Cider Review: 2 Towns' Westward Whiskey Bad Apple Imperial Bad Apple Cider

The weather is showing signs of turning. We have cool mornings and nights. The late summer flowers show wear and weathering. Most importantly, it’s time for fresh apples! I’m taking advantage of this preparation for the the coming Fall to enjoy a barrel-aged cider with roasted root vegetables and a tuna steak this weekend. Here’s what I thought of 2 Towns’ Westward Whiskey Bad Apple Imperial Bad Apple Cider.

First, I review 2 Towns ciders enough to just refer readers back to earlier coverage for more background on this inventive Oregon cidery. Here’s a list of the many 2 Towns Ciderhouse reviews I have shared.

I’ve reviewed many 2 Towns Ciders over the years. Here’s a full list.

Sidekick Cosmic Crisp: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/search/label/2%20Towns%20Ciderhouse

Sidekick Pacific Pineapple: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2024/05/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse.html

Apricot Cosmic Crisp: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2024/02/cider-review-2-towns-apricot-cosmic.html

The Baddie: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/03/cider-review-two-towns-ciderhouses.html

Crimson Bliss: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/10/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

Hollow Jack’d: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/09/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-hollow.html

Two Berry Dream: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-two.html

10th Anniversary Cider Pacific Northwest Heirloom Blend: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/01/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-10th.html

Good Limes Roll: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-reviews-two-towns-cider-house.html

Cosmic Currant: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/12/cider-review-two-towns-cosmic-currant.html

Hollow Jack’d: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/cider-review-two-towns-ciderhouse.html

Afton Field: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/06/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-afton.html

La Mûre: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks.html

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html

Cidre Bouche: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-cidre.html

Pearadise: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

Pineapple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-review-portland-cider-company.html

Bright Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/07/cider-review-roundup-common-cider-co.html

Hop and Stalk: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-hop-and.html

This link will lead to 2 Towns website with more info on all of the cider releases, special events, and more: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

Here’s the official description of 2 Towns’ Westward Bad Apple Imperial cider.

Westward Whiskey® Bad Apple

Imperial Bad Apple

Time to sit in front of the fire and warm up both inside and out with a glass of this rich, delicious barrel aged teamwork in a glass. We took The Bad Apple and aged it in a selection of barrels we borrowed from our friends at Westward Whiskey™. The result is an even bolder version of one of our most flavorful flagships. After we are done with the barrels, we send them back to be used in an apple finished creation of their own. If you love this one, you’re sure to love Westward’s variation!

ABV 12%

I am feeling mildly intimidated by the 12% ABV, so we’ll see how it goes!

Appearance:  lots of bubbles, medium intensity corn yellow, brilliant

What a lovely and active cider! I’m impressed with all of these wild and wiggly bubbles. The color looks like a medium intensity corn yellow, and the clarity is fully brilliant. 

Aromas: Buttery, vanilla frosting, baked apple, spices

The Westward Whiskey Bad Apple smells a lot more delightful and enticing than anything called bad, even ironically, has any right to! These aromas are so inviting and warm and appealing. The first note is buttery oakiness, followed by vanilla frosting and baked apple. It really smells like a freshly baked autumnal apple dessert with only the barest hint of petrol to pull it into a booze direction rather than a sweets direction. 

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is a sweet cider. Yes, there are other wonderful flavor elements in the mix, so the sweetness is not a solo but part of the overall experience. Fans of sem-sweet and sweet ciders will flock to this treat!

Flavors and drinking experience: full body, barrel, caramel, whiskey finish

I love the prevalence of barrel influence on this sweet cider. I think it’s a combo that works well. The Westward Whiskey Bad Apple strikes me even a little pommeau like, with it’s full body, rich sweetness, and major influences not of barrel and baked apple.

The cider’s full body reminds me of a boozy apple crisp as well, but it’s bubbly and driven by high acidity. The sweetness comes across as caramel notes followed by a perfumed whiskey finish. It’s a lovely and complex experience. 

Cider Review: Wilson Orchard's Late Harvest

What a scare! Life without much of a sense of smell really felt different for me. I didn’t like that difference either. Thankfully, it’s back. I couldn’t be happier about it. We have guests and holidays arriving imminently. It’s just so much more fun to enjoy the scents of every meal and every moment. On this last evening before the happy chaos begins, I took a moment for a quiet asian meal with my tall companion and a cider that I suspected will be delicious.  I chose Wilson Orchard and Farm’s - Late Harvest.

This is the first time any Iowa cider has made it onto the blog, and I’m so excited to taste another place. When investigating Wilson’s Orchard and Farm, I noticed the strong emphasis not only on local produce but on communicating the larger environmental and economic reasoning behind their investment in the local. The site made succinct points about their goals. I’ll quote one section because I liked it so much. 

Giving Back

The strength of our food supply chain relies on farmers providing reasonable access to locally-grown food and beverages to the entire community. Each season we partner with various local food pantries and community programs that support our neighborhoods and make our products easily available to as many as possible.

Here’s a link to Wilson’s Orchard’s page about the cidery’s beverages: https://www.wilsonsorchard.com/wilsons-beverages

Here is the full description of this seasonal release.

Late Harvest

Spontaneously Fermented hard cider rested on oak

With a chill in the air, even sometimes snow on the branches, late harvest is a time for our orchard staff to exhale and start to unwind. Only a few more varieties to pick - one of which is our favorite apple, Gold Rush. The perfect time to slow down and celebrate a season of hard work, a fruitful harvest, and of course plan the coming winter’s Wassail. 

Tasting notes: Light, fruity with hints of plum, melon, and subtle toffee.

Sugar at harvest: 14.6 degrees brix

Residual Sugar: 0 degrees brix

Appearance: shining trumpet brass, brilliant, fine bubbles

The color is just so strikingly shiny. I’m reminded of my years playing in band and seeing all of the brass instruments with their shining gold hue. I see just a few little bubbles in the glass.

Aromas: white wine, lemon, minerals, tropical fruit, dust, and cedar

The Late Harvest smells immediately like a white wine in a wonderfully appealing way. I also get notes of lemon, dust, minerals, cedar wood and tropical fruit. Somewhere in the mix, you can find a deep note of dark ripeness.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This is a perfectly dry cider, and I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.

Flavors and drinking experience: petillant, barrel character, candied orange peel, butterscotch, paper tannins

What I notice first about the late harvest is its petillance. The bubbles are present but not intense. The cider uses its barrel aging beautifully. I’d say that barrel character creates the headline for the cider’s flavors: candied orange peel, butterscotch, dried pineapple, and ripe apple. The cider brings high acid and slight papery tannins as well. I appreciate its full body with some zesty tartness.

The overall impression I gather is that the cider is robust and vigorous but not too boozy. There’s just a hint of warmth on the finish. It manages to simultaneously be stony and yet pervasively apple-y.  The cider’s spontaneous fermentation is a tertiary quality that doesn’t overshadow the apples or the time on oak. Instead the fermentation feels clean and straightforward. This is a lovely cider that I’m so glad to enjoy peacefully with all of my senses returned. 

Cider Review: Stormalong Cider's Massive Appeal

This morning I woke to the first premonition of Fall. The color of the light leaned grayer and the drizzle felt relaxed and autumnal. After the brief rain, we didn’t get the tropical steam bath feeling that has followed many recent rainstorms. It’s a bittersweet moment, but today it feels like relief as much as anything. Summer’s not done with us yet; it may even be back in full force by afternoon. The variety gives shape to the days and weeks, so I’m grateful. This weekend, it felt like the perfect time to pull out Stormalong’s Massive Appeal.

The kind folks at Stormalong sent this from Massachusetts along with the Berry Perry to me for review in May. I have no shortage of previous reviews of Stormalong’s ciders. Here’s the full list. I give a lot more background on the cidery. 

Berry Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/05/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-berry.html

IPC Collaboration with Exhibit A Brewing: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/02/cider-review-stormalong-ciders.html

Pearman Quince(my #10 cider of last year): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-pearmain.html

Unfiltered: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/04/cider-review-stormalong-ciders.html

White Mountain Magic: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/02/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-white.html

Bittersweet Symphonie: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/10/cider-review-stormalongs-bittersweet.html

Wicked Little Wickson: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/08/cider-review-stormalongs-wicked-little.html

Winesap: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/04/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-winesap.html

Happy Holidays: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/11/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-happy.html

Esopus Spitzenburg: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/08/cider-review-ravens-moon-craft-ciders.html

Ashmead’s Kernel: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-review-brannland-just-cider-and.html

Peariful: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/05/cider-review-left-foot-charleys-fortis.html

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

Kingston Black: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/08/cider-reviews-ninepin-light-cider.html

Light of the Sun: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-descendant-cider-company.html

Mass Appeal: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-prospect-ciderworks.html

Boston Heirloom: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-boston.html

Visit Stormalong Cider’s website to learn about the current lineup and what else this Massachusetts cidery has going: https://www.stormalong.com/

Here’s the official description for the Massive Appeal. 

An imperial cider that has a similar taste profile as Mass Appeal, but with a higher ABV at 8.2%. It's juicy, crisp and apple forward.

FLAVOR Juicy, Crisp & Apple Forward

APPLES Golden Delicious and McIntosh

Appearance: brilliant, warm straw, fine bubbles

Shiny! The Massive Appeal sure does look fabulous. This cider is truly brilliant with lots of lovely bubbles and a ripe hay color.

Aromas: ripe apples, fresh sweet cream, baking spices

Mouthwateringly, this cider smells like fresh ripe apples and a bit like custard cream. This is just so friendly and yummy in aroma!

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

The Massive Appeal is a sweet cider with lots of fun flavors. 

Flavors and drinking experience: apple, cinnamon, petillant, bittersweet finish

I wasn’t sure quite what to expect from an imperial cider like this. Ciders vary tremendously in ABV and some releases highlight that like an imperial release while others do not. I was curious to see if the booziness would make a prominent impression.

What I found is a cider that tastes sweetly like cinnamon and apple. The Massive Appeal is petillant more than strongly sparkling. It doesn’t taste hot or even particularly boozy. 

The cider is well balanced with a delicious bittersweet edge on the finish. It’s got nice mellow maturity- the cider reminds me of fallen leaves and wood. 

Overall the Massive Appeal comes across as roasty toasty and darkly sweet. Sip after sip, this cider remains intensely appley. Rather than boozy, it’s friendly and almost too drinkable for an 8.2% ABV! 

We enjoyed this summer with a grilled meal of corn on the cob, zucchini and yellow squash, and BBQ chicken or tofu. I like pairing barbeque entrees with sweeter ciders as the sweet and spicy combination is usually particularly harmonious. This was no exception!

Perry Review: Snow Capped Cider's Winter Pear

The weather is beautiful outside such that staying indoors to write isn’t the easiest thing this morning. My garden is growing, though I certainly lost some tomato plants to the recent overnight freeze. I did have the good luck to open up Snow Capped Cider’s Winter Pear over the weekend, so I’m reviewing a perry. 

Snow Capped Cider comes to us from a high elevation family orchard in Colorado. I’ve reviewed a few ciders from Snow Capped Ciders. I’ll link all of my reviews below; in them there’s more background on this fascinating cidery.

Dabinett: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/02/cider-review-snow-capped-ciders-dabinett.html

Jala-pear-no Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/11/ciderperry-review-snow-capped-ciders.html

Ashmead’s Kernel: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/09/cider-review-snow-capped-cider-ashmeads.html

Blanc Mollet: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/06/cider-review-snow-capped-ciders-single.html

Gold Rush: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/04/cider-review-snow-capped-ciders-gold.html

Harrison Reserve (My #5 favorite cider of 2021): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/cider-review-snow-capped-cider-harrison.html

Snow Capped Cider’s website has plenty of info on the latest releases and awards for the cidery: https://snowcappedcider.com/

Here’s what the folks at Snow Capped Cider have to say about the Winter Pear.

Fruit growers are patient and we know how to handle late season fruit. This special cider begins by handpicking our 70-year-old Colorado pear trees. Winter pears require 3-5 weeks of cold storage to adequately ripen. After ripending, juicing and fermentation the blend is returned to cold storage for aging. The journey ends with  bold carbonation to complement woodsy notes of vanilla and winter spice flowing on delicate pear sweetness to a crisp, sparkling finish. ABV: 6.3% 

The pears used are: European D’anjou, Bosc, Comice, and Winter Pears.

Appearance: mild peach, brilliant, fine visible bubbles

This perry has such a delicate mild peach color; it reminds me of the petals on a Peace rose. My grandma had one in her backyard and treasured each sunrise bloom. The Winter Pear is completely brilliant with a miniature parade of fine bubbles rising in the glass. Beautiful.

Aromas: vanilla, yeast, ripe pear and apple, dessert

The Winter Pear smells like vanilla, clean yeasty bread, ripe apples and pears. The yeast, stone fruit, and honey notes combine to give an aura of dessert. Everything about these smells just makes me think of sunshine and happy surprises.

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet!

This perry is sweet! Perries made with culinary pears are often sweet because of pears’ Sorbitol: an unfermentable natural sugar. This tastes very naturally sweet with loads of fruitiness, but I might suspect an arrested fermentation rather than just residual Sorbitol.

Flavors and drinking experience: thick mouthfeel, homemade applesauce, fine bubbles ripe pear

The Winter Pear is simultaneously playful and sophisticated with its fresh juicy sweetness and crisp light bubbles. The flavors remind me of super ripe pears eaten over a sink to deal with extreme juiciness, but also homemade applesauce. 

I also get the notes of vanilla and custard that were hinted in the perry’s aroma. One of my co-tasters noted a little fire on the palate. Over and over again, we were all struck by this perry’s fine bubbles and perfumed finish. Each sip invites the next. We enjoyed our perry with a casual al fresco dinner on our porch: roast carrot pasta salad, grilled shrimp, and asparagus. It is the time to make the most of Spring after all.

Cider Review Farmhouse Cider's Goldrush Single Varietal Cider

Farmhouse Cider is the cider line created by Back Bay Brew House: Farmhouse in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the Goldrush Single Varietal Cider, and I have to mention my thanks to the cidermaker. He shared this cider with me for review and is one of the kind folks I got to meet in the Hudson Valley this summer when I traveled to take my Pommelier exam. 

You can read about Back Bay Brewery: Farmhouse and all their beers, wines, ciders and canned cocktails here: https://backbayfarmhouse.com/.

This is my first ever Farmhouse Cider review.

Here’s what the Goldrush Single Varietal Cider’s label says about it. 

Unlike many other cider apple varieties that are over 200 years old, the Goldrush apple was only brought to market 30 years ago. This apple brings a refreshing tartness, hints of tropical fruit, and a unique spiciness that is both warming and invigorating. 

Appearance: slight haze, vivid warm nectarine color, virtually no visible bubbles

This cider looks warm and homey with its mild haze and inviting nectarine gold color. It reminds me of the warm sunny days that are both behind and ahead of us. (Can you tell I’m missing every season but Winter?)

Aromas: tangerine, pears, ripe apples and old fashioned bubble gum

The Goldrush smells like tangerine and old fashioned bubble gum on an immediate first sniff (hat tip to my co-taster who identified the fruity mix that reminded both of us of old school bubble gum). I noticed Pear and ripe apple notes that are vivid in their intensity as well. 

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This is a dry cider. I often expect that in a single varietal cider, but it cannot be assumed. This is a lovely true dry cider. 

Flavors and drinking experience: High acid, pear, fine bubbles

Much of what comes out in this cider’s aromas are present also in the Goldrush Single Varietal’s flavors as well. It tastes beautifully like ripe apple and pear, with a gentle background of interplaying tropical fruits. This cider brings wonderfully high acid that remains fun and fruity rather than sharp or austere. 

The pleasure of The Goldrush cider is enhanced by its plethora of very fine bubbles. Everything combines to make this cider very drinkable and delightful. I had mine with tilapia, brown rice, and delicata squash. I kept the meal very simple so I could focus on a new and exciting cider. I’m glad I did!

Cider Review: Rocky Ground Cider's Pips

We’re about 5.5 weeks from our frost-free date here in upstate NY. I remember it like a birthday or anniversary; May 18th is the declared day of reasonable safety from frost for outdoor plants. It’s a marker of our growing season, just like its inevitable follower the expected first frost date: September 28th. Apples and gardens have a lot to do between that set of dates each year. While I think about all the good work ahead, I can do my planning with a glass of cider. Today, I’m reviewing Rocky Ground Cider’s Pips.

This cider was a gift for me from the Tall One. He saw that Rocky Ground Cider is from Maine and was intrigued. We don’t get that many Maine ciders around here. This is my first experience with this cidery. 

Here’s how Rocky Ground Cider describes themself and the cider making process, “Hard cider made with wild and heirloom apples foraged from Maine’s countryside. We forage because the wild seedlings & old heirloom trees offer us flavors that make a cider we want to drink. Each vintage & blend is a mysterious alchemy of time & place; the available harvest, the soil, & the weather of that growing season. We put the juice in oak barrels & let wild yeast do the work. The fermentation takes almost a year. All of our ciders are dry. We do not use commercial yeasts, sulfites or filtration.”

Visit Rocky Ground Cider online to learn more: https://rockygroundcider.com/

Do not neglect to visit the Beasts page!

Here’s the specific description of the Pips cider. 

Pips, 2018, 7.5% ABV

750ml/375ml

Sparkling, dry. Crisp with gentle tannin. 39 wild pippins and 8 heirloom varieties. Bottle fermented with honey.  Our classic blend. You're gonna love it.

Appearance: intense cloudy bronze, bubbly, some sediment 

Pips pours with a head from the first and toward the end of the bottle, we got some sediment. The cider’s color reminds me of a warm orange bronze; there’s lots of color and cloudiness.

Aromas: tannic, woody, floral and honey

I could immediately smell that this cider was fermented with honey; there’s a floral wildness that only honey brings. Pips brings forth notes both woody and floral. The honey is just so clear on the nose tha I keep thinking of it with each sniff, but I don’t get the expectations that the cider will be sweet. Instead, I think this cider will be acidic and tannic; perhaps a bit of a UK taste profile. We shall see.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

Yes! This is a dry cider. There’s a lot going on, but none of it is sweet.

Flavors and drinking experience: very high acid, tangy, low fizz, dried apples

How very interesting! Pips is all about tartness and wildness.  This cider brings very high acidity to the tasting experience; I think multiple acids are competing here, including both malic and acetic. The notes remind me of cold slices of lemon and dried apple. The acid interacts with its low carbonation to emphasize the sparkle that’s there. Pips’ tannins arrive in two waves—fast and then slower on the tongue. I’m reminded of a leafy funk, like a raked pile of autumn leaves as its first turned over. 

The cider has the lowest of low levels of sweetness, but a hint of sweet warmth blooms in the finish. Again dried apples specifically come to mind. This cider is all about big, adventurous flavors. It’s anything but boring. Drink slowly to savor the tangy wildness. Fans of Sidra Naturel and Basque or Spanish ciders will be very excited for this one. I paired Pips with vegetarian sloppy joes and sauteed zucchini for a simple supper at home. You could also serve it with something cremier and get that acid to work cutting through a rich meal. Cheers!

Cider Review: 2 Towns Ciderhouse Afton Field and James Creek Ciderhouse Harvest Moon

This is my last post before the Summer Solstice, and I can barely make sense of that idea! The weather doesn’t feel summery, and I am not ready to be headed toward longer nights and shorter days. Enough of my fretting though, the seasons circle around and the weather does what it will do. What I can muster is appreciation the lovely long spring we’ve had, and enthusiastic participation in the warm weather fun that I know is coming.

I’ve reviewed quite a few 2 Towns Ciders, but the Ciderhouse’s offerings are so different, I want to showcase the variety. 

Most recently, La Mûre knocked my socks off: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks.html

Fighting winter vibes is easy with the Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy, a lemon and raspberry cider:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html

I loved The Cidre Bouche; it’s my favorite of anything they’ve made. It made my top 10 of 2017: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-cidre.html

During Very Perry May last year I tried the Pearadise:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

I tried the Pineapple because I am enraptured by that fruit: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-review-portland-cider-company.html

Speaking of enrapturing fruit, The rhubarb and hops of The Hop and Stalk was delicious: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-hop-and.html

I reviewed the Bright Cider as part of a travel roundup: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/07/cider-review-roundup-common-cider-co.html

The  2 Towns Ciderhouse Website has tons more info about the company and all the ciders: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

Here’s 2 Towns Ciderhouse’s description for Afton Field.

AMERICAN FARMHOUSE CIDER~ Oregon grown crab and heirloom apples ~ ~ Fermented with wild yeast strains ~ ~ Aged in oak barrels ~  

Inspired by farmhouse ciders of the pioneer West, Afton Field is a testament to the tenacity of these settlers and their enduring orchards. Fresh-pressed, hand-picked Wickson crab, Newtown Pippin and other pioneer apple varieties are fermented, aged in oak barrels, and bottle conditioned with wild Brettanomyces yeast. Bone dry, unfiltered and uncompromising, this farmhouse cider is wild at heart and at home on the rustic table. 6.9% ABV

Appearance: Hazy, warm straw, no visible bubbles

This cider looks like a wild ferment! It’s cloudy, straw colored and shows no bubbles.

Aromas: Funky, barnyard, cheesy, musty, 

This wild cider is funky! I get mild hints of apple and citrus, but much more than that this cider smells of barnyard and farmhouse cheese. It’s a bit reductive and very tart smelling.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This cider certainly is dry! The crab apple tartness and Brettanoyces sourness amp up the perception of dryness.

Flavors and drinking experience: oaky, lemon, bready, tart and astringent

The Afton Field tastes much fruitier than it smelled. To taste it, I got waves of lemon, ripe apple, and sourdough yeastiness. It’s a zesty astringent cider with acid going sky high. It’s very true to a sour farmhouse style. I had this with colleagues and fun snacks; it worked that way. 

Now for the James Creek Cider House Harvest Moon!

I’ve not reviewed anything by James Creek before, but I had the pleasure of meeting folks from there at CiderCon 2018. From North Carolina, James Creek Ciderhouse makes ciders from local farms from 125 miles or fewer of the home base. James Creek put in an on site orchard in 2009 with over 65 different apple varieties. I was given a bottle of the James Creek Harvest Moon Dry Cider back in 2018, so this review is long overdue.

Visit this Ciderhouse’s website https://jamescreekciderhouse.com/

Appearance: marigold yellow, very bubbly,  brilliant

Gushingly bubbly, I can see explosive sparkle action once I pour this cider. I’ll call the color marigold yellow. 

Aromas: Apple skins, apple pastry, mouth watering

The Harvest Moon smells like apple skins and apple pastry. Ooh this lush aroma makes my mouth water. Yeast smells can very so much, so when I get one that hits fruity and fresh like this, I get excited.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

This cider tastes dry as promised, but there’s a lot more going on there. 

Flavors and drinking experience: overripe apples, tangerine, tea, floral finish

I love how the Harvest Moon tastes likes overripe apples, tangerines, and tea. This cider brings lots of acid to the drinking experience. The Harvest Moon is refreshing and approachable with a  light body and plenty of fizz. I especially like the crab apple sharpness to the acid. The cider winds down gently with long floral finish.

I had this cider with a meal of chili lime sweet potato fries, brown bread topped with butter and radishes and some excellent Field Roast sausages. It was followed by game of Scrabble; sadly, I didn’t win. But the cider and the evening were both fantastic.

Cider Review: Angry Orchard's Wooden Sleeper and Weston Cider's Mortimer's Orchard Original

Snow happens here as often as it doesn’t snow these days. Winter may not be official for a couple more weeks, but the season has started. For this week, it means cozying in during the long dark evenings to write and cuddle with my cats and people. It also means choosing and reviewing ciders that I think match the new season, things with some tannin and a little bit of sweetness. At least that’s what I’m going for.

At the end of November, I had to chance to travel down to the Hudson Valley for a couple of days. I knew I’ve wanted to visit the Angry Orchard Innovation Cider House in Walden for years, so I took the opportunity. I was able to meet Ryan for a tour and taste through of several of the special ciders only available from Walden. I’ll be sharing my travel experience in the coming weeks.

For now, visit Angry Orchard online: https://www.angryorchard.com/

Today, I want to start out with Angry Orchard's Wooden Sleeper. I’ve reviewed many Angry Orchard ciders: too many to post all the links here, so I’ll share some the more recent ones.

Most recently, I enjoyed the third of the Understood in Motion collaborations, this one between Ryan Burke of Angry Orchard and Tom Oliver of Oliver’s Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-angry-orchard-ciders.html

I tasted the Angry Orchard Spiced Apple this past winter: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-angry-orchards-spiced-apple.html

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

Earlier, in March, My review of the category-exploding Rosé came out: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-angry-orchard-rose-and.html

A bit longer ago, I reviewed the Walden Hollow which was an early release from the Innovation Cider House in Walden: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/09/cider-review-angry-orchards-walden.html

Here's the official description, "Wooden Sleeper is a part of the Orchard Collection which is available in bottles and on-draft at Angry Orchard in Walden, NY. Using both culinary and bittersweet apples, the cider is aged in bourbon barrels, which makes for a delicious, warming cider." ABV of  9.5%-10.5%.

Appearance: pumpkin, transparent, ring of bubbles

The cider nearly glows with a deep pumpkin color. I don’t see any bubbles within the cider but there are a ring of fine ones where the cider meets the glass. It’s transparent but that doesn’t fully come through in the pictures because of condensation.

Aromas: ginger, bourbon, caramel, cookie

Holy heavenly coziness, the Wooden Sleeper smells like ginger, baked apples, and bourbon barrel. Secondarily I get lots of other notes I associate with barrels like caramel and cookies, but there’s something more, perhaps a hint of orange?

Dryness/sweetness: semi-dry

I expected a sweeter cider based on an earlier incarnation I’ve tasted of the Wooden Sleeper, but this batch tastes semi-dry. What it might be in terms of actual residual sugar, I cannot say.

Flavors and drinking experience: hearty, warm, petillant, tannic

What a hearty cider! I knew it would be based on the ABV, barrel aging, and the sweetness of previous batches. I chose it because of winter weather and a very wintery meal. The cider started with a gently bitter first note, but that was followed quickly by mellowing body and warmth from the ABV.

The Wooden Sleeper is tannic, medium acidity, and petillant, meaning it is only mildly bubbly. The flavors swirled and expanded generously. I could taste caramel, cooked apples, but other more savory notes like wood, wild rice, and mushrooms. It came back around to harvest richness that reminded me of pumpkin and brown sugar.

We paired this with a very traditional Sunday roast type meal with roasted Brussels sprouts, mashed purple potatoes, a green salad and a beef roast for the meat eaters. What a wonderfully appropriate choice. For a meal that most folks would use a red wine to pair, the Wooden Sleeper held up admirably and deliciously. It was fit for a winter feast.

Next, I want to travel back to my summer trip because I think I had a very winter friendly cider while I was in Glasgow. I had a Mortimer’s Orchard Original by Westons Cider.

I don’t know much about Mortimer’s Orchard, but you can visit the website here: http://www.mortimersorchard.co.uk/

The official description reads, “A fresh medium-dry cider with a light sparkling finish. Made from 100% fresh English apple juice.” 5% ABV. 

I had this by the half pint which is a very civilized tradition that I wish could be imported more widely to the states. A half-pint is an eight ounce pour, just perfect for many ciders.

Appearance: brilliant, warm straw, pours with a mousse

This cider has a quickly disappearing bubbly mousse, but it remains very active in terms of visible sparkle. It’s transparent and a warm straw hue.

Aromas: lemon, sesame, fresh apple

The aromas from the Mortimer’s Orchard Original were not too intense. I could smell fresh apple, lemon, and sesame.  

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet to sweet

This has a very classic cane sugar, crystalized white sugar sweetness. It perceives as sweet to me, but I could also be responding to a lower level of acid than I’m used to from American ciders. 

Flavors and drinking experience: medium-low acid, cooked fruit, tannins, sparkly

I had this cider after dinner and a long day of walking over and through Glasgow. The flavor reminds me very much of cooked apples. It’s mellow and sweet, offering up medium-low acid. I was surprised to find medium high level of sparkle.


I enjoyed the warm fruit flavor, also the notes of grain and the nice tannic mouthfeel. These elements balance one another reasonably well. It was relaxing and refreshing on its own. I think this cider could pair well with a number of spicy foods because sweetness can be the perfect antidote to spice. I enjoyed it in summer, but I think this sort of profile would taste even better on a cold winter’s night. 

Cider Review: Bantam Cider's Americain and Slyboro Ciderhouse's La Sainte Terre

Alrighty! All of the students are moved into both of the local colleges. I’ve been to the New York State Fair(where I definitely saw people enjoying plenty of New York cider). Apples are starting come into season. Halloween stuff has started appearing in store around. All of these signs tell me that fall is coming. The temperature however has other plans. The weather often does. This time, we’re headed into a brief heat wave just as I’ve been thinking about how to say goodbye to summer. But on my way this week, I’ve enjoyed two forward thinking ciders. 

The first of these comes from Bantam Cider. I found this can when I was travelling and picked it up a few months ago. Bantam Cider hails from Massachusetts. I found this introductory paragraph on the website’s Mission Statement to be an excellent introduction, “We are committed to making creative and distinctive crafted cider using fresh pressed apples and high-quality, all-natural ingredients.”

A long while ago, I had the chance to review Bantam’s Wonderkin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/01/cider-review-bantam-ciders-wonderkind.html

You can read more about this company and all Bantam ciders on the website: http://www.bantamcider.com/

Today, I’m reviewing the Americain. Here’s it’s official description.

Contrary to popular belief, The Americain was born in the spring, not the fall. It was first made to remind us of the rich and amazing flavors we experienced in our friend’s homemade batch of apple butter. Green Cardamom, Coriander, Clove, Cinnamon and Rose Petals create a rich and aromatic character that is luscious and deliciously edible. And why the French name? Well, anything said in French sound sexier, don’t you agree? And while this cider takes its name from the French, it’s cloudy like English Scrumpy and features traditional Persian spices, its taste is truly American; as American as apple pie.

The Americain is the perfect easy-drinking cider that's just as enjoyable during the dog days of summer as the chilly nights of Autumn. Cheers! 5.2% ABV.

Appearance: cloudy, citrine, no bubbles

This cider looks totally cloudy and very cheerful citrine color. I couldn’t see any bubbles in the glass

Aromas: spicy, ripe red apples, brown sugar, chai

The Americain smells spicy but not quite like apple pie. Instead the spices remind me of Middle Eastern cuisine. Though the palette includes cinnamon the overall effect is still almost savory. But spices aren’t the only part of the story; the cider smells of ripe red apple too. I definitely got a salivary reaction.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

The lusciousness of the aroma is met with a semi- dry level of sweetness; it’s not too sweet but not to tart either.

Flavors and drinking experience: spicy, caramel, medium high acid

What a fun cider and what a change of pace. I haven’t had anything with this realm of spices for months, and I feel ready for them. I can taste cinnamon, allspice, clove, and cardamom. But in addition to those spicy notes this semi-dry cider is caramelly even as it’s semi dry.

The cider has medium high acidity and lovely tiny bubbles. The whole experince is very balanced. The Americain tastes full of flavor; it’s juicy but mature. And it finishs with a quick lick of brown sugar. I paired it very simply with a movie (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) and popcorn. It made for a nice night.

Slyboro Sainte terre

In a lovely hamlet of New York near the Vermont border, Slyboro Ciderhouse makes its home in Hick’s Orchard. I’ve visited the cidery and tasted most of the ciders. Here’s how the website introduces Slyboro.

 Named for the centuries-old hamlet that is home to Hicks Orchard, Slyboro Ciderhouse re-introduces the lost craft of traditional American ciders. Just as grapes are transformed into wine, our ciders are fermented from our own orchard-grown apples; unlocking the full potential of the apple by creatively blending a a distinctive range of delicious, award-winning ciders. 

We at Slyboro Ciderhouse are dedicated to reclaiming cider - "true cider" - as America's favorite drink. We invite you to explore and discover the flavors and delights of Slyboro Ciders. In any season, for special occasions, or to enrich the moment, "consider cider."

Previous review include: 

Most recently, I reviewed the Hidden Star: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/04/cider-review-slyboro-cider-houses.html

Before that I tried the Kingston Black: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/10/cider-review-slyboro-hard-ciders.html

I also used their Ice Cider in my Thanksgiving lineup two years ago: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/happy-to-pickcider-for-thanksgiving.html

In 2016, I had the pleasure of visiting Hick’s orchard and the Slyboro tasting room: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-great-vermont-cider-tour-day-3.html

I tried the Black Currant as soon as I found it: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/07/cider-review-slyboros-black-currant.html

My first Slyboro review was the Old Sin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/06/cider-review-slyboro-ciders-old-sin.html

A late season saunter to a lost corner of the orchard leads to the chance discovery of pomological perfection. La Sainte Terre blends the crisp and floral notes of Golden Russet and MacIntosh with a hint of earthy bittersweet apples and a voluptuous dose of ice harvest ice cider.

La Sainte Terre celebrates our connection to the living world, the unhurried moment, the long 'path which we love to travel in the interior and ideal world,' as Thoreau once said. You must lose yourself before you find your way to La Saint Terre, the Sacred Earth." 8% ABV.

Appearance: dried apricot color, brilliant, no visible bubbles

I'm loving the rich color in this cider, even in a non-traditional glass. The cider is brilliant. I don't see many bubbles. 

Aromas: black pepper, fresh grapes, overripe apple

How very interesting. La Sainte Terre smalls astonishingly of black pepper and grapes. These aren’t notes I’m used to noticing, but I’m intrigued. These aromas are layered with wet cool overripe apple.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi sweet

This cider is unambiguously a semi-sweet cider. The concentration of sweetness of the ice cider used to give it sweetness comes across beautifully. 

Flavors and drinking experience: High acidity, raisins, watermelon

La Sainte Terre has a lot going on. I first noticed that the black pepper aromas were matched with black pepper flavors too. That savory is balanced by golden caramel brown sugar and high acidity and medium-low tannins. There’s some fruit notes as well, notably raisins, watermelon, and more ripe ripe apple. La Sainte Terr simultaneously offers up some fermentation almost barrel-like notes that run the gamut from wood to turpentine. This cider has a thick mouthfeel; its acid mellows out in the finish.

I enjoyed this cider with a feast! My dear friend had a garden party to celebrate the season and the fact that deer can no longer destroy her vegetables and flowers. The caprese salad was an especially nice pairing with this complex delicious cider.