Cider Review: Schilling Cider House's Excelsior Spaceport Imperial Pineapple

Right now, my brain is awake and thinking about colors, scents, and textures. I feel like some parts of me have been asleep all winter, and only just now want to rouse and seek out excitement. It’s not always a comfortable thing, certainly not when compared with the gentle hibernation of winter. At the same time, I’m ready for all parts of Spring, even if that means skunk smells, muddy walks, and the delicate hope that late frosts will not kill vulnerable plants and buds. I’m happy to have a super optimistic cider for it too; today I’m reviewing Schilling Cider House's Excelsior Spaceport Imperial Pineapple.

Here’s just a short excerpt from Schilling’s website introducing the cidery, “All our beverages are handcrafted in the Pacific Northwest. We use 100% fresh-pressed apples, locally sourced ingredients, and hand-selected yeast strains to create a cider experience that’s truly unique.”

This is only my 2nd-ever Schilling cider review! I reviewed the Schilling Spiced Cider back in 2015, so it’s been a while. You can find more background on this Seattle cidery and tap room in my first review.  

Spice Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/02/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-schilling.html

Visit Schilling Hard Cider online to learn about the full lineup of ciders: https://schillingcider.com/cider-houses/seattle/

Here’s how Schilling describes the  Excelsior Spaceport Imperial Pineapple

Pining for the perfect pairing, Excelsior Pineapple combines our passion-for-fruit with a tantalizing cosmic creation that makes its landing at 8.4% ABV.

Start your journey with its vibrant pineapple aroma and let it lead you to your first sip of this celestial cider! The combination of fresh-pressed Pacific Northwest apples, tart passion fruit, and juicy pineapple bursts with the tropical flavor of the getaway you’ve been daydreaming about.

And yes, you did read that right: 8.4% ABV in a can! I'm splitting mine, and there's no shame in that.

Appearance: deep saffron gold, high intensity, visible bubbles, slight haze

Deep saffron gold and visible bubbles decorate this ever-so-slightly hazy cider. 

Aromas: Pineapple, tropical fruit, passionfruit

This smells very much like I expected from the combination of passionfruit and pineapple. The Spaceport’s aromas leap out of the glass with wonderful intensity!

Sweetness/Dryness: Sweet!

The Spaceport is an emphatically sweet cider. There’s no denying it! This is a tasty fruity sweetness that surely comes from pineapple and passionfruit as well as apple. 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, bubbly, fruity, pineapple

The pineapple dominates the drinking experience for Schilling’s Spaceport, which suits me fine as I love pineapple. It’s a powerfully fruity cider with loads of sweetness and plenty of acid as well. 

The cider has lots of body, but the bubbles help keep it zesty and refreshing. This was a fun one to have with springy salads and dreams of sunny days to come. 

Cider Review: Albemarle Ciderworks Brut d'Albermarle Harrison

Spring comes in fits and starts, but I’ve felt its approach even in the wet days of mud and breezes this past week. Today the sun shone as the wind blew the cobwebs from my mind. It was a perfect day to trek about in the woods, and I’m so grateful that I was able to make the most of it. Sometimes you just have to cancel all of your indoor plans and be outside. Though cider tastes divine in all sorts of weather, there’s nothing better than enjoying bliss and adding cider to the experience. 

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on Albemarle Ciderworks Brut d'Albermarle Harrison.

I don’t have as many earlier reviews of Albemarle Ciders as I’d like, but here’s the list. 

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

Visit Albemarle online here to learn about the current line up: http://www.albemarleciderworks.com.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get much additional information online about the Brut D'Albemarle Harrison. I was able to get some info from the bottle. 

Fermented in the Methode Traditionelle, this bottle conditioned Cidre Bouche is sparkling, spritely, and delightfully effervescent on the palate. It makes a celebratory toast entirely special. Dry and complex, it is an elegant accompaniment to most foods. Serve Chilled. Abv: 9.7%

 Appearance: shining, brilliant, bubbly, evening sun

The color reminds me of the warm evening sunlight, and the Brut D’Albemarle shines as well. The cider is alive with bubbles. It does look like champagne when poured. Lovely.

Aromas: intense, white grape, french bread and melon

What I noticed first and perhaps loved the most about the Brut D’Albemarle’s scents are how the 

aromas leapt from the bottle immediately when I opened it. The cider Looks and smells like a champagne—effervescent with white-grape and French bread smells. I loved the notes of green melon.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

As promised, the cider is dry! It’s not austere or astringent, but the dryness keeps things taut and crisp.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, buttery, tannins, nutty, white grapes, ripe apples

Heavenly. I cannot overstate how good the Brut D’Albemarle tastes. The cider is high-acid in the nicest ways. Of course, I love that the bubbles remind me of champagne with their number and size; they are the star of the show: perfectly plentiful, tiny, and excited. It offers up a complex, long and lovely finish, like a patisserie cream. The mouthfeel is creamy, full and rich. From the buttery first sip, this cider is a winner. 

The Brut D’Albemarle also shares some tannins—but nothing astringent. I found the flavors both nutty, and grapey, somehow like eating from deep in the fruit with gentle ripe apple notes. It’s all natural, exciting, surprising, and sophisticated but not austere.

My household enjoyed this cider with a lovely cheese plate, various dips, and lots of veggie crudité. What a way to celebrate the season! 

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 Greenwood Cider Co.'s Barrel-Aged Dry

Our gray and brown were temporarily replaced with a beautiful layer of snow, and as it's starting to melt snow is predicted to blanket the region again between Tuesday and Wednesday. We’ve not gotten many snows of substance this year, so I have to admit that part of me is rooting for a big enough snow to feel fully transformative to the landscape. It's always at least a little bit tense in the gray waiting hours for snowfall. More than that though, I want folks to be safe and warm. Snow may be fun for me, but it’s serious for plenty of other folks. In the meantime, I’m excited to share some notes on Greenwood Cider Co.’s Barrel-Aged Dry.

In my earlier reviews of Washington state’s Greenwood Cider Co., I’ve included a bit of additional background on the cidery. Here, I’ll quote Greenwood’s website to use their words of introduction. 

Unfiltered cider made the hard way. Founded in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle in 2015, we turn waste into resource[s] by making cider from forgotten and foraged fruits picked from around the city and deep within the Pacific Northwest forest. That approach continues today. In addition to the more standard Washington apples, we use apples from local farms, small homesteads, and abandoned orchards. We press and produce everything in the city, keeping our hands on the process from start to finish and the cider as local as possible. It's an uncompromising blend of modern tastes and traditional cidermaking.

I’ve reviewed a few Greenwood Cider Co. ciders before. Here’s the short list. 

Kingston Black: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/01/cider-review-greenwood-cider-kingston.html

Lingonberry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-review-greenwood-ciders.html

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

I recommend visiting Greenwood Cider on the web to learn about all that this company has going on: https://www.greenwoodcider.com/

Here’s how Greenwood Cider Co. describes the Barrel-Aged Dry.

Our signature Dry Cider blend aged for six months in bourbon barrels. Enticing aromas of green plums and vanilla are followed by bright apple acidity with a dry oak finish. 8.5% ABV. 

Appearance: brilliant, medium intensity warm straw, no visible bubbles

This mellow cider just looks tremendously inviting. I don’t see any bubbles, but I do see tremendous brilliance and a lovely warm straw color.

Aromas: barrel, hay, apple core, spicy peppers

This cider’s six months in bourbon barrels shows up emphatically in the cider’s aroma. The Barrel-Aged dry smells like butterscotch, cooked apples, apple core, and breadcrumbs. Secondarily, I notice notes of hay, hot peppers, rubber, and other elements that are either aquatic, or sharp and boozy. It’s a complex array of inviting and wild smells.

Dryness/sweetness: off dry/dry

Greenwood Cider Company has almost certainly released an actually dry cider, but barrel aging can introduce scents and flavors that can complicate the perception of sweetness. There’s enough atmosphere of butterscotch, maple and cooked fruit that it’s hard for me to fully appreciate the dryness of the cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: butterscotch, plum pudding, barrel, spicy, maple

The tall one said immediately that drinking this cider reminds him of plum pudding with raisins and hard sauce. That’s not an experience I’ve had, so I cannot speak to the association. To me, the Barrel-Aged Dry tastes like butterscotch. It’s so very barrel aged that it doesn’t taste fully dry. There are enough dessert notes that come from the apple and the barrel that don’t even rely on actual sweetness to connote butterscotch, applesauce, and maple syrup. 

That’s not all that I’m noticing though. The cider also tastes spicy with notes hot peppers like I detected in the aromas. The cider has high tannins and medium high acidity and a strong alcohol presence. The cider is warming with prickly bubbles. I love how this complex cider ends with a perfumed finish and a phenolic edge. It’s never just one thing!

Greenwood Cider Co. has created something both interesting and tasty with the Barrel-Aged Dry! I enjoyed mine with vegetarian borscht: a seasonal classic in my house.

Cider Review: Tandem Ciders' The Green Man

It’s a gray day here of the sort that makes me doubt Spring. We’re living in a gray-brown world of last year’s dead leaves, frozen mud, and dormant grass. Nonetheless, I’ve planted a few trays of seeds, and I’m watering them faithfully. Hopefully in the coming week or so, I’ll start to see fresh green seedlings. Until then, it's time to cook and nest and escape into movies. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Tandem Ciders’ the Green Man. Many thanks to my cider friends who got this to me to assuage my feelings of CiderConFOMO. ; ) You’re the best!

Tandem Ciders come to us from Sutton’s Bay, Michigan. There Dan Young and Nikki Rothwell founded Tandem Ciders in 2010 after their love of England and Cider combined with their love of Michigan orchard life. Find out more in my earlier Tandem reviews.

I’ve reviewed a few Tandem’s Ciders before. Here’s the list.

Crabster: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/07/cider-review-south-city-ciderworks-dry.html

The Bee’s Dream: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/01/cider-review-tandem-ciders-bees-dream.html

The Smackintosh: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-tandem-ciders-smackintosh.html

I recommend checking out Tandem Ciders on the web to learn about what this Michigan Cider is making and doing: https://www.tandemciders.com/

You can also read the story behind the cidery on the website here. It’s a sweet one: https://www.tandemciders.com/about-us/

Here’s what Tandem Ciders has to say about The Green Man. 

Inspired by the carvings of the Roman Baths in the heart of English cider country -- Bath, England -- this adventurous blend of Rhode Island Greenings creates a subtly sweet cider that'll leave you anything but stone-faced.

Appearance: brilliant, very few visible bubbles, low-intensity cool-toned straw

This cider is too beautiful to be sold in a can! The cool-toned pale gold and brilliance deserve to be seen! The color reminds me of straw in spring; it’s yellow and not green but only just by a hair. 

Aromas: green apple, pineapple, sweet candy dust

The Green Man certainly smells green! I get lots of malic acid green apple notes from the start. Secondarily, pineapple aromas abound; this has some tropical flair for sure! The last hints from this cider are harder to describe; it’s a sweet and dusty smell like a container that has held sugar candy enough to have its residue floating around ambiently. We’ll see how these scents translate to taste!

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

This cider tastes semi-sweet in a fruity juicy way!

Flavors and drinking experience: Bubbly, fresh apple, full-bodied

The Green Man tastes so juicy, it reminds me of pear nectar. The cider tastes tropical with bright notes of sweet apple, pineapple, and pear. The cider shows off a clean fermentation with no funk, no bitterness or anything to interrupt the fresh and fruity celebration. The cider has plentiful bubbles and a full creamy mouthfeel. The cider has medium acidity: just enough to keep the sweetness in pleasant balance. It’s an easy-drinking cider and would be a lovely introduction to the semi-sweet range of the beverage.

We enjoyed this with a chopped Greek salad. The light medley of cucumbers, peppers, feta, tomatoes, and zingy creamy dressing were a lovely counterpoint to the bursting juicy sweetness of Tandem Ciders’ The Green Man. 

Cider Review: Big Fish Cider Co.'s Monterey Maple

I’ve been saving my notes on Big Fish Cider Co.’s Monterey Maple since December 27th. I got to enjoy this cider with the Tall One and my dad during our holiday get together. My dad’s awesome cat KB is in one of the pictures. Today is a day that reminds me that while Winter is here, Spring is coming. I thought it only right to share this cider that connects those seasons as well, with its hearty winter-friendly warmth and maple’s nod to Spring’s running of the sap. 

For more background information on Virginia’s Big Fish Cider Co. I recommend looking to my earlier reviews. I’ve enjoyed reviewing these ciders for a few years now. Here’s a list of all of this blog’s previous reviews of Big Fish Cider Co. ciders. There’s a very high ratio of these ciders’ appearances on the blog and in the yearly favorites list. It’s not a coincidence, as Big Fish Ciders tend to be absolutely delicious. 

Wassail: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/01/cider-review-big-fish-cider-cos-wassail.html

Punk and Henry (my #2 Favorite cider of 2022): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/03/cider-review-big-fish-cider-cos-puck.html

Virginia Hewes Crab(my #1 favorite cider of 2020!): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/10/cider-review-big-fish-cider-co-virginia.html

Wild Meadow: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/05/cider-review-big-fish-cider-cos-wild.html

Allegheny Gold (my #3 cider from 2019): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-whitewood-cider-company.html

Highland Scrumpy (my #3 cider from 2018): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-angry-orchard-ciders.html

Church Hill Blush: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-aeppeltreows-orchard.html

Check out all of the ciders that Big Fish Cider has available by visiting them on the web: https://www.bigfishcider.com/

Here’s the cidery’s official description for the cider.

Sparkling gold clear Off-Dry cider featuring Stayman, Gold Rush, Winesap and Pink Lady. This cider is fermented with local Maple Syrup, and then barrel aged in apple brandy barrels, 8.4% abv.

We grow amazing apples here in Highland, but we are better known for our maple syrup; this cider is a perfect marriage of the two. In the olden-days, cidermakers would add extra sugar to their cider to boost the alcohol content in order to make a more stable drink (with our long, cold winters, who could blame them?), and at one time maple syrup was inexpensive and readily available. They would ferment the cider in barrels, and with the maple flavors, this would add complexity to the cider. We used apple brandy barrels, which add another dimension to the flavors of this cider.

The Oak of the barrel comes through on the nose, but the first sip soon gives way to the brandy and flavors including vanilla and caramel notes, from the barrel, and when swallowed the essence of the maple is left on the palate, along with the tannins from the oak. Less maple flavor than most expect, and not sweet. We didn’t want the Maple to dominate, only be a supporting flavor in this cider.

Monterey Maple goes well with smoked meats and particularly grilled foods.

Appearance: bright jeweler’s gold, brilliant, bubbly

I love how intense and bright the jeweler’s gold color is in the Monterey Maple. Otherwise the cider is plentifully bubbly and brilliant.

Aromas: barrel, baking spices, maple, botanical notes, apple butter

The Monterey Maple cider smells of a gentle aged spiciness of the brandy barrel. I also get notes of concentrated apple butter, baking spices, and one thread of wildness.

Dryness/Sweetness: Semi-sweet

This cider is described as off-dry, but the maple adds presence to its sweetness, so it may function like a semi-sweet if your tastes are like mine.

Flavors and drinking experience: brandy, creamy mouthfeel, medium high acid, maple, 

Big Fish Cider Co.’s Monterey Maples tastes fantastic. Bubbles caress the thick boozy mouthfeel. The cider brings medium high tannins and medium high acid. The acidity stands out as high profile for a barrel-aged cider; I appreciate the effect tremendously. The maple is nicely integrated, but the brandy barrels speak just as clearly. The cider awakens the salivary glands. 

I love how this cider tastes warming and bright at once. The maple speaks with additional clarity  in the finish and aftertaste, which is a great place for it to show up. I also get floral notes as the cider leaves my senses. The one note of wildness from the aroma does persist, adding a burr of texture. The bubbles are a joy. Overall a perfect delight for Winter or Spring. 

Cider Review: Stormalong Cider's Collaboration with Exhibit A Brewing Co. India Pale Cider IPC

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on the Stormalong collaboration with Exhibit A Brewing Co. IPC, India Pale Cider. It’s a bit overdue as this collaboration was released in October of last year, so I apologize! I just have to find the right moment of weather, food, and mood to reach for a hopped cider outside of Spring or Summer. This past week, we had those moments a plenty as nearly a week of unseasonable warmth and glorious golden sunshine visited the Finger Lakes. I didn’t hesitate to create a meal around this cider. Read on to find out what it was.

First, I’ll quote Stormalong’s website to paint a little picture of this cidery’s identity. 

Stormalong Cider was founded in 2014 by Shannon Edgar with the desire to showcase the virtues of cider made with the right apples. Cider is a complex and nuanced beverage, and apple selection and blends are paramount.

We treat cider making as an artistic endeavor, a renaissance of sorts. Using a blend of culinary and rare heirloom varieties, we ferment and age our ciders with traditional and modern techniques showcasing the unique characteristics of these diverse apples.

At Stormalong, we are committed to quality. We don’t cut corners. We respect the apple, the ingredients, and the process. We aim to increase awareness of the diversity of apple cultivars, some of which have been around since the country was founded, while continuing to innovate and explore in the pursuit of cider’s full potential.

I’ve reviewed and enjoyed several Stormalong ciders since the cidery was founded. Here’s the list. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Online you can find out about Stormalong’s current releases and full lineup: http://stormalong.com/.

Here’s how Stormalong and Exhibit A Brewing describe the collaboration cider: India Pale Cider.

This limited release cider features a blend of Gold Rush and Idared apples fermented with a Belgian saison yeast and dry-hopped with Mosaic and Simcoe Cryo hops. The result is a crisp 6.0% ABV cider with notes of citrus, floral, and tropical fruit enhanced by the hops.

Appearance: Brilliant, Intense pollen yellow, Ring of bubbles

I don’t expect a shining and brilliant cider for a hopped cider. Often the aesthetics of beer influence hopped ciders, and the result is a hazy to cloudy cider. The IPC instead shows off its intense pollen yellow colors and the tiny corona of bubbles I see where the cider meets the glass. Lovely!

Aromas: Grapefruit, Melon, Aquatic, Fresh apple, Clean

The first note I scent after pouring this cider is grapefruit flesh, followed by melon, fresh apple, and a wonderfully refreshing play of aquatic elements. It feels cooling, not sweaty or dirty. The overall sense I get from the IPC is that this will be fresh and clean while also tasting tremendously fruity. We’ll see if the flavors match the aromas.

Sweetness Dryness: Off Dry

This is a perfect off-dry cider in terms of its not-quite-present level of sweetness. The cider isn’t punishing, austere, or bone dry, but neither is it sweet. It’s just not-dry enough to allow that to be a background characteristic, making room for other flavors and factors.

Flavors and Drinking Experience: medium to petillant bubbles. mildly bitter, off dry, big and acidic with plenty of apple. 

Hopped ciders are more than a little bit divisive in the cider world. Lots of cider people are also beer people, and for them hops have two cleanly defined roles: aromatics and bitterness. There is less agreement about whether or not both of those roles are acceptable for hops in cider. Stormalong and Exhibit A Brewing make their collaborative case for lots of aromas and just the mildest of bittering. It’s a wise choice and a delicious one. 

The cider’s texture is medium-full bodied buoyed by petillant bubbles.  It’s refreshingly acidic cider with plenty of apple, hops and fermentation character. 

The Grapefruit notes that I noticed in the aromas persist. The hops specifically elide into a pineyness that seems woody in the context of cider. I enjoy the IPC’s nice wet mouthfeel, particularly because it stays fresh not dank, bulbous, or funky. The collaboration comes off as mature and focused by creating a hopped cider that’s balanced and sessionable with a clean finish. It's committed to doing a challenging thing well: the integration of apples and hops.

With this cider, we had open-faced cheddar melts, made from 2 year aged cheddar, along with an array of nibbles. The rich cheese went beautifully with the clean cider and walnuts, craisins, honey, carrots, peppers and hummus. A simple dinner was perfect to complement this deeply enjoyable cider.