Cider Review: Eden Ciders' Fuzz Ball Harvest Cider

How can I be poetic about the time of the year when everyone I know is telling me how behind they feel? It’s not just bad stuff; people are stuffing their lives overfull with those things we must do and some of the experiences that bring us joy or contentment. That’s exactly where I am too. What the moment has in common is just the tumbling, “Are we flying or falling?”  momentum of it all. I think we’re like those busy, distracted, intense squirrels and chipmunks perhaps, trying to fit it all in before the winter comes. Or at least that’s how things look from here. 

I'm up and out of the boot, so that might be part of why I'm going absolutely everywhere. I missed this for the past 5 weeks!

Yesterday, I was determined to get one last important treat from my garden. I gathered the last of the ripe tomatoes, and we turned them into a tomato pie. If you’ve read this blog for a while, you know it's one of my favorite dishes and a great cider pairing. I had a fairly new box Eden ciders too, since I’m a member of the cider club. That made choosing easy. I wanted to try the new Harvest canned cider: Fuzz Ball.

Eden is a fabulous cidery from northern Vermont. I’ve reviewed their ciders many times. In earlier reviews, I include more background on this wonderfully apple focused cidery. Here is the full list of my earlier reviews:

Cobble Knoll: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-eden-ciders-cobble-knoll.html

Sorciere: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/07/cider-review-eden-ciders-sorciere.html

Oliver’s Twist Foxwhelp Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-eden-ciders-olivers-twist.html

Brut Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/07/cider-review-eden-ciders-brut-rose.html

Benjamin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/06/cider-review-eden-ciders-benjamin-and.html

Deep Cut: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/08/cider-review-eden-specialty-ciders-deep.html

Peak Bloom: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/09/cider-review-eden-ciders-peak-bloom-and.html

Ezekiel: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-eden-specialty-ciders.html

Extra Sec: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-angry-orchard-super.html

Eden Heritage Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/06/cider-cans-crush-it-eden-heritage-and.html

Siren Song: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html

Brut Nature: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-con-2018-pt-1-eden-specialty.html

Imperial 11 Degree Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-january-2017-cidrbox-and-edens.html

Sparkling Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/06/cider-review-eden-sparkling-dry-cider.html

The Sparkling Dry featured in Thanksgiving & Birthday celebrations in 2016: 

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/pick-cider-for-thanksgiving-and-my.html

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

Eden Specialty Ciders can be found online here, plus you can meet the newest additions to the portfolio: https://www.edenciders.com.

 The Fuzz Ball was included in my club shipment. It excited me, because I love a dry cider in a can. I want the ease of a canned cider sometimes. There’s not a lot that easier for a bonfire evening or a movie night. And I know that Eden Specialty Cider has made some of the best I’ve ever tasted.  Here’s what the folks at Eden Cidery have to say about this new one: Fuzz Ball Harvest Cider. 

Fuzz Ball 6.2% ABV

You should see me in a crown. 

Notes of lemon pith, soft herbs, wheat biscuits with jam.

Limited Run. Made with the pomace of the renowned Kingston Black, Fuzz Ball is dry dry dry. Crisp, structured, really, truly, if you love dry this is going to knock your socks off!

Appearance: Cloudy cool toned yellow

When poured, the Fuzz Ball reveals the reason for its name. It’s a cloudy cool toned yellow that reminds me of honey and dandelion fluff. 

Aromas: Smells sharp, crisp, white floral, ripe apples,grassy, chalk

This cider smells sharp, crisp, and apple-y immediately. I definitely recommend pouring it from the can into a glass to get the full aromatic experience. After a moment, I notice white flowers, dry grassy notes, and chalk.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

Completely dry. No fooling around here.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, astringent, twiggy, sour orange, ripe apple

Emphatically dry, this cider is more than just what it doesn’t have. The Fuzz Ball brings off-the-charts acid in a super yummy way. The Kingston Black pomace indee imparted some assertive astringence like twiggy young green wood. After the tannins and acids make their presence thoroughly known, I can get into more specific flavors like lemongrass, green apple, and sour orange.

We enjoyed this cider along with a goodbye to Summer supper of tomato pie (with a cheese crust of course) and vegetarian baked beans. It was simple and delightful. The Fuzz Ball was a wonderful accompaniment, because it lifted and separated flavors with its acidity and bubbles. 

Now if we can just find a moment to remain still and appreciate the changes of the season. 

Cider Review: Prospect Ciderworks Missing Link and Stormalong Mass Appeal

We are so unbelievably close to the end of 2018, cider lovers. Whether you’re ready to see the tail end of 2018 or not, we’ve only got two more weeks of it. And for me, that means I’m readying my top ten ciders of 2018 list. (Consider me excited!) But, that’ll come next week as my holiday gift to cider nerds. Until then, I was able to sneak two little evenings of relaxation in the past few weeks in which I could enjoy a couple of canned ciders; they are the simplest way enjoy a single serving of cider. You get every excuse not to share.

I started with a cider that’s been waiting far long that I picked from cider makers at Prospect Ciderworks when we were all hanging out at Cider Con 2018. Prospect Ciderworks was founded in 2015 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. What’s interesting about Prospect is how prominently the website highlights the use of Belgian beer yeasts for the cider making. It is featured alongside the orchards (Doe Orchards) and apples (culinary). It’s a strong identity choice, and all the more unusual for a north-eastern cidery. 

You can visit the website and see more info at: http://prospectciderworks.com

I’m starting with a cider called Missing Link.

The official description reads,

Hopped Session CiderMissing Link greets with a bloom of citrus-forward Mosaic hops. We love this cider for its ability to ease the drinker into a hop-forward beverage while retaining the subtleties of our fruit. The semi sweet cider finishes with a soft bitterness, unmistakably different than the dry hopped ciders in its category. 4.8% ABV

I’m curious about a cider that’s this hop oriented while maintaining some apple sweetness and a low abv. I also appreciate that the description includes which types of hops:  Mosaic and Cascade.

Appearance: cloudy, lemon curd, not visibly bubbly

This cider barely looks like a cider, it's so completely cloudy. Instead being a shade of gold or amber this is an opaque yellow like lemon curd. 

Aromas: citrus, pine, apple, herbs 

Oooh The Missing Link smells so hoppy! I love it. That fresh citrus plus pine is just enticing. I know I’m more enthusiastic about hopped ciders than lots of cider aficionados. I like that hoppy ciders can smell herbal, citrusy, fruity, clean and sweaty all at the same time. This one is very much on the fresh air, citrus, pine, and clean laundry, but it makes my mouth water. 

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

This is an interesting one in terms of sweetness. It’s there, but the fruity sweetness is sandwiched between an initial bitter note and a strongly hoppy finish. Many fans of sweeter ciders are likely find that challenging.

Flavors and drinking experience: hoppy, grapefruit, bitter, sweet

This is a beverage of rolling waves. The Missing Link tastes bitter at first, but then it mellows out. The mid-palate is all fruity grapefruit and apple, but soon the wave hits again and we’re on to a bitter and herbal finish.

The whole cider is vivid and zesty, juicy fun. I find the progress through stages extremely pleasant and fresh. There are no tannins to speak of, but the acidity is punchy and active. The Missing Link refreshes by being so green, sticky, juicy, and fruity. It all works together to be a very session-able cider, exactly as designed. 

And now for Stormalong Mass Appeal

I know I started my tasting of Stormalong ciders with the flagship cider, The Legendary Dry. They weren’t kidding; it’s a dry one, but the Mass Appeal almost certainly the first favorite for many fans of the brand. Stormalong cider is based out of Sherborn, Massachusetts in a hot-bed of orchard and cider history

Find out more about Stormalong CIder on Facebook or the Stormalong website, including some very interesting history indeed. 

https://www.facebook.com/stormalongcider/

http://stormalong.com/

I have previously reviewed two of Stormalong’s ciders and give more brand backstory in my earlier reviews. 

I started with the Legendary Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/cider-review-stormalongs-legendary-dry.html

And earlier this year I enjoyed Light of the Sun: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-descendant-cider-company.html

Here’s the official description for the Mass Appeal: 

This cider is easy-drinking with just the right amount of tart and sweet.  We blend the pleasantly sharp bite of Macintosh apples with the honeyed, pineapple characteristics of Golden Delicious.  The classic Macintosh flavor is prominent, reminiscent of fresh New England farm stand cider, while Golden Delicious adds a tropical layer to the finish.  A highly drinkable and perfectly balanced cider handcrafted 100% from the finest quality locally sourced apples.  Our ciders are gluten-free with no added sugars, water, or concentrates.  Only the good stuff. 5.8%ABV

The page goes on to list the only apple variety in this cider as Golden Delicious, which strikes me as odd based on the heavy use of MacIntosh in the description.

Appearance: brilliant, warm straw, very few visible bubbles

This cider looks just lovely and elegant in the glass. It’s totally brilliant with just the sort of warm straw color that fits its category as a modern cider. I don’t see many bubbles in the glass, but we’ll find out more about sparkle level later. 

Aromas: apple juice, sweet pastry, cooked apples, 

My oh my! The Mass Appeal smells astonishingly like fresh unfermented apple juice and pastry. It’s like walking past a bakery. 

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is a sweet cider. There are no two ways about it. It has more going on than simply sweetness but it’s very fruit forward and sweet. 

Flavors and drinking experience: fruity, sweet, tropical, cherry, medium acid

This is a super fruit cider that just wants to have fun! The Mass Appeal is named that for a reason. I can see so many folks flocking to it’s fruity party vibes; the cider tastes tropical like pineapple and cherry and apple.

The Mass Appeal brings medium acidity and no tannins, so it’s the sweetness that gives it some body. It shows off a clean fermentation using culinary apples. I knew it would be sweet, so I paired mind with a homemade mixed berry cobbler. Not the most wintery dessert, I know, but sometimes I need berries. It complemented the super fruity dessert really well. There is definitely a place for sweet ciders, because they can help lift the flavors of a rich sticky dessert without themselves turning bitter or flavorless in comparison. The Mass Appeal performed this delicate job beautifully.

And for anybody in the Burlington area, I hope to see you at the Cider Tasting at the Eden Boutique Taproom and Cheese Bar Wednesday evening at 6:30!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tasting-cider-styles-a-guided-tasting-with-meredith-of-along-came-a-cider-tickets-52991321469

Cider Review: Blake's Hard Cider Company's Wakefire and Peckham's Wild all the Way

I hope no one reminds me how finished I feel with summer right now when I’m freezing in March. We had two beautiful days of mild weather last week, but we’re already back into another uncomfortable heat wave. Still, I took advantage of those two days and spent one almost entirely outside and on the other day, I enjoyed a classic southern meal on my porch with a beautiful cider.

This week’s first cider is Wakefire by Blake's Hard Cider Company. The company shared a nice blend of their ciders with me earlier this year, but since I can’t really get them locally, I’ve been spacing them out. Once these are gone, it may be a while. 

Blake’s ciders are not easy for me to get  because the company is based out of Armada, Michigan. Blake’s makes a large variety of different ciders: a core lineup, a full calendar of seasonal releases, limited releases of experiments from the taproom, and a signature series of all traditional cider methods including keeved, champagne-style, and ice cider.  

I’ve reviewed several Blake’s ciders over the years of this blog.

Most recently, I got to taste the long-awaited Black Philip(cranberry and blood orange): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/04/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-black.html

Back in March 2017, I paired The Tonic (cucumber & ginger) with asian-inspired home cooking: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

As part of my first Very Perry May, I tried the Grizzly Pear(pear, prickly pear cactus, & elderflower):
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-5-e-z-orchards.html

Before that I tried the Snapdragon (rum raisins): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-blakes-hard-ciders.html

My first Blake’s cider was the El Chavo (habanero and mango): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/11/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

Here’s a link to the Blake’s Hard Cider Company website: http://www.blakeshardcider.com/

This is Blake’s description of the Wakefire, “It’s impossible to replicate a Michigan summer. Recreating a northern night under the stars would be a futile endeavor. So, we’ve done the next best thing – we’ve crafted summer’s perfect ally. Experience WakeFire, a comforting blend of Michigan-grown cherries, orange peel and our famous Blake’s apples.” 6.5% ABV.

Appearance: brilliant, shell pink, almost no bubbles

This cider looks lovely in a glass. I understand that cans are practical, but if you are able pour the Wakefire in a nice clear glass to appreciate its brilliance and delicate shell pink color. I saw very few bubbles, but there were enough such that I don’t expect a totally still cider. 

Aromas: cooked apples, orange, minerals , barest hint of cherry.

I almost wish my friends and I could have smelled this cider blind and not known what to be sniffing for. I’m curious how many people would have identified cherry on the nose. It was present but only subtly so. I smelled more mineral, cooked apples, and orange peel. The aromas weren’t very strong in a wine glass; I’m not sure if they would come out at all in a can.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

Again, because I shared this with two friends, we were able to get a range of interpretations on the sweetness level. Our thoughts veered from off-dry to semi-sweet, but our average came out to semi-dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, orange peel, good mouthfeel, balanced

I so enjoyed getting to quiz folks on this cider as we were tasting it. We agreed on a substantial mouthfeel and pleasant tartness. I perceived a lot more cherry in flavor than in aroma. Everyone noticed a predominance of orange peel on the finish. Folks agreed on a nice clean fermentation that left some yeast character that is more like a bakery than farm. 

The cider has plenty of fruitiness. The fruit notes include cherries, strawberries, tropical fruit, and jam. All of the fruit was a nice blend of both sweet and tart. I’m not the biggest cherry fan in the world; that’s why I enlisted the help of some friends more fond of this very popular fruit. They all agreed that they could have handled even more cherry, but I appreciate how much apple remained in this fruit blended cider. 

Peckham's Wild all the Way

My only previous coverage of Peckham’s Cidery and Orchard is from this year’s CiderCon. The international guest contingent was from New Zealand, and I got to taste this cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cidercon-part-2-including-heritage.html

I didn’t get to write up a full review then and there, so I was glad to snag an unopened can from the festivities and bring it home. 

You can learn about Peckham’s more from the website: https://www.peckhams.co.nz/

Here’s the official description for Wild all the Way, “2017 NZ Champion Cider. A blend of three wild ferments that have been maturing for over a year; a rich, caramel Kingston Black single variety, a gentle yet tannic bittersweet blend, and a complex oak fermented and matured Perry. The result is a rich Kiwi cider with deep English cider country roots.” 6.2% ABV.

Appearance: brilliant, small ring of bubbles, carrot

I don’t know if a cider’s color has ever reminded me of a carrot’s hue before, but that’s what I’m seeing. The cider is brilliant and poured with a petite ring of bubbles just where the liquid meets the glass. It looks very much like a cider made from cider specific fruit.

Aromas: apple sauce, straw, iron, water

I so enjoy the smell of this cider. I could smell it as soon as I cracked the can open, but it was so much more pronounced once poured into a proper glass. I can smell apple seeds, water, iron, sweet apple sauce, and warm straw. There's a lot of complexity and UK influence here.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi dry

This cider has a nice balance of sweetness. It’s enough to open up some of the fruit flavors and add to the mouthfeel, but not a touch more. 

Flavors and drinking experience: mellow, fruity, extra-tart

This cider manages both to taste extra tart in the beginning but fruity and mellow for the rest of the journey. The Wild all the Way has big satisfying mouthfeel and a tannic finish. I taste ripe apples and ripe pears with some tea and leather. There’s not a lot of bubble going on; I’d call it petillant more than fully sparkling. Other flavor notes include metal and wood.

I adore how much the pears come through. I expected more of an English style cider from the appearance and the ingredients, but the Wild all the Way is not quite like most United Kingdom ciders, while still showing the influence of those UK cider varietals.

I had this cider with veggie chicken nuggets, corn on the cob, and southern style green beans (They are the best. I will fight you.)The cider had a strong presence that complemented the meal beautifully. It was not a changing flavor after that initial shift from acidity to fruitiness. The Wild all the Way sustains it flavors and remains consistent but is simply excellent. I particularly appreciate how balanced in sweetness, tannins, and acid, it is, all with some nice dark flavors too.

Cider Review: Angry Orchard Cider's Understood in Motion 3 & Big Fish Cider Co. Highland Scrumpy

We’re halfway through August. And for once, I can believe that the month is half over. It’s been hot. It’s been humid. It’s been rainy. There’s even a flash flood watch. Summer has lots of weather drama, and that gives me every excuse to enjoy my screened porch and a cold glass of cider. This week, I wanted to try two ciders that I had really high expectations for.  I may be running out of recipes that don’t require turning the stove on, but I know that Autumn is coming. 

For the first of these a good feeling about, I chose a compilation cider put out by Angry Orchard. This is Understood in Motion 3 created by Angry Orchard Cider’s Ryan Burk and  and Tom Oliver of Oliver’s Cider and Perry. 

I have one previous review of an Oliver’s Cider collaboration, this one also with Ryan Burk but when he was affiliated with Virtue Cider. That’s Gold Rush.

I reviewed the Gold Rush (as part of my first visit to The Queen’s Kickshaw) http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/06/trying-virtue-and-olivers-ciders-at.html

Gold Rush also made my first ever top 10 list of ciders in 2013: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2013.html

If you don’t know at least a bit about Angry Orchard, then you’ve not been drinking cider in the United States recently. The company burst onto the national cider scene in 2012. Three years ago, the company opened an orchard, research and development facility, and beautiful treehouse to the public in Walden, New York. 

You can visit the website to learn about the company, the Walden orchard, and everything Angry Orchard is up to: http://www.angryorchard.com/

I’ve reviewed a large number of Angry Orchard ciders: too many to post all the links here, so I’ll just share a few recent ones.

In May, I reviewed the Pear as a part of Very Perry May: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-review-of-greenwood.html

And in March I checked out the Rose which has been making a ton of waves: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-angry-orchard-rose-and.html

I had the Angry Orchard Spiced Apple as a recent winter was hanging on too long: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-angry-orchards-spiced-apple.html

And I did get a chance to review the Walden Hollow which was an early release from the Walden Orchard project: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/09/cider-review-angry-orchards-walden.html

Tom Oliver of Oliver's Cider and Perry is a legend in the cider community and a genuinely fun person. He's also a cider maker who respects the fruit he works with while remaining open to innovation. That's shocking special. I can scarcely believe I’ve not properly reviewed any Oliver’s Cider. That’s something I will rectify soon. Watch this space.

Find tons more information online: https://oliversciderandperry.co.uk/

Understood in Motion 3

Here’s the cider’s official description: 

Understood in Motion 03 started over two years ago, as two different natural ciders fermented with wild yeast. The Dabinett apple was the principle apple variety used in this collaboration, an 18th century English bittersweet apple that is favored for its reliability to yield fruit annually, and is now grown in the United States. The result, a still, tannic, dry, wild and funky cider that pairs well with a hearty meal enjoyed with friends. 7.2% ABV

Appearance: pumpkin, hazy, few visible bubbles

This has the deep warm color of many ciders made with cider specific apple varieties. It looks like pumpkin flesh. Based on the description, this isn’t a surprise. I don’t see a lot of bubbles, but that’s hard to do in a hazy cider. 

Aromas: cooked apples, leather, yeast, gentle funk

This cider smells yeasty in a very appealing way. I anticipate something I will love because Understood in Motion 3 also smells very much like leather and cooked apples. I’m anticipating something rich and wild.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This is on the drier side of semi-dry. It’s still plenty fruity and full bodied though.

Flavors and drinking experience: high tannins, high acid, funky but not too funky

I like my ciders high in tannins, and the Understood in Motion 3 delivers beautifully here. The tannins add structure but not harshness. What I sometimes miss in high tannin ciders is the sharpness and zest of high acid, but I was not disappointed here. The Understood in Motion 3 combines the cider apple mellowness with some American heritage apple acidity to great effect. 

Holistically speaking, I love so many things about this cider. It has a lovely body and a long funky finish. From the great perfume of the aromas to that finish, I was a happy cider drinker. Flavor notes I noticed include tea, orange, lots and lots of mushy ripe apple, leather, wood, and smoke. All of these were balanced together such that none dominated.

Just like I loved the aroma, I really enjoyed drinking this cider. I had it with a beautiful summer meal of deconstructed kebabs(long story) with lots of peppers and zucchini. 

Big Fish Cider Co.'s Highland Scrumpy

Founded in 2015, Big Fish Cider Co. is based in Monterey, Virginia where the company creates a variety of ciders from the traditional to modern inventive cider styles.

I tried (and enjoyed) the Church Hill Blush back in May: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-aeppeltreows-orchard.html

Read more about the company here: http://www.bigfishcider.com

I am excited to try Highland Scrumpy; this bottle is a review sample from Cider Con. I’m always extra curious when folks (particularly United States cider makers) use the term. It doesn’t have one clear and unambiguous definition. 

The Highland Scrumpy’s description is pleasantly informative.

Sparkling gold clear Semi-Dry cider featuring over 20 varieties of locally sourced apples.  This is a blend of ciders using 2 different wine yeasts, but the character of this cider really comes from the wild yeast ferment that one of the blends went through. 

This cider is made from apples donated during our Community Apple Drive.  There are many trees in Highland that were planted or grafted by Highland residents 50 plus years ago.  The names of the trees have long been forgotten, but the trees still fruit. We cannot tell you the varieties, no one can.  But we can tell you it’s all Highland apples, and we think you’ll enjoy. 

This wild ferment makes our most complex cider.  It has pear and floral notes on the nose.  This well balanced cider has a clean yet creamy mouthfeel, combines the sourness of crab apples, with a hint of sweetness, a wonderful blend of earthy notes, some melon and citrus notes.  The fruity esters come alive in this cider more than most. 

This is the favorite cider of the crew here at Big Fish. This cider is best enjoyed by itself. But due to the complexity pairs well with many types of foods, including oysters, clams, quiche, poultry, green salads, and of course just about any cheese.

This cider did win a Gold Medal in the heritage category at GLINTCAP this year.

Appearance: saffron, brilliant, no visible bubbles

This is a pretty pretty cider. I can see through it easily. The glow in the picture is from condensation; I assure you that the cider brilliant. It didn’t show off any bubbles, but had a lovely saffron color.

Aromas: wet, ripe apples, green

The Highland Scrumpy smells like wet fruit. It’s very ripe appley and super fresh and almost green in my  mind.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-dry

I feel totally confident calling this a semi-dry cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: medium tannins, mellow acid, floral, citrus

Oooh. The first thing I thought when first tasted this cider was, that big apple blend certainly included some very quality apples. The Highland Scrumpy offers up medium tannins and pleasantly mellow acidity. What smelled green in the aromas tastes golden
To me on the palate. I get tons of flower and herb notes.

The sweetness that’s present is bright, with a burst of grapefruit bitterness and then a quick turn to warmer and more herbal flavors. The cider has a neat finish: short, clean, and wet. I know some of that’s far more associative than scientific, but that was my experience. 

I had this cider with fresh grapes, brie, homemade cider bread, and a good movie with friends. I must say that I recommend the experience. 

Cider Review: Descendant Cider Company English Kills and Stormalong Cider’s Light of the Sun

It’s hot where I live right now. Too hot. And there are plenty of other places that are too hot right now too. Don’t turn on your oven hot. All the pets have melted hot. Go places just to enjoy the air conditioning hot. I’ve been waiting until after dark to take my daily walks and get my steps. (Yes, I am one of those people). It changes what ciders are the most appealing, so this week I’m sharing two ciders I’ve enjoyed during this most recent heat wave. 

The first is a dry sparkler by Descendant Cider. The one thing about this Queens cidery I will highlight is from the page of the website introducing the cidery, “At Descendant Cider Company we press, ferment and bottle our cider using fresh New York State apples in our blends and why wouldn't we? New York is the second largest apple growing region in the country producing a wide range of excellent apple varieties that we love in our ciders.”

Read all about the company on its website: http://www.descendantcider.com/

I have previously reviewed Succession by Descendant: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/01/cider-review-descendant-cider-companys.html

And the Dry by Descendant makes a brief appearance in my write up of this year’s Gathering of the Farm Cideries: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/gathering-of-new-york-farm-cideries.html

Today I’m excited to be reviewing a cider I picked up at that event, the limited edition English Kills. I suspected because of its dryness and particular apple blend that it would suit this monstrous heat well.

Here’s how Descendant introduces it: 

ENGLISH KILLS (7.2%ABV) - 2015 Harvest availableThis dry English Bittersweet cider is a blend of vintage English cider apples fermented long and slow over four months then aged for another six months.  Rich tannins and ripe fruit aromas combine in this traditional approach to English cider making.  A rich golden appearance this cider is completely unfiltered or clarified in anyway.

I have a feeling that some of these characteristics will make for a particularly refreshing choice of cider.

Appearance: deep orange, transparent, few visible bubbles

This cider doesn’t look like most American ciders. The color is deeper and warmer. Those orange hues don’t tend to show up in dessert apple ciders, and this is full on pumpkin colored. The cider is transparent rather than brilliant, and I can see very few bubbles.

Aromas: overripe apples, melons, limes, white wine, and bread

I found this array of aromas fascinatingly complex. I first smell overripened apples, but they don’t show up alone. Other fruits like melons and limes round out the picture. The cider also smells like fermentation by showing facets of white wine, bread, and yeast all in a smooth aroma. Something about the whole is round rather than crystalline. The images these aromas call to mind are sleek and dark; they remind me of mushrooms the best possible way. 

Dryness/sweetness: dry

This cider is not kidding around with dryness. The English Kills is dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: tannic, medium acidity, austere

This cider tastes quite different than it smells. Though it smells plentifully fruity the tasting experience is more austere. The English Kills is very dry, quite tannic, with medium acidity. Instead of fruit, I get taste notes like wild rice, toast, and wood. The name says English—and I can taste why—but this is also New York with that powerful acidity. The tannins linger, and though they add structure, the cider has a fresh light mouthfeel. The texture is shaped by many medium-small bubbles. The English Kills has some astringence which only makes me love it. 

I had this cider with corn on the cob, a crazy loaded salad, and my favorite vegetarian version of barbecue wings. It was a summery delight. 

Stormalong Cider’s Light Of the Sun

Next up, I want to talk about Stormalong Cider’s Light Of the Sun. This is a hopped cider by a Massachusetts cidery. Stormalong combines a lot of nearly mythic imagery in the branding: oceans, sea captains, orchards, a forgotten heydey of cider, and even Paul Bunyan. I enjoy these larger than life images and ideals. I’m hoping the cider will live up to them. 

I reviewed the Legenary Dry in 2016:  http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/cider-review-stormalongs-legendary-dry.html

You can read more about the company on the website: http://stormalong.com/

I enjoyed the history section especially. It speaks to Sherborn’s particular relationship with cider over time, including this fact; “Sherborn in fact supported more than 20 cider mills in the 1800s that were productive enough to be taxed.” Fans of cider must check it out! 

Official description: “A refreshing cider double dry-hopped with Citra and Mosaic hops.  We then add blood orange and ruby red grapefruit zest in the second dry hopping addition to enhance the citrus notes.  Crisp.” The cider contains 6.5% ABV (which could be considered a bit high for a 16 ounce can unless you split it). The apples used for this cider include:  Northern Spy, Idared, Golden Delicious, and Jonagold.

Appearance: pale wheat glow, brilliant, bubbly

This cider pours with a head, but it doesn’t stick around. The color reminds me of ripe wheat, with that cool blonde color. The cider is brilliant and decidedly bubbly.

Aromas: hoppy, lemon, dust,

The Light of the Sun smells hoppy in a particularly lemony way. The cider also smells like dust and stone. All the aromas present are mild. I also get hints of rain and lemongrass.

Dryness/sweetness: Off Dry

While this cider isn’t fully dry, The Light of the Sun is close. I’d call it a very zesty and flavorful off dry. 

Flavors and drinking experience: lot of citrus, high acid, no tannins, lots of hops

This cider was made for summer! The Light of the Sun is refreshing and crisp. The hopped and citrus notes play well together and with the high acid. I love how lemony and hoppy it tastes, like some other hopped ciders, it does include one soapy note in the mix.

Though I get some citrus, overall, this cider is not very fruity. It's just fresh tasting! The strongest citrus notes associate with the hops, but in terms of strict fruits I can taste lime. The cider tastes like it had a clean fermentation and lots of carbonation. The Light of the Sun does have a quick finish and a light body. These factors work together to make a supremely summery cider. 

I had this with veggie filled burritos and it was astoundingly good with creamy avocado, sweet corn, and zucchini.

Cider Review: South City Ciderworks' Dry Me a River and Tandem Ciders' Crabster

Endless hot days are cider weather. I know that I enjoy cider in any season, but these last days of July remind me of just how perfect cider is for summer. The most seasonal food pairings just work! I appreciate something cold and bubbly even more than usual in hot weather! And the lower ABV just feels necessary when days and evenings are so long and sunny.

My first cider for today is by South City Ciderworks out of the Bay Area of San Francisco, California. 

I want to quote what the company says about itself, 

We founded South City Ciderworks in 2015 as an urban cider company to make great cider and a difference. Using only fresh-pressed, West Coast apples our ciders are crafted to be well balanced and easy drinking. We support non-profits focused on helping the community, animals, and the environment. We're here to Make Cider Make A Difference.

I had this cider in January of 2017 when visiting San Francisco. You might say that this review is a bit belated, and you’d be right! But when I was thinking about ciders that felt summery even when I drank them out of season, this jumped to mind.

Find out more online about South City Ciderworks and all of the ciders here: https://www.southcitycider.com/

I tried the Dry Me a River at a cute little bar in San Francisco on vacation just before diving into several used book stores. It was a sunny after that didn’t feel like winter at all.

Here’s South City Ciderworks’ official description for the Dry Me a River.

And when the people asked if we had something less sweet that the OG, we said nope - but we'll make it! Thus, Dry Me a River is our interpretation of an American dry cider. It starts crisp with light carbonation and finishes dry but not overly acidic. We use fresh-pressed West Coast apples and ferment with a white wine yeast to retain a light apple nose but create a crisp finish. The name itself is meant to raise awareness for the CA drought and the challenges that face our natural habitat, but we also accept the Justin Timberlake version. You can find our dry cider in 500-ml bottles and kegs throughout the Bay Area. 6.9%ABV

Appearance: brilliant, pale straw, few visible bubbles

This cider is a pale straw hue. It’s totally brilliant. I couldn’t see a lot of bubbles in the glass.

Aromas: fresh apple, freshly washed pear, tropical fruit, cold

I know it’s probably an inaccurate statement to say that a cider smells chilly and wet. These aren’t exactly smells, but something about the dry my a river reminds of not just the fruit notes, but drippy, chilled versions. I can imagine the pear and apple aromas as being fruit just pulled from an ice bath. I’m not sure quite what to make of that, but as I smelled it, I thought such an effect would be amazing for summer.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This is a high acid cider that comes across as semi-dry. The name may say dry, but it isn’t fully dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, grain, green apple, tea

The Dry Me a A River tastes very influenced by its high acid, but the cider is not twistingly puckeringly tart. Instead the acidity is well integrated. There’s a hint of grain and corn, perhaps from the yeast choice. I appreciate that the cider shows of a clean fermenatation.

In terms of mouth feel, the Dry Me a River has some nice body and a creamy mouth coat. The biggest surprise in drinking the cider was an interesting note of slightly tannic green tea: you can taste it a moment into the drink when the middle of your tongue tightens a little. To end, it offers a long aftertaste with hints of juniper and hops.

Next up: Tandem Cider's Crabster

Tandem Cider’s operates out of Michigan. The name comes from the bicycle built for two that allowed the owners to tour England together in 2003. Nikki Rothwell and Dan Young fell in love with cider there (like a lot of us). The cidery got truly underway in 2010.

Check out the company website to learn all about the cidery: http://www.tandemciders.com/

I have reviews a couple of things by Tandem Ciders before.

The Bee’s Dream: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/01/cider-review-tandem-ciders-bees-dream.html

The Smackintosh: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-tandem-ciders-smackintosh.html

Here’s Tandem’s official description for the Crabster, “We threw in a load of hand-picked crab apples - both wild and domestic - and pressed them during the rising of the harvest moon to create a dry, tart cider that's guaranteed to make you pucker up and smile. 4.7%ABV”

Appearance: bright gold, brilliant, no visible bubble

This is a truly shining cider that shows no bubbles but lots of bright gold color.

Aromas: apple juice, apple sauce

Wow! This cider smells much like fresh apple juice and apple sauce. It’s striking! I also smell something minerally, concord grapes, and fresh green apples.

Sweetness/dryness: off-dry

Yes, there’s some hints of sweetness to keep it from being bone dry, but this cider all pretty much all acid.

Flavors and drinking experience: grapefruit, extremely tart, star fruit

The Crabster works with predominance of underripe apple giving acidity center stage. It tastes sour, almost salty and brightly sunny but not really sweet. The flavors hit like grapefruit at first, but they then give way to an unsweet version of Granny Smith apple, star fruit, and pineapple. One person in our group noticed some herbal green notes that reminded him of artichoke.

In some ways the style is comparable to some spanish ciders. The flavors are not at all like the cider’s aromas. The Crabster just keeps going with high acid and medium levels of tannin, but the tannins are not low oaky mellow ones. The flavors lingers and seem to get more acidic with repeated sips. The carbonation level is light.

The Crabster exhibits a very clean fermentation. I’d be curious to learn how Tandem ended up with an ABV so low. I got to taste this one twice. Once with a group of serious cider-philes and once with veggie loaded pasta primavera.  It was fun, tart, and light both times.

Cider Review: Citizen Cider's Wood and Kurant Spice

Greetings from Scotland! Hello, cider lovers. I’m writing from Scotland today, because that’s where I’m travelling right now. These ciders however are not Scottish, and all notes were taken before my trip began. Not to worry. I plan to write about some Scottish ciders in the coming weeks hopefully over at Cider Culture.

Let’s start today with my impression of a specialty from The Citizen Cellar, the experimental wing of Citizen Ciders. Citizen Ciders are based out of Burlington, Vermont but are growing in availability all over the eastern portion of the United States. This company has a fantastic local focus even as it grows! Today, it’s Citizen Cellar’s Wood.

As always, you can learn about Citizen Cider on the website: https://www.citizencider.com/

I have several previous reviews of Citizen Ciders. 

Wit’s Up: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-citizen-ciders-wits-up.htm

Tulsi: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-fable-farms-greensboro-and.html

Companion: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-citizen-ciders.html

Brose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/02/cider-review-citizen-cider-brose.html

Barrel-Aged: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/02/cider-review-citizen-ciders-barrel-aged.html

And I had a fantastic time when I visited them: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-great-vermont-cider-tour-day-2.html

The Citizen Cider Wood’s official description reads, “A dry and bubbly cider made using two unique apples: Esopus Spitzenburg and the bittersweet Dabinett, from our friend Steve Wood at Poverty Lane Orchard in Lebanon, New Hampshire.”

Appearance: slightly hazy, golden topaz, no visible bubble

This cider looks distinct from most of what I’ve seen from Citizen. The usual clarity is replaced in this cider by a gentle haze. The color can easily be described as golden topaz.

Aromas: over-ripe apples, gasoline, dust

The Wood smells like mostly like overripe apples. There’s a warmth and softness to the aroma that’s very appealing. I get some hints of dust and gasoline as well. This is going to be super different from the company’s usual style.

Dyrness/sweetness: Dry

Though the Wood is fruity, this cider is dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: fine bubbles, yeasty, funky 

I love the super fine bubbles in the Wood. The gasoline aroma notes are still present as flavors but they remain muted. This cider offers up a lot of yeast character and tons of acid. It’s dry and fruity as well. This cider is all about the features brought by using bittersweet apples.

I enjoyed this cider at a friend’s house with dinner. We had homemade pasta and red sauce from local tomatoes. I found the cider seemed almost barrel aged because of the gentle funkiness and the bittersweet apple qualities. Very very nice.

Kurant

Kurant is from Pennsylvania, so I don’t ordinarily get any access to these ciders. I did get to judge the PA Farm Show competition last year, and I was able to get some cans on that trip. I know the Spice might not seem super seasonal, but I’ve been wanting to share my notes on a cider by Kurant for some time.

The company describes their inspiration as coming from, “traditional French, English, and Spanish ciders.” The company makes small batch ciders and operates a tasting room and taproom (with food!) in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. The ciders are made in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 2015, as best as my online sleuthing can tell.

Read all about the cidery on the website: http://www.kurantcider.com/

Today’s review is of the Spice. The cider’s official description reads,

Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice blend perfectly reminding you of your favorite cold weather treats. A touch of brown sugar in the finish adds just a tiny bit of sweetness for balance with notes of molasses and raisins. We let the apples shine as the highlight of Spice by keeping the seasonal additions light but noticeable and not overpowering. Spice is available through the end of the winter season.

PAIRINGS: Roasted Turkey, Graham Cracker Ice Cream ABV: 5.8% SWEETNESS: Off Dry / Semi Sweet

Appearance: hazy, bubbly, dried apricot

The color of this cider reminds me of dried apricots. It’s a warm tone somewhere between orange and gold. The cider looks bubbly and just a bit hazy.

Aromas: spices, homemade apple sauce, cloves,

Purrrr. This particular blend is full of deep dark spicing and warm cooked apples. It doesn’t really smell summery but on this quiet evening, it sure smells nice.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-dry

This is a bright semi-dry. It has plenty of acid and less sweetness than I expect in a spiced cider. And that’s a very good thing in my view.

Flavors and drinking experience: clove, apple pie

The spices of apple pie do come out as I sip the Spice. I get notes of baking spices, especially cloves when tasting this cider. I do like how this is less sweet than you might expect. The sweetness that I can taste here reminds me of very much of raisins. I do get the spice notes more in aromas than in flavors. The spice brings plenty of acidity but no tannins.

The most unexpected feature is that the Spice ends with a very cola-esque finish. I find that totally unexpected but good. I had this cider paired with a “clean out all the vegetables from the fridge” salad, and it was an excellent experience.

Cheers!