Cider Review: Abandoned Hard Cider Classic

Hello Cider Friends! I write to you from my new home which has many boxes,  but I’m happy to say that the move is complete. But that’s not the only excitement happening currently; it’s Finger Lakes Cider Week! This year is different to say the least, but things are still happening! 

Please check out the website to find out more: https://ciderweekflx.com/flx/.

For today though I wanted to try something new and unknown, so I picked up a can of something I’ve never had at the local bottle shop. I chose the Abandoned Hard Cider Classic.

Here’s a link to this unusual cidery located in Woodstock, New York: https://www.abandonedcider.com/.

I love the quick and simple way the cidery website describes the company’s beginning, “After a chance meeting between two hobby cider makers in 2015, and a couple of years of geeking out together, Eric and Martin joined forces to create Abandoned Hard Cider.” The guys mentioned are Eric Childs and Martin Bernstein. 

You can find out lots more information on the cidery online.

I picked up Abandoned Hard Cider’s Classic. Here’s what the can says about the cider.

A refreshingly complex cider that pours hazy and packs a sharp appley bite!

As with all of our ciders, this one is made from over 100 varieties of apples collected in wild and abandoned orchards throughout New York's Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley.

The apples are a “blend of wild and heirloom apples.”

Appearance: hazy, bubbly, warm sand

The Classic looks hazy and bubbly. The color reminds me of warm sandy beaches. Perhaps I’m just dreaming about the possibility of travel.

Aromas: ripe apples, lemons, pears, but also some stoniness, and wet rocks, a bit funky

The Classic smells like wet rocks and shady spaces. I also get fruit notes including ripe apples lemons and pears.

Sweetness/dryness: bone dry

This is a bone dry cider! There aren’t that many bone dry canned ciders, so for folks looking for this combo, look no further!

Flavors and drinking experience: medium tannins, funky, high acid, fruity finish

I like a bone dry cider! The classic hits with an initial wave of abrasive acid followed by medium tannins. The cider mellows out, but it remains a bit funky, with flavors driven by it’s very high acid. I really enjoy the Classic’s pleasant fruity finish.

This cider is remarkably zesty and refreshing. The citrus profile of acidity paired with lots of minerality is fun. It’s easy to enjoy as a fan of dry bubbly ciders with high acid. In that way, it reminds me of the Northeastern region in general.

I enjoyed mine as a reward after a day of packing with a veggie burrito, and it was very much appreciated!

Cider Review: Kite and String's Rosé '17 and Awestuck Premium Hard Cider Dry Apple + Oak

Today, I want to share a fun and unusual set of cider notes. This past Thursday, as part of Finger Lakes Cider Week, I had a casual event at The Watershed (http://www.thewatershedithaca.com/) to take people through the basics of tasting cider. The bar had a number of New York State and Finger Lakes options, and it was an absolute pleasure to meet with new people, taste with old friends, and deepen some cider connections. Many thanks to everyone who came out! And much affection and appreciation to Ashley and Dave at the Watershed and Woody who helped put together and promote the event. 

This week’s reviews both come out of that event and the tasting notes are a collaboration of everyone who tried these two particular ciders. We used a cider flavor wheel and Cider Tasting Journals to help capture what we saw, smelled and tasted. If you don’t know these excellent tasting guides, I recommend checking them out online (https://www.33books.com/products/33-mugs-of-cider-golden-russet-special-edition). 

Thanks again, everyone! 

The first cider I’d like to share about today is Kite and String’s Rosé '17.

I've enjoyed quite a few Kite and String Ciders before. This is the house cider for Finger Lakes Cider House and winners of the first New York State Cider Competition (where I was a judge). If you check out old reviews, please don’t get confused if you see the cidery’s former name.

The Barrel Rye: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-good-life-ciders-barrel-rye.html

The Cazenovia: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-good-life-ciders-cazenovia.html

The King of Hector:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/07/cider-review-kite-and-string-ciders.html

I've enjoyed the Hickok at a few special dinners including:

Thanksgiving 2016: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/happy-to-pickcider-for-thanksgiving.html

And my oft-cited Finger Lakes Locavore Birthday Dinner:  
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

Read about both the Finger Lakes Cider House and Kite and String Cider on the website: http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com

Here’s house Kite and String describe the Rosé '17.

Semi Sweet, Method Charmat.

This delightful apple-grape wine blends high-acid cider apples with vinifera grapes. Strong aromatics of strawberry and lilac, combine with luscious berry notes on the palate, followed by a round creamy finish. 8.2%ABV

What’s fascinating is that all of Kite and String’s cider’s have a tech sheet with additional details as well. The apples included in this cider are Newtown Pippin, Baldwin, Liberty, and McIntosh. Here’s the cider maker’s note about this one. 

A Finger Lakes collaboration, our Rosé is a mix of sharp, high-acid, lateseason apples blended with 18% fresh Riesling juice grown by Hosmervineyards (Ovid, NY), and 10% Marechal Foch (French hybrid varietal)red grape wine produced at Swedish Hill Vineyards (Romulus, NY). Thesecondary fermentation takes place in a closed pressurized tank that isthen bottled at four volumes of carbonation pressure.

Appearance: brilliant, gentle coral, no visible bubbles

This is a very appealing shade of coral pink. It’s warm but gentle and reminds me of the blush on many apple skins. The cider is brilliant with no visible bubbles. 

Aromas: Raisins, limestone, peach

This cider smells wonderful when first poured, but it only improves as it warms up after a few moments. The aromas of peach, raisins, and limestone all intensify. 

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

I think Kite and String is entirely correct to call this cider a semi-sweet. The flavors are definitely impacted by it’s sweetness. The cider’s acidity does not alter or disguise that, but the sweetness is a profoundly fruity and pleasant sweetness. Because of that, I’d not choose to cellar this cider, but rather drink it now. 

Flavors and drinking experience: earthy, cherry, tart, stone fruit. 

For everyone who tried the Rosé, it was a favorite. Dry and sweet drinkers alike could agree on it. There’s a reason this cider appears frequently on the Watershed’s menu of ciders by the glass. The acidity and fruitiness work together beautifully. The sweetness adds heft and body that many ciders don’t have to offer. The fruits that comes across most strongly on the palate are cherry and peach, but there are other notes of apple and tropical fruit as well. It’s finish is rolling and pleasant. I’ll go ahead and nominate this one for future family get togethers.

The other review I’d like to share from the night is: Awestuck Premium Hard Cider Dry Apple + Oak. This cidery is based in Sidney, New York. The company has been producing cider since 2014 (Happy 5 years!), and I see folks from Awestruck at the Gathering of the Farm Cideries each year in Albany. 

You can visit Awestruck Ciders online: https://www.awestruckciders.com/

Last year, I Tried the Hometown Homicider: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-reviews-woodchuck-ciders-bubbly.html

I reviewed the Hibiscus Ginger by Awestruck back in 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/10/cider-review-awestruck-premium-hard.html

Here’s how Awestruck introduces the Dry Apple + Oak.

A Traditional, Artisanal Cider

6.8% ABV

Our Dry Apple + Oak cider is our constant companion. A loyal friend and ally. It pairs exceedingly well with meals, with evening galas, and with laid-back afternoons. Made from a seasonal blend of 100% fresh-pressed New York Apples, we very lightly oak this cider for a hint of toastiness and astringency. The first sip is smooth and dry then subtle flavors build and blend, growing the enjoyment sip after sip.

Appearance: brilliant, apricot, saffron, few visible bubbles

What a warm hue of yellow-orange. This was a great cider to dissect in terms of color because we have certain associations with a deeper color for cider. It’s often associated either with cider specific apples or barrel aging. Since this cider mentions oak, that’s in line with our expectations.

Aromas: baking spice, woodiness, sarsaparilla, cooked apples

This cider smells more like baked and spiced apples than I expected. The smells also reminded several folks of root beer with a sarsaparilla note. I do smell some woodiness and tropical notes like pineapple as well. 

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is not a dry cider. This is a sweet cider. One person said of the sweetness that it tasted cooked like the sugar in a baked dish.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, herbal, mulled, sweet

The Dry Apple + Oak has lots of acidity to offer. That’s what most tasters noticed first, one person going so far as to say that the acidity washing over their tongue with each sip was the predominant experience drinking the cider. Another taster noticed not only acidity but that it reminded them of seasonal fall ciders which often use mulling spices. I agree that the cider’s brown sugar, clove, and cinnamon notes go beyond any associations with barrels and into the realm of baking spices. The Dry Apple + Oak also brings a lot of body to the glass. It’s a rich, ripe, heavy cider. The mouthfeel is far more like cream than like water. 

My favorite thing about this cider was it’s finish. It wasn’t a long finish, but it reminded my of oatmeal with a clean, warm, graininess that’s only slightly sweet. 

All in all, it was a great night to learn more about cider and to enjoy tasting together. 

Redbyrd Orchard Cider's Celeste Sur Lie 2015 and Ciders of Spain Wild fermented Pretty Dry Perry

I write from a cool gray evening in my living room, even though I should be out looking to see what FLX Cider Week has on offer. There’s fun to be had, but writing calls. I don’t intend to spend every evening this way though. We are still in the early days Finger Lakes Cider Week, so please check out what events are yet to come here:

https://ciderweekflx.com/flx/events/

Obviously, there’s fantastic variety, but I will say with moderate bias, come to The Watershed in downtown Ithaca this Thursday.  The event is Basics of Cider Tasting with Meredith Collins (that’s me). It’s totally free and requires no reservations or tickets!

Check out all of the details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/704691016703741/

Redbyrd Orchard Cider is based in Trumansburg, New York on a small farm run by Eric Shatt and Deva Mass.

Redbyrd Orchard Cider has been part of the blog since I moved to the Finger Lakes in 2013. My previous reviews of Redbyrd Orchard Ciders include:

The Andromeda Crab: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

Their presence at an all FLX pairing dinner: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

The North Star: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/01/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

The Starblossom: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/finger-lakes-cider-week-special-review.html

The Dry Harvest Cider 2013: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/cider-review-reddbyrd-2013-harvest-cider.html

The Wild Pippin (my #1 cider of 2014, the Wild Pippin): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

You can also visit Redbyrd Orchard Cider online, here: https://redbyrdorchardcider.com/

I want to keep the Finger Lakes Cider Week excitement going by starting with Redbyrd Orchard Cider's Celeste Sur Lie 2015.

Here’s the official description, “An elegant cider for celebration, made in the traditional style and disgorged after aging on bottle lees for over 24 months, giving you a beautiful helix of endless soft bubbles in your glass and a creamy buttery mouthfeel. 0.0% residual sugar, 10.5% alcohol/volume. Release date- May 2018 ongoing (disgorged in groups of 10 cases),  44 cases produced” 

Appearance: medium straw, brilliant, a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass

When poured, it’s totally obvious that this cider underwent a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The fizz is active, but the bubbles are tremendously fine and small. I’ll call the color medium straw and the clarity brilliant. 

Aromas: bready, buttery, lots of aroma

This smells so much like toasted bread crumbs! I also get clean fermented apple notes and some champagne-like minerality. 

Sweetness/Dryness: Dry!

This is a bracingly dry cider. The Celeste Sur Lie maintains lots of excitement and fruitiness even so.

Flavors and drinking experience: yeasty, high acid, lingering finish

This cider is so filled to the brim with zesty acid! I love how bright the Celeste Sur Lie tastes. I get fruit notes like overripe apples, seville orange, and pineapple. I’ll think of the acidity as bracing and very true to the regional style. It gets a ton of flavor and structure from both of its fermentations because it’s clean but yeasty. The finish is luxurious and lengthy. 

I’ve tasted this cider a few times. I had it at Cider Con as part of the Heritage cider track, and I’ve tasted it at my own table and others around town. My favorite pairing with this cider has to be a very local caprese salad. The cutting acidity works beautifully with umami rich seasonal tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and olive oil. Yummy beyond belief.

Next up I’ll tackle Ciders of Spain’s Wild Fermented Pretty Dry Perry.

This is my first perry by Ciders of Spain, but not the first imported by them. They are the company that brought me my first spanish perry.

Viuda De Angelon Pera: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-4-argus-viuda-de.html

Visit the website to learn more about Ciders of Spain: http://cidersofspain.com/

Here’s what Ciders of Spain says about the Pretty Dry Perry:

PRODUCER: VIUDA DE ANGELON, Nava, Astúrias

CIDER MAKER: Francisco Ordoñez

alc./vol. 5.5%, 12 oz. 

Viuda de Angelón is the first Spanish producer to make traditional Asturian home-style perry widely available. Cider Maker Fran Ordoñez finishes his wild yeast (spontaneously fermented by native ambient yeasts) pear juice with a second fermentation for a natural sparkle and balances pear tannins with the sweetness of modest residual sugar and naturally occurring sorbitol. His perry starts sweet and finishes nicely acidic.

So this is actually made by the same producer that made my first ever spanish perry from a few years ago! 

Appearance: hazy, no visible bubbles, flaxen yellow

This is a lovely perry with a nice ripened flax yellow color, just a hint of haze, and no visible bubbles. Lots and lots of perries are nearly colorless, so please consider this tone intense by perry standards.

Aromas: not much aroma, tart, peaches, fresh apples

The Pretty Dry Perry smells mildly. It’s aromas aren’t strong, but there’s still a gentle drift of volatile acidity, not a ton though. It also smells like fresh apples and peaches. These aromas seem mostly from fermentation.

Dryness/sweetness: semi-sweet

I would not call this pretty dry. This is a semi-sweet perry.  I know that sorbitol is a type of sugar that does not ferment out, thus even a fully fermented perry could taste a little sweet. This isn’t that though. 

Flavors and drinking experience: pears, apples, petillant, mild phenols 

Though this cider smells extremely tart and  just a bit bleachy, it comes across entirely differently on the palate. I can detect what I smelled as peaches and tart stone fruit, but it tastes more like fresh pear and apple sweetness. I would not have called it perry if I'd not known it was made from pears rather than apples.  

The taste just keeps surprising me with how much sweeter and less acidic it is than I’d expected based on its aromas. The level of sparkle is petillant, but only gently so. It would be safe to call this a nearly-still semi-sweet perry. This is really quite a surprise from the aroma (which is more like a spanish cider).  I get some phenolic olive brine aftertaste. The perry is a little tannic and leathery.  I enjoy the orange, apple, and pear flavors. This perry is back sweetened with unfermented pear juice, and that element comes across the most clearly. 

South Hill Cider's Tasting Room and Flight Plus FLX Cider Week!

Hey cider fans! I’m so excited for Finger Lakes Cider Week! It’s coming right up, so I thought I’d put our one last reminder for a few of the awesome events that I’ll be supporting this year.

Events where you can find me:

9/26, Not Far From the Tree: An Evening Celebrating Apples & Cider- https://www.facebook.com/events/2322642131307274/

Autumn Shosteck of Eve’s Cidery and Steve Selin of South Hill Cider with both be joining me talking about orchards, apples, ciders, and food pairings. This is an evening packed with cider education plus local farm-to-table dishes and ciders at Coltivare. Tickets are $50.

9/28, Jason Wilson & Meredith Collins | The Cider Revival
https://www.facebook.com/events/2365892806779923/

I’m stoked to interview Jason Wilson about his new book at Buffalo Street Books at 4pm this Saturday. Jason will read a few sections from his book: Cider Revival: Dispatches from the Orchard and you can taste samples by Grisamore Ciderworks. This event is totally free! You can always choose to support Grisamore Ciderworks or Jason and Buffalo St. Books, and I encourage you to do so!

10/3, Basics of Cider Tasting at The Watershed:
https://www.facebook.com/events/704691016703741/

Next week at The Watershed (http://www.thewatershedithaca.com/) join me! Everyone is welcome to purchase a glass of cider from the expanded cider week selection. I’ll be in the back discussing the basics of cider tasting and geeking out! No entry fee, just buy some cider!

I want to keep the Finger Lakes celebration going this week by talking about the opening of South Hill Cider’s new tasting room!

I've previously reviewed a few ciders from South Hill Cider:

Prelude #3:http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-prelude.html

A newer Prelude #7:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/07/cider-review-aeppeltreow-scarlett-rosey.html

Bluegrass Russet: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/04/cider-review-sea-ciders-ruby-rose-and.html

Finger Lakes Cider pairing dinner: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

My top cider of 2016, the Stone Fence Farm: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-stone.html

2014 Packbasket: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/04/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-2014.html

And my first review for them was the hyper-limited Hypothesis: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-south-hill-ciders.html

I made my way to South Hill Cider’s new tasting room on the second of two soft-opening afternoons. It was a race to make it up there after hours of my day job downtown, but I did! The setting is rural and lovely with breathtaking views and easy access to one of the area’s best waterfalls: Buttermilk Falls. Steve started the farm in 2014 after ordering a batch of cider-specific apple trees in 2012. And so much has happened in the cider world since that early investment!

The parking lot was full when I pulled in, but most folks were enjoying the outdoor area with glasses of cider and picnic tables. Steve found me and my dear friend Maria (of https://ciderwithmaria.com/) and volunteered to guide us through our tastings himself. She went with the Premium tasting and I chose the Classic South Hill Cider Tasting.

Here’s what I tasted!

We started with the Baldwin; it’s a new release. Here’s how South Hill describes it, “2018. New England single varietal. Fine bubble, mouth watering, long finish. 8.5%”

What I noticed first about it was the applesauce aroma. I am a total sucker for this particular scent, so I got very excited! This cider’s apples come from just two orchards. I loved how super dry, high acid, and super bubbly this cider tasted. It’s crisp and citrusy and may have been my new favorite.

The second cider in the flight was Russet Dabinett. The official description and tasting notes read, “Dry and Still. Complex. Featuring cider apple varieties indigenous to NY State and England. Golden Russet is native to New York and Dabinett from Somerset, England. Tasting Notes: Deep Honey color with a smooth mid-palate and a mineral and textured finish. Very long finish. Flavors of honeycomb, elderflower, lychee, sour plum, white pepper, papaya, ripe plum  skin, subtle vanilla.” 8.1% ABV

This cider’s nose reminded me white wine, almost like a spicy Gewurztraminer. When I taste this cider, it’s more mellow than the aromas imply.  Steve talked about how it is blended for structure with a different grouping of apples each year. The cider is dry but tastes off dry and just a little bit barrely.

We then moved on to Old-Time ‘17. Online descriptions say, “Off-dry. Naturally Sparkling. Predominantly from abandoned and wild homestead trees, reflecting the perfection of their diversity and age. The name Old-Time is a nod to both the cidermakers from past generations who produced ciders from these trees and to the style of music cidermaker Steve plays: American old-time music. Tasting Notes: Light gold. Soft rounded bubbles, notes of strawberry, grapefruit seed, butterscotch, musk.” 7.5% ABV

This cider is all about zesty acid in my book. I got more barrel character than from my previous two ciders. This one is definitely semi-dry with a residual sugar of 1.8% and a titratable acidity of 8.1 grams per litre. This cider is very approachable and easy; I’m sure it will be among the most popular at the tasting room.

Our next cider was the Bluegrass Russet ‘17. This cider is made from the same blend every year and fermented and aged in stainless steel. The description for this cider introduces it as, “Off-dry. This cider showcases the Golden Russet apple, a native apple to New York, historically prized for it's excellent flavor in cider and on the table. Custom fermentation and bottling using the Charmat method. Naturally Sparkling. Tasting Notes: Lively effervescence. Crisp. Peach, raspberry, beeswax.” 8.2% ABV

I got the most intense aromas yet when this cider was poured. Notes of concentrated fruitiness just wafted from the glass, primarily pineapple and pear. This has the same level of residual sugar as the previous cider but lower acidity and higher ABV. Those factors combine to make it taste both fuller and sweeter.

And we ended with one of my favorite things in the entirety of the cider world: pommeau. Steve poured the Pommeau ‘17. As South Hill’s website says, this is a “Port-style cider. An apple apertif/digestif from a blend of barrel-aged Apple Spirits (Eau de Vie) with unfermented and unfiltered apple cider. During months of aging, the pommeau naturally clarifies to an amber liquid of exquisite character. Still and sweet. Tasting Notes: Deep gold. Warming, rich and velvety. Aromas of honey and clove. Nutmeg, amaretto, sun-warmed plum.” ABV of 19%.

Based on Steve’s description of the process, it’s clear that this pommeau will change subtly year to year but slowly home in on a more and more consistent flavor profile. He uses a barrel blending method with many different vintages working to tempering the variance with those blends. The Pommeau smells simply heavenly: rich and buttery. Flavors are just silky smooth and velvety cooked apple, caramel biscuit, and butterscotch. The sweetness smoothes out the ABV and the ABV provides some backbone and fire to a sweet cider. It’s tension and balance working together perfectly!

Cider Review: Embark Golden Russet Reserve and Cider Week Finger Lakes

Finger Lakes Cider Week is almost here! It’s happening all over central New York from September 27th - October 6th, 2019. This year, not only will I be pouring samples, attending dinners, touring orchards, munching apples, and tasting new ciders, I’ll also be talking to folks about cider in three different ways! I cannot tell you how excited I am! In fact, I’m trimming the blog post for the week to only include on review, so I can spend more time sharing Cider Week love.

Check out the home page to learn a lot more about this wonderful cider celebration: https://ciderweekflx.com/flx/

But before I share some upcoming highlights, I do want to share a really fun cider review for the week.

Let’s take a look at Embark Ciderworks’ Golden Russet Reserve. Embark Craft Ciderworks is based out of Williamson, New York. This is just outside of Rochester. The cidery grew out of an apple farm. The cider makers are Jake Lagoner and Chris Gowan. Take a look at my earlier posts on Embark ciders to find out more background!

My previous review of Embark Ciders include fewer than they should:

Crab Series #1: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/08/cider-review-embark-craft-ciderworks.html

The American Hopped: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/01/cider-review-embark-craft-ciderworks.html

You can visit the website to learn more about Embark Ciderworks: https://embarkcraftciderworks.com/

The official description of this cider is short and factual, “2017 Golden Russets fermented dry and aged for 12 months then backsweetened with 2018 Golden Russet apples. 6.9%ABV”

Appearance: golden raspberry, cloudy, bubbly

Pretty pretty! I like the color on this cider. It reminds me of fall-ripening golden raspberries. The cider looks distinctly cloudy and bubbly.

Aromas: Lemon, melon, and minerals

I don’t get the most intensity of aroma from this cider, but I do get some pleasant nots of lemon, melon and stony minerality.

Sweetness/Dryness: Off dry

This cider brings more fruit, crispness, and bubble to the table than sweetness. It isn’t entirely dry, but it’s close.

Flavors and drinking experience: Bubbly, crisp, minerals

The Golden Russet Reserve brings lots of minerals to each sip. It’s wonderfully crisp, due to it’s high acidity and the intensity of bubbles. What I don’t know is how this cider also tastes creamy. The Golden Russet Reserve does a lot with it’s high level of acidity and medium tannins. It has a relatively light body and quick finish.

I appreciate how clean this cider tastes. Overall, I find it very refreshing and perfect with a last summery supper. I had mine with garlicy kale, sweet potato wedges and a sweetly smoky barbeque sauce.

Now for a few highlights of Cider Week Finger Lakes!

Events where you can find me:

9/26, Not Far From the Tree: An Evening Celebrating Apples & Cider- https://www.facebook.com/events/2322642131307274/

This is going to be a great event featuring Autumn Shosteck of Eve’s Cidery, Steve Selin of South Hill and me talking about orchards, apples, ciders, and food pairings. And we’ll get to enjoy great ciders and foods at the local farm-to-table place: Coltivare. Tickets are $50.

9/28, I’ll  be interviewing Jason Wilson about his new book at Buffalo Street Books at 4pm. Jason will also be reading sections from the book: Cider Revival: Dispatches from the Orchard. Grisamore Ciderworks will be pouring samples. And this event is totally free! It would be a gret time to pick up Jason’s book if you haven’t already.

10/3, Basics of Cider Tasting at The Watershed:
https://www.facebook.com/events/704691016703741/

At this event, you can go straight up to the bar at The Watershed (http://www.thewatershedithaca.com/) and pick up a glass of cider from their specially expanded cider week selection. It’s already one of the strongest cider lists in town! Then come back to the big table in the back, and I’ll be discussing the basics of cider tasting. No entry fee, just buy some cider! 

Here are a few other awesome Cider Week Events

9/29, Monks & Makers: A NYS Cider Tasting Salon
https://www.facebook.com/events/1166531960203947/

Both weekends, Tours and Tastings at Black Diamond Cidery
https://www.blackdiamondcider.com/upcoming-events/

10/1, The Emerging FLX Cider Region in the Cider Revival – Book Signing and Cider Maker Chat
https://www.southhillcider.com/events/2019/10/1/the-emerging-flx-cider-region-in-the-cider-revival-book-signing-amp-cider-maker-chat

10/ 3, Finger Lakes Cider Week Celebration at Mann Library on Cornell Campus: http://events.cornell.edu/event/finger_lakes_cider_week_celebration_mann_library

Cider Reviews: Redbyrd Orchard Cider Workman Dry and Grisamore Ciderworks' Currantly

We are now in the midst of Finger Lakes Cider Week 2018! I started my cider week celebrations at Ithaca’s Apple Harvest Festival on September 28th, but the fun will go on through October 7th all over the region. 

Find out what events are featuring your favorite ciders here: https://ciderweekflx.com/flx/events/

My highlight so far was enjoying Cider Sunday at Cornell. There were two walking tours of Cornell Orchards as well as the chance to taste and blend soft ciders on site and taste the finished products of eight different Finger Lakes Cider producers, paired with beautiful bites of food from Cornell Catering. I tasted a few ciders there and wanted to share impressions of two local ciders for this week’s blog post.

I’m starting today with the Workman Dry by Redbyrd Orchard Cider. This cider comes from Trumansburg, New York. It was founded in 2010 by Eric Shatt and Deva Mass. This cidery focuses on developing their own biodynamic orchard and farm. 

Visit Redbyrd Orchard Cider online: https://redbyrdorchardcider.com

I’ve reviewed several Redbyrd Orchard Ciders over the years:

The Wild Pippin was my favorite cider of 2014: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

I tried their North Star in 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/01/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

A long while ago I enjoyed the Harvest Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/cider-review-reddbyrd-2013-harvest-cider.html

And my first review of anything by Redbyrd Orchard Cider was their Starblossom: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/finger-lakes-cider-week-special-review.html

But today I’m sharing my impressions of one of their core ciders the Workman Dry (the 2017 batch).

It’s official description focuses very much on the apples used for the cider.  

Workman Dry ’17 – A floral nose of Rose, Honeycomb and Palo Santo.  Mineral, Slate, Lemongrass and Ginger, finishing with bright Citrus and Lemon Zest. Bright , Crisp, Playful. 20% Cox Orange Pippin, 14% Goldrush, 10% Margil, 9% Newtown Pippin, 9% Spigold, 8% Dolgo Crab.  Also containing – Rhode Island Greening, Roxbury Russett, Rubinette, Zabergau Reinette, Baldwin, Freedom, Macfree, Honeycrisp, Zestar, Browns Apple, Dabinett, Brown Snout, Bulmers Norman, Ellis Bitter, Somerset Redstreak, Harrison Crab, Tremblitts Bitter and unnamed wild apples.

Appearance: Transparent, straw, fine bubbles

This cider looks transparent rather than brilliant with a clean straw color. I see some bubbles at the top of the glass. 

Aromas: Peanuts, white grape, ripe apples, meadow flowers

What delightful and surprising aromas! This cider not only smells like fruit in the form of ripe apples and white grapes, but it also smells like delicate meadow flowers, and peanuts. 

Dryness/sweetness: Dry 

This is a dry yet fruity cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, wine like, balanced

I like how this extra tart tastes dry but fruity for every microsecond I am tasting it. The cider has a distinctly vinous finish that reminds me both of crisp white wines and freshly cut nectarines.It has a medium body with good balance. Though there’s some tannin present, the primary driver of the drinking experience is the acidity.

In terms of texture the Workman Dry has a deeply pleasurable bubble. I so enjoy fine and tiny bubble like these. The overall intensity of sparkle comes across as on the higher side of medium. It’s a flexible and approachable cider for one as dry as it is. I’ve had several batches of the Workman Dry and this is definitely the best one I’ve tried yet.

Grisamore Ciderworks Currantly

I like how Grisamore Ciderworks introduces themselves on the cider labels. “In 1975 Paul and Christine Grisamore planted their first apple orchard. As their grandchildren we are using the same apple trees to make Grisamore Cider Works hard cider today. We are fermenting small batches including a wide variety of flavors. Our goal is to provide an affordable hard cider for all to enjoy.”

Check out the website for lots of picture of orchards and cidermaking: http://grisamoreciderworks.com

Or, you can also find them on Facebook for product updates and the most up-to-date information: https://www.facebook.com/grisamoreciderworks/

Previously I reviewed their 24.4: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-grisamore-cider-works-244.html

I was able to taste the newest release Currantly at Cornell’s cider event.

Grisamore’s official description is brief, “An aromatic semi-dry cider aged on our astringent currants.”

Appearance: hazy, pearly pink, bubbly

This cider looks hazy and delicately pink. It’s charming and different, not as intense as a rose hue but something distinct. I can also see lots of bubbles in the cider. 

Aromas: Cool, peppery, fruity

This cider greets me with a bracing salivary reaction. It smells like fresh apples, but it’s a blended with cool and herbal aromas. Something reminds me of mint, rosemary, and pepper.

Dryness/sweetness: off-dry

This cider is off dry but will come across to many people as dry. Read on to find out why.

Flavors and drinking experience: Astringent, savory, high acid, 

This cider is exciting! That’s my overarching impression as I drink it. Though it’s just off-dry, I think many folks will taste it as dry because it’s both high in acidity and astringent. That doesn’t mean the Currantly is simply austere. The cider has lots and lots of flavor ranging from fruit notes including quince, orange, and currants but also spicy and savory like peppercorns. The acidity powers an intense experience.

 Something about this cider encourages me to pair it with rich cheeses and dried fruits. I enjoyed it tremendously. The currants only come through relatively indirectly, but they add something special with that tart astringence.

Finger Lakes Cider Week and Birthday Locavore Pairing Dinner

My dear friend and cider accomplice Elizabeth  (http://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/author/elizabeth/) had a birthday earlier this month. And unlike most folks, this means she wanted to bring down a heap of work and organization on herself to celebrate. This means she planned and cooked a five course feast at the home of a wonderful mutual friend.

As part of my gift, I paired the menu with local Finger Lakes Ciders and provided some of the ciders for these pairings. She was kind enough to allow me to write up the pairings and combine that post with my anticipation for this year's Finger Lakes Cider Week!

http://www.ciderweekflx.com/

Local Charcuterie Platter: Bellwether Vintage Heritage

http://cidery.com

El sourced smoked turkey, ham, rillettes, and duck confit from The Piggery. For the non-meat eaters we had local hummus by Ithaca Hummus. I enjoyed the Crosswinds Goblin cheese, Northwind Tripletree Tomme and a home-smoked cheddar. El also pickled her own cucumbers and beets.

Vintage Heritage is a very special cider cider that isn't readily available most of the time; its a cellar -aged edition of their Heritage cider. That description reads, “Dry; 6.9% alcohol; blend of European cider apples including Brown Snout, Dabinette, Chisel Jersey; this is the still version of Legacy; complex acid and tannin; an Old World cider to bring balance to your modern, hectic life.” This aged version really lets the playfully rustic side of cider shine. Its leathery, woody, tart and tannic. Delightfully different and something well worth trying if you ever get the chance.

Bellwether will be pouring samples of their ciders at the Ithaca Farmer's Market both weekends of Cider Week (and all other Farmer's Market Weekends) down at Steamboat Landing in Ithaca. 

Caprese Salad: Redbyrd Orchard Cider Celeste Sur Lie

https://redbyrdorchardcider.com

This simple salad was constructed of local heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and drizzled with F. Olivers Picual Olive Oil. 

Redbyrd Orchard Ciders says this about this cider, "Celeste Sur Lie ’14 –An elegant cider for celebration, made in the traditional style and disgorged after aging on bottle lees for over a year, giving you a beautiful helix of endless soft bubbles in your glass and a creamy buttery mouthfeel. 0.0% residual sugar, 11% alcohol/volume." This cider fits my one of my preferred flavor profiles perfectly. This is so crisp, clean, and devastatingly dry. It rings like a golden bell on my tongue every time I take a sip.

Fresh Pasta with Red Sauce: Kite and String Barrel Rye

http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com/good-life-cider-kitestring/

This hand-rolled pasta was served with fresh tomato sauce with garlic and basil, homemade ricotta and a garden salad with F. Oliver's Balsamic Viniarette Dressing. This course alone would have made a wonderful birthday dinner. Elizabeth really knows how to make homey comfort food like pasta shine.

Kite and String describe this cider as, “Off Dry. Champagne style. Stirred on the lees for 1 month. Aged 1 year in Rye Whiskey barrels. Buttercream with a backbone. Oak and smoke and shalestone.” and I chose it for that combination of smoke and backbone. Typically folks, pair tomato dishes with red wines, but I think cider has a fun option of doubling down on umami notes and adding both structural notes and lively acidity. This pairing supports my argument well.

Finger Lakes Cider House Grand Cider Buffet on Thursday September 28^th:

This event will be at Coltivare this Thursday evening, featuring cider oriented food and Kite and String Cidery's full lineup. This will be many folks first chance to try some of these awesome new releases.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/finger-lakes-cider-house-grand-cider-buffet-tickets-37257429976

Roast Chicken with Tomato-Cilantro Hollandaise: South Hill Cider Patina

http://www.southhillcider.com/

El's chicken came from Autumn's Harvest. He roasted them and served them with green beans, roast potatoes, and smothered the dish in tomato-cilantro hollandaise sauce. This felt just as complete with sauced potatoes and beans, almost as thought the sauce is the actual star of this course.

South Hill Cider has this to say, “Patina is partially barrel aged so that bright fruit notes ring clear over a well-rounded barrel influence. Sparkling, medium bodied, fruit forward with hints of vanilla. Dry. Bittersweet apples. 8.2% ABV.” I knew we would need to continue to have strong bubbles and some barrel presence in order for the cider not to disappear entirely against such flavorful food. Thankfully, the Patina was up to the task and then some. This cider has tannic balance and smooth elegance to spare.

South Hill Cider String Band and Tasting on Saturday, September 30^th

From 3-6pm on Saturday, you can stop by Agava in Ithaca to taste not only this restaurants inventive and appetizing food, but also listen to the cidermaker behind South Hill Cider (Steve Selin) play with the South Hill Cider String Band and sample their ciders.

Apple Cobbler Cheesecake: Black Diamond Porter's Pommeau

https://www.blackdiamondcider.com/

This cheese cake builds up from a graham cracker crust through a creamy crumb and is topped with Black Diamond Orchard Apples, a brown sugar oat crumble, and a burnt caramel sauce. Yes, it's decadent. Each element is necessary for the tantalizing whole. Being able to pair a pommeau with apples from the orchard that produced it, isn't a chance I get every day.

Pommeau, for those who don't love it already, is a very special cider based distilled beverage. It starts with cider which is distilled then back-sweetened with fresh apple juice and then aged on oak for an extended period. Black Diamond's Porter's Pommeau, according to Black Diamond is, “a blend of fresh cider made from Porter’s Perfection – an old english bittersweet apple and oak-aged apple eau de vie –is our take on the classic beverage from Normandie, France. Tasting Notes: Fragrances of ripe apples and vanilla, velvety tannins and a smooth, sweet finish. Enjoy it with dessert, or by the fireside with friends. Most people prefer to serve it slightly chilled. Alcohol: 20.0% Residual Sugar: 7.6% (Sweet)” And that's excactly what we did. I served this cider chilled to my dear friends with an amazing dessert. Perfection indeed.

Cider Cocktails with Black Diamond Cider in Trumansburg, NY on Thursday October 5^th

At hip foodie bowling paradise, Atlas Bowl, attendees will have the chance to try classic cocktails made with a cider twist and other original mixology creations all using the ciders and pommeau of Black Diamond Cider will bowling, eating, and listing to the tunes of cider owner Jackie Merwin who will be spinning as DJ Black Diamond. What fun! 

Whether celebrating a birthday, the season, or Finger Lakes Cider Week, enjoy with friends. I raise a glass to these good times! Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!