Cider Review: Five Maidens Craft Cider's Betty

We’re under the heat dome, and I’m afraid there’s no real escaping it for the next several days. My primary recommendation for those of you who are stuck in it with me, please drink water often, enjoy the shade, take it as easy as you can, and take everything with a grain of salt this week. Cider on the porch still sounds good to me, but I’ll have a glass of water ready to hand as well.

This week, I’m sharing my thoughts on Five Maidens Craft Cider’s Betty. This is my first review of anything from this cidery. The ciders come to us from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Andrew David, Brian Williams, and Mandy David own and run the cidery, which grew out of Brian and Andrew’s passion for home brewing. 
You can visit Five Maidens Cider online here: https://5mcider.com/

If you want more background about this cidery, I do recommend this member spotlight for the cidery on Lehigh Valley’s Brewer’s Guild websiteLehigh Valley’s Brewer’s Guild website.

I picked this sample up when I was a cider judge at the PA Farm Show in Harrisburg, otherwise I would not have access to this cider, so big thanks to the competition folks for sharing!

Official description:

Betty, our single varietal cider from the Rosalee apple, reminds us of our favorite Betty White character, Rose Nylund. This single varietal cider provides a sweet, fragrant fresh apple picked aroma. The flavor is semi sweet initial lush apple with background acidity that finishes drier. Betty is a unique single varietal cider that should appeal to both dry and sweet fans.

Appearance: brilliant, pale straw, subtle color

The Betty looks like an inviting new world style cider with a pale straw hue and beautiful brilliance.

Aromas: vanilla frosting, green apple, fresh apple

At first scent, the Betty smells fresh and sweet like vanilla apple frosting. The fruit notes are specifically fresh green apples. It’s an easy smell to enjoy.

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is a sweet cider. It’s not cloying or overpowering, but it’s unambiguously sweet in a fresh fruity way.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, full body, mild bubble, tropical fruit

The Betty is vivacious with mild bubble, high acidity, and a full body. This is a super approachable cider for folks who might not have tried many single varietals before.
The mid-palate really pleases with tropical fruit flavors alongside notes of peach and ripe apple.

I find this cider to be pleasant and easy drinking. It went well with a simple supper of sautéed zucchini and a lemon ricotta ravioli with pesto. Cheers!

Cider Review: Deep Roots Hard Cider's Double Barrel Reserve

 

I wanted to make comfort food at home this weekend. We’ve had a lot of hard stuff going on lately, and the weekend finally gave me enough breathing room to cook about it. So I made vegetarian lasagna. Every lasagna I’ve ever made is vegetarian, but I looked for ways to pack more vegetables in without losing the dish’s richness and indulgence. It’s supposed to be a super savory pile of cheese and noodles smothered in rich tomato sauce! And as soon as the craving hit, I knew it would be a great chance to pick a big cider with intense flavors as an accompaniment. That’s why this week’s cider review is of Deep Roots Hard Cider's Double Barrel Reserve.

I came across the Double Barrel Reserve when I had the pleasure of judging cider for the PA Farm Show this past December. Deep Roots Hard Cider comes to us from Sugar Run, Pennsylvania. The cidery was founded by Tim Wells in 2015, and this is the first time I’ve managed to snag a bottle for myself. Getting Pennsylvania outside of state is still no easy feat, folks! That’s why this is my first Deep Roots review.

I recommend visiting the cidery online: https://www.deeprootshardcider.com/

Here’s Deep Roots’ official description for the Double Barrel Reserve.  

Double up on what makes our Barrel Reserve great! This bourbon-barrel-aged hard cider starts with our original Northern Spy hard cider aged for a full year in a double-oaked-bourbon barrel. It has notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak with a silky smooth finish.

This small-batch cider sells out fast!

9.9% ABV 

Appearance: Sunny yellow, few visible bubbles, brilliant

What a lovely cider. It doesn’t have the haze that lots of barrel-aged ciders display. Instead I can see a few bubbles in the cider quite clearly. The Double Barrel Reserve is a sunny pastel yellow. Maybe it’s just my wishful thinking, but the color reminds me of spring sunshine.

Aromas: vanilla, caramel, smoke, wood, barrel

The Double Barrel Reserve smells amazingly of vanilla and barrel. The aromas are just so vivid and intense. I also get plentiful aromas of caramel, salt, and smoke. The cider hints at woody and balsam notes.

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is a sweet cider. It’s an unapologetic dessert with plenty of complexity to the sweetness. 

Flavors and drinking experience: Petillant, full body, buttery, barrel, woody

Deep Roots bring us a cider that’s both petillant and sweet. I don’t necessarily associate these two qualities together, but the emphatic barrel focus melds the two. What I get is a rich buttery cider that has dessert levels of sweetness on the mid-palate and a twinge of a bitter hint on the finish. The cider has tons of barrel character and a full body. 

The Double Barrel Reserve cider carries its hefty alcohol-by-volume level well and the strong flavors can stand up to a dish like lasagna.  In a perfect world, I’d love to see all of that fun barrel character countered balanced with more fruit and acid, but it’s hard to get everything in one cider. My co-taster commented that the Double Barrel Reserve tasted intriguingly like a tree or a pine cone with just one sharp hint of apple.

It was a treat to make, pair, and enjoy my lasagna with this rich super-barrely cider. Cheers!

Cider Review: Wyndridge Cider Co.'s Original

I can barely believe that this blog is going to turn ten years old next month! When I started, I had no idea how many amazing people I’d meet, how much I’d fall in love with orchards, and what a big big place the cider world is. What I knew then was that I loved cider and I appreciated tasting seriously. I had learned a bit about tasting carefully from jobs in both fine chocolate and high-end coffee. I did some research and took the plunge, and I’m so grateful for everything this blog has brought me. Stay tuned for celebrations in January!

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Wyndridge Cider Co.'s Original. I was able to pick this up in Pennsylvania when I was there for the PA Farm Show Cider competition last week. My only previous Wyndridge review is of the Gingerbread. Here’s the link.

Gingerbread: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/01/cider-review-wyndridge-cider-cos.html

Wyndridge Farm is a cider company with a tasting room and restaurant. The company also makes other craft beverages including beer and soda. Here’s how Wyndridge describes the cider company.

Wyndridge Cider Co. has become a staple hard cider brand constantly pushing the envelope to deliver quality and consistency through our portfolio of ciders. Pennsylvania apples are the main ingredient in our ciders as we partner with local farms to get only the best apples. Fermented cold and blended in small batches, our hard ciders are gluten free, made with real fruit and have no flavorings or additives. They are made on-site in the cidery at Wyndridge Farm, and have simple ingredients for a bright, crisp flavor.

 Wyndridge Cider Co. has this to say about the Original, "ADAMS COUNTY PA blend of Gold Rush, Stayman, Northern Spy and Jonagold apples. Full juice cider with bright acidity & off dry finish. ABV 6%."

Appearance: brilliant, bright warm gold, tiny bubbles 

 

This is a beautiful cider. It has complete shining transparency that can best be called brilliance. I can see a few very fine bubbles, but mostly the Original’s brilliance just showcases the intense warm gold color. 

 

Aromas: ripe apple, creamy, not intensely scented

 

Wyndridge’s original smells like ripe apple with a creamy element running through. It’s not a strong aroma; I had to seek out the notes rather than letting them come to me. 

 

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

 

The Original’s description mentions an off-dry finish, but I found the cider semi-sweet throughout. The cider’s sweetness feels well-integrated and crucial to the cider on the whole.

 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, clean fermentation, full body, strong sparkle

 

Wyndridge crafted the Original to have plenty of fresh and fruity acid to balance out its sweetness. The cider is delightfully brimming with pomme notes, dominated by apple and pear. There’s more fruit than just pommes; the Original makes me think of pineapple with its juicy tropical notes. 

 

I appreciate how full bodied and bubbly it is. Each element in this cleanly fermented cider has its counterbalance. That leaves the overall effect balanced and approachable. It’s an easy drinking and very satisfying cider for sure. I enjoyed mine with a salmon burger and asparagus; that’s a pairing I would recommend again for sure!

Cider Review: Big Hill Ciderworks' Barrel-Aged Reserve Cider

I just filled out my calendar with plans (and necessary blocks of preparation time) for all the big stuff happening between now and the end of 2022. I couldn’t believe how close we are to the end of the year. I can’t say I’ll be sad to see the last of 2022, but I’m also amazed by how busy the next four weeks are going to be. I know I’m not alone, so best of luck to you with your busy-ness! 

One quick reminder. I do a Favorite 10 Ciders list each year just before the end of the year. It’s a fun way to reflect on the delicious bottles and great cider experiences of the previous year. And this year will be the 10th list! Any guesses about what ciders will make the cut? 

Today, I’m sharing my notes on Big Hill Ciderworks' Barrel-Aged Reserve Cider. This cidery is based out of Adams County, Pennsylvania. Here’s how the company describes how locally oriented Big Hill Ciderworks is.

We grow, press, ferment, bottle and distribute all of our ciders right from our orchards in Adams County, PA.  You won’t find added sugars, sweeteners, or natural flavors in any of our ciders.  Rather, we blend different varieties of apples and other fruits from our farms and then our modern ciders are back-sweetened with fresh pressed juice.  The end result - wholesome ciders that are made almost entirely of fruit grown right on our farms.  Enjoy a bottle or swing out and have a pint at our taphouse!

I’ve only previously reviewed a couple of ciders by Big Hill Ciderworks. Here are both reviews.

Manchurian: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-review-mountain-wests-cottonwood.html

Little Round Hop: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/cider-reviews-big-hill-ciderworks.html

Visit Big Hill Ciderworks online to see what’s happening at the cidery and read about all the tasty releases: http://www.bighillcider.com/home

Here’s how Big Hill Ciderworks describes the Barrel-Aged Reserve Cider: one of the traditional offerings.

BARREL AGED RESERVE     8.4%ABV

Our Barrel Aged Reserve Cider is a unique blend of bittersweet & bittersharp apples varieties grown right here in our orchards.  A complex, tart and tannic flavor profile will pair well with cheese, pork, shellfish and much more.

Appearance: intense harvest gold color, brilliant, tiny bubbles

This cider looks inviting even before I pour it. I love the Barrel-Aged Reserve’s deep harvest gold and brilliance. I can see plentiful tiny bubbles, so I’m not anticipating a still cider. 

Aromas: Ripe apples, woody, homemade apple syrup

This cider’s scents don’t reach super far. I have to put my nose close to the liquid to get much detail; it’s medium intensity rather than anything stronger. The Barrel-Aged Reserve smells like ripe apples and the blunt clean woody side of barrel aging. I get less of the smoky or buttery scents that can come with some kinds of barrel time. Interestingly, I note a little waft of apple syrup once the cider warms up. 

Sweetness/dryness: off-dry

It could be illusory, but I can feel just enough fruit and body to make me think the cider is off-dry rather than fully bone dry. Big Hill’s Barrel-Aged Reserve isn’t pinning to many expectations to sweetness though. 

Flavors and drinking experience: Zingy, medium tannins, balanced

The Barrel-Aged Reserve wears its barrel lightly and integrates the tannins beautifully into the overall drinking experience. It does taste dry to off dry upon repeated sips. I find the whole experience quite balanced. The cider feels light in body but the ABV is 8.4%, so watch out. The cider is very good and shockingly easy to drink. I find it to be a tremendously good winter cider

I paired this with a butternut squash casserole and my second batch of cranberry relish: delish!

Cider Review: Wyndridge Cider Co.'s Gingerbread Hard Cider

Start the new year in the way you intend to continue it, that’s always been my favorite piece of folk wisdom for the changing of a calendar year. That’s how I chose this week’s cider. I am so excited to review ciders from companies I’ve never tried before. Of course, I want to continue tasting and writing about my favorites, but I really want to try new things and meet new favorites. Over the holiday break, I gave myself a night to do whatever I wanted by myself. I chose and cooked dinner, I picked myself a cider, and I enjoyed a holiday rom com from the comforts of my couch. 

Also, if you missed my round up of favorite ciders from 2021, you can check them out below:

Spots 6-10: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/5-of-my-favorite-10-ciders-of-2021.html

Top 5: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/my-favorite-5-ciders-of-2021.html

I chose Wyndridge cider’s Gingerbread cider to accompany Single All the Way after a dinner of savory french toast  (using my own homemade sourdough) with red peppers and chevre. I like to treat me right.

Though this is Wyndridge’s first appearance on the blog, I’ve had the pleasure of tasting a few of their ciders when judging cider over the past few years. The company has been around since 2014 and comes to us from Dallastown, Pennsylvania. On the website, I found a list of orchards that Wyndridge buys from; I love that. Cideries rely on orchards, and places that show love and appreciation to the sources of their fruit make me happy. 

You can visit Wyndridge Cider Co. online here to learn about all of the ciders: https://wyndridge.com/craft-beverages/ciders

Wyndridge Cider Co describes the Gingerbread as follows, “Fresh-pressed ginger root fermented with PA apples, Belgian molasses, and gingerbread spices, this is our winter warmer cider. Cheers!” The ABV is 6%. This is a seasonal release available in November and December, but I’d look for it just a little while longer, just in case. 

Appearance: harvest orange, transparent, no visible bubbles.

I love the intensity of this color. It reminds me of spices in how it looks from the very first moment. I don’t see any bubbles, and it looks transparent rather than either hazy or brilliant.

Aromas: applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, and *lots* of ginger

The Gingerbreads smells so spicy. I’m excited for the applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg and lots of ginger.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

Wyndridge Cider Co’s Gingerbread comes across as semi-sweet. It’s a lovely balanced beverage, and one I enjoyed as a post-dinner treat. 

Flavors and drinking experience: molasses, medium acidity, ginger, ripe apples, hints of citrus

What a lovely cider. I wish I had more than one to spread out over these next dark cold months. The Gingerbread has lower acid than anticipated, but it's still a medium level of acidity. The molasse is a definite and delightful presence. The three dominant flavors are ginger, apples and molasses with some hints of citrus in the mix. 

It was wonderful with the light confection of a film that I chose. Sometimes I just need things to be fun and tasty, and this was perfect. Perhaps these nights will have to become more of a regular occurance.

Cider Review: Mountain West's Cottonwood Dry Hopped Hard Cider and Big Hill Ciderworks Manchurian Cider

Days are blazing hot and sunny outside. My berry bushes have scads of ripe wild blackberries and even more thorns. At night, I can hear the rubber band croaks of frogs and the string section of insects. Not even a global pandemic can stop the season. I’m just grateful to have air conditioning and a few ciders designed to chill. 

Let’s start today with Mountain West’s Cottonwood Dry Hopped Hard Cider. 

A bit about Mountain West cider. Jennifer and Jeff Carleton started the company in Utah. The company’s cider maker is Joel Goodwillie.

I've reviewed one Mountain West cider before, the Ruby: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-colorado-cider-cos-block.html

You can visit Mountain West online here: https://mountainwestcider.com/

Here’s the official description of the Cottonwood Dry Hopped Cider. 

From world-class skiing to remote hiking trails to pristine climbing pitches, it takes a lifetime to fully explore Utah’s Cottonwood Canyons. Infused with hops during the final stage of fermentation, our 6.9% alcohol by volume Cottonwood Dry Hopped Hard Cider offers a bold, complex flavor equally worthy of repeated exploration.

Appearance: transparent, corn, few bubbles

This cider has a color like ripe corn. It’s a yellow a bit more strong than Silver Queen but not quite as buttery as Golden Bantam. I’ll call it transparent rather than brilliant. 

Aromas: mild soapy hops, Concord grapes, minerality

My co-taster was the first to notice the Concord grape notes, but once he mentioned them they were unmistakable. I noticed the soapy hops, minerality, and sulphites first.  It does smell cooling, some note in the mix reminds me of aquatic plants and icy mint.

Sweetness/dryness: off dry

The Cottonwood tastes off dry. There’s almost no sweetness to it at all. I like this level for a hopped cider such that there’s just enough sweetness to make the overall experience not one of total austerity.

Flavors and drinking experience: astringent, citrusy, petillant 

The Cottonwood tastes very citrusy! I get strong astringence at the start, leading to a luscious smooth texture. I’ll call this cider petillant, as it’s bubbles are not very strong. The hops meld with the cider nicely with piney, citrusy, and aquatic notes. I appreciate that there’s no sweatiness. Instead this cider tastes aquatic and icy. One of the most surprising characteristics is the creamy mouth coat. It was a fun one to eat with vegetarian hand pies!

Now for Big Hill Ciderworks’ Manchurian Cider!

Every year since it began, I have the pleasure of judging the PA cider competition. Through that, I’ve gotten to be a big fan of several independent Pennsylvania cideries that I would never have other wise discovered. Big Hill Ciderworks happens to be one of them. The small company is based in Adams County; it was started in 2002 by Ben Kishbaugh and Troy Lehman. The fruit and fermentation are all local.   

I have one previous review of a cider by Big Hill Ciderworks, the Little Round Hop: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/cider-reviews-big-hill-ciderworks.html

You can read about all of Big Hill Ciderworks beverages on the website: http://www.bighillcider.com/home

This is the official description for the Manchurian by Big Hill Ciderworks:

Manchurian Crabapples by themselves pack a very acidic punch, even with their high brix content.  We’ve blended a bit of Winchester cider to round out the flavor and add some subtle tannins.  Both are barrel aged for one year prior to blending for a smooth vanilla and oak characteristic. 8.2% ABV

Appearance: Butterscotch yellow, brilliant, few bubbles

This cider has so much color! I think I’d describe it as a butterscotch yellow. It pours brilliantly with few bubbles.

Aromas: Tart, dusty, fusel oils and tropical fruit

This was where some differences of opinion began to show. My cotaster and I both agreed that something about the aromas tipped us off to a very tart cider. I got some mineral or dusty notes, and tropical fruit. My co-taster got more notes that reminded them of Sauvignon Blanc or Fusel oils.

Sweetness/dryness: Off dry

This cider tastes very nearly bone dry to me. I’ll call it off dry, but between the subtle barrel characteristics and the crab apple profile, I could be wrong. I could be mistaking richness or fruitiness for just a hint of sweetness.
Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, concentrated fruit, leathery finish

The Manchurian cider is delicious and fascinating! I loved it. I appreciate how the acid is high, but the profile of tartness and hints of sourness are so different from the kind of high acidity I taste in a lot of Northeastern American ciders.  The acid hits immediately, but then melts into a fruity mid-palate and a leathery finish.

I think it’s the heavy use of crab apples, but the apple notes taste concentrated somehow with intensity to acids, fruitiness, and tannins. There’s also a very real citrus presence in the mix. It is too sour for some, including my co taster. It’s got a distinctive profile, and one I liked very much.

I had this cider with peppers, tortellini, and homemade pesto. What a delightful pairing!

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 Reviews: Shoal Hope Ciderworks' Monument and Ploughman Cider's Stayman Winesap

First off, it’s April first after what feels like the longest March in the known universe. Someday, I’ll manage an April Fools Post, but I’d much rather just post two more cider reviews today. I am so lucky to get to share my cider thoughts with you. My readers and my cider makers keep me curious and excited about the ever-changing world of cider. Cheesy, but true.

Let’s start with Monument by Shoal Hope Ciderworks. This was a sample shared with me for review, thank you!

This cidery is based in Provincetown, Massachussetts. The company has a significant local focus, and they’ve been part of the local landscape since 2015. From the website, it looks like Shoal Hope produces four different ciders. 

Visit Shoal Hope Ciderworks online: http://www.shoalhopeciderworks.com/

I have two earlier reviews for Shoal Hope Ciderworks:

Empty Barrel: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-shoal-hope-ciderworks.html

Little Tart:

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-review-portland-cider-co-pumpkin.html

As for Monument, here’s the official description: “MONUMENT is an off-dry cider flavored with dark brown sugar.  The sugar is added after fermentation to impart a molasses flavor reminiscent of traditional New England Ciders. 6.4% ABV”

Appearance: tea color, no visible bubbles, barely hazy

This looks like many and English cider with that deep warm tea like color and lack of visible bubbles. The cider isn’t brilliant, instead I see the barest shred of haze, adding depth to its look.

Aromas: cooked apple, brown sugar, caramel 

The Momument has lots of smell! As soon as I cracked the bottle, I got pronounced apple notes. It doesn’t smell like a crisp raw apple; instead it smells cooked like a baked apple or apple sauce blended with rich brown sugar or caramel.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

The bottle calls this off dry, but to me it tastes semi-sweet. The notes of sugar, the mouthfeel, and the ample presence of sweetness are clear. 

Flavors and drinking experience: baking spices, brown sugar,  medium tannins and acidity, long finish

This cider tastes much like it smells. It tastes so much like an apple dessert with cooked apple, brown sugar and occasional notes of baking spices. This cider has a full body with medium acidity, medium tannins. They create a nice balance with plenty of richness and substance.

The finish was gentle but long and perfumed. This is a cider that surely makes many people wowed with its hedonistic profile.

I paired this with a dinner of black beans and rice covered in Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar. It made for a very pleasing contrast. My dinner was lean and salty while my drink was sweet and rich. Very satisfying!

Next up, it’s Ploughman Cider’s Stayman Winesap

Ploughman is a cidery I know through my  year cider judgings in PA which have led to some of my favorite cider friendships anywhere in the country. Ploughman Cider comes from Adams County, Pennsylvania. It’s a young cidery springing from an antique family farm.

I love this quote that describes the approach to beverage making. 

Here at Ploughman, we embrace the "frontier" mentality – an eagerness to try new things, but always with authenticity to quality. We are not purists, but we will never cut corners and never use engineered essences, flavors, or artificial nonsense. Our eagerness to experiment with new things is almost completely farm based – we use whatever is exceptional and abundant at Three Springs Fruit Farm on any given year.

Learn more on the web: https://www.ploughmancider.com/

I’ve covered a few Ploughman Ciders before. Here are all of those reviews!

Lummox: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/02/cider-review-amdam-cider-brut-and.html

Dornick: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Pinot N’arlet: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/04/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-black.html

And the Stayman Winesap receives this description online.

CIDER MADE WITH STAYMAN WINESAP APPLESThe Stayman Winesap apple has a tough red skin, yellowish flesh, and is quite aromatic. In our fermentations it tends to develop some strawberry aromas and a good mouthfeel. Here we’ve fermented it spontaneously, without adding any yeast, allowing the ambient flora found on the skins and calyx to help determine its fermented character. It has been aged for more than 8 months and is rustic, bright, and fragrant. 6.9% ABV

Appearance: bright gold, brilliant, bubbly

This cider looks cheerful and springy! It shines with bubbles and brilliance and a duckling fuzz shade of bright gold.

Aromas: farmyard, lemon, stones, and meadow flowers

The Stayman Winesap smells of clean farmyard and zesty lemons. Secondarily, I get some notes of meadow flowers and rich nectar. After a few more wafts, I can get dusty stones.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This is a cider that's dry but not totally austere. It still brings plenty of fruit to my glass!

Flavors and drinking experience: citrus, high acid, light body, funky

The Stayman Winesap tastes tart with a medium sparkle and light body. This dry cider brings medium tannins and plenty of funk to the party. I appreciate that the overall impression contains elements of citrus fruit, phenols, and peanuts.

This is a cider for fans of the zesty, wild, funky stuff! It’s a wonderful pairing for creamy foods or anything that you want to add a dry kick for contrast. Enjoy!

Stay safe and enjoy your cider at home, friends!

Cider Review: AmDam Cider Brut and Ploughman Farm Cidery: Lummox Cider with Citra Hops

I’ve watched with admiration and a few pangs of envy as other cider folks I know have traveled to warmer climes this winter, especially for CiderCon. But now I’m preparing for my turn! Very soon, I’ll take my own little jaunt to the sunshine state. As I’m planning and packing, I did fit in two cider reviews that are helping me mentally prepare for warm beaches. 

Let’s start with AmDam Cider Brut! Alex brought this back from his writing trip to the Netherlands back in the fall. The company has a really cute intro that also makes the sourcing of the apples transparent, “Ever seen an apple tree in Amsterdam? Neither have we.”

From what the company makes clear online, they get cider made by Celliers de l’Odet from french cider apples. The company grew out of an import store for cider called Appels & Peren in 2015.

You can learn more about this young cidery here: https://cider.amsterdam/ 

Here’s the English language description of this cider, “Brut,the yellow one. It's softly sparkling and a bit more sophisticated. It has that unique cider ‘funk’ flavor.Try it and you are sold.” I saw more info in dutch on the website, but not on the translated page, so I don’t know if it has additional facts.

Appearance: brilliant, bubbly, harvest orange- yellow 

The Brut pours with a foamy head that had most vanished by the time I was able to take a picture. It’s there and then gone! The color is a warm harvest orange yellow with brilliant clarity.

Aromas: overripe apples, leathery, oranges

The Brut smells leathery, like overripe apples with hints of orange. These aromas remind me of English or French ciders right away.

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This cider is sweet, which is a bit of a surprise since it’s labelled Brut. Often though french ciders use that term differently than other regions or beverages. A cidre brut is not as dry as a brut champagne for example. The sweetness is very natural and fruity.

Flavors and drinking experience: Tannic, medium acidity, citrus, apples, caramel

I love that this cider is decidedly tannic with medium acidity! I don’t usually get ciders that have these two characteristics, particularly not when appearing with some sweetness. The Brut’s flavor notes were very similar to what I got from it’s aromas: overripe apple, oranges, but I also tasted some wheaty and caramelly elements. 

The Brut stretches the tasting experience out with a lovely long finish with lots of apple character. I’d describe it as mostly a french-style cider that shows some english influence. I appreciate the Brut’s full body and intense bubbles! This is such a fun and friendly cider. 

I totally didn’t expect something so approachable, balanced, and appealing! Were this available more widely, I’d definitely drink it again and recommend it! 

Next up Ploughman Farm Cidery’s Lummox Cider with Citra Hops!

When travelling for the PA farm show in December, I picked up some cider treats for the future and I was so excited to get this particular one from Ploughman Farm Cider because I’d failed to get one of these home safely from GLINTCAP earlier in 2019.

Ploughman Cider is based out of Adams County in Pennsylvania; that’s definitely an unofficial cider capital of the state. Fruit for Ploughman Cidery beverages comes from Three Springs Fruit Farm.

Here’s a link to the Ploughman Cider website where you can read about all the ciders: 
https://www.ploughmancider.com/

Here are my previous Ploughman Cidery reviews.

Dornick: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html


Pinot N’arlet: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/04/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-black.html

Appearance: transparent, warm straw, no visible bubbles

This cider looks more transparent than most hopped ciders. It doesn’t have a haze to it, but instead I can see the warm straw color clearly. I don’t see much in the way of visible bubbles.  

Aromas:  herbal, aquatic, vegetal, citrus

The Lummox smells herbal and darkly aquatic. I also detect some mouthwatering citrus notes, but there’s still more going on. I can smell ripe apples, but they aren’t as strong as the other notes that associate with hops for me. There’s also something just a bit creamy and almondy. Dancing in the far background I also get a sense of green tea.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This semi-dry cider has lots of flavor going on that dominate far more than the sweetness. I think many drinkers who often tend towards semi-dry ciders might call this dry because of the bitterness and acidity, but more on that soon.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, grapefruit pith, bitterness, medium tannins

My first impression on tasting the Lummon is that this is a hopped cider than most beer lovers will enjoy! It brings zesty high acid, but the first note is grapefruit pith. I get strong fruity bitterness in this semi-dry cider. The flavors also make me wonder if it was fermented with beer yeast. The Lummox also packs some tannins. This is a complex cider! After having it from the can and in a glass, I think it reveals its strengths best cold and straight from the can.  

I think it could taste cooling and refreshing (in a bracing way!) in the summer. It’s more of a beer drinker's cider than a wine lover’s cider.