Cider Review: Artifact Cider Project's Wild Thing

From my writing desk window, I have seen blue skies and a wild winter storm chase each other around today. That’s what Spring can do sometimes. Change is here and more change is coming soon after. Sometimes it's invigorating, and other times it just leaves us feeling confused and unprepared. I’ll use it as a message to rest when I need it rather than attempt to keep up. Perhaps that will resonate with a few of my cider friends as well. This weekend I chose to take a break from cooking on Saturday night and try a new takeout restaurant in town along with a new cider. 

 

I chose Artifact Cider’s Wild Thing. I picked this cider up when traveling a few months ago, and I’ve been waiting for just the right mood to try a single-varietal McIntosh cider. Artifact Cider was founded in Massachussetts in 2014 by Soham Bhatt and Jake Mazar.

 

I like what the website says about Artifact Cider, so I’ll let the cidery represent itself. 

 

Artifact Cider Project makes cider for the new Northeast. We produce craft cider in a variety of styles by respecting tradition, but refusing to let it limit us. Using local apples and innovative cidermaking practices, we create ciders that are as authentic, eclectic, and forward-looking as the region they come from.

 

You can visit Artifact Cider online here and learn more: https://www.artifactcider.com/

 

Here’s how Artifact  introduces Wild Thing on the website. Unusual but still clear!

         

          WILD THING

 

CRAFT CIDER | ABV 5.4%

 

crisp and aromatic

100% McIntosh

 

Sweetness ++  

Acidity ++++

Structure +   

 

vibe: dare over truth

I’m even more curious to try Wild Thing after these quixotic notes. I truly don’t know what to expect aside from plenty of acidity.

Appearance: brilliant, medium hue intensity, no visible bubbles, cool straw

 

The color is a bit more cool in hue than many of the generally straw-colored ciders I see. It’s medium in intensity and totally brilliant. I don’t see any bubbles 

 

Aromas: rain, minerals, petrol, grassy, fresh apples

The Wild Thing cider smells like rain, minerals, and petrol. There are other notes too though. The cider offers up grassy and appley notes like fresh wet apples.

 

Sweetness/Dryness: Semi-dry/semi-sweet

 

My co-taster and I disagreed on the level of sweetness. They said semi-dry, but to me it tasted more semi-sweet. It was certainly a sweeter finish than I expected from the cider’s aromas.

 

Flavors and drinking experience: Petillant, medium body, high acid, peach and lemon

Wild Thing strikes me as fruity and easygoing more than feral. It’s a fun and approachable cider.

It tastes like sugared lemons, fresh peaches, and powdered sugar, balanced out with a high acid kick. I detected some very mild tannins, but they were there. The Wild Thing brings Medium body and some nice fullness. It’s not a simplistic cider, but it is very apple-centric. I can get some of the same fresh apple notes from the aromas in the flavor.

 

I’m not terribly surprised that the cider feels petillant on my tongue. I didn’t see any bubbles at all; that’s not a hard rule, but one can often get a hint about sparkle before the first sip.

 

I think Wild Thing would make a great first introduction to the Artifact Cider Project as a brand. It was a delightful pairing with our takeout. The bitterness of the homemade hummus was smoothed out by the fresh and fruity approach of the cider. The Tall One’s order of Artichokes and Mushrooms was lemony and scented with cinnamon; a dish that complex needs a cider that will support and augment the experience. This one does its job beautifully! 

Cider Review: Bauman’s Cider Company's McIntosh Single Varietal

My brother-in-law asked me if it's really okay to trim apple trees in winter. It seemed to him that lopping limbs during frigid temperatures might be adding stress upon stress to a tree. I can understand why he might feel that way. This weather is hard for many of us mammals. It could seem almost like adding insult to injury to ask a living being to endure not only months of low temperatures but to heal fresh wounds at the same time. Thankfully, it’s not quite like that. We might learn a lesson from trees that go dormant this time of year. It’s okay to rest. This is a fine time of year to shed what we do not need. 

Perhaps I’ve strayed too far from a cider review, but that’s very much where I am right now. I’m running in hardcore Winter mode. I do the things I need to do and a few that warm my spirits, but mostly I’m hunkered down until days get just a bit longer. But luckily for me, I can enjoy my quasi-hibernation with some very good ciders. This week, I’m sharing my thoughts on Bauman’s Cider Company’s McIntosh Single Varietal.

Bauman’s Cider Company was named GLINTCAP’s small cidery of the year 2021. The cidery is based in Gervais Oregon. The cidery was founded on a small family farm and orchard by Christine Walter whose cider journey attempts to balance family tradition and experience with modern scientific knowledge. 

I’ve only reviewed one Bauman’s Cider before, the Mountain Rosé. It made my top ten list for 2020. This sets my expectations high.

Here’s that review: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/04/cider-review-baumans-cider-mountain.html

I recommend visiting Bauman’s Cider Company online to learn more: https://baumanscider.com/

Here’s the background information I was able to get online for the McIntosh Single Varietal.

    MCINTOSH SINGLE VARIETAL | 6.0% ABV

    GOLD MEDAL – 2021 INTERNATIONAL BREWING & CIDER COMPETITION (UK)

    GOLD MEDAL – 2021 PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL CIDER COMPETITION

     GOLD MEDAL – 2021 GREAT LAKES INTERNATIONAL CIDER COMPETITION

    PLATINUM MEDAL – SIP MAGAZINE BEST OF THE NORTHWEST AWARDS

    For our single varietal McIntosh Cider we started by importing McIntosh apples grown by        our friends in the Bitterroot Valley, Montana. We do minimal intervention so the essential        apple flavor shines though, as we leave just a little residual sweetness to showcase the rich        apple flavor and aroma.

Appearance: Tuscany yellow, brilliant, few bubbles

When looking at color charts for shades, this most resembles Tuscany yellow. And it does give off this sunny warmth. The cider is brilliant with few visible bubbles. 

Aromas: intense juicy apple, cherry blossom, cinnamon and peach

The McIntosh is extremely aromatic, brimming with juicy apple notes. The nose also features elements that recall cherry blossom, cinnamon and peach.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

I’d call it semi-sweet, but some folks might interpret it as closer to semi dry. The sweetness is pleasant and well-integrated.

Flavors and drinking experience: juicy, crisp, apple, tart

This is a treat! Bauman’s Cider Company's McIntosh Single Varietal makes me glad that I chose it for today’s cider. The first impression is lots of super fresh malic acid, making each sip crisp and juicy. The cider tastes more directly like apples than many that I drink. It’s tapping into the fruity, juicy, powerful experience of a perfectly ripe McIntosh apple.

There’s more to this cider than just immediate fruitiness though. The McIntosh is mildly tannic with rough sandpaper grippiness in the texture. I love that about it. It has a clean fermentation; there’s not a whiff of funk. I appreciate the McIntosh’s medium intensity of sparkle and hefty body. This cider stays fun from tip to tail with its honeyed finish. My high expectations were met entirely!

Cheers to enjoying a good cider while not doing too much. This is a very comfy way to get through Winter. 

Cider Review Whitewood Cider Company Bitterroot Valley McIntosh and Big Fish Cider Co.'s Allegheny Gold

My week was significantly impacted by winter weather, as folks were all over the country. I missed a dear friend’s wedding and spent most of the last 72 hours in my house. It’s not a long time to be snowed in, but I’ve lost four games of Bananagrams. What I’ll in favor of Winter Storm Harper, is that it gave me a great reason to bring out two very special ciders. I had high expectations for both of these ciders (which were shared with me for review) because I know the companies and have liked other ciders by them before. 

I’m starting with a single varietal cider from Whitewood Cider Company.

Whitewood Cider Company makes cider primarily in South Puget Sound, Washington. I still get  fewer chances to try west coast ciders than I’d like, so I am always excited to get one from a cidermaker I trust and respect. Not to forget, David White (Oldtimeydave), is giant in the cider world and a wonderful person. He’s the primary vision behind Whitewood Cider. 

I’ve reviewed a couple ciders from Whitewood before. 

I loved the Northland Traditional Blend in 2014(#8 of 2014): https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/01/cider-review-whitewood-cider-company.html

And the Olivia last spring: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-whitewood-cider-cos-olivia.html

But the Whitewood Cider Company’s Kingston Black and Wickson Apple made my 2018 top ten list in the #4 spot: 

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-dear-friend-el-just-had-birthday.html

Visit the company online at: http://whitewoodcider.com

Today I’m sharing my notes on the Bitterroot Valley McIntosh Single Varietal. This is how Whitewood describes it, “Mcintosh Cider Single Varietal Cider - 6.9% ABV fermented from McIntosh apples grown, harvested, and pressed in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. Strawberry and rhubarb on the nose, touch of toffee sweetness,followed by raspberry and tangerine acidity, finishes crisp and dry”

Appearance: warm sunrise amber, mousse, brilliant

This cider looks positively bewitching. It pours with a little mousse and lots of bubbly activiity. I'd call the color the warm glowing amber of a golden/orange sunrise, but I've not seen the sun in a while, so I could be misremembering. It's undeniably brilliant.

Aromas: Overripe apples, Dusty, sweet, spices

This is an inspiring set of aromas. My just went through the roof as soon as I caught wind of the luscious ovrripe apples that waft from the McIntosh. Yes there are other notes like baking spices, mineral dust, and fruity sweetness. But, for me, it has to be about those soft and blooming notes of overripe apples. 

Sweetness/Dryness: Semi-dry

This cider is semi-dry, meaning there is just enough sweetness to allow other flavors to have a full range of motion, but the McIntosh is not notably sweet.

Flavors and drinking experience: Balanced, bubbly, medium acidity, good body

The McIntosh tastes Semi dry and shockingly well balanced. I never expect or even ask balance of a single-varietal cider, but somehow this has it. It’s bubbly with medium rounded acidity, plenty of aroma, and loads of apple character. 

I love that this single varietal is so tastefully balanced. It doesn’t have biting acidity, but enough for the flavors to remain firm and crisp. I don’t get  much in the way of tannins, but it manages to have good body without them. The lovely cooked apple notes are decidedly pleasing and not at all harsh. The finish reminds me of juicy golden raisins. Mmm! I had this with poached salmon, honey butter carrots, and toothsome wheaty bread, and I loved every sip. 

And now for Big Fish Cider Company!

Big Fish Cider Company is a Virginia cidery with a significant number of awards to show for the line up of ciders. This small Monterey company sources local apples including many cider specific varietals and heritage apples grown by the folks who make the cider: Kirk Billingsly, Sarah Collins-Simmons, and Doyle Stone. The company has a tasting room which means you can go visit and taste the ciders yourself, or if Virginia is too much of a trek, Big Fish can now ship to 30 states in America.

Read more about the company on the web: https://www.bigfishcider.com/

Big Fish Highland Scrumpy was also a high ranking cider for me last year with the Highland Scrumpy taking 3rd place: 

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-angry-orchard-ciders.html

And the Church Hill Blush this past May:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-aeppeltreows-orchard.html

The Description for Allegheny Gold comes in a few parts, starting with, “Sparkling gold clear Semi-Dry cider featuring locally grown Arkansas Black, Ashmead’s Kernel, Gold Rush, and Jonagold apples, 8.2% abv.”

And the body of the description reads, 

Allegheny Gold is complex due to its slow, cold fermentation, which retains more of the cider’s fruity esters. While fruity, it is not sweet. A combination of brightness and true apple flavors makes this cider stand out among others. 

The additional sweetness in this full body cider gives a more well balanced profile to most people, with the sweetness offsetting the astringency. The tannins from the Arkansas Black and Ashmead’s Kernel apples give nice structure to this cider. On the nose there is a nice balanced fruitiness to this cider with the apple being the featured aroma. As you taste, you may notice notes of citrus, caramel, honey, pear and some minerality to this cider which is common for ciders made with Highland County fruit. A truly wonderful cider for those that enjoy the fruitiness that is accented by the slightly higher residual sweetness. 

Allegheny Gold goes with a wide variety of dishes but particularly spicy dishes, such as asian or Tex-Mex, also with white sauces such as Alfredo or Carbonara.

Appearance: Bright gold, brilliant, bubbly

This cider looks like a bubbly party in the glass. The sparkle action is intense! The color looks to me like bright gold and it's brilliant.

Aromas: Ripe apples, intense, caramel, oaty

Oh my goodness, the intensity of this aroma is arresting! I got amazing whiffs of big ripe apples just as soon as I opened the bottle It didn’t even wait to be poured. But fruit was just the start to this parade of enticing notes.

I could smell Golden raisins, carrots, and caramel soon after lifting my glass. All of that was followed by a gentle roll of toasted oats. I’ve rarely smelled a cider that speaks so clearly before I take my first sip. Wow!

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

Though sweetness isn’t the primary language of this cider, there’s enough there to notice. I’ll call it a semi-dry. It supports the fruity characteristics of the cider and isn’t ostentatious.

Flavors and drinking experience: Rounded acidity, strong bubble, apple, tangerine

For a bubble lover like me, this cider is like turning on the radio to hear a DJ playing my favorite song. I just have to dance whether I’m in my kitchen, car, or an aisle in the grocery store. The Allegheny Gold has a strong and irresistible sparkle.  

This Virginia cider promised me many things with it’s delightful aromas, and I’m happy to say that it delivered magnificently. I love the rounded acidity; it’s enough to be lively but not austere or pointed. The primary fruit note is ripe apple, but there’s plenty of tangerine and pineapple along for the ride. What a fun cider! 

Cider Review: Woodchuck Cellar Series Chocolate

Woodchuck has been kind enough to send me several of their Cellar Series ciders for review. In fact, I got Woodchuck's Cellar Series Chocolate back in January. It has been sitting in my fridge and then in my cider fridge for far too long. Mostly because I had some trepidation about a chocolate cider.

This is the third cider released in the Cellar Series line, though it was released in time for Valentine’s Day, I'm only just now trying it. Apologies to Woodchuck and all of its fans. Nonetheless, I have really enjoyed both of Woodchuck's previous Cellar Series offerings.

Here's my review of their Dry Hopped (I'll definitely be picking up more of that one when I can.)

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/11/cider-review-woodchuck-cellar-series.html

This is my review of the oh-so-bacony Smoked Apple

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/cider-review-woodchuck-cellar-series.html


If you want to find out official information about Woodchuck as a company or about any of their ciders, you can visit their website at:  http://woodchuck.com



The big talk about Woodchuck these days is that they have a new cidery facility opening up in August. The company is hosting a huge concert and party to celebrate and calling it a Ciderbration. Very cute. I might try to make it up. The drive to Vermont is beautiful, and I love getting to meet fellow cider freaks.

Setting aside all fears aside about combining two of my favorite things in the world, cider and chocolate, let's take a look at what Woodchuck says about this entry into their Cellar Series lineup.

Woodchuck’s original small batch hard cider, featuring Vermont culinary apple varieties such as McIntosh and late season Northern Spy, was aged with crushed cocao beans. Cocao beans, or nibs, are the starting point from which chocolate is produced. The infusion of the cocao nibs bring notes of artisan chocolate throughout the nose and taste of the cider. A hint of caramel accompanies the dry finish, as does a full apple flavor. 

 

“The use of crushed cocao nibs allowed for this cider to showcase chocolate’s true character,” says Cider Maker John Matson. “The infusion of the beans brought out those strong natural chocolate notes, without the sweetness found in a chocolate bar. The balance of the apple against the cocao creates a truly distinctive tasting experience. I am thrilled with the result and hope our fans are too.” 

 

Cellar Series Chocolate represents one of the most unique ciders Woodchuck has ever brought to market. It deepens the commitment to crafting cider styles that push the category forward while exposing cider to an ever-growing audience.

Cellar Series Chocolate is pasteurized and featured in a 22oz bottle. Alcohol by volume (ABV) is 6.9%.

Appearance: deep red brown, brilliant, some degree of visible bubbles



When poured, the Woochuck Chocolate has a color much like cocoa powder, deeply red brown. Though the color is too dark to read through, it is a brilliant cider.  I can see plenty of bubbles, enough to expect that this cider will be pleasantly carbonated.

Aromas: balsamic vinegar, milk chocolate, ripe apples

Whoa! I am amazed by how many different smells come out of this. First, I smell a rich and fruity balsamic vinegar. Something dark and intense. Secondarily, I smell milk chocolate. Underneath both of those scents, one can grasp hints of ripe apple, but the chocolate and balsamic smells are far more forward.

One of the folks with whom I was tasting this suggested that this cider might smell and taste good warm. So, we microwaved a little bit of it. This cider smells much boozier when warm but retains both the chocolate and balsamic elements.

Sweetness: Supah Sweet

Apples and chocolate with caramel as well. The sweetness reminds of the whole fondue experience of dipping apples in various warm sweet sauces. In this case perhaps like a freshly cut eating apple dipped into milk chocolate and caramel.

Flavors and drinking experience: sweet yet fresh, boozy, chocolatey

For some, drinking this cider reminded them of sweeter gentler version of whiskey. Something rich but not cloying, a little fresh even. I believe on comment that I noted verbatim, "Like booze without the booze!" I know I wouldn't go that far, but the comment is on to something. This cider tastes extremely dessert-like, but feels warming to the throat and stomach. It doesn't taste like something that would give that warming effect, and yet it does. The carbonation levels are lovely, just about ideal.

I think bringing the creaminess of milk chocolate to a tart and sometimes acidic beverage kept this from coming together into one seamless experience. I was always experiencing cider and chocolate rather than a truly chocolatey cider.


I enjoyed this cider around a kitchen table with some good friends and my own homemade raspberry cobbler. Though we tried this warmed as well as cold, I strongly recommend serving this chilled. I think it is a fairly good dessert cider, though the combination of chocolate and cider still doesn't 100% work for me. Give it a try over some ice cream perhaps or with some very mild cheeses and a baguette.
 

Cider Review: Millstone Cellars Gingeroot

First, a note, please forgive the picture heaviness of this post. Several pictures turned out, and I am enough of a photo person that I cannot narrow it down to the usual two pics.

 

Millstone Cellars works from the refurbished Monkton Mill in Monkton, Maryland. It is primarily a father son business that has been making cider and mead for more than ten years. They say this about their own processes: "Recreating early America’s libation of choice, our cider is crafted from pressed heirloom cider apples, oak barrel fermented, and aged. Once barreled, we let the ciders chill out as they undergo a long cool fermentation, slowly develop the ciders character and complexity. Each apple varietal is fermented to dryness and aged for 5-12 months before we hand select barrels to blend into our finished cider." They also mention bottle conditioning as the final step in the cider process. You can see some gorgeous pictures and read more about their business on their website: www.millstonecellars.com.

Today, I'm reviewing their Gingeroot. Their official description explains it as, "Cider warmed during the winter months in the barrel with organic baby ginger and infused with raw blueberry honey. A spicy aromatic cider unthawed for the coming of spring." They do list their ingredients in a completely appealing and open way. The back label lists and pictures Summer Rambo and McIntosh as the apples that go into this cider along with organic baby ginger and raw blueberry honey. With all of these various flavors coming together, I anticipate a complex beverage. Final few facts: ABV 8.0%, Residual Sugar 2.5%, Sweetness Semi-Sweet. I'm curious about what I'll be tasting.

Appearance: pale yellow gold and bubbly

The Gingeroot pours fizzily. The beverage quickly forms a very big bubbled mousse with loads of excitement. The head dissipates quickly. Either in the bottle or the glass, this cider has brilliant clarity and very pale yellow gold color.

Aromas: ginger, pear wood, spice

The first thing that I have to share to properly communicate the experience is that this beverage is significantly more aromatic than most ciders. It is beautifully strong smelling, even when fairly cold. The aromas aren't appley though; Alex gets concord grape, but I smell ginger primarily. Beyond the ginger, I could smell pear, wood, and spice. Very exciting.

Flavors: apple, ginger, and spice

I can taste the apple much more than I could smell it, but the ginger comes across just as clearly. The two meld well with a spicy almost punchy taste. Very invigorating. I enjoyed how much the Gingeroot manages to be a zesty and yet fruity cider.

Drinking experience: intense, powerful, a bit slow

This cider is high in tannins, similarly high in acid, and off dry. The honey really is pleasing as a separate but balancing note. The level of carbonation also gives this an aura of champagne. For me, this tastes very much like what would happen if someone clever shaved fresh ginger into a glass of dry champagne.

I chose this cider specifically go with a meal. My darling Alex made zucchini and summer squash cold noodle salad with tofu and peanut teriyaki sauce. Delish. The cider worked with it as I hoped it would. The balance of powerful cider and chilled peanut sauce were especially complementary. I recommend this confidently as an accompaniment to Asian food. In terms of activities, where I live it is still too hot to do very much besides survive. Therefore, I'd recommend the Gingeroot for a calm slow afternoon or evening, reading a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This cider can stand up to any chilling tale.

For those interested in reading more, a local paper did a nice write up of the cider here: "Gingerroot to Ciderberry: Making Mead, Cider in Monkton"