Cider Review: 2 Towns Ciderhouse's Two Berry Dream

Summer can be a time of simple pleasures: fireflies, popsicles, and movies with big explosions. This weekend my highlights included reading a good book, naps, and a picnic on a beautiful day. And when offered the chance to try a berry and lime cider from 2 Town Ciderhouse, it was a simple decision for me to say yes!

Many thanks to 2 Towns for sharing samples of the Two Berry Dream cider with me for review. The towns referred to in this cidery’s name are Portland and Corvallis, Oregon. The cidery started out with two locations early on, hence the name. You can find more background info on this quintessentially Pacific Northwest Cidery in some of my previous 2 Towns reviews.  

Here are all of my earlier 2 Towns reviews. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to try anything by them; there’s just not quite the access to far-distant cider these days. 

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

You can visit 2 Towns Ciderhouse online here and find out about all of their ciders and events: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

Here’s the official description for the Two Berry Dream, “Tangy & Fresh, we’re coming at you with the ultimate crushable-thirst-quenching cider.  Enter Two Berry Dream, a cider full of Northwest blueberries, currants, and tons of zesty key lime. Grab a can, sit in the sun, and let the daydreams begin. 5.3% ABV."

Appearance: brilliant, mulberry, no visible bubbles

I love the intense purple-pink color of this cider. I think it’s best described as mulberry, though it certainly connects to both blueberry and black currant juices without being as cloudy or dark as they can be. It's a transparent or brilliant cider with virtually no visible bubbles. 

Aromas: cranberry, black currants, blackberries, apple

This cider reminds me of a dark berry punch. It smells like cranberry, black currants, blackberries, and apple, but no lime. The aroma makes my mouth water. I love berries.

Sweetness/dryness: sweet

This cider is both sweet and tart! 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acidity, black currant, apple, lime, cranberry

What a fun treat! I enjoy the Two Berry Dream easily and immediately. It’s super sessionable! This cider has low-but-present tannins probably from the black currant. I think the acidity is high with non-apple acid, but interestingly my co-taster didn’t perceive the acidity as nearly as vibrantly present as I did. 

I can taste both blackcurrant and lime, but I don’t detect a lot of blueberry flavor. The lime comes out  particularly in the finish. The apple is present but it remains in the background. Other flavor notes include cranberry, flowers, and minerals. 

What I appreciate most about it has to do with its balance of bright yet dark flavors. I like it very much and would buy this regularly if I could. The cider is excellently well-balanced and integrated. The Two Berry Dream has a relatively low level of sparkle for those who are sensitive to too many bubbles.  

I enjoyed this cider with the simple pleasure of corn on the cob, and it was utterly delightful.

Very Perry May with Windfall Orchards Perry and Champlain Orchards Cranberry Cider + GLINTCAP Results

How can it feel like summer so soon after cold nights and chilly mornings? We worried about apple blossoms so recently that it scarcely feels real to be mowing, weeding, and grilling already. This is the magic of May. Today marks my last official entry into 2019’s Very Perry May (though I do have a couple more interesting perries up my sleeve that I’ll be reviewing soon).

I was able to get a bottle from a very small run of perry from Windfall Orchards over the winter, so I’ve been waiting on break this open. This past week, I had the perfect opportunity when doing pescatarian hot pot with some dear friends.

Cornwall, Vermont is the home of Windfall Orchards.I’m not finding out a lot about this small cidery online, save that the company has been making cider, perry, and ice cider since 2009. Windfall Orachards grows a large number of apple and other fruit varieties on a small Vermont farm.

Visit the website to learn about the products Windfall Orchards makes: https://windfallorchardvt.com

The run was small, but the labelling makes clear that the perry is 9% ABV. Elsewhere online, I was able to see that the Farm House Perry uses 12 types of pear to create this perry.

Appearance: hazy, bubbly, warm straw

Like many American perries, the Farmhouse Perry has a mild warm straw color and just a hint of haze. I could see lots of bubbles in the glass when it was poured.

Aromas: pear flesh, dust, hay, flowers, salt
 
Windfall Orchards’ Farmhouse perry smells enticing and delicate at once. I get notes of pear flesh, dust, hay, Daffodils, and salt. I cannot quote predict what this perry will taste like based on such a range of aromas, and that’s exciting to me!

Sweetness/dryness: off dry

The Farmhouse Perry tastes off dry but only just. The sweetness that’s there is very directly like pear.

Flavors and drinking experience: burstingly bubbly, green tea, fresh pear, grippy

Oh wow! This is such a delightful perry. It’s bubbles are so plentiful and active that it splashes into your face when you are sniffing it. I love that this perry reminds me of delicate herbal notes like green tea and lemongrass while also tasting like fresh pears and a bit of squash.

This off dry Perry is high acid with medium tannins and a tiny bit of funk. I relish it’s delightful big fruit flavors. It’s most rewarding in large sips that show off it’s good grippy toothsome texture and fruity finish. This is a complete delight! I loved having this with hot pot too!

Champlain Orchards Cranberry  Cider

I want to stay with Vermont beverages this week and share my experience with Champlain Cranberry Semi-Dry. I’ve tasted a few ciders by Champlain Orchard but not nearly as many as I’d like based on how much I’ve enjoyed those I’ve tried. 

I reviewed (and loved) the Heirloom (it made it to my #5 favorite cider that year): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/cider-review-champlain-orchards-cidery.html

I included Champlain Orchard’s Single-Varietal Honeycrisp Ice Cider Library Edition in a pairing dinner last year with dessert: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-dear-friend-el-just-had-birthday.html

My first encounter with Champlain Orchards was when I visited on the 2nd day of my Vermont cider trip: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-great-vermont-cider-tour-day-2.html

I recommend Champlain Cidery’s website to learn  more about all the different ciders Champlain Orchards makes: http://www.champlainorchardscidery.com

Champlain keeps the official description short and sweet, "Delicious and refreshing, our Apple Cranberry Hard Cider balances the sweetness of apples with the tartness of Vermont cranberries. ABV 5.6%"

Appearance: brilliant, true ruby, no visible bubbles

I love the look of many fruit ciders, and the Cranberry Semi-Dry is no exception. It’s too pretty to be sold in a can! I’d call the color true ruby and it appears brilliant.

Aromas: dusty, cranberries, almonds

Oooh! I can smell that dusty, mineral aroma that I find on lots of tannic ciders. This one also smells very directly of cranberries. The last note I get reminds me of granola with almonds.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry
This semi-dry cider needs both the dry and sweet elements to keep it well rounded and balanced. I’ll explain more below. 

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, astringent, good body, balanced

The Cranberry Semi-Dry tastes almost alarmingly tart, but because it’s semi-dry, the overall experience balanced out into pleasant tartness, sweetness, fruit, and astringence.  I apprecaite the heft to this cider’s body, the clean fermentation and the tannins from the cranberry. The whole drinking experience feels admirably balanced and hangs together nicely. 

I had the Cranberry Semi-Dry with black bean burritos and found it delightfully refreshing.  The cider has medium-rich mouthfeel and a good strong sparkle. I appreciate that it has just the right amount of sweetness—not so much that it loses interest.

This lovely cranberry cider also tastes more appealing when poured into a glass.  The cranberry in the can, without being aerated, tastes a bit more like juice. I know canning is totally practical, but when you can pour your cider into a class to access all of it’s delicious aromas!

And for those who have been following GLINTCAP, the full medal results are up! Check them out here: https://glintcap.org/

Cider Review: Dunkerton's Black Fox and Old Hill Cidermaker's Barrel

Good morning, cider-loving friends! This past weekend, Spring finally arrived. We had some glorious sunshine, gentle breezes, and warmer temperatures over the weekend. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more grateful for any break in the weather. I walked trails, watched a marching band, and participated in one of my favorite seasonal traditions: spring cleaning! I cleaned up my screened in porch, so now I have my favorite cider drinking spot back. Picture happy tired people drinking these ciders on a screened-in porch on sunny afternoon.

My first review for today is Dunkerton’s Black Fox Organic Cider. I did receive this sample for review from the american distributor for the Dunkerton’s brand. As always, this does not sway my feelings or writing on a cider. This Herefordshire cider maker uses only organic local fruit, supports many environmental causes, and consistently wins prestigious awards for making delicious ciders.

My previous reviews of Dunkerton’s beverages include

Dry Organic Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/10/cider-review-dunkertons-dry-organic.html This cider achieved gold and then first in class in the traditional cider, dry category at GLINTCAP in 2017.

Organic Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-2-woodchuck.html This perry also won gold at GLINTCAP 2017 and took first in class in the traditional perry category.

You can find tons more info on the website: https://www.dunkertonscider.co.uk/

Today’s cider is their semi-dry Black Fox Organic Cider and it too did well at GLINTCAP, earning a silver medal.

The cider’s official description reads, “Dunkertons Organic Black Fox cider has fragrant notes of traditional cider apple varieties which we have carefully blended together to give a deliciously robust cider leaving your mouth full of lively sweet and tangy after tastes. Translucent in colour with light golden honey hues.” 7% ABV

The site also lists all of the apples in the cider, something that always makes me happy! The apples listed include: Brown Snout, Foxwhelp, Kingston Black, Balls Bitter Sweet, Stoke Red, Dabinett, Court Royal, Breakwells, and Yarlington Mill.

These exciting cider apples make my expectations quite high, perhaps dangerously so.

Appearance: transparent, harvest orange, some visible bubbles

This cider looks so traditionally english with its deep orange color and slight haze. I’d not call it brilliant but rather transparent. I can see some bubbles at the base and surface of the glass.

Aromas: cooked apples, tea, leather, salt

The Black Fox smells salty, leathery and slightly sweet.

Dryness/sweetness: semi-dry or a solid english medium dry

This is exactly what is called a medium or medium dry in UK cider parlance. It translates roughly to a semi-dry in the language I see more often on american cider labels.

Flavors and drinking experience: tannic, fresh peach, caramel

I love how tannic and rich this cider tastes! It’s absolutely brimming over with ripe fruit character including notes of peach, citrus, and overripe apple. But’s not simple; the Black Fox is also a little funky and spicy. The spice notes are more gingery and zesty rather than like baking spices.

The cider mellows through the mid palate. It offers up lots of traditional UK cider features like flavors reminiscent of barn wood and clean sweat along with medium acidity. The gentle level of oxidation does impart a caramel sheen to the whole drinking experience. It’s remarkable, and it’s lovely.

Up next is Old Hill Cider’s Cidermaker’s Barrel.

This is my first review of anything by Old Hill Cider. My charming partner Alex picked it up for me on a trip to Virginia. The cidery was formed eight years ago, but the orchard on which it is based, Showalter’s Orchard and Greenhouse, has been in operationg for more than 50 years. Old Hill seems to take its sense of history and local food very seriously, offering up a cidery history segment on the website and partnering with farm-to-table endeavors.

Find out about the company online at: http://www.oldhillcider.com/

Here’s the official description.

Cidermaker’s Barrel 

This reserve cider boasts our most complex flavor profile. Natural yeast fermentation lends layers of flavor including vanilla and fruit sweetness. A tannic, charred-oak finish enhances this traditional Shenandoah Valley Farmhouse style cider. 

Serve and enjoy this Virginia indigenous cider with salty pork, VA ham, aged cheddars, sheep’s milk cheese, rich, spicy stews and foods equal in complexity.

Appearance: brilliant, bright straw, no visible bubbles

This cider has a shining bright color with total brilliance. I don't see any bubbles, and I don't know how much petillance to expect.

Aromas: Barrel, grain, vanilla

This is going to be so very much about the barrel; I can tell! The aromas are vanilla, barrel, grain and booze. I don’t get any fruit on the nose.

Dryness/sweetness: dry

This is a very dry cider with lots of barrel character.

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, sour, petillant, barrel-y

This cider is extremely tart! I’d go so far as to call it sour; this is not an uncommon profile for wild fermented ciders. The sparkle level is petillant, or only mildly bubbly. The Cidermaker’s Barrel does come across as more boozy than average.

The barrely flavors make this woody and drying in addition to tart and wild. It does have a very rustic character. I like that the vanilla aromatic notes give a gentle counterpoint to some of the more rugged flavors. This one is an excellent sip and read or sip and think cider. I think that’s how I would ideally approach it more than as a food pairing cider.

Cider Review: Weidmann + Groh: Cydonia Apfel Perlwein, Art + Science West Valley Cider plus News!

Chances are, if you are reading this page, you love cider. That’s why I write here week after week. But last year, I set aside a whole month to learn about perry: Very Perry May. I took that deep dive by writing five weeks of perry or pear cider reviews. Next month, I’ll be doing it again, but pears and apples aren’t the only pome fruit. I don’t want to forget about quince!

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on two ciders that blend apple with quince. For a bit of background, quince is in the Rosaceae family but it’s the only member of its genus: Cydonia. The primary taste attribute of quince is its tartness. It can be cooked and eaten; some varieties are even palatable raw, but quince jam is far more common. Not very many cider makers use quince, and these blends still draw primarily from apples. I’m drawing from two very geographically disparate makers here: Germany and Washington State. Let’s see what quince adds to what we know about cider.

The first comes from German beverage producer Weidmann + Groh. The name of the drink is: Cydonia Apfel Perlwein.

Weidmann + Groh makes fruit wines and distilled spirits. The company has been selling fruit spirits since the late 1980s out of Friedberg. Before distilling, the company had an orchard and fruit farm in the location, hence the start of a very locally oriented agricultural business. I apologize that I don’t have a more complete picture of them to share, but I’m hesitate to paraphrase from a Google translation of the webpage for my only direct source of information.

Feel free to explore here to find out more and see some lovely pictures, but the website is in German: https://weidmann-groh.de/

Official description (again translation provided by Google.)

Variety: Our Cydonia is made from different apple varieties. Friedberger Bohnapfel, Landsberger Renette, Goldparmäne, Boskop, Kaiser Wilhelm, Gewürzluiken and of course quince. 

Production: We place special emphasis on the correct maturity of the quince. They ripen after harvest for about 2 weeks before they are processed. About 25% quince must is then added to the cider and fermented. After the fermentation of the must, the wine is taken from the Hefedepot and then stored for 8 weeks. This clarifies the wine and is then completely clear. Now it can be filled. Compared to still wines, endogenous carbonic acid is added to our Cydonia just before filling. This gives a sparkling fresh taste experience, which is particularly popular in the warmer months of the year. 

Taste profile: Fragrant, fresh, typical Quittentuft, fruity tart, with fine Perlage and a slight residual sweetness.

Serving suggestion: Best in a tulip-like glass. Serve chilled, between 4 and 7 degrees. After opening, keep the bottle cool to avoid carbon dioxide loss through heating. Use emergency bottles at the latest the next day.

Appearance: brilliant, corn kernel, some bubbles

This is a lovely cider. The color reminds me of unpopped kernels of popcorn with that intense warm yellow. I can see some bubbles such that I anticipate a bubbly cider, and it’s totally brilliant.

Aromas: juicy apples, wet grass, floral

The Apfel Perlwein smells juicy and appley in a very immediate way, but there are lots of other layers as well. The cider smells herbal, floral, and aquatic: the image that comes to mind is a swift moving creek in a wild forest. The wildness hints at what might taste a tiny bit like Spanish French cider styles. 

Dryness/sweetness: semi-sweet and honeyed

This has a notably honey like sweetness, that feels totally natural. It does remind me of some french ciders.

Flavor and drinking experience: tart, medium bubbles, herbal, briney, tannic

Wow! This does taste a little different and I wish I knew if this was the German cider making style, the unfamiliar apples, or the quince. There are too many unknown factors here! There's a pleasant high herbal note of rosemary in a generally herbal field.

The Apfel Perlwein offers up gentle to medium carbonation, a nice wet mouhfeel, and a friendly balance of sweet and salty elements. This cider speaks with high lingering tannins, lots of malic acid, and a little funk. I’d definitely describe it as briney. In terms of geographic and historic styles, it's like Spanish and English ciders had a sweet French baby. I know that’s far from precise, but that starts to paint the picture.

We drank this cider with sweet cake, which overrode the sweetness and brought out the tannins. I’d definitely recommend this pairing! 

Art + Science West Valley CiderThis is my first review of anything by Art + Science. The company was founded in 2011 originally as a winery in Oregon. Soon after, Art + Science branched out into cider. Dan Rinke and Kim Hamblin founded the small company and have an orchard featuring not only apples but also pears and quince in addition to making their biodynamic ciders.

Read more about this cool company on the website: http://www.artandsciencenw.com/

The official description reads, “The apples (90% of the blend) and quince were foraged from friends, neighbors and strangers in the Oregon countryside. With no sugar or sulfur added, the cider is dry and tart, with a lively sparkle in its eye.” ABV6.5%.

Appearance: hazy, sunset orange, visible bubbles

Such an interesting appearance! I am not surprised to learn that this is a very natural cider as its both intensely colorful with a sunset orange tone and solidly cloudy.

Aromas: peach, pear, quince

This cider smells very fresh, immediate and fruity, with specific notes of pear, peach, and quince. Something about the nose of this cider tells me that this is going to be seriously tart.
Dryness/sweetness: dry

This cider comes across as dry but super fruity.

Flavors and drinking experience: rustic, tart, fresh, tropical

I like this funky, fruity, dry cider! It tastes tropical and just a little sour/acetic but mildly so. The natural fermentation shows with a fresh yet rustic character. When I say rustic, I do not mean barny; this cider is instead very fresh and wild. I’d even call it tangy in a citrus way. I don’t get much of a tannic presence from the West Valley Cider but the acid is powerful enough to make it feel like the cider is curing the insides of my ears and causing a salivary reaction! Whoa tart!

Overall, the West Valley Cider was a fun cider to have with gourmet grilled cheese and salad. It could also go with some fun pinxtos bites. I think the quince really pushes that tartness to an intense but really tasty level. I know fans of natural cider styles or sidra would absolutely adore it.

NEWS!

And we’re just over a month until GLINTCAP and Cider Week Grand Rapids! The Michigan Cider Association will be putting on the annualCider Week GR, happening May 13-19. The week will feature tap takeovers, cider tours, and Gillett Bridge Festival. Be sure to check out the website to learn more: https://www.experiencegr.com/cider-week/. I know I can’t wait!

If you want to submit your ciders to be judged at the world's largest cider competition- register your ciders here: http://glintcap.org/register/. You have until April 30th.

Cider Review: Blake’s Hard Cider Black Philip and Ploughman Cider’s Pinot N’Arlet

April has arrived! We may still get snow in upstate New York later this week, but I’m determined to see spring. This week, my plan to experience more spring than the weather allows, I’m going to share my thoughts on two fruit ciders. What could be more springy than fresh fruit flavors?

My Cideries for the week start with Blake’s Hard Cider out of Michigan. This cider makes a number of lines of ciders; that’s one of their key characteristics. They have a year round selection, seasonal ciders, and two different high end limited release lines. Additionally, they have a tasting room that’s also a bar and restaurant in Armada, Michigan.

Read more about all of the endeavors at: http://www.blakeshardcider.com

My previous reviews of Blake’s ciders include:

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

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

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

Today I’m sharing my review of Blake’s Hard Cider Black Phillip. This was shared in an array of samples from Blake’s Hard Cider. I’ve been looking forward to this cider for a long while because the name is inspired by a character in one of my favorite films, The Witch (2015). And I am a sucker for those rustic gothic stylings on the can.

Any film buffs or New England folklorists that haven’t seen this yet should stop reading immediately and watch this movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4263482/)

Blake’s Official Description reads: Our award winning semi-sweet hard cider infused with an array of cranberries and blood orange. Permeate your favorite autumn nights with our newest creation, Black Phillip; the question is, would you like to live deliciously? ABV 4.5%

The connection between the cider’s style and its name, at least for my guess, has to come from the cranberries due to their New England connection.

Appearance Hazy, peach, few bubbles

Wow! I don’t see very many hazy ciders, but that’s the only way to describe this one. It’s not cloudy. There aren’t many visible bubbles. I’d describe the color as peachy but warm.

Aromas: orange, fruit punch, spicy, dust

This cider smells like oranges and peanuts and fruit punch and sweet tarts; dust, spiciness

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

This is a semi-sweet cider. It doesn’t go overboard with sweetness, but its also

Flavors and drinking experience: twiggy, blood orange, cranberry

This cider tastes more mild and woody or twiggy than I was expecting. The most prominent flavor is the blood orange but the cranberry does play a crucial role for balance. Yes, I do taste some apple; that's the question most cider aficionados ask about any fruit blended cider. The goal is for the beverage to achieve a balance of apple and other flavors and not for apple notes to disappear entirely. As I said, this surprisingly gentle—especially when i think of the film and the character that name it.

The Black Phillip has medium acidity, low tannins, and a relatively mellow level of sparkle. I find it very refreshing and easy drinking. It's absolutely pleasant if not shocking and striking. It's quite hard to think of another cider that tastes like this. I enjoy its appealing sense of restraint. Perhaps that's the New England character coming out after all.

I'd not pair this with anything too overpowering. I want this cider to shine, so I'd serve it on its own or with something relatively easy going like a mushroom sherry soup or a spinach salad.

Ploughman Farm Cider

I was introduced to Ploughman ciders when I judged at the Pennsylvania Farm Show last year, and I was mightily impressed. I’d really like to visit the Farm Cidery in Adams County when I can. The company only sources their apples from one place, the local Three Springs Fruit Farm; I can’t think of a much greater commitment to local cider. The selection varies seasonally.

 

Visit the website to learn more about this up and coming cidery: https://www.ploughmancider.com/

I got my bottle of Pinot N’Arlet as an remainder from the competition.

Here’s the official description: Apples were our first love, but when a neighbor offered us a batch of Pennsylvania-grown Pinot Noir grapes, we couldn’t say no. This wild yeast fermented cider combines the elegance of these grapes with the ruddy, rustic sweetness of Macoun and Arlet (hence the name) apples. Dry and blush-colored, it’s extremely food-friendly. ABV 7.5%

Appearance: brilliant, bubbly, pink

This has the most lovely rose color and many visible bubbles. Its completely tantalizing. 

Aromas: dust, stones, red grapes

The Pinot N’Arlet smells dusty and grapey. Specifically it smells like apples and fresh red grapes.

Sweetness/dryness: Off Dry

This is a just off dry cider, but one that packs a lot of fruit intensity without much sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: Balanced, just a little sour, fruity

The Pinot N’Arlet is just a little bit sour, but not too much. It does bring that tangy high acid throughout each drink. I love how its stony at the same time as being fruity. The fruit notes are mostly berries with strawberries dancing to the forefront of my mind as I sip.

One thing I definitely noticed is that this cider tastes more clean than wild fermentations usually do! It has a nice balance between fruit, acid, and body. I had this with wonderful homemade japanese food and dear friends, but I could see pairing this cider with a diverse range of dishes. I would be thrilled to try it with a leek and asparagus frittata or with roasted salmon and pasta primavera. When Ploughman describes it as food friendly, I think they are onto something.

I enjoyed both of my fruity ciders very much. Hopefully soon we can be sipping these things outside in the spring sunshine!

Cider Review Carr's Ciderhouse Gingered Hard Cider

Good morning and happy 2018! I hope this year brings us all hope, happiness, and many tasty ciders. I write many days into a weather pattern called an “artic regime” by a local weather writer. I think he's right. This cold is more consistent and committed than dramatic, but it is cold. That guided my choice of cider for this week's review. I needed something warming and exciting.

Today is also my first review of anything by Carr's Ciderhouse. This small cidery operates in Hadley, Massachusetts. Their apples include many heritage varieties from a historic Massachusetts orchard. Here's how they describe themselves, “The results are elegant hard ciders–influenced by our choice of apples and how we blend the finished fermentations–that pair well with a variety of foods.”

You can read more about Carr's Ciderhouse on the website: http://www.carrsciderhouse.com

My wonderful sister-in-law brought this cider over during the holidays, so we could try it together. Thanks so much, Karen! I don't see Carr's ciders around here, so I was very excited to try something new and try to warm up the day with something gingery. We were totally stoked to try the Gingered Hard Cider.

Here's the official description:

Gingered Hard Cider - Spicy, dry, and perfect for cider cocktails and pouring over a few big ice cubes. It is like a dry ginger beer for grown-ups and our customers are crazy about it. Made with eco-grown "Fortune" apples. 6.5%ABV.

Appearance: warm applesauce, hazy, few bubbles

This has a slight haze that increased with each glass poured from the bottle. The first was nearly perfectly transparent, but the haze was increasingly noticeable for the second, third, and fourth glass. I'd call the color reminiscent of warm applesauce. I couldn't see many bubbles, but there were a few.

Aromas: gingery, tart, acid

Whoa! This smells tart and a bit like acetic acid. It also smells gingery. For fans of sour or extremely tart ciders, this aroma would be very exciting. It could even be described as having a touch of volatile acidity.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This cider doesn't really place neatly of the sweetness dryness spectrum both because of its spice and its tartness, but I'd call it a semi-dry cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: Candied lemon peel, ginger, semi dry

Ooh spicy! I taste so much ginger and candied lemon peel in the Gingered Dry Cider. Its really exciting. I love how pronounced the ginger presence remains from first note to final finish. Lovers of spice and ginger like myself will absolutely fall for this cider because it manages to be both appley and spicy with just the right intense ginger kick.

I think you can taste the cider syrup used for backsweetening, and I'm guessing that was a very necessary step for a cider this tart and spicy. I'd actually call this cider more tart than dry.

It offers up interesting fermentation notes, not a spartanly clean or transparent one but a very approachable gentle hint of funk.

All in all, this cider has some big tastes to it. The bubbles are medium and the body is very sharp and light. There's enough apple flavor to balance the ginger, but the ginger speaks up clearly throughout.

I hoped this woud be warm and exciting, and it certainly was. I had mine with a cold day and a house filled with family, but I could also see this cider with a creamy soup and some fun hibernation reading.

Cider Review: Devoto Orchards Save the Gravenstein...and an announcement

I've been so excited about Finger Lakes Cider week. Every event was a real chance to connect with local ciders. Frequently, they were also great times to learn about cider making processes and the unique landscape of food and drinks developing here in the region. I loved it.

But, at the same time, I don't want to neglect other cider areas. I have a lot of fondness for ciders made in many places. Today, I am sharing my thoughts on a west coast cider from Devoto Orchards. It feels over due after my recent trip to San Francisco to judge cider for the Good Food Awards.

Susan and Stan Devoto were back to the land folks who bought a farm in the 1970s (so were my folks). I am so grateful for this generation's hunger to explore new ways of farming and living. This orchard and farm is near Sebastopol, California. This family company released their first hard cider in 2012, now incorporating the talents of a second generation: Jolie and her husband Hunter. The farm is organic, and they specialize in heritage apples.

Find out about all of the ciders on the website: http://www.devotocider.com/

I found this cider in a grocery store in San Francisco. I chose this one because of the fascinating history of the Gravenstein Apple: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravenstein

Devoto Orchards' official description of the Save the Gravenstein includes some historical background as well as tasting notes and pairings. I appreciate the completeness.

In August, when our Gravenstein apples are at the peak of their ripeness, we pick them, press them, and pour ourselves into every drop. We are proud to offer this food-friendly, dry cider from our family farm to you.

Profiles: Aromas of lemon, sage, yeast, and mint on the nose lead to bright acidity and a smooth finish.Pairings: oysters on the half shell, dungeness crab, surf and turf paella.Cheese Pairings: Point Reyes Farmstead Bay Blue (CA) Andre Artisan Cheese Willow Del Rustique (CA), Bohemian Creamery \ The Bomb (CA), Valley Ford Estero Gold Reserve (CA)

This specifically mentions that the apples were certified organic and harvested in fall 2014.

Appearance: Pale, brilliant, no bubbles

This cider looks fairly innocuous. Its pale and beautifully brilliant with nary a bubble in sight.

Aromas: spicy, dusty, stony

The smells in the Save the Gravenstein are fun! There's lots of spice and just a hint of citrus. The aromas are a little sweet. It smelly dusty and stony like a lot of my favorite ciders.

Sweetness/dryness: Off-dry to dry

This has just enough sweetess to be not totally dry. The Save the Gravenstein is definitely on the dry side though. The tinge of sweetness is just enough to bring out the other flavors.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, petillant, intensely flavorful

My first impression of the Save the Gravenstein is of its high acidity. Though the cider is described as still, the acidity is enough to create the impression of slight effervescence. I love how intensely flavorful this cider tastes. The Save the Gravenstein is cleanly yeasty like walking past a small bakery first thing in the morning.

My impressions remain acid driven as I keep sipping. There's not any tannin to speak of. It has a light body and springy zesty balance. This is a very wine like cider in some ways. Perhaps that's not a useful comment, but that's part of the drinking experience for me. 

I had this cider with what will probably be nearly my last caprese salad of the year. My CSA has almost stopped giving us tomatoes for the season.

And now, for my announcement! I'm thrilled to share that I'll be speaking at Cider Con 2018 in Baltimore! Stay tuned for details, but I hope I'll see plenty of familiar faces at Cider Con and make some new cider friends as well.