It’s wet, chilly, and blustery outside. I am so glad to be home and warm. Not only that, I have a plate of delicious pizza and a cider that I’m very excited to review. Tonight, I’m sharing my thoughts on Seminary Hill Cider's Delaware Dry. I can feel the number of times I’ve ensconced myself and whatever writing machine I’m using for exactly this sort of evening. What a familiar sort of contentment. I love the nights when I know that I’ll be opening a very tasty cider indeed.
Seminary Hill Cider comes to us from the Catskills region of New York. The cidery was founded in 2012, but I only got to experience the place and the cider for the first time earlier this year.
Round up of several Seminary Hill ciders including, 2021 Beechwoods, Nicksen, 2020 Semi-Sweet Cackling Hen, Tom’s Beard, Spy Who Came in From the Cold: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/10/cider-review-seminary-hill-cider-roundup.html
Here’s how to find the cidery, restaurant, and hotel online: https://www.seminaryhill.co/
Tonight I’m sharing about the Delaware Dry. Here’s all the info about this cider available from Seminary Hill’s website.
2020 Delaware Dry
Silver Medal GLINTCAP
Alcohol 8.2%
pH 3.76
Titratable Acidity (TA) 7.47 g/L
Bottling Date 6.22.21
Bone dry, floral, spice, mild bitterness, medium body, good acid
Blend: Chisel Jersey 42%, Baldwin 26% Golden Russet 20% Northern Spy 12%
Appearance: brilliant, intense popcorn yellow, few visible bubbles
This cider brings absolute ferocity of color. It reminds me of popcorn kernels tonight, but the warm toned yellow can be found all over autumn.
Aromas: Lemon peel, candied orange, minerals
The Delaware Dry smells amazing and delectable. I get notes of lemon peel, candied orange, and minerals.
Dryness/sweetness: Dry
This is absolutely a dry cider. It needs no sweetness to be absolutely flavorful and completely itself.
Flavors and drinking experience: Dry, bubbly, tannic, high acid, vivid, citrus and minerals
Whoa. The Delaware Dry tastes so vivid and minerally, it’s almost savory. Specifically I get notes of slate. This dry cider has a clean edge of bitterness, but the bubbly high acid carry it. I find it totally delicious. I’m so grateful for the clean fermentation. The fruitiness is present but restrained; I’m reminded of beautifully ripe grapefruit.
I had this tonight with pineapple pizza, but I remember enjoying with the ripest of late-season tomatoes and perfect sourdough bread. Both are incredible. I'd also serve it with a creamy chowder. There are so many good options for such a delightful food-friendly cider.
