Cider Review: Seattle Cider Company's Basil Mint

The finger lakes region of Upstate New York is experiencing a once in a lifetime drought. The dryness is so much greater than usual that you can see the difference in satellite photographs. But, thunderstorms are coming. While I wait, I want cider that feels extra cool and somehow even more wet. I'm hoping that Seattle Cider Company's Basil Mint will fill this need.

First, let's talk about Seattle Cider Company. They were kind enough to send me this cider in the mail. I wish I could buy their stuff locally. Seattle Cider Company uses Washington state apples, white wine yeasts, and cane sugar. Sometimes they add other ingredients, but the website makes of point of making the ingredients clear and simple. 

You can find out more about ciders on their cleanly designed website:

http://www.seattlecidercompany.com/

Previously, I reviewed the Gin Botanical. I was bowled over by not only the creative impulse behind the cider but also its beautiful execution and balance. Feel free to check out the review: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/02/cider-review-seattle-cider-companys-gin.html

I have a feeling that Basil Mint might share a few features in common with the Gin Botanical, that's partly why I chose it for tonight. We'll have to find out if I'm correct to anticipate cool aquatic herbal notes like I do.
I was struck by the notes and description for this cider. Take a look 

APPLES: Smith, Fuji, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala 

TASTING NOTES: Fermented with fresh basil and mint, this off-dry cider starts savory and floral, complemented perfectly by a tart, clean finish.

Many thanks to Seattle Cider Company for including their list of apples. These are a blend of eating or dessert apples. These are fairly typical choices for west coast ciders where loads of eating fruit is grown.  

As for the description of the Basil Mint, these tasting notes give me a lot to look forward to. And I'm still anticipating some echoes of the Gin Botanical.

Appearance: brilliant, wheaty gold, very few visible bubbles

While this cider appeared very pale when poured into a clear glass vessel, using my cider mug I was able to capture more color.

Aromas: mint, powdered sugar, fresh apples, hops?

Interesting, this smells like sugar, apples, and hops as well as mint. I don't smell a ton of basil.

Sweetness/dryness: sem-dry

I'd call this cider semi-dry but the flavors come from so much more what makes it semi or dry. I'd not go along with the description of off dry though.

Flavors and drinking experience: basil, mint, apple, tartness, balance

The basil appears in the flavor just not the smell. Oh that's so cool. I can taste mint and basil and apple! When I was trained to judge ciders with additional flavors, the number one consideration was balance. We must not lose sight of cider flavors in the pursuit of exciting additions. At the same time, why bother to mix in or coferment if it doesn't fundamentally change the beverage? I applaude Seattle Cider Company for so carefully preparing a drink that allows all of these ingredients to speak so beautifully together.

To go into a bit more detail, in terms of texture, I found a medium intensity of bubble in the Basil Mint. I tasted no tannins. This cider's slightly high acidity kept me on my toes in a very pleasant way. What a great cider to keep by my cider as I wait for rain. 

Cider Review: Seattle Cider Company's Gin Botanical Hard Cider

Usually, I'm not a spirits person. Not meaning that I don't enjoy haunted houses, but that I rarely go to the cocktail list when I'm out. My own liquor cabinet doesn't get much love either, sadly. But for gin, I occasionally make an exception. There's something about its zest and bite and heady aromas. Thus, when I learned that Seattle Cider Company makes a Gin Botantical Cider, I knew I had to try it. Trouble is, Seattle is far away from Upstate NY.

I could not buy it locally, so when I got a box in the mail with not one but three Seattle Cider Company offerings, it made my day! (You can look forward to the Basil Mint and Three Pepper reviews in the spring.) I knew I had to try the Gin Botanical, preferably with my favorite gin fan, Phil Sandifer (He writes strange and significant things here: http://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/author/phil/). So when he put together a vegetarian cider pairing feast, we chose Seattle Cider Company for one the early courses.

Seattle Cider Company has a great website. I love the process pictures to illustrate the processes of cider making and the clean layout. Great work. Check it out:
http://www.seattlecidercompany.com

When I look at the presentation of cider companies, I want to learn about their priorities. Its inherently intesting, and it sometimes clues us in to what we can expect about the cider. Here are a few tidbits that Seattle Cider Company on their website. 

Their Mission: "Produce, package, sell, and promote the finest quality craft cider by cultivating a work environment of innovation and exploration."

Their Vision: "Be a national leader in the transformation of the cider industry, admired for our dedication to real ingredients and original products."

While those statements are their most clear and identifiable statements of identity, I don't see as much content in them as I do in other parts of the website, "Seattle Cider Company is Seattle’s first cidery since Prohibition, bringing true craft cider back to Seattle and across the country. Bridging the gap between wine and beer with flavorful, small-batch cider, Seattle Cider’s initial offerings – Dry and Semi-Sweet – break the mold of overly sweet cider, bringing the natural flavors of Washington apples to the forefront" and "Naturally gluten free and made from a custom blend of fresh pressed, locally grown Washington apples, Seattle Cider’s products are handcrafted with real ingredients, successfully distinguishing themselves from the mass market cider found in stores today."

From these descriptions I infer that Seattle Cider Company's will use culinary fruit because they focus on the locality of their apple source. I also see a nod to wine which doesn't come up as often as it should in cider promotion, if you ask me. A nod to wine could mean a still cider, a drier cider, or a more understated presence of yeast compared to other profiles of cidermaking. Or it could not. We'll have to taste to know.

First a few facts about the Gin Botanical Hard Cider from Seattle Cider Company

ABV: 6.5% 

BRIX: 1.8 

APPLES: Granny Smith, Fuji, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala 

TASTING NOTES: Fermented with spent gin botanicals from Batch 206 Distillery, our Gin Botanical is a semi-dry cider showcasing lemon, orange rind, juniper, cucumber and verbena. Like the spirit that inspired it, this cider is complex, clean, aromatic and refreshing. 

FOOD PAIRINGS: Herbed Chicken,Fresh Melon, pickled ginger

Appearance: palest white gold, like morning sunlight in winter

The color of this cider does not give away its secrets; it pale and subtle rather than blazing or warm. I can see a few visible bubbles but not a notable number.

Aromas: men's aftershave, mint gum, apples

Whoooaaaaa, I smell a blue cold mint herbal blast followed by apples. These combine to give the impression apples on a ski slope surrounded by pine trees. There's also some lychee in the array of smells.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-dry

I noticed that Seattle Cider Company lists the brix in this cider. That's very unusual. Most places rely on more perceptual descriptors or even a graphic scale that shows a dry to sweet continuum. Almost universally these skew towards describing or depicting dry and offering a little sweeter. I'm pleased to say that this is a semi-dry that was described as a semi-dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: herby, high acid, funky

Those gin botanicals taste immediately arresting! I get mint, basil, hops, citrus, and a hint of clean sweat. The cider activates my salivary glands intensely. Texturally, I notice big bubbles that show the cider is force carbonated: not really a surprise. The carbonation amplifies the herbal gin infused flavor in a brute force way. The Gin Botanical offers high levels of acidity but no tannin. I do get some pleasing minerality.

The cider rolls through immediate bitterness into more fruitiness. The herbal notes remain present throughout the experience. It tastes like you'd hope gin and cider would taste together—as much a funky gin cocktail as a cider. They use spent gin botanicals for it: juniper, orange peel, coriander.

If memory serves, we paired this cider with the sun-dried tomato flatbread course. I could see pairing this cider in a number of ways though. right now I'd like to pair it with herb and lemon coated baked salmon. I think keeping something juicy but not overpowering is key. This cider has a lot to say, and I wouldn't want it to get lost in something too sweet or spicy. For activities, drink this cider while playing a board game with friends, perhaps Dixit or something equally dreamy.

This is a fun and delicious cider that pairs its creativity with successful execution and balance. I'm hoping to taste it again when I'm nearer the west coast for Cider Con!