5 of My Favorite 10 Ciders of 2021

Somehow we’re racing toward the end of 2021. It doesn’t feel possible, but I’m ready to start choosing my favorite ciders of the year. Why start early? This list was hard to make. I could not fathom taking one more fantastic cider out of my cellar and forcing it to compete in this field. Cider makers made my job really difficult this time around!

Usually I create a favorite 10 ciders of the year countdown for my last blog post of the year. I want to modify my tradition ever so slightly this year and divide the list into two posts. This year I’m sharing five from my top ten list today, and continuing the countdown next week.

My rules are simple. All ciders reviewed in the past year are eligible. No cidery gets to show up more than once. These are my favorites. I acknowledge my subjective, individual, and perhaps even whimsical tastes.

Here are all of my previous years’ top 10s! Please go back and find your favorites!

2020: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2020.html

2019: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/12/my-10-favourite-ciders-of-2019.html

2018: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-favourite-10-ciders-of-2018.html

2017: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2017.html

2016: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2016.html

2015: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2015.html

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

First ever cider countdown from 2013: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2013.html

10. Union Hill Cider’s Pink Heart

https://www.unionhillciderco.com/welcome

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/06/cider-review-union-hill-cider-companys.html

This is a beautiful example of a well-balanced, easy-drinking, delicious rose cider. I love its fruitiness, acidity, and sparkle. This cidery based out of East Wenatchee, Washington made something solidly delightful. One of the really interesting characteristics about the Pink Heart is that this cider uses majority red fleshed apples but doesn’t limit itself to them; it incorporates Dabinett apples as well. I think that is a wise choice because this is a stunner.

9. Tilted Shed Ciderwork’s Wickson

https://www.tiltedshed.com/

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/02/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

This is not a surprising choice for me. I love Wickson crabapples, and Tilted Shed did a brilliant job crafting an intense little burst of flavor into a thoroughly delectable cider. It has everything: tannins, acid, sparkle, and zest. Tilted Shed, out of California, has to be one of my favorite west coast cideries; they know how to appreciate a wild and funky cider without letting that party rage too hard.

8. Slyboro’s Rose and Sky

https://www.slyborociderhouse.com/

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/01/cider-review-slyboros-rose-and-sky.html

The Rose and Sky calls itself imperial because it’s ABV reaches 10%, something I don’t see regularly in the cider world. The cider wears it’s higher alcohol content well; the cider is creamy and full bodied. I enjoy the Rose and Sky’s intense tiny bubbles. This off-dry cider is tremendously fruity but also delivers some lovely brioche crumb notes as well. I highly recommend trying anything by New York producer Slyboro Ciderhouse, but the Rose and Sky is fantastic choice.

7. Eve’s Cidery Orchards and Pastures

https://www.evescidery.com/

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/08/cider-review-eves-ciderys-orchards-and.html

Eve’s Cidery appears on my favorites list regularly; I cannot argue with that. The reason is that this Finger Lakes Cidery knows how to make delectable dry bubbly ciders! Orchards and Pastures is a special aged cuvee blend with a wild yeast fermentation. I love how gently funky yet perfumed it smells. Orchards and Pastures manages to show off barrel fermentation, wild foraged apples, perry pears and lees aging. All of this complexity adds up to a truly splendid cider.  

6. Liberty Ciderworks Major Hewes

https://www.libertycider.com

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/03/cider-review-liberty-ciderworks-major.html

This cider combines two crabapples (Hewe’s and Manchurian) with the Major: a classic UK cider apple. This feels almost like stacking the deck, but then Spokane Washington’s Liberty Ciderworks uses neutral oak for aging and wild fermentation to boot.  It smells leathery with notes of orange and overripe apple. I love how it really brought a serious amount of both tannins and acidity. This is a tasty cider and one that you cannot drink without being transfixed by its herbal notes and UK cider-inspired profile. It is a delight that I’m so grateful Liberty Ciderworks created. 

That’s all for now, cider friends. Catch up with the rest of the top ten next week, and until then, stay safe and bust out the good stuff! 

Cider Review: Union Hill Cider Company's Pink Heart, Plus an upcoming Book Talk with Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo!

Union Hill Cider Company is a Washington state cider company that began with two roommates making a closet cider back in 2012. I love that the cidery website is very clear that this first batch was inspiring of improvement rather than an instant classic. The first discovery was that in order to make special cider, the makers must start with special apples. There’s no arguing with that wisdom!

Andrew Handley, Matthew, and David Dobbins created this company after starting to plant cider-specific apple varieties! My favorite quote on the website comes from Gene Handley about the orchard.

We decided in 2016 to find old English and French bittersweet and bittersharp varieties to propagate and plant with the same high-density growing systems used in today’s modern orchards.  High-density, high-dwarfing rootstocks meet old heritage varieties with only one purpose, to grow apples only to press for hard cider. We planted Dabinett, Porters Perfection, Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, Muscat de Lense, Snowdrift Crab, and Red Fleshed apples.  We want to use apples with intention that complement each apple’s unique characteristics.  We want you to be able to identify each variety we use in each of our blends.

You can read all about Union Hill online here: https://www.unionhillciderco.com/

Today I’m writing about the Pink Heart. Here’s how Union Hill describes it. This cider came to me as part of the Northwest Cider Club, which continues to curate some truly tantalizing selections. Read about the club here: https://nwciderclub.com/.

Here's how Union Hill describes the Pink Heart.

A union of our Red Fleshed and Cripps Pink apples finished with Dabinett to round out the blend. This pink hued cider is our most versatile cider, fit for any occasion. Medium bodied with bright notes of red raspberry, rhubarb and grapefruit with a tart finish.

Appearance: peachy pink, brilliant, few visible bubbles

Union Hill knows that they made a beautiful cider, and I’m so glad that they chose a clear bottle for it. The color for the Pink Heart is a refreshingly peachy pink. A few bubbles show up as soon as this cider is poured. 

Aromas: marshmallows, hibiscus, vanilla, tangerine and red currants

The Pink Heart smells like marshmallows and hibiscus. There are other softener notes as well like vanilla, tangerine, and red currants. I get some ripe apple in the mix as well. 

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-dry

This is a semi-dry cider. It's very flexible at this point in the dryness scale in terms of food pairings.

Flavors and drinking experience: very high acid, citrus, tannins, zinger tea

The Pink Heart shows off-the-charts acidity from the very first sip. I love how Union Hill has leaned into the acidity of pink-fleshed apples while taking advantage of tannic possibilities. It comes as no surprise that the acid puts me in mind of zesty citrus like Meyer lemons.  The red fruit and zinger tea notes are like currants and hibiscus with the grip of tannins.

I love how very bubbly this cider feels. It still manages to have a taut body and enough presence to not simply disappear the moment it has been consumed. The Pink Heart is tremendously pleasing. I served it with salmon burgers and sweet potato tots, but one could certainly pair this as casually as I did or dress it up with a pasta primavera or an asparagus and gouda frittata. 

Plus, I am so happy to share that I'll be participating in a talk and tasting with Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo later this month! Those two wrote the exciting new book: American Cider! This book has been a long time coming, and it has gotten the whole cider world excited with its recent release!

Buffalo St. Books and South Hill Cider have put together this conversation so that folks can hear all about the new book and taste some ciders with its authors and myself.

Here's a link to the event here: https://www.buffalostreetbooks.com/event/american-cider-daniel-pucci-and-craig-cavallo-conversation-meredith-collins-and-steve-selin

I do hope you can join us, and if you do, please join us for the tasting portion as well. Here's the lineup of amazing South Hill Ciders that we'll feature throughout the conversation: https://www.southhillcider.com/american-cider-tasting.