own thought that so many cidermakers right now just long for a time machine, so they can go back 7, 10, 15 or more years ago to plant European cider varietals, heritage apples, and interesting crabs. 

As we moved through the orchard, I could hear folks crunching on apples and stepping on a few drops as well. But drops don't necessarily mean the same thing to a cider maker. Autumn took the lead on this topic, sharing what she's found effective for her cidery. She emphasized that there is not only one way to go but many. She wants apples with the most possible fermentable sugars, so she wants really ripe apples. Apples picked too early have more starch and less sugar, so when they are ripe enough to drop onto the ground, that's when they have the most sugar. With a little preparation on the ground, they can be cushioned safely. In cider, we have no need for a firm or crisp texture for an apple; bruising is okay. Its all getting milled and pressed.

As I was listening, I also observed the crowd. We had a wide variety of backgrounds repsresented, from folks who never drink cider and only know orcharding to folks like me who have never tended an apple tree or fermented a cider. There were also some hospitality industry folks, serious cider people, wine-oriented individuals, and attendees just eager to learn and enjoy the picnic. 

One of the elements that helped a lot of audience members understand the translation from fresh apple to finished cider were the plentiful comparisons to Finger Lakes wine region. Lots of drinkers still don't expect the power of fermentation to change flavors in cider. This was a major takeaway message and one worth keeping close. Cider isn't apple juice with a kick. Cider is as different from fresh fruit juice as wine. And that's a beautiful beautiful thing. 

Which leads us into the discussion and tasting of different apple types.  For cider, there's not any benefit for maximizing yield for quantity; grow for quality. And we were tasting for specific qualities of: tannin, acid, sugar, and aroma. These are the raw ingredients that can be most directly traced from juice to cider.

 I would need video and several apples to accurately express this chapter of the experience. Lots of apples that make great cider, so not make for tasty raw treats. But its worth it to taste a few spitters to get an idea of what just tannin, just sugar, or just acid tastes like in an apple. Its also fun to see other folks make crazy faces when they taste bittersharps and bittersweets. This section also really brought home the importance not only of having good fruit, but creating good blends both at the press and again after primary fermentation.

Then we got to tasting ciders by Eve's Cidery and picnicing. She shared with us several ciders and described her whole portfolio of ciders in a striking way. These are six different ciders for six different uses. I love it. I've always approached cider not in a quest to find my one true favorite, but I love sharing ciders with people and with moments. 

And for me, this was one of those evenings. The October light was lovely. Steve and Autumn shared their knowledge and also their honest and well-founded opinions. I felt surrounded by people who really care about apples and cider. The picnic was great (I was impressed that The Piggery can put together a lovely spread even for vegetarians). And I got to enjoy Autumn's Gold from a Magnum. But more seriously speaking, I appreciated getting to taste the Eve's Cidery lineup with simple fare and time to focus on the flavors and textures brought by very special apples.

And stay tuned for Cider Monday in Ithaca! We'll have cider makers sampling and selling all kinds of awesome Finger Lakes Cider in locations all over downtown Ithaca on Monday 11/28/2016. 

Cider Review: Foggy Ridge Cider's Serious Cider

I love living in cider country. There are many quality cider makers working less than an hour from my porch. They release new cider several times a year. We have a most excellent cider week.There's a lot of be grateful for, but its no excuse for me not to know about serious cidermakers from other places. So, I'm excited to share my review of a cider I tried on a trip to New York City a while ago. 

To set the scene, it was an unseasonably cool and gray day for being a tourist, and I knew someplace that would feel warm and welcoming and gorgeous while having a stellar cider selection. So, I made plans to meet up with a friend at Gramercy Tavern (http://www.gramercytavern.com/) to get to know the cider menu. 

Gramercy Tavern is everything I hoped it would be: comfortable and welcoming yet decadent. There, I was able to try a few cider I'd not seen elsewhere. This is how I got my hands on a Foggy Ridge Cider. The only downside was that the lighting was not very conducive to reasonable pictures. Please accept some my one relevant picture with mercy.

Foggy Ridge Cider makes serious cider, so much so that they've named one of their ciders that. Diane Flynt grows cider apples in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Foggy Ridge has been her cider company since 1997. For them, its all about apple variety and bringing out what's inside the apple rather than additional flavor notes from any other source. You can read more about Foggy Ridge on the website here:

http://foggyridgecider.com/

I'm including the "Cidermaker Notes" on Serious Cider so we can know how it is being introduced: "Rich apple and citrus aroma with a touch of apricot and jasmine blossoms. Serious Cider is bright and lively with a creamy mid-palate. Full bodied with soft minerality and hints of peach skin and lime zest. Focused acidity combined with textured, dusty tannin create a long and pleasantly dry finish."

Here's a bit more background, including apple varieties:

Foggy Ridge Cider grows many "spitters"—high tannin apples that taste like unripe persimmons but contribute tannin to all our cider blends, especially Serious Cider, our most dry hard cider. Classic English cider apples like Tremlett's Bitter and Dabinett combine with fruity aromatic varieties such as Grimes Golden, Newtown Pippin and Gold Rush to create a cider that drinks like Brut Champagne.

Some cider geeks might experience some mouth watering just at reading those variety names. I am definitely in that group, so my expectations were pretty elevated before a glass even reached my table.

Appearance:  brilliant, no visible bubbles, yellow green

I enjoy this pale shade of greenish yellow. Its the paler version of chartreuse. Or how I imagine undersea treasure to look.

Aromas: savory, peppery, warm applesauce

It is obvious that this cider will have high levels of tannin from the fascinatings smells. Its so savory! Do I smell pepperiness or even something like smoke? All this amid gentle warm applesauce aromas. Even if I hadn't read the apple varieties, these scents say russets and bitters.

Sweetness/dryness: dry

Serious indeed! This cider is dry and just so filled with flavor! This might be a bit much for someone new to cider, but what a delight!

Flavors and drinking experience: high tannin, balanced, just a little funky

Quite high tannins and piquantly strong acid make this cider decadently exciting. The  astringence is pleasant and the finish lasts forever. I'd say its almost assuredly bottle conditioned in that its gently sparkling but very finely so. The finish remains unchanging for a very very long fade of flavor. This just lingers forever. Wow! As Alex said, it makes memories  

In terms of flavors, there's a friendly ghost of apple bitterness peel and core. The Serious Cider remains interesting and well balanced if a slight challenge for someone who doesn't like intensity. The acidity makes it a bit more than tart and maybe even ever so slightly funky but neither farmy nor off kilter.

Yes, this cider is serious. It would be sorted into house Ravenclaw. But so deliciusly appealingly serious. Drink this with a good book or a smart companion. This cider deserves it.

Cider review: Eve's Cidery Albee Hill Cider Still & Dry

I love my regional Finger Lakes Ciders! Though they are not allowed to describe themselves as Finger Lakes Ciders on their labels because this area is an American Viticultural Area(AVA), we have a region that produces some really thoughtful and interesting ciders. Weather, soil, orchard history, and fermentation knowledge come together in the Finger Lakes like nowhere else in the world. Eve's Cidery has been a part of that since 2002, making orchard ciders heavily indebted to the special character of the region. I'm excited to share my review of their Albee Hill Cider Still & Dry.

When I say that Eve's Cidery makes orchard ciders, I'm using a relatively young term that some cideries are using to mean that they view their role as cider makers more like facilitators of the apples' show. They grow and press apples first and foremost, and the ciders that come out of this process reflect the orchards rather than the fermentation process. Eve's Cidery places the apples at the center of their process and product.

You can see lots of orchard and harvest pictures on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Eves-Cidery-115763391777735

My previous reviews of Eve's Cidery beverages number only two, but hopefully I can cover more of the lineup next year.

Here's my take on Beckhorn Hollow Dry, a naturally sparkling cider, from just before my first Finger Lakes Cider Week.

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/cider-review-eves-ciderys-beckhorn.html

You can also look way back to this review a previous batch of Autumn's Gold. I think this one is fascinating as Along Came a Cider was still based on New York City and did not yet know the apples or terroir of the Finger Lakes region at all.

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/06/cider-review-eves-ciderys-autumns-gold.html

From the Eve's Cidery website I found their statement on still ciders:

Still cider is cider unadorned by bubbles. Ciders made from true cider apples have an ideal balance of components for pairing with food. Cider occupies a unique place in the beverage spectrum: It has both the tannins to cut through and dissolve fat from food and the acids to clear, refresh and renew the pallet. Our still ciders, one from a single orchard and the other from a single esteemed cider variety, showcase the quiet, unassuming way that cider can enhance and synergize food to make flavors pop and sing. These ciders are best consumed at cellar temperature in order to allow the tannins to open up.

Read more at: http://evescidery.com 

The following description is from their 2012 Albee Hill. Each year varies tremendously, and if you're shopping out and and about for a specific one, you can judge by the ABV. Different years have gone as low as 6.9% and as high as 9%. I had a 2012 on my shelf. I'd love to hear your thoughts on other years.

Still, dry. This single orchard cider is made entirely from English and French cider apples grown in our Albee Hill Orchard where shallow shale based soils, low fertility, and no irrigation result in concentrated tannins and acids. Bottled still and dry, Albee Hill is minimalist cider, which embodies true cider apple character. Austere mineral flavors, elegant tannins and a lively acidity make this a serious food cider. Serve with seafood chowder, smoked sausages or Spanish blue cheese.

Appearance: brilliant, totally still, burnt orange

This color reminds me of the recent harvest moons of autumn. It's just that deep burnt orange that says warmth. I love how brilliant and clear it is. And of course, no bubbles.

Aromas: brown sugar, overripe apples, dust

It smells like texture as well as flavor, if such a thing makes sense. I can smell dark crystallized sugar and the yielding mash of overripe apples. Dust and subtle oxidation. It smells like richness warmth and comfort. I anticipate tannins and dryness, based on these aromas.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry but not harsh

Okay folks, I need to level with you. This is not a sweet cider. It's dry and complex, but I think a fair number of semi-dry drinkers could really love it. And here's why. It offers so much fruit that though its dry its intensely flavorful, exciting, and well balanced. I love dry, so maybe you won't believe me. read more about the tastes

Flavors and drinking experience: very smooth, earthy, apple finish

This cider is deeply congenial What I find so pleasing about the cider is the balance, richness, and seeming contradictions it holds. The Albee Hill manages to be so richly fruity with notes of pineapple and tangerine.  Now for the facts. this is extremely tannic, medium acidity. It keeps enough acid to maintain a firmness to the texture but not much more. It's very earthy, mushroomy, very pleasant finish.

Usually I am a bubble person. I love the excitement of bubbles. I love what they do for aromas. But this cider does not need them. Its very much like a well-balanced English cider, and bubbles would harsh its mellow vibe.

This is the perfect time of year for this cider. Use its peaceful smooth earthiness to ground yourself during holiday preparation madness. Take time to just be and enjoy. This cider can help.

Cider Review: Farnum Hill Extra Dry and my experience thus far with Protocol Wine Studio

As summer has turned from balmy to doggedly hot, I've been grateful to have a cool evening activity to look forward to once a week. I've been participating in the Protocol Wine Studio (http://protocolwinestudio.com)August conversation on cider. Every Tuesday evening, several folks from the curious to the extremely knowledgeable chat about cider using the hashtag #winestudio.

The neatest part for me is that this whole month of August is not only cider themed but further focused on Farnum Hill Cider. When I agreed to participate, I was sent a box of four of Farnum Hill's Ciders, two of which we cracked open last week. The remaining two will likely have to wait until the last night, August 25th. The actual name of the event series is:

 Drop that Axe! Cider Then, Now and Future –
A Cider Comprehensive with Farnum Hill Ciders

You can read more about the ongoing event here: http://protocolwinestudio.com/event/winestudio-online-session-xxvii-farnum-hill-ciders-new-hampshire/

We talked so far about terroir, cider apples, minimal use of sugar , bold embrace of high tannin, high acid, super dry, slightly funky ciders and many many larger questions about the current world of cider. I'm really enjoying it. Please join in the conversation and check out what's going on with the hashtag #winestudio this Tuesday and next Tuesday at 9pm EDT.

Beyond wanting to share the cider conversation on Twitter, I wanted to share my more in-depth review of the 2013 Crop Extra Dry Cider.

As always you can go visit Farnum Hill's website and learn about their farm, their history and their ciders here:

http://www.povertylaneorchards.com/farnum-hill-ciders/

As far as my own history with Farnum Hill, I've enjoyed their ciders since 2002 and reviewed a few of them.

Here's the Farmhouse:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/08/cider-review-farnum-hill-farmhouse-cider.html

And the Summer Cider:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/09/cider-review-farnum-hill-summer-cider.html

And they frequently make my 10 Favorite Ciders list for any given year:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2013.html

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2014.html

 
 Here's the description that I received along with my sample bottle (it's different from what appears on the website):

Unlike wine language, our "extra dry" means this cider contains zero sugar,  residual or returned. But it sports mad fruit from citrus to mango, a real example of the different between 'fruit' and 'sweetness.' Many apple varieties combine in this blend, principally Dabinett, Yarlington Mill, Chisel Jersey, Harry Masters' Jersey, Wickson, and Golden Russet.

I love this description. It gives me apple names, sweetness/dryness level, and some expectation of what to look out for in terms of flavor. And it isn't over inflated. Perfect. 

There were some great aroma and flavor notes noticed by different folks. I'm definitely going to benefit from tasting in a group of several folks rather than my usual experience of tasting mostly by myself.

Appearance: deep butterscotch gold

Everyone noticed how rich a color this cider has. Most ciders look much paler in the glass. When asked, Farnum Hill's cider blender Nicole Leibon, attributed the color to oxidation of the fruit. Interesting! 

Aromas: Spice, orange peel, summer flowers

Different folks noticed a huge range of aromas everything from sweet floral aromas, to baking spice, other variations on spiciness, lemon, citrus, other fruits including both stone and tropical fruit.


Sweetness/dryness: Dry

We agreed on the dryness of the cider but it came across differently to different drinkers.

Flavors and drinking experience: bottle conditioned, slightly funky, high acid, high tannin

Aside from those broader descriptions all manner of more specific notes stuck out to diffent people. Lot of fruits were noticed, mostly citrus. I tastes lots of orange and orange peel. For me, what stood out the most (and in a very positive way) was the balance of both high acid and high tannins.  For folks perhaps more surprised by cider's funky side, people noted cheese, leather, butter, mushrooms, yoghurt and earthy flavors. I can taste them, but they don't stand out to me. I find the Extra Dry beautifully balanced.

We also talked about mouthfeel. You have to when a cider does mouthfeel this perfectly. Seriously. The cider is taut, sharp, but also velvety and rich. I'd call all of that relevant to the high acid plus high tannin factor. We also discussed the bubbles and bottle conditioning of this cider. What was interesing to me were the more abstract words that came up like intense or focused.

I had my ciders with an heirloom tomato pie with a cheese crust followed up by a dark chocolate bar. Both pairings worked with not only this cider but also Farnum Hill's Farmhouse cider. 

Needless to say, I love this cider. I also really enjoyed talking about it with a wide variety of other interested folks. Please join us next week and learn more about cider and Farnum Hill!