Cider Review: Naked Flock Citra

I'm back to reviewing a New York state cider as my beautiful state gets pummeled with more winter weather. I know March isn't actually part of spring for upstate New York, so I'm reminding myself of what's great about New York with a cider made from 100% NY Hudson Valley apples. I'm returning to Naked Flock for their Citra cider. But someday, someday, it will actually be warm again here.

My previous reviews of Naked Flock Ciders feature their Original (check out the review here: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/05/cider-review-naked-flock-original-and.html ) and their Draft ciders (which can be found right here: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/09/cider-review-naked-flock-draft-cider.html) .


Naked Flock's Citra does not appear on their webpage. I was able to get a small official description but it does not give much information, "Naturally fermented from fresh pressed Hudson Valley Apples, not concentrate. It is unpasteurized with no colorants, malts, spirits or grape alcohol added. Fermented with Champagne yeast and flavored with Citra hops." You can read more about the cidery here, but be forewarned that the information is limited:

http://www.applewoodwinery.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=64 

I'd actually recommend skipping the Naked Flock website and instead using their Facebook page for current information. This page does get updated regularly and features tastings and events as well as product information:
 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naked-Flock-Hard-Cider/254809707939076

Okay! On to the cider!

Appearance: hazy very light yellow

This very bubbly cider looks like a perfect real lemonade in the glass. Light yellow and hazy with plenty of bubbles. Hazy ciders, including this one, can be so lovely. I wish more cider makers would not fear anything shy of brilliant clarity.

Aromas: no apple, only hops

Citra offers many exciting and zesty smells, but none of them are apple of any kind. This tends to be a characteristic of hopped ciders. No apple on the aroma and varied levels of apple in the ciders taste. What I did taste however was really varied, fresh, and exciting.  Aromas of fresh mint, lime, yellow green grass, and just bold summery freshness were all over the place. Mouthwatering good smells.

Sweetness: Semi-dry

Definitely the driest of the Naked Flock cider's I've tried. Perhaps I'm not tasting sweetness much in this one in particular because I am tasting so many other flavors, but this is definitely a cider that will work for those of us who are not very big fans of sweetness in cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: Big citrus, acidity, other fruits, refreshing

Like many hopped ciders the Citra by Naked Flock tastes gorgously of lemons, limes, and grapefruits. My husband and assistant cider taster Alex noticed Lychee. I think he's right. The cider is super acidic, but I expected that because all Naked Flock ciders have very high levels of acidity. I think it works better in the Citra. This has to be my favorite Naked Flock so far and by a wide margin.

For food pairing recommendations, I have to go with a sandwich and awesome kettle cooked potato chips. The saltiness of chips and wonderful varieties of texture in a truly good sandwich will complement zesty and refreshing flavors of Naked Flock's Citra. I had a chickpea patty with mayo, tomato, and avocado with mine and it worked out beautifully. I'd also pair this cider with whatever makes you feel warm if you're going to drink it during cold weather. Ideally though this is a summer cider meant for drinking after hikes, by lakes, or after pick up summer games of kickball, Ultimate Frisbee, or what have you. For this not-so-athletic person, I'd drink mine after a big hike. In any case, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Citra!  

Cider Review: Naked Flock Draft Cider (also, Finger Lakes Cider Week is Coming!)

Back in May, I reviewed the first Naked Flock cider to come my way, the Original. Here's a link to that review along with its introduction and background for the brand, Naked Flock. http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/05/cider-review-naked-flock-original-and.html You can read about Naked Flock on the Applewood Winery's page which has a section that serves as Naked Flock's Website. Their Facebook page is even more active and full of information: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naked-Flock-Hard-Cider/254809707939076. For example, that's how I learned that Naked Flock was just named the best Cider in the Hudson Valley by Hudson Valley Magazine.

This is what Naked Flock says about this particular cider, "Draft is a drier style fermented with Belgian Trappist Ale yeast and smoothed over with organic Maple syrup." We'll see how a cider can be dry but also use maple syrup as a sweetening agent, but I'm curious. I know one commenter on my previous Naked Flock review mentioned the noticeability of the ale yeast in the finished cider.

Appearance: Brilliant, intense goldenrod

The brilliant clarity of this cider shows lots of bubbles clining to the glass. Its intense yellow color reminds me of the goldenrod I see blooming everywhere. I was shocked by how bright the color looked in my glass...er, jar.

Aromas: cooked apples, hint of apple candy, pear syrup

Having heard that Naked Flock's Draft is drier and more beery than the original, I was surprised a second time when I smelled it. The apple smell is definitely more like a baked apple than a ripe or even overripe raw apple aroma that comes with many ciders. Still, aromas do not necessarily directly translate into tastes. But since the secondary aromas are more sweet things, candy and syrup, I know to expect a fairly sweet to very sweet cider.

Sweetness: Sweet

Not really a drier cider. The sweetness has some bright acidity along with the sweetness. I can definitely perceive the maple syrup in the cider's finish.

Flavors: apple, orange, ripe melon

Naked Flock's Draft Cider is very fruity and sweet. Its pleasant acidity almost veers into the too-much-for-me camp, but at the same time, this cider needs its acidity because otherwise the sweetness would be overwhelming. This is a tense balancing act, but one perhaps not yet quite perfected. It doesn't however fall into either of the duelling traps of extreme acidity or sweetness but it does flirt with both.

Drinking Experience: needs to be chilled, pair with food

Tastes best cold. Mind you, on these warm spells that periodically interrupt my happy progress towards fall, most things taste best cold. The Draft pairs with casual dinner fare. Definitely a cider that could pleasantly accompany many classic American dishes, but something more hearty and and less delicate than sushi or salad. Perhaps a veggie frittata with cheddar or a mushroom soup with wheat rolls. Activity wise, this is a fine after work beverage for relaxing. At least that's how I enjoyed mine.

On a totally different note, I'm really excited to be hearing about the cool cider events happening all over the country. The numbers and excitement are building in all kinds of places. What I'm curious about is will any readers be enjoying Finger Lakes Cider Week (http://www.ciderweekflx.com/) or NYC and Hudson Valley Cider Week (http://www.ciderweekny.com/)?

Both series will be simply bursting with great opportunities to taste cider, meet folks, and learn about our favorite beverage. I'd love to meet fellow cider fans there. Let me know who you are and what you'll be doing. Let's drink cider together!

Cider Review: Naked Flock Original (and a link)

Naked Flock is Jonathan Hull’s small line of Hudson Valley ciders. The company uses only local apples from the Hudson Valley region of New York State.  The ciders come 3 varieties Original, Draft and Pumpkin. I’ve seen Original and Draft, but sadly I’ve het to see the Pumpkin in stores.  A quote from Hull on the website makes his priorities apparent: "We don't add water or grape spirits, flavorings or colorants and that's why when you open it and you smell it you get a big Apple nose. It gives it a look and feel that sets it apart from the competition." What also sets the cider apart in my mind is their very unique cartoon bottle art, featuring barrel-clad fowl and a confused minister along with the more typical apple-laden trees. The website tells the full story behind the name and the art.

Here’s the official description of the Original, the cider that I’m reviewing today, “The Original Cider is fermented with Champagne yeast and sweetened with a touch of local honey.” I’ve tasted several ciders that use honey at this point, and it isn’t always my favorite source of sweetness, but we’ll see. The ABV is listed as 6.8%.

Color and appearance: almost greenish yellow, just off clear, no visible bubbles

Though this cider isn’t perfectly clear, it isn’t near to cloudiness. No head, no sediment. The color is bright and light and sunny.

Aroma: grape, minerals, flour

Very gentle smell. The Naked Flock Orginal’s predominant aroma is white grapes. The flour and minerals combine easily with the grape smell to remind me of slightly dusty green grapes. Pleasant, but not strong.

Sweet-dry scale: sweet

The Naked Flock Original tastes sweet in a decidedly apple-y way. It tastes light and bright along with the sweetness. That keeps this cider from becoming sticky or heavy. Grapes, apples, and very wet fruits characterize the sweetness. Even so, it may be too sweet for some fans of craft ciders.

Drinking experience and flavors: bread, apples, easy

The most dominant element of the experience for me is how easy drinking it is. The cider is only lightly carbonated. The flavors are well balanced though not challenging. As the cider maker describes his own beverage, apples are the predominant flavor.

Finish:  sweet fruits and peanut

The finish surprises me more than any other facet of this cider in that a full two seconds after the drinking is done, I am reminded of the deep south delicacy boiled peanuts. It is earthy, tasty, and unusual. Frankly, I’m glad because otherwise this cider might suffer a bit from a lack of strong characteristics.

Pairs with: pancakes or waffles

At the risk of sounding strange, I want to call this a breakfast cider. Mind you, I didn’t have mine first thing in the morning, but I could easily see it tasting delicious with many breakfast foods. Drink it with pancakes and cooked apples, yoghurt and granola, or even a savoury omlette. It is a light cider in a way that seems more right for breakfast foods more than pastas or casseroles. Make of that what you will.

The cider comes in 22oz bottles, a good size for sharing. Whether or not you decide to take up ciders with breakfast, this is a tasty sweet cider. I’m curious to try the draft since it is described as drier, but this one certainly has its place in the cider world. 

 

Last but not least, I really want to share a link to one of my Twitter friends: American Hard Cider. This website is a really nicely put together directory of American cider makers and cideries with clear indications of their locations. If you want to go cider exploring in the states, this is a great starting place: American Hard Cider Directory.