Cider Roundup: The Cider House Vancouver

 

Last post about my Summer vacation, I promise. And that feels entirely necessary since all of the Fall back-to-school things are happening in my neck of the woods. My entire brain is full, and I’m still forgetting things! So, if I owe you an email or a review or really much of anything, I’m sorry. Feel free to remind me!

Maybe things will be more settled into a routine a couple of weeks from now. That will be my hope! But for right now, I want to drift back to mid-July and think about trying a super fun cider oriented restaurant and cidery while on vacation. If only I could time travel.

Friends took us to The Cider House Vancouver, because they are sweet and thoughtful. And these Vancouver folks take so much joy in the neat experiences their city offers. There’s no better way to visit a place than in the company of someone who already loves it. 

We approached the Cider House Vancouver knowing it was going to be hopping. The place is located near a public beach, and it was a hot summer afternoon. I’ve been to more than a handful of places that center cider on their menu, but this had a completely different atmosphere. This was a plant-based restaurant featuring hard cider, and yet the pop music and party vibes made me think more of a beachside cocktail bar. This place was color, sound, and festivity turned all the way up!

Our group was seated, ordered a range of appetizers to share and each picked out a flight with very little overlap. The menu is that large! 

Learn more about the Cider House Vancouver direct from the source here, including the full cider menu: https://ciderhouserules.ca/

Here’s what I had in my flight along with a few brief thoughts on each. 

Big Dry-

Of course I had to start with the Big Dry. This cider smelled like Peanut shells, salty minerals, something savory and a hint of carrots. A second sniff garnered a little booze in the mix as well. As for taste, the Big Dry offers extremely high acid, a fine bubble, and loads of fruit flavors. I think it’s off dry and very drinkable. 

Rosy-

This cider opens with aromas of deep soft powder and jam. It’s an oxidized smell, but the aroma is subtle rather than intense. The Rosy tastes good. The primary flavor is strawberry with a tannic note added. Though it looks likely a welcoming delicate pink, something about that fruity yet tannic note evokes dark fruits like Pomegranate to me. The tannins are papery and pleasant. It’s less bubbly than the Big Dry.

Rhubarb-

This is another one with a fairly low level of aroma. When I taste it, my first impression is how extremely strong the sparkle is. What fun! The rhubarb flavor is gently sweetened but still fresh. The high acid belongs in this cider because rhubarb is such a tart and puckery fruit. This cider had no tannins to speak of, but it really works because of the acidity. It’s a semi-dry cider with a rock candy finish.

Pineapple Jalapeno-

I know that not everyone wants a Pineapple Jalapeno cider, but I do. I love what a note of spice can do for a sweet cider, and pineapple is practically a cheat code for my happiness. This cider wafts plentiful aromas of grilled pineapple! When I take a first sip the peppers hit immediately and dissipate. This cider is sweet with high acid and an endless amount of juicy fun. My only complaint is that the cider’s body is a touch thinner than goes ideally with something both sweet and spicy. And importantly there’s still some apple in the cider’s backbone.

These are not the sorts of ciders I would choose every glass and everyday, but they paired well with our roasted brussels sprouts, sweet potato fries, and veggie nachos. They were fruity, tart, and fun. The whole place was buzzy and fun with energy to spare!  

Cider Review: Two Town's Ciderhouse's The Baddie

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on 2 Towns Ciderhouse’s The Baddie. Things have gotten only marginally springier since last week, but according to the calendar it’s now Spring. I’ll believe it once I see my first daffodil. Since I’m waiting for Spring, I’m excited to enjoy the botanicals and florals that are the absolutely crucial to this newest release from 2 Towns Ciderhouse. 

I have 16(!)  previous reviews of ciders by 2 Towns Ciderhouse! I include more background in several earlier reviews, I recommend checking them out to find more about Oregon’s 2 Towns Cidery. Here’s the full list of reviews. Gosh, this makes me what to think back to which 2 Towns have been my favorites over the years!

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

2 Towns’ Ciderhouse has a website that’s a great place to learn about all the cidery’s releases and events: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

There’s a whole page about The Baddie and how this cider came to be. I recommend reading the whole thing to learn about this awesome project from 2 Towns Ciderhouse benefiting the Pink Boots Society: https://2townsciderhouse.com/the-baddie/.

Here’s some info strictly about the cider. 

In order to make the cider pink and live up to its name, the R&D team added hibiscus among other floral botanicals that created an elevated cider with flair, depth, and sophistication.

I did a little inquiry to find out the full list of apples, florals and botanicals and here it is, “ Pink Lady® apples, hibiscus, rose, jasmine and chamomile.” Thanks so much for the info, Danelle!

Appearance: Coral pink, hazy, bubbly

2 Towns has created a lovely cider here. The color reminds me of spring sunrises with its coral pink hue. The cider has lots of tiny bubbles and a slight haze. 

Aromas: Sweet, grapefruit, cherry, rose, & hibiscus

Different elements of this bouquet of aromas stood out to different tasters. I noticed the rose and cherry notes along with ripe apple. My co-taster found that the grapefruit and hibiscus notes stood out more to them. Either way, it’s a smooth blend of flowers and fruit. We agreed though that there is plenty of sweetness in The Baddie’s scents.

Sweetness/Dryness: Sweet!

This is a sweet cider. It’s a fun one with plenty going on, but it’s definitely sweet.

Flavors and drinking experience:  Hibiscus, white grapes, grapefruit, hibiscus chamomile

With The Baddie, 2 Towns has created an inviting blend of sweet grapefruit, rose, hibiscus, white grapes, and chamomile. It’s easy to detect so much of what was present in the cider’s aromas in the flavors as well. I love how it’s herbal yet floral like chamomile white still also offering as much vibrant fruit flavor as one could ask for. 

I liked how the hibiscus brought some tannins and high acid to the cider. I just love the hibiscus here. What makes it really come together though is that in addition to being sweet, the Baddie is bubbly and full bodied. All in all, this cider is aiming to be fun and approachable yet with some real complexity, and it totally succeeds. We had ours with a homemade fisherman’s pie, and it was a delightful pairing. 

Cider Review: Dragon's Head Cider's Rosé

I write from a cozy desk spot on a rainy Labor Day. I’m grateful to have today for rest and even more grateful to those who labor to keep things functioning today and everyday. This time of year, that especially means orchard and farm workers. Thank you! 

Today, my review features Dragon’s Head Cider’s Rosé. This cider was part of a Northwest Cider Club Shipment. I love being able to purchase curated selections of ciders not usually available to me in remote upstate New York. You can learn more about the Northwest Cider club here: https://nwciderclub.com/

Dragon’s Head Cider comes to us from Vashon, Washington. Vashion is an island with an orchard off the coast of Washington state. 

Here’s how Dragon’s Head Cider introduces their process and philosophy of cider making. 

From apple to bottle, all right here on our farm.

At Dragon’s Head Cider, we take a traditional approach to cider making. Our focus is on the apple varieties that we use and the quality of the fruit. We love the story that apples alone can tell through cider, altering the flavor by changing the blend of apple varieties that we carefully select. The process is simple and the ingredients list is short. Perhaps we’re a little old fashioned.

You can read the rest of the process and learn about all of Dragon’s Head cider on the website: http://www.dragonsheadcider.com/

I don’t have many previous review of Dragon’s Head ciders, because I haven’t gotten to taste them nearly as often as I’d like. Here are all of the cidery’s earlier appearances on the blog. 

Heritage: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/09/cider-review-liberty-ciderworks-wickson.html

Wild Fermented (#1 cider of 2019!): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/04/cider-review-dragons-head-wild.html

In 2018, Dragon’s Head appears in my coverage of CiderCon: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cidercon-part-2-including-heritage.html

Here’s the official description of Dragons Head Rosé:

Our Rosé Cider is created from a unique blend of red fleshed apple varieties, including Redfield apples from our own orchard. Unlike typical apple trees, in the Spring, the blossoms on the Redfield trees are bright pink, the leaves are a reddish bronze, and amazingly the flesh of these beautiful apples is red. When the apples are pressed the juice is a crimson color that lightens and clears into the blush rosé that you see in the bottle. Bright and fruity, this cider is certainly unique for its color but also delicious in flavor.

Alcohol 6.90%

Appearance: Brilliant, Bubbly, Copper Red

What a beautiful cider. I totally understand why the Rosé cider is bottled in clear glass. The coppery red color is too inviting not to share! The cider is brilliant and bubbly as well. What a visual invitation.  

Aroma: Mineral notes, Cranberry, Grapefruit, Black Pepper

The first scents that  unfold are mineral notes followed by cranberry, grapefruit and pepper. I know some folks question minerality, but I don’t know exactly how to put it when sniffing a cider makes me think about rocks. The cider’s aromas make my mouth water.

Dryness/Sweetness: Dry

Dragon’s Head Cider’s Rosé cider is dry. I’ll not call it bone dry, but it’s close.

Flavors and drinking experience: High acidity, high tannins, peach, floral finish

The Dragon’s Head Rosé cider has high but not extreme acidity. It makes a wonderful first impression of fruity and zinginess. That’s immediately followed by medium high tannins that ground and anchor the cider. I loved the floral finish with bits of peach. It’s a deeply enjoyable cider. The texture is defined by very fine bubbles. 

Upon second and third sips, I started to notice a gentle caramel note beneath the brightness. The fruitiness gets more definitively peach, cranberry with a bit of a spicy green pepper note at the end.  The cider has a thin light body that is kept angular by the acidity. It's a stimulating cider that’s tremendously inviting for food. Dragon’s Head Cider’s Rosé is just so good!

I paired this with a roasted chickpea, tomato, feta salad. Highly recommended!

Cider Review: Haykin Family Cider's Reserve Niedzwetzkyana

Last Friday, I looked out my office window to see bright golden afternoon sunshine, an and by the time I made it to the front door, a snow squall was blowing through. We’ve entered the shifting and sporadic path to Winter. We’re not there yet, but it’s on the horizon. Though we cannot hibernate properly, I’m looking forward to some human hibernation-imitating activities. One of my favorites is holing up at home with dear ones, dear pets, a good meal and a good cider. Preferably followed by a movie. This past Saturday, I got to do exactly that. 

Woody chose Haykin Family Cider's Reserve Niedzwetzkyana for us. The vivid red color and the unfamiliar name were intriguing, and everyone in my house has loads of respect for everything Haykin Family Cider puts out. It’s a Colorado based cidery and family business, making truly exciting ciders that win loads of awards. 

2018 Method Ancestrale Ela Family Farms Cuvee: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/09/cider-review-haykin-family-ciders-2018.html

Harrow Pear: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/06/perry-reviews-haykin-family-ciders.html

I recommend visiting the cidery website to learn more: https://www.haykinfamilycider.com/.

Today I’m sharing my notes on Haykin Family Cider’s Reserve Niedzwetzkyana. This cider is a  single-varietal from Niedzwetzkyana apples with 8.1% ABV. HEre’s the official description

Niedzwetzkyana is an ancient apple - originating from Central Asia, near the birthplace of all apples. One of the earliest red-flesh apples to exist, both the flesh and core are a striking shade of crimson. This highly aromatic drink leads with fresh, bright acidity followed by tart cherries, cranberries, light baking spices, chalky minerality and a soft, tannic finish. 100% Niedzwetzkyana apples grown by CiderView Orchards. This cider is dry.

Appearance: pink mousse, deep ruby color, visible bubbles

Wow! This cider looks a stunner! It pours with a tall pink mousse—lots of foam that dissipates. I’ve almost never seen such a thing. The  Reserve Niedzwetzkyana is beautifully and completely deep ruby red, like the inside of a ripe strawberry in color. I can see plenty of bubbles as well. I’m so glad that Haykin Family Cider uses clear glass for this bottle. This cider deserves to be seen!

Aromas: minerals, dried fruit, autumn leaves, baking spices

The  Reserve Niedzwetzkyana smells minerally with strong presences of dried fruit, autumn leaves, tea, and spices.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

This cider is bone dry. You could use this cider as an emblematic example of a fully dry cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: tannic, brightly high acid, floral, cherry, bold

I am in awe. This cider is bold and different and delicious. At first, the Reserve Niedzwetzkyana tastes deep and low: a pow of tannins hits immediately. Then I start to perceive acids—strong, bright acids. I can taste sour cherry notes, but nothing about the cider is sweet. The overall impression I get is intensity that holds together well. The cider tastes Floral but bold, like bark more than like petals. This breaks all expectations of a rosé cider; nothing is pastel or gentle here. The cider is red and assertive, turned up to 11 but all-natural and balanced by fiat. I adore how adventurous it tastes; this is an everything-forward cider. And it’s delicious.

The Reserve Niedzwetzkyana brings an angular mouthfeel, medium viscosity and a high level of sparkle to the drinking experience. This is a cider to savor with something strong an creamy like a soft cheese with some funk and good sturdy wheat crackers. 

What a treat!

Cider Review: Woodinville Ciderworks' Red Flesh Hard Apple Cider

This past weekend was a shining example of how gorgeous Fall can be. I hiked and gardened and didn’t forget to include cider and apples in my enjoyment either. Making apple macaroni and cheese from scratch with cider, and pairing it with cider has to be one of my favorite Autumnal treats.

To celebrate, I reached into my store of ciders from the NW Cide Club. I get the Discover shipment four times a year, and I love it. Getting to try ciders that would otherwise never become available to me is crucial to understanding the breadth of flavors happening in cider right now! 

Check it out here: https://nwciderclub.com/

My curiosity was drawn to Woodinville Ciderworks’s  Red Flesh Hard Apple Cider this week.

I couldn’t find out a lot about this company aside from the location: Woodinville, Washington. The ciderworks is just gearing up, so there’s not yet a full website, and this is an early release. 

I found the most up-to-date information on Woodinville Ciderworks on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/woodinvilleciderworks

I don’t have a full description of Woodinville Ciderworks’ Red Flesh Hard Apple Cider, so I’ll be informed only by what I see, smell and taste.

Appearance: coral, brilliant, bubbly

The Red Flesh Cider pours with wonderful effervescence. Even after a few moments, a hint of mousse remains, as the picture shows. I’ll call the color pastel coral; it’s almost more a shade of peach rather than pink. The cider is totally brilliant as well.

Aromas: malic acid, woody, ripe apple, apple skin

This cider smells astonishingly like malic acid! I can definitely expect something tart here. The scent reminds me apple skins and seeds; it’s both fresh and woody. All of the apple notes do smell mouthwateringly ripe.

Dryness/sweetness: semi-dry, but difficult to determine

Puckeringly tart acid and strong bubbles

I found it hard to tell how sweet it is! You'll see why as you keep reading. My best guess would be a semi-dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, tannic, fruity, crabapples

This cider tastes tannic like crabapples with that special juicy concentrated astringence that stay completely melded with it’s fruitiness. I find this to be a very different tannic profile than what I get from ciders made with European traditional cider varietals. This is tannic and sharp and fruity rather than austere and structured. I’m interpreting here, but that has been my experience.

One out of our three tasters found it too much in terms of acidity but two of us loved it. I loved the tart Blueberry notes. The cider has a quick clean finish. I found that the tannins build as you sip. The Red Flesh Hard Apple Cider goes beautifully with cheese like aged Manchego. I paired it with my apple mac and cheese and I even used a splash or two when creating my cheese sauce. It was wonderful as an ingredient and as a pairing. What a treat!

Cider Review: Eden Cider's Brut Rosé Harvest Cider

My world seems so much calmer and more peaceful than it did on the long holiday weekend. I’m sitting in my bedroom, writing: two cats snuggled nearby. It’s not too hot to enjoy closeness with a furry friend at last! This week I’m sharing notes on a new canned cider from Eden Harvest Ciders: the Brut Rosé. 

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Eden ciders and an inaugural member of the cider club, but the Brut Rosé cider was shared with me for review. That doesn’t sway my thoughts on it, but I’m always grateful to get cutting edge new ciders to review!

I would love to share a rundown of my earlier Eden cider reviews. You can find lots of background on this small Vermont cidery scattered amongst these posts.  

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 supported my Thanksgiving & Birthday celebrations: 

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

I recommend checking out Eden Cider's website. There you can find out about all of the ciders: https://www.edenciders.com/

Today, it’s Eden Cider Brut Rosé Harvest Cider with Red Currant. It’s the newest canned cider by Eden. I'm extra excited because I love currants, and now they are growing at my new house!

Here’s how Eden's website describes this cider. 

Brut Rosé Harvest Cider

PROFILE: Semi-dry, smooth, fruity

VARIETIES: 15 Heirloom apple varieties infused with red currant juice

HARVEST YEAR: 2019

GROWN BY: Eden Orchards, Scott Farm, Sunrise Orchards, Windfall Orchard

METHOD: Slow cold fermentation, infused, filtered, carbonated.

TASTING NOTES: bright red berry and apple with light earthy tannin and lingering crispness.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: salads, salmon, cold roast beef

6.9% ABV | 15g/L residual sugar 12oz | 24/case

Serving Size: 1 can | Calories per serving: 160 | Carbs: 5g = 0CARB

Gluten free, vegan friendly

Appearance: brilliant, vermillion, few miniscule bubbles

This is a beautiful cider! I'm not sure I support this being hidden in a can. The color is richer and more intense than most Rosé ciders. It's more vermillion than pink. It's brilliant with just a smattering of the tiniest possible bubbles. 

Aromas: dusty fruity, funky, plum and grape

The Brut Rosé smells fruity primarily- I get notes of ripe apple, plum, and grape. It also smells of dust, minerals and a gentle wave of farmy wildness.

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-dry

This is a lovely semi-dry cider. The Brut Rosé just right for a canned cider that can be enjoyed in many different settings with a wide variety of pairings.

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, currants, tannic, high acid, ripe apple

The Brut Rosé tastes wonderful! The cider comes across as tart, with strong apple and currant presences keeping one another in check. It’s almost dry and tannic but still ultimately a fruity semi-dry.  All registers of acid, sweetness, and tannins are loud and clear, and they all seem resolutely natural.  The cider offers just a little funk, which I almost expect with currant.  The Currant flavor comes from concentrate, which you taste—not as fake, but as intense. 

Sipping straight out of the can, The Brut Rosé tastes drier. I think that’s because the aroma doesn't come through as much. The cider manages to be both easy and compelling.  It’s a total  winner, but I think I prefer it in a glass.

I had the Brut Rosé cider in my sunroom with a simple supper: beet and potato salad, marinated bbq tofu (Cornell chicken BBQ sauce works on tofu too!), and corn on the cob.  It doesn’t get much better. The cider’s fruitiness was lovely with a juicy baked tofu and an earthier variation on potato salad. The Brut Rose could also be good with coconut curries, salmon dishes, and lots of other rich and tempting fare. 

Cider Review: Union Hill Cider Company's Pink Heart, Plus an upcoming Book Talk with Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo!

Union Hill Cider Company is a Washington state cider company that began with two roommates making a closet cider back in 2012. I love that the cidery website is very clear that this first batch was inspiring of improvement rather than an instant classic. The first discovery was that in order to make special cider, the makers must start with special apples. There’s no arguing with that wisdom!

Andrew Handley, Matthew, and David Dobbins created this company after starting to plant cider-specific apple varieties! My favorite quote on the website comes from Gene Handley about the orchard.

We decided in 2016 to find old English and French bittersweet and bittersharp varieties to propagate and plant with the same high-density growing systems used in today’s modern orchards.  High-density, high-dwarfing rootstocks meet old heritage varieties with only one purpose, to grow apples only to press for hard cider. We planted Dabinett, Porters Perfection, Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, Muscat de Lense, Snowdrift Crab, and Red Fleshed apples.  We want to use apples with intention that complement each apple’s unique characteristics.  We want you to be able to identify each variety we use in each of our blends.

You can read all about Union Hill online here: https://www.unionhillciderco.com/

Today I’m writing about the Pink Heart. Here’s how Union Hill describes it. This cider came to me as part of the Northwest Cider Club, which continues to curate some truly tantalizing selections. Read about the club here: https://nwciderclub.com/.

Here's how Union Hill describes the Pink Heart.

A union of our Red Fleshed and Cripps Pink apples finished with Dabinett to round out the blend. This pink hued cider is our most versatile cider, fit for any occasion. Medium bodied with bright notes of red raspberry, rhubarb and grapefruit with a tart finish.

Appearance: peachy pink, brilliant, few visible bubbles

Union Hill knows that they made a beautiful cider, and I’m so glad that they chose a clear bottle for it. The color for the Pink Heart is a refreshingly peachy pink. A few bubbles show up as soon as this cider is poured. 

Aromas: marshmallows, hibiscus, vanilla, tangerine and red currants

The Pink Heart smells like marshmallows and hibiscus. There are other softener notes as well like vanilla, tangerine, and red currants. I get some ripe apple in the mix as well. 

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-dry

This is a semi-dry cider. It's very flexible at this point in the dryness scale in terms of food pairings.

Flavors and drinking experience: very high acid, citrus, tannins, zinger tea

The Pink Heart shows off-the-charts acidity from the very first sip. I love how Union Hill has leaned into the acidity of pink-fleshed apples while taking advantage of tannic possibilities. It comes as no surprise that the acid puts me in mind of zesty citrus like Meyer lemons.  The red fruit and zinger tea notes are like currants and hibiscus with the grip of tannins.

I love how very bubbly this cider feels. It still manages to have a taut body and enough presence to not simply disappear the moment it has been consumed. The Pink Heart is tremendously pleasing. I served it with salmon burgers and sweet potato tots, but one could certainly pair this as casually as I did or dress it up with a pasta primavera or an asparagus and gouda frittata. 

Plus, I am so happy to share that I'll be participating in a talk and tasting with Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo later this month! Those two wrote the exciting new book: American Cider! This book has been a long time coming, and it has gotten the whole cider world excited with its recent release!

Buffalo St. Books and South Hill Cider have put together this conversation so that folks can hear all about the new book and taste some ciders with its authors and myself.

Here's a link to the event here: https://www.buffalostreetbooks.com/event/american-cider-daniel-pucci-and-craig-cavallo-conversation-meredith-collins-and-steve-selin

I do hope you can join us, and if you do, please join us for the tasting portion as well. Here's the lineup of amazing South Hill Ciders that we'll feature throughout the conversation: https://www.southhillcider.com/american-cider-tasting.

Cider Review: Eden Cider's Peak Bloom and Black Diamond Cider's 2018 Rosé

I write on a rainy evening, when perhaps I should be packing just a few more boxes. That’s because the Along Came a Cider HQ is moving! Not a far move, I doubt it's even a mile. But if you’ve sent me ciders in the past, please reach out to get the new address! This time next week, I’ll be writing from the new house!

Before then I want to share two reviews by two of my favorite cider makers: Eden Specialty Ciders and Black Diamond Cider!  

I have shared several Eden cider reviews here. Check them out to see the full range that Eden Ciders creates and to learn more about this very special Vermont cidery. 

Here’s the full list!

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

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

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

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

Imperial 11 Degree Rose(my number one cider of 2017): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-january-2017-cidrbox-and-edens.html

Heritage canned cider: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/06/cider-cans-crush-it-eden-heritage-and.html

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

2016 Sparkling Dry: 

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

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

You can learn about all of Eden’s ciders on the website: https://www.edenciders.com/

Here’s how Eden describes the Peak Bloom in its release sheet.

Taste: Apple Sunshine in a Can

Lush apple fruit balanced by light tannin and

soft lingering tartness. Notes of white grape,

applesauce and lime. Superbly crushable.

Apple Varieties Grown for Cider

DABINETT, MCINTOSH, EMPIRE,

SPARTAN, ESOPUS SPITZENBERG

100% Locally and Sustainably Grown

EDEN ORCHARDS

POVERTY LANE ORCHARDS

SCOTT FARM

SUNRISE ORCHARDS

WINDFALL ORCHARD

One Batch Per Year for Best Flavor

12 g/L residual sugar from arrested fermentation

6 g/L malic acidity, medium tannin

Filtered, carbonated, and pasteurized

No added sugar, color, flavoring or preservatives

Naturally gluten-free and vegan

Appearance: brilliant, intense warm straw, plenty of visible bubbles

This cider looks lovely, brilliant and glowy. I can see so many bubbles in its warm straw shade.

Aromas: oatmeal, tropical fruit, flowers, overripe apples

I was surprised by a note of sweet oats or oatmeal alongside the overripe apples and tropical fruit. The Peak Bloom certainly smells luscious. I expect this will be a fair bit sweeter than many of Eden's ciders. 

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

As I expected, this is sweeter cider! It has enough acidity to balance the sweetness, but the sweetness and the ABV add to a certain fullness in mouthfeel. It reminds me of cream more than water. 

Flavors and drinking experience: rich, full mouthfeel, fruity, high acid, baking spice, carrots

That intriguing oatmeal note from the aroma does translate into the Peak Bloom’s flavor. I’m reminded of a spiced carrot cake because of the combination of richness, baking spices, creaminess and high acidity. It’s a wonderful effect and very different from other Eden ciders.

This cider comes across as smooth, clean, and sophisticated. I think it’s aromas and mouthfeel work together such that it demands to be poured into a glass rather than consumed straight from the can. This cider deserves to expand fully into a glass and into your palate. The apple notes are present but not alone. I also get some tropical fruit presence and floral grace notes. 

The whole experience is charming and well balanced.  The bubbles aren’t as strong as in Eden’s bottled sparklers; I’m not sure a can could hold that pressure!  I think of the two new canned ciders, I’ll reach for the Deep Cut more often, but that’s simply my preferred profile. This cider uses its sweetness, mouthfeel, tannins and acidity well. It’s a lovely well-rounded experience. 

I didn’t follow the pairing suggestions, but I paired mine with blackened tilapia, steamed sweet potato, and sautéed bell peppers with zucchini. I wanted the sweetness to contrast against the mild spice of the blackening spices but to augment the acid driven flavor of the peppers. I’m well pleased and would create that meal again.

My next set of notes is not for a cider that’s easy to buy, so I’m sorry for that. But I couldn’t resist writing up my thoughts when I tried Black Diamond’s rosé! I was visiting the orchard for the kickoff to the farm’s apple CSA, and they had something fun just for sale at the farm.

Black Diamond Cider is based in Trumansburg, New York in the Finger Lakes region. It was founded by Ian and Jackie Merwin. You can check out my earlier reviews to get some more contextual notes for this cidery and my thoughts on other releases

My previous reviews include:

Shin Hollow: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/08/cider-review-mountain-west-ciders-sweet.html

Jaywalker: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/03/cider-review-alpenfires-dungeness-and.html

Geneva Tremlett’s: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-black-diamonds-geneva.html

Somerset Jersey: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/05/very-perry-may-with-vandermills-ice-ice.html

Slatestone: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/cider-reviews-big-hill-ciderworks.html

Hickster: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/cider-review-black-diamond-ciders.html

Porter’s Pommeau: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

Solstice: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/08/cider-review-black-diamonds-solstice.html

Rabblerouser: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-black-diamonds.html

Here are Black Diamond’s notes on their 2018 Rosé.

 

A dry rosé cider, perfect for summer afternoons by your favorite lake!

Tasting notes: Our take on a Finger Lakes rosé cider, made with a blend of black currants, blueberries and plums all grown on the farm. This cider is fruit forward, with notes of dark dusky plum and black cherry with a touch of sweetness.

 

This cider is a limited release available only in growlers and by the glass. Enjoy it while it lasts!

 

Apple Varieties: Espous Spitzenburg (45%), Shiro plum, blueberries, Titanium black currant (25%), mixed varieties (30%). ABV 7.8% Residual Sugar: 1.0%

 

Conversation at the tasting allowed to find out that the fruit was fermented, and that the mixture included some Porter’s and Kingston Black apples.

Appearance: brilliant, watermelon, bubbly

 

This cider looks like heaven to me. I love the brilliance, watermelon color, and the ring of miniscule bubbles around the edge of my glass. 

 

Aromas: Minerals, berries, sweet, ripe apples

 

This rosé smells of pleasing mineral and blueberry notes. The scent is sweet, earthy but clean. These elements are balanced by bright ripe apples.

 

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

 

This is a lovely semi-dry cider with only natural elements to the sweetness. 

 

Flavors and drinking experience: medium tannins, high acid, citrus, maple, pear

 

The rosé  tastes enchanting with high acidity and grippy medium tannins both from apples and currants. Something about it reminds me of an underripe pear with a maple note. The finish gentle wafts into citrus. 

 

My notes end with the brief statement, “Obviously excellent.” And I think that says what it needs to say.  I paired my cider with a walking tour of one of the Black Diamond orchard blocks, and it was extremely enjoyable. For a food pairing, I’d try walnuts and a soft cheese.

Cider Review: Stem Cider's A Salted Cucumber and Blake’s Hard Cider Rosé

It’s not the best day, cider fans. Stress, illness, uncertainty, and economic hardship are real, and they are here. It would feel disingenuous to pretend otherwise. What I can say is that they aren’t the only things going. I’m seeing Spring, creativity, resourcefulness, generosity, love and lots of pet pictures too. They can’t necessarily fix everything, but I’ll take them and appreciate them. 

I’m excited to start this week with Stem Cider’s A Salted Cucumber! 

Eric Foster and Phil Kao founded Stem Ciders in 2013. This cidery is based in Lafayette, Colorado. To find more background on the company, I recommend checking out the about section on the Stem Cider website: https://stemciders.com/our-cider-journey/.

Here are my previous reviews of Stem Ciders.

Colorado Heritage Blend: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/08/cider-review-eves-cidery-kingston-black.html

Banjo: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-stem-ciders-banjo-and.html

Pear Apple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-stem-ciders-pear-apple.html

Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-tieton-cider-works.html

You can find out more about the company online: https://stemciders.com

Today’s review is of A Salted Cucumber. To my knowledge this is the first cider I’ve seen whose name starts with the word, “A!”

Here’s how Stem Ciders introduces this one, “Dry hopped with cascade and citra hops, finished with fresh cucumber juice and sea salt. Crafted with 100% fresh pressed apples from the Pacific Northwest.” 6.7% ABV.

My can was a souvenir brought home from a large cider event last year. 

Appearance: hazy, crocus yellow, few visible bubbles

I could see one or two trails of bubbles floating through this hazy cider, but it’s appearance isn’t very bubbly. What I see instead is a classic hop haze and a pleasingly warm crocus yellow color.

Aromas: cucumber, salt, spice, hops, apple

A Salted Cucumber smells tantalizingly of cucumber, hops and a sprinkle of salt. I’m wondering if I’m also getting just a hint of spice. The cider is very clean smelling. There’s not a strong apple presence in the aromas, but some clean freshly washed apple notes breeze through.

Sweetness/dryness: Off dry

A Salted Cucumber tastes off dry to me. The can calls it dry, but I’m often not in perfect alignment with what packages suggests for a cider’s relative dryness or sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: cucumber, peppery, high acid, bubbly

I want to start by saying how very tasty this is! This cider tastes like salted cucumber and apple. It’s like a fresh salad! My cotaster and I both found A Salted Cucumber so enjoyably drinkable!
The cider offers up peppery and vegetal notes as well as green wood.

This hoppy cider tastes clean and not sweaty or soapy! It brings high acidity and intense sparkle to a very fun and approachable set of flavors.  The balance is really cemented by one hint of bitterness.

We paired this with a bean and corn salad and roasted Arizona Dreaming and Sofritos potatoes and faux-beef crumbles. It was a marvelous pairing. The cool and savory notes of A Salted Cucumber were just amazing with roasty spicy foods! This was followed up by a game of Trivial Pursuit, and I won!

And we’re closing out the week’s reviews with Blake’s Hard Cider Company’s Rosé.

Blake’s Hard Cider calls Armada, Michigan home. This popular company is always crafting new ciders; the range of styles Blake’s produces is large. The cidery prioritizes its local connections. The cidery grew out of a family farm. The ciders are now produced with only Michigan apples. There’s a lot of emphasis on the local and regional community. Someday, I’d love to see the cidery myself!

Here are my previous reviews of Blake’s Ciders.

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

Fido: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/11/cider-review-blakes-fido-and.html

Santa Rosa: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-blakes-hard-ciders-santa.html

Beard Bender: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-ciders-eves-ciderys.html

Apple Lantern: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-reviews-blakes-hard-ciders-apple.html

Black Philip: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/04/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-black.html

The Tonic: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

El Chavo: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/11/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

Wakefire:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/09/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

Snapdragon: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-blakes-hard-ciders.html

I recommend looking around Blake’s Hard Cider’s website. There’s a lot to see: https://www.blakeshardcider.com/


Here the official description for this cider, “Rosé Strawberry and rose hips. Semi-sweet with a citrus like acidity, this native fermented Rosé was infused with strawberries and rose hips, resulting in a vibrant finish.” 6.9% ABV.

Appearance: brilliant, watermelon, some tiny bubbles,  

This cider looks so pink and fruity. The color reminds me of watermelon. It’s brilliantly clear. I can see a few bubbles in glass, but they are small and few. The big show here is color, and it’s much too pretty to drink out of a can!

Aroma: Graham crackers, cherries, strawberries, 

When I poured this cider, I got my first aroma notes immediately. My impression is one of dessert with Graham crackers, cherries, and strawberries. These notes blend into raspberry, syrup, nectarine, and red fruit more generally. It’s very pie like. Other than my dessert impressions, the cider has aromas of minerals, wine, and walnut.

 Sweetness/dryness: sweet

This is a sweet cider! For some folks this would make a very satisfying dessert. The sweetness is intense, even with some fresh acid in the mix. It’s a bit sticky.

Flavors and and drinking experience: medium high acid, very fruity, bit sticky, full body and bubbly

I love that the Rosé begins with a little bitter bite at the start. That quickly gives way to a sweet and jammy drinking experience. The cider has medium-high acidity and a full body with floral and fruity qualities. It doesn’t really bring any tannins. The fruity notes are not powdery but are instead more than a little tropical. I also get bright banners of peach and raspberry flavor. I enjoyed this cider while relaxing with cats and my co-taster Alex after work. If you were to pair it, I think It would taste really lovely with a simple and creamy New York style cheesecake. 

Cider Review: Bauman’s Cider Mountain Rose and Wheel Line Cider's Mainline

I hope everyone reading this is healthy, doing what they can to stay that way and keeping others healthy too. If you’re stuck at home, working way too many hours at an essential job, unmoored in a land with no time and only pajamas, or attempting to just keep your own livelihood afloat, you are not alone. I want to offer what support I can from a safe distance, so stay tuned for some extra fun cider content and activities coming soon. But for today, two reviews from cideries I’ve never reviewed before!

I want to start Bauman’s Cider. I was lucky enough to receive a review sample in the mail recently. And let me say, getting cider samples has only increased in excitement in these days of staying at home.

Bauman’s Century Farm Cider was founded by Christine Walter who combines her science expertise with her farm familiar upbringing to make the best cider she can. The cidery’s name hearkens back to the homesteading days of the 1890s when the Oregon farm was founded.The orchard is part of a now 5th generation family farm.There are many mentions of the farm’s first cider maker Christine’s great-grandpa Stephen, but the brand speaks clearly about both appreciating tradition and looking forward for the possibilities of progress.

Visit the cidery homepage to learn more. https://www.baumanscider.com/

The cider I want to share first is the small batch Mountain Rose.

Here’s Bauman’s official description.

Mountain Rose apples have a delicate red flesh, that glows the perfect blush hue when fermented. They have lots of acid and aromatics. We fermented just these apples, with a white wine yeast to puckeringly dry, then aged in French Riesling barrels for a month. This blush cider is dry, but with lots of mouth feel from the time in oak. 6.9%aBV.

Appearance: flamingo pink, bubbly and brilliant

This cider’s pink hue reminds me of flamingos. The Mountain Rose is brilliant and shows off some fun bubble action in the glass. (Apologies for the fuzzy picture!)

Aromas: Grape, ripe apple, red currants

The Mountain Rose smells like newly washed graped, red currants, and ripe apples. There’s the barest whisper of volatile acidity, but only enough to perk up the anticipation of tartness.

Sweetness/Dryness: Semi-dry

The Mountain Rose manages to create a lovely and lofty balance as a semi-dry cider. What sweetness is present is that of berries and fruit.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acidity, berries, citrus and zest

It's true that color can change our perception of flavor, but whatever is working on my brain and palate, I can taste berries, citrus and apple in this cider. The Mountain Rose does bring the super high acidity that I expected after its aromas. The acidity plus the light semi-dryness makes for a light bodied and very zippy cider. It’s not without tannins though!

This fruity, berry forward cider just keeps pleasing me with its bubbles, balance, and beauty. We paired this with a sauteed grouper, potato pancakes, and asparagus. The cider was a mouth-watering accompaniment for this light and springy meal. I loved it.

And my next cider is one I got from Press then Press. I’ve been wanting more access to west coast ciders (an ongoing issue for me). I emailed Chris at the company, let him know my general profile preferences, and he created a custom case for me. It was a great experience! 

Learn about all the ciders and your purchase options here: https://pressthenpress.com/

Here’s a video of me unboxing my order: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWmCO89Gltk&fbclid=IwAR2aOjOBTlUzkU7GUaZEgGekeXInEpick6NuaNBousqAs_5DByNEzz3f6vk

My first cider from that box is Wheel Line Cider’s Mainline! This cidery is a family business and orchard in Washington State. I appreciate how much I read about fruit and apple varieties when I peruse the website. Apples make cider, and it matters what apples people use for their blends.

https://www.wheellinecider.com/

Here’s how the cidery describes the Mainline.

This cider features the Harry Masters Jersey apple that has been partially aged in white oak barrels, with partial spontaneous ferment and then blended together creating a unique smell and flavor profile. The aroma has hints of toffee, caramel and vanilla, with a tasty tart, crisp green apple flavor that will leave you pallet craving more!  ABV: 7%.

Once I had the honor of knowing a cat named after the Harry Masters Jersey apple, so I have a particular fondness for seeing that apple in cider.

Appearance: deep saffron color, hazy, some bubbles

This cider reminds me so much of some french and english style ciders based on its appearance. The color is warm and deep like threads of saffron. It’s just a bit hazy with some visible bubbles.

Aromas: fruity, white grapes, pears, mild oxidation

Wow! I am totally impressed with how fruity and juicy this cider smells. The Mainline is just brimming over with notes of pear and white grape. The aromas are very juicy and just a little oxidized. It smells like the tiniest drizzle of hot caramel over a dessert of fresh fruit.

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-dry

This shocked me, because I expected a sweeter cider based on those aromas. While the Mainline isn’t fully dry, it’s close.

Flavors and drinking experience: funk, minerals, acidity, stone fruit

The Mainline cider is much funkier, drier, and higher acid than I expected from those aromas. I was really thinking I’d get a fruit salad in a glass, but this is more like minerals, fusel oils, and farmy funk. This cider will wake you up!

I appreciate intense minerality and acid, so I’m super happy with this surprise. Fans of funky, super tart ciders should take notice. My initial notes for acidity were, “Yowsers, ear curling acid!.” 

The cider isn’t strongly sparkling, I’d describe it as more mildly petillant.

The Mainline does bring some fruit to the drinking experience. My co-taster noticed and remarked upon a note of under ripe nectarines on the finish. Since those are his favorite fruit, consider this high and specific praise. We enjoyed this cider with our last frozen flatbread pizza dressed up with yellow bell pepper and extra Parmesan. It was a strong pairing, but I get the feeling that the Mainline could lighten much heavier foods with ease. I think I’d choose to put it with a baked macaroni next time!

Stay safe folks and break out the good stuff!