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: 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.