Cider Review: Ontario Orchards' Traditional Hard Cider

Good morning, cider friends! Back to school is the main topic in my world these days, and that calls for a cider. I don’t even have any kids, so my heart goes out to all the parents dealing with back-to-school in a pandemic (again). It’s still a challenge as a university employee with a faculty spouse at another nearby college. We take breaks from meetings and emails, even this time of year, and cider can play a starring role in after-work treats. I’m happy to be reviewing a totally unexpected cider shared with me by dear friends. Thank you! 

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Ontario Orchards’ Traditional Hard Cider.  This is my first review of any thing by Ontario Orchards. This cidery is based in Oswego, New York. 

Visit them online here: https://ontarioorchards.com/

There’s not a ton of info about the cider, but I found this much, “A traditional hard cider made from our own apples and bottled for us by local winery, Bella Fattoria!” 8.2% ABV. 

I wish I knew what apples go into this!

I noticed the ABV when my friends showed me the bottle. Many hard ciders end up with an ABV of 6.9% or lower, so I was curious about what made this cider end up just a notch higher. It could be any number of things, but often they correlate to a particularly tasty beverage. It’s not that ABV inherently tastes any particular way, but ripe apples often have more sugar content. Sugar is what is transformed into alcohol by yeast. Please forgive all of this total oversimplification, friends, but it’s one reason to look at ABVs. 

Appearance: transparent, pale straw, no visible bubbles

This cider looks elegant and restrained. The Traditional Hard cider is transparent with a mild hue that looks like palest straw stems. I don’t see any bubbles, but that doesn’t mean its not sparkly.

Aromas: minerals, overripe apples, baking spices

Ontario Orchard’s cider smells of clean minerals and overripe apples. I’m reminded of sun-warmed apples sitting on a limestone fence. When I sniff again, I notice baking spice notes. Nothing is overwhelming, but these aromas are enough to whet my curiosity.

Dryness/sweetness:  semi-dry

This is a pleasingly semi-dry cider. It’s not austere, but neither is it bursting juicy. The flavors come from fermentation as well as the fresh juice. 

Flavors and drinking experience: bubbly, mellow, balanced, 

The Traditional Hard Cider by Ontario Orchards certainly brings all the fun of good strong bubbles even though I couldn’t see any bubbles in the poured glass. This cider comes across as mellow and beautifully balanced. We all enjoyed it so much. I was shocked that I’d never heard anyone singing its praises  before now. Oswego isn’t that far away. 

Something in this cider reminds me of the very few Quebecois ciders I’ve tried that use heat to concentrate the apple flavors. They are called fire ciders but they aren’t to be confused with the vinegar-based cold remedy that goes by the same name. It’s an intriguing set of flavors. 

We had the cider with savory shortbread biscuits, and this simple pairing was a perfect way to unwind after lots of busy brain time. I’ll highly recommend it to any one who has the chance to try it, and when I’m near Oswego, I’ll have to check out Ontario Orchards!

Cider Review: Eve’s Cidery's Orchards and Pastures

I just got back from a trip to Michigan for GLINTCAP. It was lovely. I had such a good time volunteering, seeing friends, continuing to explore Grand Rapids, and tasting some seriously good cider. It's good to be home, even though I seriously enjoyed my first vacation since early February 2020. 

Check out the best-in-show results here: https://glintcap.org/

To soften the blow of coming back to real life though I had to enjoy a genuinely special cider. I chose Eve's Cidery's Orchards and Pastures. I'm a fan of this local cidery; check out earlier reviews to find out more about the background of this fascinating cidery and farm. 

Here is a full list of all of my reviews of cideries and perries by Eve's Cidery.

Kingston Black 2017 (my #4 cider of 2019): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/08/cider-review-eves-cidery-kingston-black.html

Northern Spy: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/04/cider-review-eves-cidery-northern-spy.html

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

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

Albee Hill Still and Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-eves-cidery-albee-hill.html

Perry Pear: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt3-eves-cidery-wyders.html

Autumn took us on an Orchard Tour and picnic as part of Finger Lakes Cider Week in 2016: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/cider-event-twilight-walk-talk-and.html

Darling Creek (#2 cider of 2018): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-ciders-eves-ciderys.html

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

Cider Con 2018: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-con-2018-pt-1-eden-specialty.html

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cidercon-part-2-including-heritage.html

Eve’s Cidery has loads on information on the website: https://www.evescidery.com.

I couldn’t find much out about this cider online, so here's what I read from the label.

“Naturally sparkling dry cider grown on our farm and wild foraged. Native yeast fermentation. Tasting notes: sweet clover, farmyard, sourdough bread. This cuvee is a blend of every cider and perry we make this season, barrel fermented and aged on its lees for 9 months in the bottle. Dry, tannic, tart and funky, this cider makes the perfect companion for cheese. 8% ABV. Batch No. 2019.”

Appearance: hazy, intense harvest gold, mousse

This cider pours with a beautiful mousse and plentiful haze. I love its intense harvest gold color. It makes me think of fall which will be here so soon. Everything about this appearance is inviting. 

Aromas: softened apples, pears, leather, nuts

The Orchards and Pastures smells of softened apples, pears, nuts, and leather. I love how everything comes together in this cornucopia of warm and mellow scents. The barrel aging definitely comes through in the caramel and vanilla notes. I also get golden raisins which remain among my favorite scents in a cider. 

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This cider has plenty of fruity aromas, but it tastes completely dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: funky, wild rice, dried apple, Meyer lemon

I love how everything I noted in the aromas comes through in the Orchards and pastures flavor, but they are transformed. The cider tastes dry and funky yet perfumed. I get notes of overripe oxidized dried apple, wild rice, Meyer lemon, and Seville orange. The cider is redolent of baking spices.

The mouthfeel leads with high tannins and astringency, but a balancing level of bracing acid. The body has heft and fullness, but it's very firm and nearly austere. This cider sparkles strongly, and I love it. 

Eve’s Cidery has created something special with this aged cuvee blend. I love how mature and fermented it smells and tastes. I shared this with friends in my living room. We paired it with sharp cheddar and good conversation. It was simple and perfect because the cider brings plenty of fascination all on its own. 

Cider Reviews: Ommegang Dry Cider and Southern Tier Unfiltered Apple

This week’s post is dedicated to upstate NY at the start of mud season aka Spring. I know it’s here early and orchardists may or may not be able to sleep at night, so I’ll add my good thoughts for a slow and gentle season. A colleague at my workplace (cider doesn’t pay the bills, surprise, surprise) let me know about one of these ciders, and I picked both up at my local Wegmans. Two of our regional breweries have entered the cider market, and I want to share my notes on new ciders by both Ommegang and Southern Tier! 

Let’s start with Ommegang’s Project Cider! Here’s how the website describes the project in general. 

Combining the best of both American and European traditions, our ciders offer fresh, fruit-forward flavors with a dry, sparkling drinkability. Project Cider begins with fresh-pressed culinary apples, McIntosh, Gala, Red Delicious and Pazazz, sourced locally from New York State. The juices are fermented with our house Belgian yeast to add character and complexity. The finished products are clarified and carbonated for a spirited sparkle. Medium-bodied yet notably dry, these ciders finish long and slow, with soft, lingering tannins.

Read more and see some mouthwatering pictures: https://www.ommegang.com/project-cider/

Ommegang Dry Cider’s official tasting notes are here, “Aromas of orange peel, grapefruit and honey burst from the glass. Bright, fresh flavors of ripe melon, pear and citrus zest accompany a lively, pleasant tartness. 6.5% ABV • 150 Calories • Naturally Gluten Free”

Appearance: deep tea color, gently hazy, very few visible bubbles

Ommegang’s Dry cider looks gently hazy with deep tea-like color. I don’t see a lot of bubbles, but that doesn’t say much about how this cider will sparkle.

Aromas: Belgian beer, bread crumbs, green and nutty

Ommegang’s Dry Cider offers up a very Belgium beer nose. If I’m not allowed to use beer as a reference point, I get bread crumbs, nuts, pears, and something green.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry!

The Dry is dry! You can now buy a totally dry cider at Wegmans. This is a good thing!

Flavors and drinking experience: Beer influenced, lemon, medium tannins
This cider is very beery. That’s a divisive characteristic, because not everyone likes the taste of beer. But for some folks this will be totally enticing because it’s a balanced profile and thirst quenching cider. I get notes that remind me of corn and other grains, mostly yeast smells. At the same time I also taste lemon and wood notes. 

The whole experience feels cool and aquatic. This high acid cider brings medium tannins and a moderate intensity of sparke. The bubbles feel not like champagne style bubbles but like soda or beer bubbles. They are beefy and big. 

I had this cider with a late night flatbread pizza and freaking out about how much I loved the new Emma. It was very enjoyable. This cider is flexible, you can enjoy it while freaking about whatever you love!

Next up, Southern Tier Unfiltered Apple!

Southern Tier Brewery has now launched Southern Tier Ciderworks from the same location used for the brewery in Lakewood, NY. Here’s the introduction to this new brand from a familiar upstate beer producer, Southern Tier.

Each hard cider is a proud homage to its Western New York roots and features real juice from Mayer Brothers, one of the oldest family-owned businesses in New York State. Local orchards provide deliciously fresh pressed apples that go into each batch of the crisp and refreshing cider. The Hard Cider line delivers a range of big flavor and variety from hazy to bright and dry to sweet at 5% ABV and less calories than similar brands. All Southern Tier Cider Works offerings are naturally gluten free, made with real juice and no added sugar. 

As true entrepreneurs in craft beverage, Phin and Sara DeMink have been on an endless pursuit to bring the most in flavor. In 2002, they founded Southern Tier Brewing Company, brewing bold and innovative ales like Pumking, 2XIPA and the Blackwater Nitro Imperial Stout series. Never satisfied, they opened Southern Tier Distilling Company in 2016 with a range of spirits, including hopped whiskey and a line of canned craft cocktails. They now welcome Southern Tier Cider Works to their family. Southern Tier will always stay curious and continue to find new ways to deliver quality craft flavor.

Check out the website to learn more: https://southerntiercider.com/

This is not the first time Southern Tier has put their toe in the cider water's. I reviewed their DeMunck's as part of a round up in 2014:  http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-roundup-grocery-store-ciders.html

There’s not a ton of specifics in Southern Tier’s official description, but here’s what Southern Tier tells us about this new cider, “Unfiltered Apple Our Unfiltered Apple is hazy and dry from a perfect assortment of homegrown apples. 5.0% ABV”

Appearance: Cloudy, pumpkin, no visible bubbles

This cider goes beyond hazy into full cloudiness. The color reminds me of fresh pumpkin. I didn’t see bubbles in my glass, but they would be hard to see with that level of turbidity.

Aromas: stony,fresh apple, citrus, sulphites

The Unfiltered Apple smells like fresh apples, sweet citrus, and dusty stones. I think I can smell some sulphites as well, but that's a maybe.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

This is a balanced and highly drinkable semi-sweet cider. 

Flavors and drinking experience: Citrus, high acid, full body

This cider comes across as stony and sweet but also loaded with fruity citrus notes. The Unfiltered Apple pais its medium sweetness with high acidity. The whole thing is balanced and drinkable. Other fruits that suggest themselves in this cider are mandarin orange, ripe apple and pear. 

It’s no surprise that this cider has a fun full body; that’s something sweet ciders do really well! I’d describe the bubbles in this cider as medium in number and size. I enjoyed this with a veggie burger, fries, and mushroom gravy. Judge if you dare, but fries are delicious dipped in a mushroom gravy. This cider was an ideal match for all of that richness  because of the bubbles and acidity. 

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

 

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

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

Kite and String’s King of Hector

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

I've enjoyed Kite and String Ciders before. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’ll share just an excerpt

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

And the pairing suggestions:

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

Appearance: straw, translucent, no bubble 

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

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

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

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

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

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

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

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

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

Star Cider's Wild Child Rhubarb 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Appearance: brilliant, warm canteloupe color, visible bubbles

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

aromas: strawberry, celery, and candy dust

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

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

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

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

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

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

Visiting Original Stump Blower Ciderworks: Mini-Review Roundup

After Sunday brunch, On a tip from the fine folks at The Owlhouse in Rochester (http://www.owlhouserochester.com) I drove out to the Original Stump Blower Ciderworks Taproom to check out their cider. The weather was glorious, a perfect backdrop to a surprise cider adventure.

To introduce Original Stump Blower Ciderworks, I'll paraprase sister and brother pair of Elise Barnard and Eric Smith own and run Original Stump Blower Ciderworks and its taproom in Lakeville, New York outside of Rochester.The name refers to the illicit cider making and drinking done by their father and his uncle. It was both a code phrase for going drinking and proud claim that the cider was powerful enough to blow up the stumps in which it was hidden. 

They create a lot of cider with fruit additions, barrel aging, or other variations, but it all starts with a base cider made from only NY apples. As often as they can, OSB works with local companies to either source ingredients like Fee Brother Bitters or reuse spent materials like their used chamomile flowers go to a local soap maker for her work.

In just a month, OSB Ciderworks will be celebrating its first anniversary!

You can find out tons more about OSB Ciderworks on their website: https://www.osbciderworks.com 

or their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/OSBciderworks

I was welcomed by Elise who was soon joined by her husband and her brother Eric. They were kind enough to show me what they are pouring and a few projects in production. They were completely welcoming and knowledgeable. Here's a quick run through of everything I tried. I can't share full reviews of all of this, but I'll try to include some commentary for each.

Little Lakes Semi-Sweet  6.9% ABV I'm not too sweet and not too dry. My apple flavor is refreshing and great to enjoy by the lake in the summer or cozied up under a blanket by the fire in the winter. I love to make friends with everyone.

This was a nice safe starter cider. Its right between semi-dry and semi-sweet, slightly high acid, low tannins, with a clean fermentation. I imagine this would be a great seller for bars and restaurants. 

Honey...CHAM YOU DIG IT 6.2% ABV WE CAN DIG IT! I’m all Local baby! Conesus honey and NY chamomile are blended with my NY apple cider base. I'm smooth and flavorful with a chamomile finish. I am good at the bar after a long day or in a bubble bath listing to smooth r&b, share me with lovers and friends... im here to calm your soul!

This was my hands down favorite of the day. I'd call this a semi-sweet but just so herbaceous and different. I love the addition of chamomile in terms of an ingredient that can play well with apple flavor-wise and not dominate the conversation.

Mama Said Hop You Out!  6.9% ABV I’M GONNA HOP YOU OUT! Centennial and Nugget Hops, that are grown in Dansville, NY give me my hoppy aroma and flavor. Don’t pass me up because you don’t like IPA, I'm not bitter, give hops a chance! That first taste its like hearing your favorite 90’s song on the radio!

This is a dry hopped cider, so hops primarily add aroma. That's what the description means when it says that the cider isn't bitter. Its super fresh though and plenty of clean grassy hoppy notes.

You Love it When I call you Hop Papa I don't have an official description or ABV for this one.

This is a wet hopped cider, which almost certainly means that the cider itself has been boiled at some point in the fermentation process. The Hops include Citra and I think Chinook hops. This one tasted darker, dryer, and a touch bitter. A winner for me.

Matcha Man Apple Savage 7.2% ABV I am Matcha Tea Infused hard cider. I'm strong like Randy coming in at 7.2%. My flavor is a bit tart with an earthy dry finish. Tho i don't pair best with Slim Jim's i go awesome with just about everything else.

I'm not the biggest Match fan in the world, so I'm glad this one was a bit more subtle with the additive and offered plenty of apple vibrance in addition to the mild astringence of green tea.

Hold The Crust Apple Pie  6.5% ABV I’m made up of Grandma Fran’s famousapple pie filling. For every gallon of cider we make one pie... hold the crust. I'm spiced with three kinds of cinnamon as well as nutmeg, mace, and clove. I enjoy long walks through crunchy foliage and bar stool conversations. Save dessert and drink your pie!

This is a sweet spiced cider that I can imagine sells tremendously well, not just in the fall but year round. Look for a small run special edition coming up closer to the 4th of July!

Ginger Citrus 6.9% ABV I am a tangy cider with a bitter finish. I am made lovingly by creating an oleo saccharum with lemons and oranges, adding fresh ginger juice and then fermented in barrel that contained Fee Brothers Orange Bitters in them for a year. People who enjoy bitter cocktails (negroni, manhattan, old fasion etc.) tend to flock to me.

This one was excellent. Had good sense allowed me to take home a third small growler, I would have chosen this one. I love bitter and citrus notes, and this cider has them in excellent balance.

The Original 11% ABV I'm the one that started it all! A combination of apples and concord grapes go in to making me a strong and exciting cider. I am fermented until I reach 11% ABV and then I get to chill out in the barrel house in Black Button Whiskey barrels. I'm strong. bold and fun. I am great in cocktails and some people enjoy making french onion soup with me.

Scotch Bonnet Bomber

I don't have an official description for this one, but I do know that in addition to the cider this has a puree of three different pepper varieties added: Scotch Bonnet, Fresno, and Serrano.

Like some other ciders with chilis added, this one has a sharp aroma but a much more balanced flavor. It does have more heat and staying power than I'm used to, even in a chili infused cider, likely because it isn't blended with fruit in addition just peppers and cider. A winner for fans of spice, so I took some home for a dear friend of mine from Texas. 

When it came time for me to make my purchases, I got a small growler of the You Love it When I call you Hop Papa, Honey...CHAM YOU DIG IT, and a smaller container of the Scotch Bonnet Bomber. All lovely ciders. I'll be curious to see where this cider is this time next year.