Cider Review: Rootwood Cider Co.'s Harrison

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I found out about Rootwood Cider Company through the Northwest Cider Club. This is a wonderful way to get access to a mouthwatering array of ciders from that region. I would not find out about a fraction of the Northwest ciders I’ve enjoyed without them. 

Here’s a link to the club for the curious: https://nwciderclub.com/

This introduction to Rootwood Cider Co. came through a delivery in 2021, so it has waited a while in my cellar. Here’s what I can say about the cider producer. This Washington State cidery was founded in 2014 in the Koenig family’s 5th generation of orcharding. The cidery is now owned by Emily, Kate, and Anna Koenig. A short quote from the about page on the cidery website gives a sense of the cidery’s breadth of style.

“Rootwood will continue to produce a combination of traditional and modern ciders - both heirloom apple blends and single-varietal products, and small-batch experimental ciders such as the syrah-infused Rosé, honey infused Pollinator, and ghost chili pepper infused Golden Ghost.”

This will be my first ever review of anything by Rootwood. I was excited to try the Harrison on a recent spring evening, because of the mystique surrounding the varietal. Here’s how Rootwood Cider Co. introduces it.

Tasting notes

HARRISON - SINGLE VARIETAL - juicy apple brightness with a warm sherrylike finish

Once thought to be extinct, a single Harrison apple tree was rediscovered in 1976 in New Jersey, allowing for the reintroduction of this variety through grafting and budding. This cider was produced with apples from our estate cider orchard, where more than 500 Harrison trees grow today. 6.9% ABV.

Appearance: Orange,  bubbly

I was shocked initially by the Harrison’s intense shade of orange. I admit, it left me curious about what to expect from this cider. The cider is brilliant, bubbly, and bewitching with its unusual hue. I’ve seen a few UK or French ciders with shades of orange for color, but it’s not usual for an american cider or a cider with this level of clarity. 

Aromas: Ripe apples, pear, and peach

As surprising as I found this cider’s appearance, the Harrison smells familiar and wonderful. The enticing notes center on ripe apple, pear, and peach.

Sweetness/dryness: sweet

What a treat! Often single varietal ciders are fermented to total dryness. I like that. It’s a good way to make a considered cider, but it’s not the only way. Rootwood has crafted something lovely approachable and delicious in the sweet but not simple Harrison.

Flavors and drinking experience: Tannic, juicy, golden raisins, apricot finish and bubbly

The sweet and tannic cider does not strike me as typical of any sort of American cider. It’s not always easy to get apples that will make a tannic cider, but Harrison is one. The cider sings with high acidity and notes of golden raisins.

The Harrison’s mid-palate is peachy, juicy, and bubbly. It finishes with a pleasant apricot and seasoned wood drift of flavor.

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: Albemarle Ciderworks Brut D'Albemarle Hewes Crab

We’re back to warm weather for this week, but it feels like a lingering goodbye rather than anything more lasting. I’m still moving slowly in a boot, but I’m managing more than I did last week. One evening this week, it felt right to pull something special out of the fridge and I chose Albemarle Ciderworks’ Brut D’Albemarle Hewes Crab. 

I may be a Wickson girl through and through, but my tall co-taster Alex feels almost as passionate about the Hewes Crab. He’s not wrong. This apple always brings some amazing flavor and intensity to a cider. Our expectations were high from the moment we got this cider as a gift from the kind folks at the cidery.

Here are my earlier reviews of Albemarle Ciderworks’ ciders. The newest ones are first. There’s more background information about this Virginia cidery in these, and you’ll find the most in the earliest reviews. 

Wickson: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/07/dryciderjuly-cider-review-albemarle.html

Brut D’Albemarle Harrison: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/03/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks-brut.html

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

Ragged Mountain: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/cider-review-albemarle-ragged-mountain.html

Royal Pippin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/08/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks-royal.html

Pomme Mary (a Top Ten cider from 2013): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/09/cider-review-albemarle-iderworks-pomme.html

I recommend visiting the Albemarle Ciderworks website to learn more about the ciders and happenings at the cidery: http://www.albemarleciderworks.com.

Here’s what I could find online about this cider!

A bottle conditioned cider that is very similar to an apple champagne. Great for that special celebration!

Alcohol 10.00%

And just a little more detail.

Notes from the CiderMaker: Brut d’Albemarle is a bottle conditioned cider made in a Champagne style. A single varietal of the Virginia Hewes Crab was fermented in stainless steel and bottled with a small dose of yeast and sugar. The resulting cider is more carbonated than our usual offerings making it a great bubbly beverage for special occasions and celebrations.

One last link. Here’s where to read what the cidery says about the Virginia Hewes Crab as an apple.

https://www.albemarleciderworks.com/orchard/apple/virginia-hewes-crab

Appearance: Brilliant, warm goldenrod, bubbly

This cider is a spectacle! I am amazed by the gorgeous warm goldenrod color and its picture perfect brilliance. And there will be bubbles! Lovely.

Aromas: flowers, old books, ripe apples and peaches

I know to expect a dry cider, but the aromas on the Brut D'Albemarle Hewes Crab are redolent with crystalline floral sweetness. I get notes of ripe apples, peach and old books. It’s a lazy warm smell with hints of afternoon dust motes in the sunlight. I get a much more energetic salivary reaction though, so I know acid is on its way.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry, but not bone dry.

I love that the Brut D'Albemarle Hewes Crab tastes dry, but not bone dry. It feels structured and sophisticated but its also unfolding with lots of fruit and flavor. 

Flavors and drinking experience: Citrus, orange zest, stone fruit, fennel, acidic and bubbly

My high expectations are rewarded! The Brut D'Albemarle Hewes Crab is alive with flavor. This is the whole experience with acid and tannins but so fruity and bubbly! The first note I get from the cider is citrus, specifically orange zest followed by stone fruit and fennel.

It’s delightfully bubbly. I’m a big fan of strong sparkle, and this cider is a party! The bubble lifts, the tannins hold, the acids excite, and the ABV provides a substantial mouthfeel for all of the ciders many fruit flavors. All of the elements are working together to create a simply wonderful experience. This cider could be served with any number of dishes, from the simple to the elaborate. We served it with homemade summer pesto, homegrown tomatoes, pasta and zucchini. Not much could be better! Cheers.

Cider Review: Ragged and Right Cider Project's First Pick Gravenstein

This moment at the dizzy height of Summer grants a full view of the season to come: Autumn. We’re in the midst of so many harvests; school is gearing up to begin another year. Mornings are webbed with dew and spider silk. In my life, the temporary kittens have gone on to their next foster home, so I’m back to enjoying quiet porch mornings with coffee and my own pets. I’m ready for the calm that I can steal during a busy time. One evening this past week, we had a quiet dinner at home with a new cider and that was just right. Here’s how Ragged and Right Cider Project's First Pick Gravenstein worked out for us.

This is my first ever review of anything by Ragged and Right Cider Project. I believe this was another cider scored in a NW Cider Club box. Ragged and Right Cider Project comes out of Washington state. The cidery focuses on using local fruit to ferment small-batch craft cider. Here’s a quote from the website that gives a bit more insight into Ragged and Right’s priorities!

The sister company of Farmstrong Brewing, Ragged & Right Cider exists to provide high end, locally sourced, hard cider. We get our juice straight from the press at our local juice makers and don’t add sugars or substitutes. Blending unique, delicious, and complex cider that will get you somewhere between ragged and right.

Here’s the official description for the First Pick Gravenstein cider.

The inaugural bottling of our First Pick series shines a light on the delicious Gravenstein Apple, grown and pressed at Bellewood Acres in Whatcom County. The initial notes in the aroma are light and pillow like which is mimicked in the delicate first sip. Starting crisp and effervescent, the flavor unfolds in waves as the full flavors of the apple come to life with every sip. 5.3% ABV.

Find this side project of Farmstrong Brewing online here: https://www.farmstrongbrewing.com/raggedandrightcider

Appearance: pale straw, brilliant, no visible bubbles

This looks totally welcoming and familiar with its pale straw color shining in the glass. It’s not an intense shade, but rather its mellowness is gentle and appealing. I don’t see any bubbles in the glass

Aromas: mineral dust, white grapes, woody

The First Pick smells pleasant with an immediate intensity of aroma that I love. What hits first is lots of mineral dust, white grape, and some bitter notes. My co-taster smelled stone, wood, and cotton: an intriguing and clean bouquet.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

This cider is semi-sweet—surprising and unusual for a single varietal. Often those are fermented to dryness and this instead has plenty of residual sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, leather, strong sparkle, ripe green apple, vanilla

The First Pick tastes lightly leathery with high acidity. The cider offers nice richly abiding sparkle, and a full mouthfeel. The First Pick is sessionable and easily drinkable. I found the cider has a creamy finish, with notes of vanilla. The fruitiness of the midpalate is boisterous and concentrated ripe green apple.

We had this with Zucchini Pie (made by me), and the combination was ideal!

#DryCiderJuly Cider Review: Albemarle Ciderworks' Wickson

It’s gone from dry and smoky to nearly flooded here in the finger lakes in the past few weeks. I love seeing how green everything is. At the same time, I do miss the sun. I won’t complain much though, I’d rather too much rain than too little! I did take an evening recently to open up a bottle of cider that I was most excited about and enjoy it with good cheese, good company, and the sound of rain falling outside. It was great.

I wanted to share this review to start of #DryCiderJuly! There are so many wonderful dry ciders out there, and the American Cider Association is taking the month of July to celebrate them. I'm happy to join in and share all of the myriad of flavors I can find in a dry cider. Here's a link to a Dry Cider Finder: https://ciderassociation.org/dryciderfinder/,

The kind folks at Albemarle Cider shared a bottle of the Wickson cider with me along with a few other bottles that are also tremendously tempting. More reviews will appear along and along. Check out my earlier reviews of this Virginia cidery to learn more background about the company and its cider making!

Brut D’Albemarle Harrison: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/03/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks-brut.html

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

Ragged Mountain: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/cider-review-albemarle-ragged-mountain.html

Royal Pippin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/08/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks-royal.html

Pomme Mary: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/09/cider-review-albemarle-iderworks-pomme.html

Albemarle can be found online here: http://www.albemarleciderworks.com.

I was so eager to open up Albemarle Ciderworks’ Wickson, because I frequently love ciders made with Wickson apples. Here’s a link to a bit of information about this delicious crab: https://www.orangepippin.com/varieties/crab-apples/wickson-crab.

Here’s how Albemarle describes this cider on its label, “ Dry single varietal of the Wickson Crab apple. Bright and tart. Fruity and floral aromas lead to pineapple and passionfruit on the palette. Alcohol 9.40%”

Appearance: brilliant, intense, buttercup yellow, bubbly

This is a beautiful cider. The color reminds me of so many summer yellow flowers; it’s an intense sunny yellow. The Wickson is alive in the glass with active bubbles. 

Aromas: ripe apple, strawberry, orange, and lemon, so fruity! 

The Wickson smells impressively fresh and fruity. I get so many distinct fruit notes like ripe apple, peach, orange, lemon, and strawberry. It’s all tart zest and freshness. Love it!

Dryness/Sweetness: Dry and yet totally fruity 

This is a dry cider but it could certainly fool you if you’re just looking at whether or not the Wickson is

fruity. It’s redolent with vivid fruit and yet dry. It’s possible, and it's delicious. 

Taste: zingy, subtly bitter, creamy, fruity and mouthwatering

Astonishing. This cider is a keeper. I find it powerfully and yet invitingly tart with a bitter and

mouthwatering edge. The Wickson is delightfully  bubble and yet creamy. The flavors that keep

bouncing across my palate are citrus and tart cream- like the most luxurious whole milk lemon yogurt

imaginable or lemon curd. Secondarily, I notice loads of minerals. Repeated sips keep delighting me

with how juicy and vivid they taste.

I paired mine with cheese, conversation and the sound of rain. What a treat. 

Cider Review: Angry Orchard's Margil

It’s sunny enough and and getting warmer each day, that I’m worrying about keeping my seedlings and house plants from getting scorched in the sunroom. I am amazed yet again by how quickly the seasonal shift can come. 

One day, I’m still reaching for thick fluffy socks and hiding from the blustery winds and not long after I’m wearing shades and shedding layers. The surprises are energizing! And this week, I wanted to relish a memory from last summer’s trip to Angry Orchard’s R&D facility in Walden, New York. That means finally opening up my Angry Orchard's Margil.

Over the ten years of this blog, I’ve reviewed many offerings from Angry Orchard, including several from the Walden location. Here is an incomplete list.

Buddy King: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/11/cider-review-angry-orchards-buddy-king.html

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

Newtown Pippin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-angry-orchards-newtown.html

Baldwin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/05/cider-review-angry-orchards-baldwin.html

Understood in Motion 2: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/02/cider-review-critz-farms-double-vision.html

Understood in Motion 3: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-angry-orchard-ciders.html

Wooden Sleeper: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-angry-orchards-wooden.html

Spiced Apple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-angry-orchards-spiced-apple.html

Pear: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-review-of-greenwood.html

Rosé: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-angry-orchard-rose-and.html

Walden: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/09/cider-review-angry-orchards-walden.html

And if you want more, just click on the Angry Orchard Tag on any of these posts, and you can find the rest. 

I recommend visiting the Angry Orchard site to see the ciders and check out what’s happening at The Treehouse in Walden, New York: https://www.angryorchard.com/.

Here’s how the Margil is described on the Angry Orchard website.

This single varietal cider features only the Margil apple. With no added sugar, it is a bright off-dry offering with notes of pear and apple skin aromatics. 6.4% ABV.

And from the label itself, “An apple with mysterious origins dating back to 18th century England (or maybe France), the Margil has biome a favorite of ours in Walden for its texture and aroma. With no added sugar, this off-dry cider is bright, fresh, and gives lively pear and apple skin aromatics.” 

And now for my tasting notes on Angry Orchard’s Margil Cider.

Appearance: brilliant, medium intense color, pale straw

This cider has gorgeous shining brilliant and a pale straw color. I can see a few bubbles at the ring of the glass. 

Aromas: Stone, cotton, apple skin, vanilla

The Margil smells first of stone and cotton. Secondarily I get notes of cleanly-fermented fruit. It’s so different from most Angry Orchard ciders. It doesn’t smell like unfermented sweet fruits. I do get the impression of tart apple skin. 

Sweetness/dryness: Off-dry

It’s interesting to isolate the sweetness in this cider. It doesn’t taste particularly sweet, but it must have some sweetness to round out the other elements that it has in such plentiful quantities without becoming severe. Read on to find out more. 

Flavors and tasting experience: Very high tannins, medium-high acids, bright fruit notes, tiny bubbles

The Margil tastes sophisticated yet playful. The cider is lightly sparkling with fine bubbles and very high tannins, but they give way to bright fruitiness. The acidity feels medium-high with lots of citrus notes. The tannins keep coming back to make their presence known with every sip. Gosh, I like this! 

There are hints of sweetness, but the cider is decidedly not sugary. What’s there feels like a neat deep sweetness from the apple’s essence itself and not the residual sugars. The Margil is wonderfully textural and evocative. This delightful cider makes me think of ripe oranges, vanilla, and pears with tropical fruit notes on the finish.

We had our bottle of Margil with a five-cheese pesto pizza and kale salad. The combination was wonderful because the cider helped me remain awake to the delightful contrasting textures of a soft pillowy crust, sharp curly kale leaves, and the melty cheeses. This has to be one of the tastiest ciders I've ever had from the crew at Angry Orchard. Delicious!

Cider Review: Snow Capped Cider's Dabinett

I have seen the sun more in the last three days than I have in the two months before. It's restorative in a way that goes deeper than I can communicate with words. The time hasn’t come yet for looking forward to Spring, but I’m profoundly grateful for the steps we’re making in that direction. 

This past weekend, I even successfully travelled out of state to visit with dear friends and see an amazing performance; I got to see Dita Von Teese’s Glamonatrix tour!  Part of the delightful weekend included sharing cider with wonderful dinner companions. I chose to bring a cider that isn’t easy to acquire in Massachusetts: Snow Capped Cider’s Dabinett.

Snow Capped Cider comes from Colorado. I encourage folks to visit the history section of Snow Capped Cider’s website to learn all about this fascinating multi-generation farm journey: https://snowcappedcider.com/about-us/.

My reviews include a few Snow Capped Ciders. I’ll share all the links below.

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

I recommend visiting Snow Capped Cider online to learn about what Snow Capped Cider is up to: https://snowcappedcider.com/

Here’s how Snow Capped Cider describes the Dabinett. 

This revered bittersweet apple was first discovered in Somerset England during the 1800’s. Our high elevation orchards increase UV exposure creating intense flavor profiles. We combine this with a slow fermentation. Our Dabinett single varietal is processed unfiltered. Further maturation is developed in the bottle evoking a deep golden hue and beckoning butterscotch aroma. This complex flavor development leads to fruity sweetness, and rich buttery floral notes. Hinting woody vanilla then building tingling warmth and tannins on the tongue for a slightly dry bittersweet finish. 100% Dabinett apples grown in our Colorado Orchards. Serve slightly chilled.

Alcohol 8.20%

Appearance: Intense apricot, no visible bubbles, brilliant

I love it when a cider dares to show such extravagant color. Snow Capped Cider’s Dabinett’s color reminds me of apricots and spring sunrises. I don’t see any bubbles but beautiful clarity.

Aromas: overripe apple, yeast, dusty limestone, 

As soon as this was pouring, the rich aromas of the Dabinett made their presence known. These very strong scents of  overripe apple and yeast along dusty limestone and peach were enveloping and inviting!

Sweetness/Dryness: Semi-sweet

The label on the bottle uses a visual scale to set expectations for the level of sweetness or dryness. This one indicated that the Dabinett would be semi dry. We tasted it and found it semi-sweet to sweet instead. Read on for more specifics.

Flavors and drinking experience: honeyed, high acid, balance, leather finish

My first thought when the Dabinett crossed my lips was how honeyed it tasted. Thankfully the cider also brought beautiful high acid as well.  The sweetness and acid brought balance to the drinking experience. It stayed clean through the mid-palate but veered just a little funky with a leather finish. I enjoyed the complexity that those gentle notes of wildness added to the overall experience. It’s a lovely cider! 

We paired the cider with an array of takeout Ethiopian dishes, and the combinations worked beautifully! The cider’s sweetness was not unwelcome among the wonderful experiences of spicy, sour, rich, and savory. The sweetness of the Dabinett helped complete the meal this way! It added to a deeply satisfying meal and a wonderful weekend start to finish. 

Cider Review: Troddenvale's Countryside Farm (100% Harrison)

Welcome back to everyone returning from their time at CiderCon. I hope you had a fantastic adventure. I loved following everyone’s posts about it. I hope re-entry into regular life is gentle and pleasant for you all. This is often a difficult season, so I offer you wishes for cold steady temperatures for orchards and warm hearths filled with love inside. Today, I’m sharing notes on a special cider that was a birthday gift last year from my darling tall one. He found for me a cider that he thought looked especially promising Troddenvale’s Countryside Farm (100% Harrison) from the Grower Series. 

Troddenale at Oakley Farm is based in Warm Springs, Virginia near the George Washington National Forest. This cider is one of the earliest releases, a batch from 2018. Here’s how the folks at Trodenvale describe their methods of cidermaking. I think it's a great introduction to the identity of this cidery more generally.

Stripping away the modern techniques and dogmatic notions of the commercial beverage industry, we strive to make pure expressions of distinct fruit and showcase where they are grown. Focusing on what the fruit can give us requires patience and limited intervention. 

Working with true cider varietals limits the need of flavor-enhancing adjuncts and corrections. Relying purely on native microbial populations provides genuine complexity and individual character. Fermenting in neutral oak creates depth and microflora continuity. Bottling unfiltered provides texture, leaving nothing behind. Limiting the addition of preservatives ensures these ciders are transparent, alive, and evolving.

Visit Troddenvale online to learn about the current lineup of ciders: https://www.troddenvale.com/

Here’s what info I could glean about the Countryside Farm from the cider's back label. 

The grower series focuses on expression of single orchard sites. 

Sparkling Cider. 100% Harrison.

Grown by Countryside Farm and Nurseries of Crimora, Virginia.

Concentrated rich aromatics. Robust phenolic structure. Drink with food. Full native yeast fermentation in neutral oak. Sur lie aged. Undisgorged.

No fining/filtration.

No pasteurization.

No chapitalization.

No acidification.

No added sulfites.

Batch 2018

35 Cases produced

Alc. 8.5% by volume

From the great springs region of Virginia, sparkling ciders of origin driven by transparency. Produced and bottled by Troddenvale, Warm Springs, Virginia.

Appearance: deep color, few visible bubbles, hazy, no sediment in the first 2 glasses

The cider is hazy with deep marigold color, few visible bubbles, no sediment in the first 2 glasses.

Aromas: Woody, twiggy, lime, mineral, and floral

There are wonderful complexities to these aromas. The Countryside Farm smells powerfully woody in a way that anticipates both tannins and acid. I think the cider will be bright and dry, but we’ll see what flavors lie in store. It smells English but not too powerfully funky. There’s also a beautiful interplay of lime, mineral and floral notes.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

The Countryside Farm tastes dry but not bone dry. The cider has a lot going on that feels totally separate from the dry/sweet spectrum.

Flavors and drinking experience: petillant, tannic, wood, full mouthfeel, angular

This cider, upon first sip, was declared an instant winner. It’s petillant with angular fruitiness, high tannins, and white wood notes. It doesn’t taste traditionally barrelly, but also definitely gained something from its fermentation in neutral oak. I appreciate how full the mouthfeel is. The Countryside Farm is boozy at 8.5oz but with no undue heat. 

It’s well balanced, especially considering that its a single varietal. I don’t expect to get the right counterbalance of acidity, tannin, bubbles, phenolics and everything from just one apple. The minimal intervention approach that Troddenvale committed to was entirely rewarding in this case. I am beyond impressed!

Overall, the cider is serious, but immediately rewarding. I love that it’s still completely delicious a full five years after fermentation (it’s a 2018 batch)! We just served it with a hearty yet simple United Kingdom inspired dinner of jacketed potatoes with beans, shredded cheddar and vegetarian sausage. It was perfect!

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: Snow Capped Cider Ashmead's Kernel

I picked up my first apple CSA share of the season this past weekend. For me, this is the real start of fall. I’m ready! In the coming weeks the other signs will appear: colorful leaves, pumpkins, early evening shadows and eventually frosted mornings. I’m not in a rush to traverse it; this short season begs to be savored. One of my savorings this weekend was a quiet birthday celebration with a long-time friend, her family, my family, many snacks and Snow Capped Cider’s Ashmead’s Kernel. 

Snow Capped Cider comes to us from a multiple generation family farm in Colorado. I’ve had a few of their ciders and seen the cidery name come up as a frequent award winner. Here are all of my previous reviews of Snow Capped Cider.

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

You can visit Snow Capped Cider online and learn about everything this cidery is up to: https://snowcappedcider.com/

I love how Snow Capped introduces the Ashmead’s Kernel with background and description for the apple that makes up this single-varietal cider. 

First discovered in Gloucester England around 1700 then throughout North America, Ashmead has remained popular in both cider making and eating for two centuries despite its faded color and dull outer appearance. Ashmead’s Kernel boasts incredible flavor creating a truly remarkable sensory experience. We have returned to its old world roots with a long ripening period and slow farm style fermentation method. A pétillant finish further enhances the fresh fruity aroma delivering the remarkable strong flavor combined with natural, delicate tannin and balanced sweetness. A unique enchanting cider with nearly elusive richness that leaves you questing for more. 100% Ashmead’s Kernel apples grown in our Colorado Orchards.

Alcohol 8.10%

Here are my thoughts on the Ashmead's Kernel by Snow Capped Ciders.

Appearance: mousse, medium intense amber tea color, 

This cider pours amber shading into tea with a lovely head of bubbles. The color is medium intensity. It’s a brilliant cider with no hint of opacity.

Aromas: Orange, minerals, autumn, overripe apples  

The Ashmead’s Kernel smells wonderful and enticing, What I notice first is orange and overripe apples. Secondarily I get aquatic and mineral notes. Overall the impression I get is one of maturity, full bloom, and autumnal forest floor.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

This is a dry cider. It doesn’t use sweetness to guide you through the experience. 

Flavors and drinking experience: tannic, mid-low acid, pepper, baking spice

What a treat! Everyone gathered was wowed by this cider’s profile. It is substantially different than what we taste a lot here in upstate New York. The Ashmead’s Kernel is super tannic, but that feels very surprisingly different when paired with medium-low acidity. It’s smoother and less spiky. I taste bits of sweet red pepper and fruity sweetness. 

The cider is refreshing; something about it feels not only velvety but also lush with baking spice notes. I love the plentiful bubbles! I always love plentiful bubbles. The cider’s smooth finish makes it easy to reach for a second sip. It wears its relatively high ABV well.

We had divine caprese salad, pesto bean dip, focaccia bread, peppers, cheeses and Marcona almonds with the cider. We loved trying this along side different parts of this beautiful range of treats. I think my favorite pairings were the Ashmead’s Kernel with blue cheese and with truffle dusted Marcona almonds. 

What a way to celebrate a friend and welcome Fall.

Cider Review: Angry Orchard's Newtown Pippin Traditional Method

Last week I was able to take a few days for a cider trip down to the Hudson Valley. It was finally time for my sensory retake of the Certified Pommelier Exam. The timing worked out amazingly so I could also visit Treasury Cider (http://www.treasurycider.com/) for a meet up with New York Cider Association members and tour Angry Orchard’s Walden Orchard and research cidery (https://www.angryorchard.com/tours/plan-your-visit). What made it sweetest of all is that my darling partner (He’s called The Tall One here) passed his Cider Certified Professional Level One exam shortly before, so he got to take the Pommelier test as well.  

Here’s a link to learn more about the American Cider Association’s Certified Pommelier program: https://ciderassociation.org/certification/.

That’s why I chose to review one of my special Walden Cidery offerings from Angry Orchard to review this week. I’m so happy to share my thoughts on Angry Orchard’s Newtown Pippin! Full disclosure, this cider was shared with me by some cider friends who work for Angry Orchard.

Here are a few of my earlier Angry Orchard reviews:

Baldwin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/05/cider-review-angry-orchards-baldwin.html

Understood in Motion 2: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/02/cider-review-critz-farms-double-vision.html

Understood in Motion 3: this collaboration with Tom Oliver of Oliver’s Cider (this was my #6 cider of 2018): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-angry-orchard-ciders.html

Wooden Sleeper: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-angry-orchards-wooden.html

Spiced Apple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-angry-orchards-spiced-apple.html

Pear: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-review-of-greenwood.html

Rosé: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-angry-orchard-rose-and.html

Walden: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/09/cider-review-angry-orchards-walden.html

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

You can learn more about what Angry Orchard is up to, including a new series of cider-based cocktails inspired by tall tales: https://www.angryorchard.com/

This cider is the Single Varietal Newtown Pippin Traditional Method. Here’s what Angry Orchard has to say about this particular cider.

Newtown Pippin 

Using only the Newtown Pippin apple this cider is tart and dry with notes of apple skins and wild honey. 6.8% ABV. 750 mL bottle.

Appearance: bubbly, ripe straw, transparent

This looks glowy and inviting with a color reminiscent of ripe straw. The Newtown Pippin pours with an aromatic mousse of bubbles.  

Aromas: Intense, breadcrumbs, champagne

I love how strong the Newtown Pippin’s aromas are. I could smell this cider as soon as I popped the cork. It’s bread crumbly, yeasty, and has a very champagne-like aroma. It reminds me of ripe grapefruit and white grapes.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This is a lovely dry cider. If you think Angry Orchard cannot make a dry cider, please try some of the special offerings from the Walden facility. This team can do it!

Flavors and drinking experience: intense sparkle, clean, pear, grapefruit, medium high acid

Nice! The Newtown Pippin is blowing me away. I’m such a fan of this. The first impression is how super bubbly it is. This cider brings a awesome intensity of sparkle from that second fermentation. The Newtown Pippin doesn’t really go for tannins but it offers medium high acidity and a beautiful fresh and clean fermentation. 

The flavors I notice early are pear, grapefruit and buttery breadcrumbs. The citrus that I noticed in the cider’s aroma remains. It’s all very golden, crisp, and polished. The body strikes me a lithe  but subtly rounded! The cider is so very pleasing.

I had this with a sweet corn ravioli in a blush tomato sauce with sauteed yellow squash, stripey tomatoes, and a red pepper. The pairing was delightful. The Newtown Pippin’s bubbles had a zesty cleaning effect between creamy pasta bites. 

The Pommelier test was challenging, and I won’t know how we did for a few weeks yet, so I’ll just share a few tour pictures in the meantime. 

Cider Review: Snow Capped Cider's Single Varietal Blanc Mollet

If you’re feeling like I’m feeling right now, it’s not a good week. I won’t rehash the miseries of the news and hypocrises of the United States Supreme Court, but I want anyone who comes to this blog to know that abortion is healthcare. I stand with the majority of Americans who support abortion rights.  

While a donation isn’t everything, it’s certainly better than doing nothing: https://abortionfunds.org/

Now that I’ve exercised my first amendment right to free speech, I’ll continue with some thoughts on a cider I enjoyed a few weeks ago.  

The fine folks at Snow Capped Cider shared a bottle of the Single Varietal Blanc Mollett with me, and I’m super excited to review it. I’ve never had a single varietal of this apple before; I may never have had it in a cider before (though I don’t know that with certainty). As always, a sample does not guarantee a review or influence my opinion. Right now, I have much more cider in my cellar than writing time in my calendar. 

Snow Capped Cider comes to us from Colorado as a project within a multi-generation family farm. You can find more background information in my earlier reviews linked below.

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

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

Check out all of Snow Capped Cider’s offerings here: https://snowcappedcider.com/

Here’s how Snow Capped Cider describes the Single Varietal Blanc Mollet:

This bittersweet apple was grown in our Colorado orchards, then romantically aged in pear brandy barrels for six months. Blanc Mollet is as delightful as its french apple namesake. Introducing itself with a deep, golden hue, inviting aroma and smooth medium astringency on the palate. Loving notes of sweet pear, orange blossom and vanilla dance together ending with a warm, slightly dry finish.

Alcohol 8.90%

Appearance: intense cinnamon color, brilliant, few visible bubbles

This cider’s color reminds me of cinnamon, tea, and medium warm brown saddle leather. It’s earthy and inviting. The cider has brilliance but very few visible bubbles. 

Aromas: juicy, overripe apples, sweet cherries, ice cider

Wow! The Blanc Mollet offers a complex and enticing bouquet. It smells juicy and mellow with notes of overripe apples and barrel-y caramel. The parade of scents continues by reminding me of ice cider, sweet cherries, and brown sugar. The cider’s aromas are concentrated and powerful. 

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

There’s a ton going on in this cider, but the Blanc Mollet is dry. 

Flavors and drinking experience: Leather, warmth, rich, medium tannins

The Blanc Mollet’s intricacies continue with a wonderful taste experience. The cider reminds me of leather, with its warmth, richness, and mild astringency. There’s just so much velvety, crackly texture in these medium tannins and full body. The Blanc Mollet has medium-high acidity which helps keep the cider from going too loose or heavy. I was surprised to find it barely petillant rather than bringing a stronger bubble.

The barrel aging is incorporated so smoothly into the cider, that it’s a blended part of the flavor throughout. It neither spikes nor dips, and it doesn’t dominate the experience. I appreciate that sense of balance tremendously.

Take care of yourselves and each other, cider friends.