This week, when thinking about cider and Summer, I want to think about the specific cider styles most often associated with the season. There are more than I can cover in a week, but two of the first styles that come to mind are rosé ciders and dry, acid-forward, bubbly ciders. Luckily I found examples of each: one in my own cellar waiting for its moment and the other featured at a local restaurant (Agava: https://www.agavarestaurant.com/) known for showcaseing local food and beverages.
Today, I’m starting with Aeppeltreow’s Scarlett Rosey Cider.
I’ve enjoyed a number of Aeppeltreow ciders since starting the blog. Here’s the list:
Sparrow Spiced Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-aeppeltreow-sparrow-spiced.html
The Orchard Oriole Perry has to be one of my favorite perries ever: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-aeppeltreows-orchard.html
In 2015, I got to try the Appley Brut which brings the bubbles: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-appeltreow-winerys-appley.html
The first time I had something pretty in pink from Aeppeltreow it was the Blackbird Berried Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/06/cider-cans-crush-it-aeppeltreow.html
My favorite might still be the Kinglet Bitter: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/09/cider-review-appletreow-kinglet-bitter.html
When I first moved to Ithaca, I got to try the Barnswallow Draft Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/03/cider-review-appeltreow-barnswallow.html
For Very Perry May 2017,I reviewed the Sparkling Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-1-aeppeltreow.html
At my friend El’smost recent birthday dinner, I included the Americana:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-dear-friend-el-just-had-birthday.html
Read about all the ciders, and the rest of the delicious lineup online: http://aeppeltreow.com/
Here’s the official description for the Scarlett Rosey Cider, “Scarlett is blended from real red-fleshed crab apples and eating apples specially selected to leave the scent of rose petals in the bottom of the glass. Semi-sweet. It is pink.” 5.5% ABV
Appearance: Brilliant, bubbly, coral pink
The can describes this cider as pink, but it’s a more nuanced shade than just pink. To me, it looks like a coral pink that hints toward peachiness. It’s lovely: far too lovely to leave in a can! Pour this one into a glass.
Aromas: ripe apples, raspberries, stone and dust
The Scarlett smells like ripe apples and raspberries! Underneath all of that juicy ripe apple I get a hint of dust and stone associated notes that make me expect something tart.
Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet
This is semi-sweet, but I’m guessing many folks would call the Scarlett Rosey Cider semi-dry. It’s a lovely fruity sweetness that melds with all of the facets of the cider.
Flavors and drinking experience: tart, tannic, sweet, floral and fruity
I love how the Scarlett cider offers up lots of tannins! It also brings enough medium high acidity to balance the sweetness. I enjoy the medium intensity of bubbles, and the heft of the mouthfeel. This cider has both body and lift! The floral and fruity elements play nicely together. What I particularly appreciate is that the floral notes shade more into foody and juicy notes and less into powdery or perfumed ones.
I enjoyed the Scarlett Rosey Cider with some wheaty crackers and a mature cheddar. It didn’t need anything else!
South Hill Cider Prelude #7
Previous reviews of South Hill Ciders
South Hill Ciders has a fantastic group of ciders that manage to be different and yet all 100% apple-based and local. Cidermaker Steve Selin uses all manner of apples for the different South Hill ciders including heirloom, crab, and cider specific apples all from the local environs, both grown and foraged. South hill planted a young orchard in Ithaca, NY and has broken ground for a tasting room to be open on the same site soon.
Here is a list of my previous South Hill Cider reviews:
Most recently I reviewed the Bluegrass Russet: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/04/cider-review-sea-ciders-ruby-rose-and.html
I reviewed the Prelude 3: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-prelude.html
Then it became my #7 favorite cider in 2018
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2017.html
My Finger Lakes Cider pairing dinner in September of 2017 included one: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html
I chose South Hill Cider’s Stone Fence Farm as my favorite cider of 2016: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-stone.html
In 2016, I tasted the 2014 Packbasket: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/04/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-2014.html
And my very first South Hill Cider review was the hyper-limited release Hypothesis: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-south-hill-ciders.html
You can visit South Hill Cider online to learn more and follow the progress on current projects: http://www.southhillcider.com/
And now for the South Hill Prelude #7.
Here’s the official description, “#7- An assemblage of all late-season apples. 50% Dabinett, 34% Golden Russet and 16% Goldrush. Bone Dry & Sparkling traditional method. Because of the bottle fermentation and that the apples are all late-season and ripe, the cider is 10.1% ABV. 90 cases”
Appearance: brilliant, bubbly, warm straw
This cider looks very much like what I expect and hope for a cider from this area. I’d call the color warm straw. It’s brilliant, and I can see some bubble activity in the glass.
Aromas: lemons, clean grains, boozy, minerals
This cider smells unlike others I’ve smelled or tasted from South Hill Cider. I suppose that’s the beauty of the Prelue line. The #7 smells lemony and boozy with notes of clean grain and minerals.
Sweetness/dryness: Dry
This is a dry and astringent cider. Folks expecting any sweetness at all will be surprised, but I love that about it.
Flavors and drinking experience: oaky, herbal, anise
The Prelude #7 tastes oaky; maybe some part of this juice saw time in a barrel of some form. The description doesn’t say so, but that’s what I’m tasting. The cider is also strongly herbal with notes of anise, black tea, and dried leaves. I love that it has so many bubbles. It tastes toasted with breadcrumbs and marshmallows. I get brown sugar notes in the finish. This cider is high acid with medium-high tannins.
I had this with a black bean veggie burger and fantastic fries. I definitely recommend the paring.
Summer has lots of long hot days, enough to include both rosé ciders and dry, acid-forward, bubbly ciders. Check back next week to see how else to enjoy cider in the Summer.
I spent Memorial Day weekend in Toronto celebrating a birthday; This meant three amazing days, eating, walking, gawping at fish in the aquarium, and generally exploring this cool new city. No exploration is complete without checking out a new cider scene, and I was stoked to see what Toronto has to offer cider-wise.
After a shockingly intense thunderstorm, we headed off to Her Father’s Cider Bar for dinner and cider. I’d heard about this particular spot for more than a year. When we arrived, I was instantly charmed by seeing how the world-class cider selection is stored and displayed. Looking at the menu only increased my excitement. The cider menu didn’t fit in a paragraph, or a column, or even a page. It was a book and a chalkboard. I knew we’d come to the best place in all of Toronto, and that was before we tried the chickpea fries!
You can see some lovely photos and check out the extensive menus online: https://www.herfathers.ca
I love how the ciders are divided into styles in the menu of bottled and canned ciders. That gives the drinker enough information to really hone in on a style they like and still try something unfamiliar. Plus the flags make identifying cidery location very simple too. Check out this cider by the glass page. It's positively swoon-worthy.
My cider co-pilot Woody had an adventurous flight of ciders with different additives and fermentation technique experiments, and I tried the Single Varietal Flight from Windswept Orchards. I love apple blends, but I am always curious to try a single varietal from an apple I've not tasted singly before and this flight had two: Ida Red and Crimson Crisp. And the one apple I did know from other single varietals is the Golden Russet which has contributed some fantastic ciders.
Windswept Orchard Ciders is a relatively young Ontario cidery: started in 2016. From what I read on the website; Windswept uses foraged fruits from abandoned orchards and has invested in the future with a young orchard on the farm.
Visit the cidery website to learn more and to peek at all the gorgeous labels: https://windsweptcider.com/
Ida Red
Here’s Windswept Orchard Cider’s official description:
Ida Red apples are known for their sweet aromas and zippy tart finish. Light, crisp and delicate, great on it's own as an aperitif. Crafted with 100% Ida Red apples from a single orchard overlooking the shores of Georgian Bay near Thornbury, Ontario. Bottle conditioned, contains lees. 7.4% 500ml 101 cases produced.
I found the Ida Red a bubbly dry, delicate cider. I loved it’s pear-apple aromas and clean fermentation. It brough an airy light body and lots of bubbles to the experience. This is definitely one I’d like to seek out again.
Next up was the Crimson Crisp: a GLINTCAP Silver Medalist
Here’s the official description for Crimson Crisp:
A modern varietal with heirloom appeal, Crimson Crisp apples are rich, tart and full of flavour. Lush, vinous and textural. Crafted with 100% Crimson Crisp apples sourced from a single orchard and grown on the slope of the Niagara escarpment on Georgian Bay. Bottle conditioned, contains lees. 7.4% ABV 500ml 101 cases produced.
For me the Crimson Crisp smelled just like homemade apple sauce; it reminded me of ciders with a lot of Northern Spy. I like the super vivid apple aromas that make me think of the texture of ripe apples as much as the taste. When drinking, I found this cider a bit more yeasty and fermented. Something about it connoted cold though it’s serving temperature was the same as its compatriots.
I want to finish up with the Golden Russet, starting with its official description:
Rich, lively honey apple finish. Coveted amongst cidermakers, Golden Russet apples are known for their perfect balance of sweetness, acidity and tannin. Crafted from 100% Golden Russet apples grown in a single orchard overlooking the shores of Georgian Bay near Meaford, Ontario. Bottle conditioned, contains lees. 7.4% ABV 500ml 155 cases produced
Oh boy! This cider smells mature and farmy! The Golden Russet is the funky one of the flight! It was smart to put it last on the list, as it’s a build up to this wild and barny cider. The aromas remind me not only of barn wood but also a dry sherry. The tastes are very different from the cider’s smells. The Golden Russet tastes like pear and like a soft overripe apple. I love this one.
The food was absolutely as good as the cider, and I wouldn't trade the whole experience for anything. Toronto was a great place to visit and a fun place for cider.
As the weather gets warmer, people start planning more events and calendars fill up. Cider events are popping out like spring flowers. My busy calendar is no exception. This week brings circus rehearsals, a cider competition, and lots and lots of studying for the the Cider Certification Program’s Level 2 test. Wish me luck! Perhaps I should reserve this time next year just to stare and new green buds and flowers, but that might not be particularly realistic. I am determined to keep sharing reviews, so let’s get to it!
This week, I’m starting with another recent vacation pick: Sea Cider’s Ruby Rose.
Sea Cider is a small Canadian cidery based on a farm on Vancouver Island. The cidery has operated since 2007. You can visit the cider house and taste a lineup of the company’s cider there. Part of the company identity comes from growing apples organically. For more background on the cidery, look to it’s first appearance on the blog.
I reviewed of Sea Cider’s Pippins cider previously: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/cider-review-sea-cider-farm-and.html
Here’s Ruby Rose’s official description,
A captivating semi-sweet cider infused with rhubarb, Ruby Rose is a beguiling vixen and part of our Canadian Invasion Series. She may be as aromatic as rhubarb pie, but her namesake is the merciless Rosa Rugosa, an invasive plant that threatens many coastal regions. Proceeds from our Canadian Invasion Series support efforts to combat invasive species in sensitive ecological areas. Ruby Rose pairs fabulously with light summertime meals and is perfect as a patio sipper. Consider sautéed prawns, a creamy brie, candied salmon salad and salty snacks.
Wow. That’s a 9.9%ABV.
Appearance: brilliant, salmon, no visible bubbles
This salmon colored cider looks like a springy beverage indeed. It’s totally brilliant and shows no visible bubbles.
Aromas: Pie cherries, hibiscus, rose, citrus, rhubarb
Luscious indeed! Ruby Rose smells mouth-wateringly of: cherries, hibiscus, and rhubarb. The most interesting aroma note that came to mind was crumbled rose petals on split and sugared grapefruit. I don’t get a ton of apple aromas; they are competing with other stronger smells. I think this will be a sweet cider and a tasty one.
Sweetness/dryness: sweet
This is a decidedly sweet cider! The sweetness affects a few other characteristics, to learn more keep reading.
Flavors and drinking experience: burnt sugar, perfume, floral, rhubarb, rosehips, cinnamon.
This is a carousel of manic and exciting flavors. The cider tastes like burnt sugar, rhubarb, rosehips and cinnamon. It reminds me of a well balanced floral perfume.
Ruby Rose pairs very well with strong foods: Alex and I had it with spicy Mexican food and it manages to speak loud and clear. The cider has medium high acidity and medium tannins. Both are clearly present but pulling against the sugars. This is crucial for the cider to remain in balance. With so many flavor factors turned way up, and an ABV of 9.9%, I am grateful that the mouthfeel has presence and body. The cider offers only a mild sparkle.
In terms of serving the Ruby Rose, it could double as a dessert cider. With it’s mouthfeel the higher ABV and sweetness, it’s certainly a beverage to sip and consider. The whole experience is boozy and warm: redolent of cherry and plum.
South Hill Cider’s Bluegrass Russet
I’m a big fan of South Hill Ciders. This lineup is consistently apple-based and adventurous. Cidermaker Steve Selin has a young orchard in my own stomping ground of Ithaca, NY and also uses foraged, heirloom, crab, and cider specific apples all rrom the local environs.
Most recently, I reviewed one from the limited release Prelude line, the Prelude 3: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-prelude.html
This was my #7 favorite cider of 2018
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2017.html
I included South Hill in my Finger Lakes Cider pairing dinner back in September of 2017: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html
A South Hill Cider was my top pic for 2016, the Stone Fence Farm: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-stone.html
Before then, I also enjoyed the 2014 Packbasket: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/04/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-2014.html
My first South Hill Cider review for them was the hyper-limited Hypothesis: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-south-hill-ciders.html
You can visit South Hill Cider’s website to learn more about the process and all of the ciders: http://www.southhillcider.com/
And now for the Bluegrass Russet.
Bluegrass Russet‘s label introduces it as the following, “The Golden Russet apple was born in New York State in the early 1800s. Since then it has been prized for its excellent flavor for cider as well as on the table. This cider exhibits the Golden Russet’s aroma with hints of lemongrass, apple blossoms and apple-skin, with very lively natural effervescence and a crisp finish. Pairings: rich cheeses, pork, and even with an herbed sorbet. Apple Varieties: Golden Russet, Northern Spy, Baldwin, Crabapple. 196 Cases. Batch 2016. ABV of 8.5%”
Aromas: Minerals, apples, citrus and flowers
The Bluegrass Russet smells very tempting. I can smell minerals, apples, fresh flowers, and citrus.
Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet
Though the label calls it off dry, this cider tastes sweet to me. The residual sugar is measured (according to the South Hill website) at 1.8%, so I don’t feel entirely off base to suggest that it doesn’t taste off dry.
Flavors and drinking experience: fruity, bubbly, lush, heavy mouthfeel
I had this cider with pesto pasta and sun-dried tomatoes. I’m glad I had some bold balancing flavors, because this cider brings a party on its own! I enjoy that the Bluegrass Russet is so very fruity. It tastes green yet tropical, like pineapple and kiwi. The cider is very bubbly: my favorite! It has acidity, tannins, bubbles, and higher ABV, making the whole experience lush, almost creamy with a decadently heavy mouthfeel. I enjoyed it very much!
