Cider Review: Raging Cider & Mead Co's Town’s End

 

As I write this week, I’m getting ready to travel again. After three years of extremely limited travel, things feel undoubtedly different. Nonetheless, people are traveling again, and I am too. What’s different is that I drive more and fly less; I stick a little closer to home, and I try to get more than one purpose into each trip. It’s good to be going places nonetheless. I did want to review one last cider while at home. I reached deep into my cellar to find Raging Cider & Mead Co.'s Town’s End. The batch is labeled 2020.

Raging Cider and Mead has a great about section on the website, introducing the history, methods, values, and people of this small family-oriented cidery. Here’s just a bit of how the folks introduce themselves. 

The decision was made to grow their fruit utilizing regenerative methods and produce their ciders/perrys/wines naturally utilizing the native yeasts endemic to the orchards. In addition, they committed to only source apples, pears, honey, and other fruit from within San Diego County in order to support the local farming community and regrow the rich apple & pear orcharding traditions of the local San Diego mountains (in particular the Julian region). They have also committed to purchasing "ugly" and overproduced fruit to help local farmers derive a secondary income source from fruit that may have gone to waste and reintroducing traditionally made ciders (or heirloom ciders) to the American consumer using various techniques such as fermenting and aging on the lees in wine barrels in addition to Pétillant Naturel and other techniques borrowed from the wine world.

Today, I’m reviewing Raging Cider & Mead’s Town’s End, and I’ve reviewed one Raging Cider and Mead cider before. It was my number 10 cider of 2020.

Them Pet-Nat Southern Apples: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/09/cider-review-raging-mead-and-cider.html

You can visit Raging Cider and Mead online here: https://www.ragingcidermead.com/

Here’s what Raging Cider and Mead has to say about the Town’s End. 

A dry cider from a single-source orchard located just past downtown Julian with bright apple and herbaceous notes. It was made with a field blend of Northwest Greening, Rome Beauty, Cinnamon Spice, and unknown sweet apples. 9 cases made ABV 8.5%

I’d never heard of Cinnamon Spice apples until reading this label, so now I’m extra curious about this California cider! And a total production of 9 cases: that's tiny.

Appearance: deep burnt orange color, slight haze, few bubbles

This cider is most striking in its color. The shade of burnt orange and slight haze remind me of many UK or UK-inspired ciders. I don’t see a lot of bubbles, but we’ll see how sparkly it feels.

Aromas: chocolate, boozy, graphite, apricot

The Town’s End smells wild to me and full of complexity. The first notes I detect are chocolate and pencil shavings, or specifically the graphite. Secondarily, scents of apricot, minerals, and an aura of booziness make themselves known delicately. There’s no mistaking this wild ferment for anything more tame!

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

I love that this cider is dry as promised!

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, acetic acid, medium high tannins and lots of citrus

This cider is tart and wild with a definite presence of acetic acid and medium high tannins. Lots of citrus notes just jump out at first sip. The cider is unashamedly funky notes of red bell pepper and oranges. The whole experience is very herbaceous with a slightly bitter finish. The cider feels mildly bubbly on the tongue, more petillant than strongly sparkling but that could be due to age. 

I had mine with a casual outdoor dinner of open faced avocado cheddar melts and chopped vegetable salad. This is a cider for someone who knows that they love the untamed side of cider and who wants to experience some savory notes and unusual apples. 

Cider Review: Tilted Shed Ciderworks' 2019 Echolocation

I’ve seen the sun twice this week, and I’ve recovered from Covid. You know mostly recovered in that I’m testing negative and able to go about my business. My congestion isn’t fully gone, and I’m returning to life slowly and carefully. That just seems the safest and comfiest option. That means that this set of notes is another one I took a while ago, and I’ve saved for a rainy day. Hopefully, there won’t be too many more rainy days before I can replenish these! But until then, I’m happy to share my thoughts on Tilted Shed Ciderworks 2019 Echolocation.

Tilted Shed Ciderworks has appeared on this blog regularly, so I’ll refer readers to earlier reviews for more background information on this orchard-based California Cidery.  What I will share again is that the cidery is based in Sonoma County California, where it was founded in 20111 by Ellen Cavalli and her husband Scott Heath. The cider releases are small and highly individualized, so if you’re curious about what Tilted Shed is releasing, the best way to have access is the cider club.

Find out more background in these earlier reviews.

Wickson (my #9 cider of 2021) : http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/02/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Inclinado: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/10/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Love's Labor (my 2nd favorite cider of 2020): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/06/cider-reviews-grisamore-cider-fillmore.html

Lost Orchard: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Barred Rock Barrel Aged Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/04/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted-shed.html

January Barbecue Smoked Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/03/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted.htm

And you can learn all about what’s happening at Tilted Shed Ciderworks on the website: https://www.tiltedshed.com/

I obtained this cider as part of the Tilted Shed Cider Club. Here’s what the Harvest newsletter said about it. 

2019 Echolocation    A coferment of 70% Asian pear varieties (Hosui, Shinseki, and Shinko) from Sebastopol’s Gabriel Farm and 30% Roxbury Russet from Murray Ranch on Sonoma Mountain. This was our first time working with these delightful pear varieties, and we think it turned out really well! Straw gold, with a aromatics of pear skin and just a whiff of marjoram; vivacious acidity with notes of pear and a touch of honeydew melon. I dig it, and the more I drink it, the more I find it rather beguiling. I think it’ll be a great cider for pearing...haha, I mean, pairing with a wide range of foods. Let me know what you think! PS You might be wondering where the name “Echolocation” comes from. Well, when I conceived of the art for this label, I drew four nested concentric circles representing the four types of pome fruit that go into this blend. I asked Scott to paint it for me (I cannot paint!) and when he showed me the finished art, it immediately reminded me of the radarlike imagery of echolocation—that is, the way creatures such as dolphins and bats navigate using sound instead of sight. Hence, the name. I think it is apropos as it shows how we are navigating our way through our cidermaking journey by using all our senses.

Appearance: intense aconite yellow, cloudy, few bubbles

The color of this cider is intense and joyful. It reminds me of Winter Aconite, one of the first flowers we’ll see in upstate New York. The cider is cloudy rather than clear or hazy, and it poured with a bit of a mousse. After a few moments, I can still see just a few isolated bubbles, but I still anticipate some sparkle

Aromas: Dust, red grapes, cantaloupe, apricot

The Echocolation smells rich and exciting like mineral dust, red grapes, cantaloupe, and apricot. I love the concentrated intensity of these aromas. It's tremendously inviting.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry!

Yes! Another dry one. I’m always curious about perceived sweetness when dealing with a perry because of the varying levels of sorbitol in pears. This is a conclusively dry pear and apple blend. 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, floral, astringent, honey, ripe apple  

What a lovely and complex treat! Echolocation taste dry and yet like floral honey and fusel oil. The pear cider offers a long ripe apple finish and strong bubbles. The flavors are wild and intense and communicate while remaining fully dry. The cider creates an astringent experience that feels almost cottony in my mouth. The mid-palate’s bitterness slightly recalls wonderfully fresh red pepper. The overall effect varies between spring flowers and summer vegetables. It’s a wonderful vacation from a cold gray day and it has woken up my taste buds with amazing vibrance.

Cider Review: Dutton Cider Co.'s Carbonated Hard Apple Cider

Today, I’m writing as I watch my cat Thistle wash her paw in the bright winter sunlight. It’s not warm, but I’m so happy to see the sun, even if I appreciate it from indoors. Many of my cider friends are traveling to (or already at) Virginia for CiderCon right now. I hope they’ll have safe trips and wonderful times at the conference; the program certainly looks amazing! 

If you want to read more about this sold-out event, check out the American Cider Association’s website: https://ciderassociation.org/cidercon2022/

Just because I’m staying home this year, doesn’t mean I’m not still thinking about and loving cider. I’m trying another new-to-me cidery this week: Dutton Cider Co.. I’m pairing a Dutton Cider Co.’s  Carbonated Hard Apple Cider with Penzey’s Smoky 4S and the start of Home Fires Season 2. I may not be having the most exciting winter on record, but I’ve got cozy all figured out. My thanks to Dutton Cider Co for sending me samples for review.

Here’s what I was able to find out about Sonoma County’s Dutton Cider. 

THE MAKERS Dutton Ranch farms 200 acres of CCOF certified organic apples in addition to 1200 acres of vineyards in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Joe and Tracy Dutton founded Dutton Estate Winery in 1995 and grew up farming apples alongside vineyards. Their combined multi- generational family history inspires the crafting of hard apple cider.

You can learn more about Dutton Estates from the website: https://www.duttonestate.com/

Here’s a bit more information from the cidery about the apples and cider making.

 THE APPLES

The blending of the beloved local heirloom Gravenstein variety with Golden Delicious fashions the perfect cider... fruit-forward, like biting into fresh apples, with a touch of tartness and sweetness.

THE METHOD

"Cold” is the secret to our cider. Cold pressing, cold settling, cold fermenting, and cold storage ensure that crisp apple flavors are retained and acidity is smooth and bright.

This cider has an ABV of 7.4%

Appearance: brilliant, shining, cool toned gold, tiny bubbles  

This is a very pretty cider; it seems a shame to hide it in a can! I poured mine into a rocks glass so I could appreciate its brilliant shine and almost cold-toned gold. I barely know how to describe the color; it’s mature yellow with a memory of green like wheat tips. I can see just a few tiny visible bubbles.

Aromas: golden raisins, overripe apples, minerals 

Ooh! This cider has some fabulous power in its aromas. The cider smells like overripe apples; the notes are concentrated like golden raisins. I also get a vibrant base of minerals. 

Sweetness/Dryness: Sweet

This is a sweet to semi-sweet cider. The sweetness is balanced by both bitterness and acidity, but it's definitely integral to the cider.

Flavors and drinking experiences: sweet, green apple, bitter, mineral finish

Dutton Cider Co.'s Carbonated Hard Apple Cider starts with a splash of bright magic acid that makes me think of green apples. The minerals are a bit sharp and the acid feels angular in my mouth. The cider isn’t funky, but it’s profile is different from most high acid and sweet ciders. Perhaps it’s that this cider is also tannic and bitter, but I’m not entirely sure yet. 

What an interesting cider. I like how Dutton’s Cider has notes of Maple with a bit of bitterness that fills out the tasting experience. For a sweet cider I was surprised by the minerality of the finish. My co-tasters disagreed about the mouthfeel: hearty vs light. I can understand the divide. Tannic ciders and sweeter ciders can feel full but acidic cider with strong bubbles feel light. This cider is all of those things.

Overall, Dutton’s cider comes across as wonderfully interesting; it's a clean polished cider that definitely has winemakers' roots. It makes for a quite nice pairing with popcorn and excellent TV.

Cider Review: Tilted Shed Ciderwork's Wickson

It’s almost CiderCon! I’m so glad to have a chance soon to see my faraway friends in the cider world and spend three days immersed in all aspects of the cider industry. There will be panels and talks on fermentation, marketing, distribution, and all other elements of the cider business. This year everything is digital and so much more affordable than ever before. And I’m so curious to learn how they’ll run a virtual trade show with vendors. From what I’ve seen of the set up, it’s going to be different more fun than just another Zoom meeting!

If you’ve not heard enough from me, find out more here: https://ciderassociation.org/cidercon2021/ 

Plus folks will have the chance to taste and think about what gives UK ciders their particular profile in a tasting and discussion with Gabe Cook (https://www.theciderologist.com/) and myself!

But for now, I’m happy to share my notes on a single-varietal cider made from my favorite apple for cider making! I’m talking about the 2018 batch of Tilted Shed Ciderworks’ Wickson: made from Wickson Crabapples.

Tilted shed is wonderfully apple-centric yet inventive west-coast cidery. The company was founded in Sonoma county, California in 2011. They have a cider club and currently are offering to-go cider sales. 

Visit Tilted Shed online to learn more: https://www.tiltedshed.com/. 

Here’s my rundown of previous Tilted Shed cider reviews.

Inclinado: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/10/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Love's Labor (my 2nd favorite cider of 2020): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/06/cider-reviews-grisamore-cider-fillmore.html

Lost Orchard: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Barred Rock Barrel Aged Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/04/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted-shed.html

January Barbecue Smoked Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/03/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted.htm

Now for the 2018 Wickson description, “Single orchard, single variety California’s famous crabapples dry farmed in Sebastopol by Vulture Hill Orchard Pressed in season + wild yeasts bottle conditioned so chill well” 9% ABV.

Appearance: saffron yellow, clear to hazy, depending on pour, visible bubbles

This cider has a wonderful intensity of color. This leads me to expect a similar intensity in flavor: marvelous. The different glasses of this cider have slightly different levels of clarity. The first two glasses pour with total transparence but that gets a bit more hazy toward the end of the bottle. 

Aromas: Leathery, funky, woody and smoky and peach notes

Mmm! Excitement! I love ciders that bring bold aromas right to my nose! This cider smells leathery, funky, woody and smoky. The combination of a crabapple and wild fermentation done just right. I love thought that even this wild beast still brings peach notes in its bouquet. My anticipation is through the roof by now.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

This is a straight up dry cider. Perfect.

Flavors and drink experience: high acid, medium high tannins, creamy, peach, funky finish

Everything I was hoping for based on the aromas in this cider are coming to fruition in these flavors. The Wickson is enticing and exciting with high acid. The cider brings heft and structure with medium levels of tannins. It’s a nice balance with a creamy mouthfeel and lots of the peach and plum notes that were hinted at in the cider’s aroma.

This cider also sticks the landing with a long funky (but not too funky) finish. My co-taster and I agreed that this cider is exceptional. Something this pointedly acidic, dry, and wild might not be to all tastes, but it certainly pleases our palates! We paired this with a vegetarian shepherd’s pie and that pairing is wonderfully fun. 

Cider Review: Tilted Shed Ciderworks Inclinado Methode Traditionelle

I completely forgot to write this week! I blame moving. Better late than never though. I’m happy to share a review whose notes I took back in the summer months. I’m bringing my thoughts on Tilted Shed’s Inclinado Methode Traditionelle.

My access to California ciders is less limited than it used to be, but it still takes a lot more effort to actually get a bottle in my hands than lots of very good local offerings. Tilted Shed’s cider club really makes it much easier, and I’m glad to have joined almost a year ago. This Sonoma County Cidery consistently sources interesting apples and makes a range of different cider styles with them. The cidery has been producing ciders since 2011.

Here are all of my previous Tilted Shed reviews:

Love's Labor: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/06/cider-reviews-grisamore-cider-fillmore.html

Lost Orchard: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Barred Rock Barrel Aged Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/04/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted-shed.html

January Barbecue Smoked Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/03/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted.html

You can visit Tilted Shed online to learn about ciders and the cider club (I’m a member): https://www.tiltedshed.com/

Now for Tilted Shed’s Inclinado Methode Traditionelle!

Let’s start with the official description.

2017 Inclinado, Methode Traditionelle We also introduce a new version of our Spanish-style cider, Inclinado, that was also bottled using méthode traditionnelle (champagne method). 100% organic Sebastopol-grown Gravensteins, wild-fermented in neutral French oak barrels, no sulfites—just apples and time. It rested en tirage for about 16 months of in-bottle refermentation, and was then riddled and disgorged by hand. Elegance in a bottle, and pairs beautifully with absolutely everything. I can imagine it with oysters served with a garlic-apple mignonette, but try it with Spanish-inspired cheese and charcuterie, too. Store in a cool spot and chill very well before opening. Contents under pressure. Tasting notes: Acid-forward with mouth-filling notes of apricot, lemon, and lime; juicy and vibrant. 750ml / 8% ABV / Only 52 cases produced. 

 Appearance: bubbly, pumpkin orange, hazy

This hazy cider looks perfectly seasonal right now! It's a pumpkin orange with thousands of racing bubbles.

Aromas: citrus, salt, spice & volatile acidity.

Everything I smell points to a Basque inspired cider. There are spicy, citrusy, and salty notes, along with some volatile acidity.

Sweetness/dryness: dry

As most Methode Traditionelle ciders, this tastes completely dry!

Flavors and drinking experience: leathery, citrus, funky, high acid

Zing! This cider sings with high acidity. It’s racy, citrusy, and exhilarating. I get notes of leather, citrus like lemon and orange, and some bare hints of salt. The salt transforms to olive a bit after sipping and sitting with the cider.

The acidity is bodily and powerful. I can feel the cider in my esophagus with each swallow. The cider is funky, but nothing about it smells or tastes dirty. Is good clean funk a thing? This is definitely good clean funk. It's delightful, and what I love most has to be that intense sparkle. I love bubbles, and I refuse to be ashamed of it. This cider brings great bubbles!

I had my cider with a homemade veggie burrito. It’s a reliably fun pairing for high acid ciders because of the interplay between the umami and acidity. The umami brought by the food paired with the double hit of acid in both food and cider just makes for a fun and energetic meal pairing. 

Cider Review: Mission Trail Cider's Dryhard Gold and Washington Cider Week!

I know it’s not a pleasant or fun thing, but so much of my brain is on the West Coast wildfires. My heart goes out to everyone there who has lost a home or orchard, had to evacuate, or cannot safely go outside. 

Here’s a list I found of ways to help. Feel free to put other suggestions in the comments.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wildfires-oregon-california-washington-west-coast-how-to-help-victims/

I’m reviewing Mission Trail Cider's Dryhard Gold today. Founded by two brothers Monte and Victor Jones, Mission Trail is a small producer not only of cider, but also perry, wine, mead, and jerkum. This Sonoma County producer began selling cider in 2014. Here’s how the folks at Mission describe their aim, “Mission-Trail has one simple goal- create innovative, and artisanal jerkum, perry, wine, and mead, while using traditional and innovative wine making practices.”

I have two previous reviews of Mission Trail Cider.

Champagne Style Hard Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/11/cider-review-mission-trails-champagne.html

Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-2-woodchuck.html

You can check out Mission Trail on the web here and buy cider online: http://www.missiontrailranches.com/

Here’s the official description of the Dryhard Gold, “Perfectly bone dry, single varietal Newtown Pippin aged one year for your sipping pleasure. Great acidity makes for a dry, tart finish. Alcohol 6.90%”

Appearance: brilliant, pale straw, no visible bubbles

Mission Trail’s Dryhard Gold looks very wine like in the glass. I’d call the color pale straw, and it's totally brilliant. I didn’t see any bubbles in the glass either.

Aromas: ripe apples, minerals, berries, melon

The Dryhard Gold smells like ripe apples, minerals, strawberries and melon! This smells like it's going to be a fun and fruity cider.

Sweetness/dryness: dry but fruity

This dry cider is as fruity as the smell promised. Its always fun when a complete dry cider is still brimming with fruit notes.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, bubbly, nutty, boozy and warm

The Dryhard Gold cider tastes warm but not hot but it feels a touch more boozy than its ABV usually does. The cider also brings some seriously high acid to the party. That might be part of how the cider tastes so fruity yet dry. I love a bubbly beverage, and the sparkle on the Dryhard Gold suits me well. 

As I sip the cider more, I can detect a nutty element in the warmth. I appreciate how cleanly fermented and not funky this cider tastes. Yes, I also love a bit of barnyard, but I don’t need that in every glass, and this one is shiningly clean. The medium tannins keep things anchored well.

This cider’s pleasing floral finish kept us sipping until the bottle was too quickly gone.

I had this delicious cider with Okonomiyaki, and our little group was wowed by the pairing. I highly recommend exactly this!

Now it’s time to share my unquenched excitement for Washington Cider week!

Check out the full even listing (including lots of shippable cider specials!) here: https://www.washingtonciderweek.org/event-calendar’

Join me (virtually) this Friday at the Washington Fine Cider Tasting!: https://www.washingtonciderweek.org/event-calendar/2020/9/18/wa-fine-cider-virtual-tasting-with-dragons-head-liberty-and-alpenfire

And for one more recommendation, this Instagram Live event with Caitlin Braam (founder of Yonder Cider) Sara Harvey (Head Chef of Hama Hama Oysters) sounded really interesting: https://www.washingtonciderweek.org/event-calendar/2020/9/17/instagram-live-with-hama-hama-head-chef-sara-harvey-and-yonder-cider-founder-caitlin-braam

Stay safe out there, and I hope to see you Friday!

Cider Review: Raging Mead and Cider Company's Them Pet-Nat Southern Apples

Like many folks, I think I’m getting to a slow point in my COVID pandemic marathon. I may only manage single review posts for a while. It’s not that I don’t love cider or love sharing my opinions (trust me, I do) it’s just that making more time to write after working intensely at the computer five days a week isn’t easy. I have a harder time not obsessing about the news when I’m on the computer all the time, so I try to close the laptop when I can. Thank you for understanding!

Thanks to a trade with Dave, I was able to sample my first beverage by Raging Cider and Mead company this week. Raging Cider and Mead was founded in California in 2015 by Dave and Kerry Carr. This is my first review of any Raging ciders. They had been fermenting cider years before that. Here’s a quote from the website about the company’s goals and identity. 

One of the commitments Dave and Kerry have made is to only source apples, pears, honey, and other fruit from San Diego County in order to support the local farming community and to try and regrow the rich apple & pear orcharding traditions of the local San Diego mountains (in particular the Julian region). They have also committed to purchasing "ugly" and overproduced fruit to help local farmers derive a secondary income source from fruit that may have gone to waste and reintroducing traditionally made ciders (or heirloom ciders) to the American consumer by wild fermenting all their ciders on native yeast and using various techniques such as fermenting and aging on the lees in wine barrels in addition to various types of barrel aging.

You can visit Raging Cider and Mead online to learn more about what the company is up to! 

https://www.ragingcidermead.com/

Here’s how the Them Pet-Nat Southern Apples cider is described on the bottle, “A dry blend of heirloom apples originally discovered in the American south, wild fermented in stainless then bottled before completion of fermentation for natural in bottle carbonation. Nuancedwith hints of strawberries, melon, spices, light leather, rich mouthfeel, and tiny bubbles.” ABV of 8.2%.

The cider comes with very important instructions to chill it for a minimum of 24 hours before daring to open the cider. I kept my bottle in the fridge for closer to a week. 

Appearance: cloudy, ochre, extremely bubbly!

The Pet-Nat fountained out of the bottle as soon as it was opened! I poured it quickly and ended up with a fizzy cloudy glass of ochre cider. There’s no mistaking this pet-nat for any other natural sparking method.

Aromas: white grapes, baking spice, yeast, leather

The Pet Nat smells lush and champagne like with prominent notes of crushed white grapes. I also get baking spices, leather, yeast and some funk. This is a lovely and complex array of aromas.

Dryness/Sweetness: Dry

As promised, this is a dry cider. It might not be strictly bone dry, but sweetness isn’t noticeable.

Flavors and drinking experience: bubbly, high acid, medium tannins, medium funk

As I dearly hoped, Them Pet-Nat Southern Apples is delightfully bubbly. It has beautiful high acid and is funky but not too funky. It’s a natural fermentation and that shows, but it tastes a bit more restrained than it smelled. The cider has mild tannins and floral finish.

But what I might like best about it is that the pet-nat has a firm and substantial body. It’s hefty and taut. Pet Nats might be one of my favorite styles in that they have such potential to be dry, bubbly and just a hint wild. This one definitely hits all of those delightful criteria!

I had this cider with a veggie stir fry with almonds, yellow peppers,and a tasty citrusy Ponzu sauce. It was an easy pairing, and one I’d enjoy eating again!

Cider Review: UWE Sunny Summer and Stoked Cider Company Blue Palm

I got caught in a thunderstorm yesterday evening while walking home from a local ice-cream spot. My ice cream was long gone, and it had been a hot day; I welcomed the thunderstorm.  I doubt that I’m the only one who considers getting caught out in a cool rain a must-do summer activity. We’ve reached the point in the season that it’s time to reach for the Summer pleasures with both hands. 

Make your tomato pies; grill those peaches; go wading in the creek. All too soon, we’ll be trading in these brilliant long evenings for crisp views of the harvest moon. On the one hand, I’m ready for fall, but until it actually arrives, I’ll be filling my evenings with as many special summer treats as I can.

This logic led me to this week’s ciders: UWE Sunny Summer and Stoked Cider Company Blue Palm.

Let’s start with a cider that Alex brought back from his trip to the Netherlands last fall, UWE Sunny Summer.

You can visit the company online and learn about the ciders in Dutch or English: http://uwecider.nl/

Here's how the cidery describes it, “Sunny Summer is a summery apple cider made from English cider apple varieties supplemented with Dutch apple varieties such as Elstar. A smooth thirst quencher that you can drink with ice. 5% ABV”

I know cider with ice is more accepted in Europe, but I am choosing no ice.

Appearance: ginger orange, brilliant, bubbly

This looks more like a UK cider than most american ciders. The color reminds me of orange and ginger. It’s brilliant with a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass. 

Aromas: sweet, peachy, slightly metallic

My first impression of the Sunny Summer is that it smells like sweet acidity. It’s reasonable to ask how something can smell like acidity. In this case, the cider has the barest hint of volatile acidity, but it’s mild enough such that it smells like warm and tangy peaches.  The aroma starts to shade into something a bit metallic or a bit twangy,  but it’s still mostly fruity. 

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This tastes very sweet and fruity. The sweetness specifically reminds me of french ciders, but I’m confident that this isn’t a keeved cider. I think the similarity has other sources, which I’ll explain in the next section.

Flavors and drinking experience: low acid, soft fruit, sweet, short finish

Different indeed! The Sunny Summer’s first impression is one of soft, cooked fruit. The low acidity always comes as a surprise to me because most of the ciders I taste have very high acidity. This is also quite a tannic cider. That combination of sweetness, high tannins, and low acid create a French cider inspired vibe. 

While this cider would be very surprising to many American cider drinkers because its style is so different, it’s totally drinkable. The apple flavors are rich and nice. I’ll call the level of sparkle medium. The finish is quick and clean.

I had mine with a remarkably good pesto bean salad. It was a lovely pairing.

Next up, Stoked Cider Company’s Blue Palm.

I don’t know a lot about Stoked Cider, but I get the impression that the company s invested in associating the cider with California, outdoor activities, health and the beach. I had to do a little searching to find out who founded Stoked Cider, but Cider Scene came through for me! The cider was founded by Mark McTavish. 

You can see for yourself at:  https://www.stokedcider.com

Here’s how Stoked Cider describes the Blue Palm. 

Hop on this cider whale and cruise your way to flavor island. This is a juicy hop monster, refreshingly dry with a burst of tropical fruit and fragrant west coast hops. We crafted this cider for bikini babes, big wave surfers, and hop heads who enjoy a healthier buzz. Dry hopped with Mosaic hops, then blended with fresh blueberries and pineapples. Dive right in and get your hair wet, then stick your feet in the sand and sip till you sway like a lazy palm bending with the sea breeze. 6.9% ABV

While I am not one of those categories of folks for whom this cider was created, I’m excited to taste it.

Appearance: hazy, no visible bubbles, cerise

The color reminds me of cerise or cherry. It’s just on that luscious line between pink and red. The cider looks hazy, and I don’t see any bubbles.

Aromas: blueberry, stones, peaches, minerals

The Blue Palm smells stony and like blueberries to me. There’s some apple but there’s more minerality and other fruit, mostly blueberries and peaches. I don’t get much in the way of hops but the cider has a pleasantly boozy smell.

 

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

 

This is a fruity semi-dry cider.

 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, hoppy, citrus, pineapple

 

The Blue Palm is tasty and easy. This high acid cider zings with citrus, and hop notes. I can taste the hops more than I could smell them. There’s not as much blueberry and apple as I expected from this cider’s aromas, but some pineapple speaks up in the fruity blend. The Blue Palm offers nice medium strength bubbles and a pleasingly full body.

Cider Reviews: Grisamore Cider Fillmore Perry, Tilted Shed Ciderworks Love's Labour, Plus Prospect Ciderwork's Paradise Notes

This is no time to sink back gently to the status quo. That’s true about systemic racism, police violence and pandemic precautions. Please, educate yourselves and improve the world around us. It’s also June, the month of long warm evenings and more and more fresh produce showing up in our gardens and markets. June is a wonderful time to pair cider with food, with relaxing after work, and maybe a glass beside us as we read or watch something wonderful. 

Today I want to try something a little different. I’m going to share two full cider reviews and one totally unedited set of cider notes. The notes are on a fun cider that I enjoyed but whose cider appears to be no longer active. I thought this might be a fun way to share a super candid peak at what I scribble into my phone as I’m tasting. 

  
But let’s start with Grisamore Cider Work’s newest: Fillmore Perry.

Before I hop into my brand introduction for Grisamore Cider Works, I should mention that I work with one of the founders at my non-cider job. We both work at Cornell University within the Library, but neither of us reports to the other or has any connection that would bias my reviews. I want to be upfront. Grisamore Cider Works is based out of Locke, New York. The cidery grew out of a third generation family farm that also hosts u-pick fruit and a greenhouse. This perry was shared with me for review.

My previous reviews of Grisamore ciders include:

A flight at the tasting room: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/07/cider-review-grisamore-cider-works.html

24.4 squared: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-grisamore-cider-works-244.html

Currantly: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-reviews-redbyrd-orchard-cider.html

Here is Grisamore’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/grisamoreciderworks/

And the online shop: www.grisamoreciderworks.square.site

Tthe Fillmore Perry’s official description reads, “A smooth dry perry with ripe pear notes on the palate.” 6% ABV.

Appearance: Hazy, bright buttery gold, some bubbles

This cider looks so bright and sunny in the glass. I’ll call the color a buttery gold with a mild bit of haze. It shows some bubbles but not too many.

Aromas: tangy pears, sharp cheese, minerals

The Fillmore smells a bit tangy and also like ripe pears. I get hints of volatile acidity, sharp cheese, and loads of minerals. THis is starting to remind me of a UK perry.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

The Fillmore is a semi-dry perry.  This is always a funny category to describe because of the different sweetness (sorbitol) in pear juice.

Flavors and drinking experience: funky, savory, complex, bubbly

Whoa. There is so much to notice and contemplate in the Fillmore. This perry is woody, funky and complex. The acidity somehow feels low in the mouth (imprecise, I know). You could describe the cider as savory as well as fruity with notes that not only include pears and apples but also mushrooms, herbs and carrots. 

The perry isn’t over the top high acid but what’s there is so different from malic acid. The Fillmore also brings some tannins and lots of complexity. I appreciate how bubbly it is, and the floral and rocky finish. This really is like some classic UK perries. 

Next up: Tilted Shed Ciderworks’ Love’s Labor

Tilted Shed Ciderworks is based out of Sonoma County, California. Scott Heath and Ellen Cavalli founded Tilted Shed in 2011. The company prioritizes heritage and cider apples in their ciders. 

I’ll quote from the website for just a bit more of their ethos, “We believe that vintage ciders are the best way to express the beauty of Sonoma County apples, so we only press fresh-picked apples, in season, on-site at our cidery. "Low and slow" and "cool sh*t in small batches" are our mantras for our fermentation, as we make our ciders with wild and cultivated yeasts, and time. That's it—and that's enough!” 

Here are my earlier Tilted Shed reviews:

Lost Orchard: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-tilted-shed-ciderworks.html

Barred Rock Barrel Aged Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/04/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted-shed.html

January Barbecue Smoked Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/03/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted.html

You can visit Tilted Shed online to learn about ciders and the cider club (I’m a member): https://www.tiltedshed.com/

The official description for Love’s Labor says:

Our foodshed wild ferment of wild blackberries we picked from the thicket at the edge of our farm and wild native elderberries we foraged from near the Russian River. Co-fermented Sebastopol-grown organic dry-farmed Gravensteins. A beautifully brambly bubbly showcasing the bounty of our little slice of heaven in west Sonoma County.
Alcohol 8.00%

Appearance: deep fuchsia, brilliant, bubbly

This color reminds me of so many late spring flowers: Fuchsias, Peonies, and Impatiens.  The cider is brilliant, bubbly, and looks tremendously inviting.

Aromas: berries, custard, blackberries, minerals

My first thought upon sniffing this cider was, “Super berry!” The aromas remind me of custard with blackberries. The cider just smells so fruity with a lick of minerality.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi Dry

Love’s Labor is clearly a semi-dry cider. The sweetness that’s present tastes entirely natural and very much like the tart fruit that goes into this cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: crisp acidity, full mouthfeel, spritely bubbles

There is so much to love about this ciders. Love’s Labor introduces itself briskly with crisp acid. As the color and aromas promise, this cider is fruity- both berry and apple. I love it’s full mouthfeel- particularly because it’s not sugary but rather comes from that 8.0% ABV. It’s not a surprise to anyone how much I love its spritely bubbles. What anchors the experience is the presence of some tannins and minerality. 

What’s key to all of this is Love’s Labor’s balance. These are all puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. I adore this cider.

And now for the bonus notes on Prospect Ciderworks’ Paradise.

--------------Caution: No Copy Edits Ahead!------------------------

Prospect Ciderworks
Paradise
Appearance: Hazy
Smells tropical sweaty and citrus
Semi sweet
Medium acid
Farro, soft apples
Less tart than I expected from the smell
Low tannins
Genuinely different
Vanilla creamy and tropical
Allspice and cinnamon

Tiki drink esque

Cider Review: California Caboose Cider's Hold the Line Cider and Awestruck Cider's Viking Sahti

High winds and rain are racing across my region tonight, but it feels like weather is the only thing that’s moving. That’s okay; staying home is what we need to do right now. I’m dealing with my cooped up feelings with small home projects, gardening when conditions allow, lots of cooking and almost nightly movies. It’s not ideal, but I’ll take it. I appreciate that cider goes wonderfully  well with the home-cooked meals and the movies. 
   
Let’s start this week’s reviews with my first ever review of anything by California Caboose Cider. The company is based out of Healdsburg, California. It’s a young cider, only launched in November of 2018. The focus is on using pacific northwest regional fruit and producing acid-forward lower tannin ciders. I appreciate their clarity of vision and openness in sharing their style.

I’ll be reviewing the Hold the Line cider which was sent to me at no cost for review. 

The company describes the Hold the Line cider as “a hard cider dedicated to the firefighters and first responders who fought tirelessly to save Sonoma County during the Kincade Fires in Fall of 2019.” It’s ABV is 6.3%

Visit the company on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/californiacaboosecider

Appearance: Brilliant, pale straw, very few bubbles

This is a brilliant cider! It’s color can be described as pale straw, and I can see very few bubbles in the glass. 

Aromas: Malic acid, Jolly Ranchers, peanuts and salt

What an intriguing set of aromas. I was surprised to smell peanuts and salt when I poured the Hold the Line cider. Notes of green apple, Jolly Ranchers both of which indicate malic acid also showed up.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry!

This is certainly a dry cider! The Hold the Line is a much more acid driven experience than one relying on fruity sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, grainy, minerals, bitter

The Hold the Line Cider is very tart! I expected it might be based on it’s aromas. What I didn’t expect is that it's also mildly bitter with lots of mineral and citrus notes. This is a pointed and austere cider. It doubles down on these characteristics with lots of bubbles, low tannins, and no sweetness. Some drinkers might note that isn’t aiming for a more purist mode rather than a balanced one. You could even call this cider bracing.

I had my Hold the Line cider with BBQ cauliflower, seasoned white beans, and homemade cornbread. When I noticed a nutty or grainy finish on this cider, it complemented this meal. 

My other cider review this week is one I wanted to enjoy during one of short cold spells of Spring. I had a can of Awestruck Cider’s Viking Sahti. This cider is made with juniper and spruce; my associations with those botanicals have everything to do with staying cozy at home.

Awestruck cider comes to us from Sidney, New York. I first became aware of the company through the annual Gathering of the Farm Cideries in Albany. I’ve consistently enjoyed the ciders I’ve tried!

I want to share one quote from the Awestruck website that does convey the cidery’s general attitude, “We are fanatical about crafting transcendent, awe-inspiring hard cider. Each and every apple in our blends specifically loves you, and they’ve all come together to help improve your day. Our name is our mission, we aim to leave you AWESTRUCK.”

I have previously reviewed a few Awestruck ciders. 

 Hibiscus Ginger: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/10/cider-review-awestruck-premium-hard.html This cider reached my top ten in 2015!

Dry Apple + Oak: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/cider-review-kite-and-strings-rose-17.html

Hometown Homicider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-reviews-woodchuck-ciders-bubbly.html

Visit the company online: https://www.awestruckciders.com/Index

This cider’s official description says,

Inspired by ancient Finnish Sahti ale, we ask you to raise your drinking horn in honor of our Viking forebears. We ferment our apples in hot, bringing the slight banana note distinctive to traditional Sahti; we then lightly bitter it with whole juniper berries and a touch of spruce, yielding a drop fit for the Halls of Valhalla. Kippis! As they say in Finland. 6.8% ABV

Appearance: hazy, warm straw, bubbly

I was met with a shock! This cider pours with a foamy head that disappears. I’ll call the color warm straw. It creates a rustic impression by being hazy and bubbly.

Aromas: spruce, apple, citrus, volatile acidity

I wasn’t sure quite what to expect with the mention of banana notes in the cider’s official description, but I didn’t smell that. I got some volatile acidity (just a touch) but more spruce and apple. Other fruity notes bounced through the experience, including orange and lemon.

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-dry

I’ll call the Sahti semi-dry though I think there are cider fans who might consider it closer to dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, tropical fruit, juniper

The Sahti brings very high acid to the party! It’s almost shocking. Tropical fruit and pineapple notes dominate the fruity parade. Apple and citrus support these tropical notes but do not compete with them. Some of the fruit and tart notes come from a certain amount of acetic acid, as far as I can tell. What balances those lithe and nimble elements out are some deep anchors of juniper and aquatic notes.

I wanted something simple for this cider, so I enjoyed it with homemade popcorn and a movie. Simple worked well in this case!

Cider Review: Tilted Shed Ciderworks Lost Orchard and Ploughman Cider's Dornick

Cider is a global community. I love to keep things focused on cider in a fun and personal way here, but I was urged by a local cidermaker to bring up a thorny and significant issue this week. Thank you, Simon, for encouraging me to communicate about something that could affect all of us in the global cider community. It’s the upcoming potential wine tariff that could affect importers (many of whom import cider as well as wine), distributors, bottle shops, restaurants, and cider drinkers. 

Here are a couple of links,so readers can educate themselves about the threatened 100% tariff increase. 

https://vinepair.com/articles/european-tariffs-affect-american-wine/

https://nawr.org/nowinetariffs/?mc_cid=58366faa2d&mc_eid=b912cfa5fa

Thanks for your patience! On to the cider reviews!

Tilted Shed Ciderwork's Lost Orchard

I have only two previous reviews of anything by Tilted Shed. Now that I’ve joined the cider club, I will have a lot more Tilted Shed to taste and review! Here’s what I’ve tried in years past. 

Barred Rock Barrel Aged Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/04/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted-shed.html

January Barbecue Smoked Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/03/reviewing-ciders-for-winter-tilted.html

You can learn more about the company in my previous reviews or check out Tilted Shed online: https://www.tiltedshed.com/

Here’s how Titled Shed officially introduces this cider:

In 1987, a couple planted an apple orchard along the Russian River with the dream of making traditional cider. But with the rise of wine, the timing was wrong, so the couple abandoned the orchard and moved away. In 2011, we found our way to this lost orchard, the Kingston Black, Nehou, Golden Russet, Roxbury Russet, Porter’s Perfection, Yarlington Mill, wild apples, quince, and mystery pears enveloped in poison oak and blackberry brambles, wild boar feasting on the drops. Since then, we have worked to revive this feral idyll while harvesting and fermenting its fruit. This cider expresses a sense of place with notes of savory herbs and orchard floor, and an earthy depth synonymous with Sonoma County. This is our 8th “vintage” of Lost Orchard. Unfined, unfiltered, unpasteurized, minimal sulfites. 8% ABVAlcohol 8.00%

Appearance: Deep butterscotch color, brilliant, some visible bubbles

This is a lovely cider and it looks so different than most American ciders with its deep, rich color. I love seeing that heavy butterscotch saturation in a cider. Its brilliant with some visible bubbles as well.

Aromas: Leather, peaches, wet leaves, pepper

This cider  smells very much like some English ciders I’ve enjoyed. The Lost Orchard spills over with aroma notes like leather, peach, wet leaves, and black pepper. It makes me think of wet and autumnal scenes that just beg for a fireplace and a Chesterfield sofa.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

Though the label doesn’t focus on this, or even mention it explicitly, the Lost Orchard is a dry cider. This cider isn’t just dry though; there’s a lot more going on. 

Flavors and drinking experience: tannic, high acid, wild, sour

The Lost Orchard tastes highly tannic which works in conjunction with the cider’s dryness to create a relatively austere and structured drink. This cider powers much of its flavor through blisteringly high acidity. I love what strong salivary reaction just sniffing this cider creates!

In terms of flavors, the Lost Orchard is wild. It tastes both sour and astringent. It’s fruity but also has notes of wine, tea, and acetic acid. The wildness adds zest and the bubbles keep the whole experience light and quick. It was a perfect pairing for veggie heavy pesto pizza!

Ploughman Cider’s Dornick

I was able to pick up a few ciders on my way home from Harrisburg at the PA Farm Show competition, and I was thrilled to see some Ploughman Ciders. This is only my second review of the brand.

Pinot N’arlet: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/04/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-black.html

Ploughman Cider comes from Adams County in Pennsylvania. The cidery is affiliated with Three Springs Fruit Farm. I love how the website describes the Ploughman approach to making cider. 

Here at Ploughman, we embrace the "frontier" mentality – an eagerness to try new things, but always with authenticity to quality. We are not purists, but we will never cut corners and never use engineered essences, flavors, or artificial nonsense. Our eagerness to experiment with new things is almost completely farm based – we use whatever is exceptional and abundant at Three Springs Fruit Farm on any given year.

Visit the Ploughman Cider website to read about all the ciders: 
https://www.ploughmancider.com/

Here’s the official description of the Dornick.

AMERICAN DRY CIDERWe're proud of Adams County, PA, where we live and make our ciders. In each bottle we share some of its terroir with you. The term Dornick evokes a stony, pebbly quality – like the limestone and fractured white quartz under the apple trees of our home orchards. The stones emerge under the trees each spring when the snow melts. This cider, born of bold, robust apples, offers aromas of strawberry, butterscotch, and autumn leaves. We let the cider emerge in its own time from the land when it is ready. Full and satisfying, and unique every year.
8.5% ALC./VOL. 

(note, the bottle I purchased lists a different and lower ABV of 7.3%.)

Appearance: hazy, moon glow, bubbly

This cider is so very active to watch. I can see many miniscule bubbles just tripping upwards. The cider has a softly hazy glow which adds to its cool moonlight tone. 

Aromas: funky, overripe apples, acetate, twigs, and leather

Whoa. I got two fabulous ciders with leather and overripe apple aromas in one week. I’m treating myself too well! The Dornick brings all kinds of tempting scents to the glass. This cider smells pleasingly funky, twiggy, and tart.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

Exactly as promised, this is a dry cider! I love it when that happens.

Flavors and drinking experience: creamy, high acid, woody, funky

The Dornick certainly has a lot going on. This dry cider tastes creamy, yet offers high acidity. I think the higher than average ABV is allowing a full mouthfeel in addition to hopping zingy tartness. The cider tastes woody, buttery, and smoky. I could imagine pairing the Dornick with smoked salmon, a high intensity cheese tray, or a hearty winter stew. 

I appreciate this cider’s grainy funky finish. The Dornick is a fun trip from start to finish. I appreciate it’s body and its wildness very much!