Perry Reviews: Haykin Family Cider's Harrow Pear and Le Pere Jules Poiré de Normandie

I know we just completed Very Perry May, but I had the unexpected good fortune to run into two deeply enjoyable perries in the last couple of weeks. I didn’t want to save these notes almost another year until May comes around again. So, I’m indulging myself with a double perry review. Perhaps I’m not the only one who can’t resist a special perry. And I love bringing two new producers into the blog in the same week!

I want to start with a perry I brought home from GLINTCAP. I got to share a meal with Talia and Daniel Haykin and run into them a few times in those busy days. This cidery and tasting room operates in Aurora, Colorado. We found our a few weeks later that Haykin Family Cider’s  Harrow Pear earned a Bronze in the Modern Perry category.

What I didn’t yet know when we met is that the Haykins and I share a love of bubbles! I was chuffed to see a more prominent mention of the importance of sparkle in their beverages. That’s not the only way I like my cider or perry, but I do love the fizzy ones!

Learn about all the fun stuff going on at Haykin Family Cider online: https://www.haykinfamilycider.com

Here’s the official description, “Harrow Pears are a Canadian variety that produce a lot of tannin when grown in Colorado. It ferments into a rich perry, with a lush and juice aroma, like a virtual bite of a ripe and melting pear on a warm day, like pear drop candy, lime and tonic water, offset by clay and minerality. Pears grown at Ela Family Farms.6.7% ABV”

Appearance: bubbly, warm straw color, brilliant 

Pours with a massive head, but the foam doesn’t stick around. Even so, it’s obvious how bubbly this cider is when you take a peek. It’s almost too bubbly to see that it’s brilliant, but I could tell after waiting a bit. The color is a warm straw.

Aromas: citrus, yogurt, stony, spicy

This perry smells exciting and dynamic. I can detect aroma notes including: yogurt, citrus, sharpness, and stones. The whole impression I get from this perry is a fun interplay of spicy, nutty ( particularly macadamia), and fruity.

Sweetness/Dryness: Sweet

This is a lovely sweet cider. The specific style of sweetness is burnt sugar, vanilla, and pear

Flavors and drinking experience: super bubbly, tart yet sweet, vanilla, tannic finish

The Harrow Pear tastes quite sweet with a soft vasilla first note, but that’s followed by plenty of tartness. The perry is just loaded with oodles and oodles of flavor!  I get some neat nutty/yogurty acids at the start and at last fascinating tannins coming only at the finish. As I hoped, the Harrow Pear is extremely bubbly.

After a few sips, I notice bits of burnt sugar blending with the spiciness. Drinking this perry is exceedingly interesting; it’s complex, thoughtful, and highly drinkable. My co-taster noticed that big sips are nice; just a little note of bitterness—this correlates with the dust and stony scents. What a charming perry; I’m so glad I got to try it!

And my other perry of the week is Le Pere Jules Poiré de Normandie Brut.

My introduction to perry included perries from Normandy right away; they have a reputation for reaching the apex of what’s deliciously possible for pears.

Le Pere Jules makes not only perry, but also cider and Calvados (apple brandy) and started doing so in 1919. It is still a family business, founded by Jules Desfrièches, now in its third generation with Thierry Desfrièches.

See the website in French or English here and learn more about Le Pere Jules: http://www.calvados-leperejules.com/

Here’s Poiré de Normandie’s Official description 

Our “Poiré”, or Pear Cider, is produced from three varieties of pears that come from multi centennial orchards.  It is known it’s the fresh and refined taste.  As with the cider, our Poiré is lightly filtered and  bottled to develop its fine natural gas.  It is excellent to drink with any sea food. 4%ABV”

Appearance: hazy, lemon curd, bubbly

This perry reminds me of homemade lemon curd in color. It’s hazy gentle gold just makes me think of citrus and cream. 

Aromas: farmyard, mineral, citrus

This perry’s aromas certainly remind me more of French and English perries than most American ones I’ve tastes. There’s some farmyard, citrus, and stony mineral smells going on (tiny hint of volatile acidity), but I expect it might taste fairly different from how it smells. 

Sweetness/dryness: off dry

This Brut Perry tastes off dry to semi-dry and very natural in its suggestions of sweetness. There’s far more to the whole experience than its level of sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: Bubbly, tart, pear skins

I love this perry’s beautiful bubbly texture. I was wowed by it immediately! There’s a high level of sharp and fruity tartness that wakes up the entire mouth. The Poiré de Normandie tastes minerally but somehow stays so fresh, floral, and fruity And I simply adore how the finish is warm pear skins. Perries sometimes do this magical thing where they allow me to taste what seems like the texture of a ripe yet firm pear. This perry allows me exactly that! 

Very Perry May: Tieton Cider Works Sparkling Perry, Stem Ciders Perry and GLINTCAP Best in Class

I’m back from GLINTCAP, and I’m still not tired of cider. I guess that means I’m living my best life because I’ve been in cider world hard core for most of last week Now, it’s time for week 3 of Very Perry May and I used my travel and my cellar to have two perries instead of one this week!

I’m starting with Tieton Cider Works Sparkling Perry. I couldn't resist picking this up on my way home from GLINTCAP. I don't see Tieton Cider Works beverages everywhere, but when I do, it's exciting. This company tries so many adventurous styles but also has access to some really good fruit and juice.

Visit Tieton online at https://tietonciderworks.com/

Or keep up with what's happening on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tietonciderworks/

Here are all of my previous Tieton Cider Works reviews.

Yakima Valley Dry Hopped: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/07/cider-review-tieton-ciderworks-yakima.html

Tieton Cider Works Spice Route: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/cider-review-tieton-ciderworks-spice.html

Tieton Cider Works Smoked Pumpkin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/10/cider-review-tieton-ciderworks-smoked.html

The Tieton Cider Works Perry's Official description reads, “Sparkling Perry is a beverage akin to champagne; dry and brilliant. Our Estate Sparkling Perry is made exclusively from traditional Perry pears grown in our Washington orchards. 5.5% ABV.”

What I think is really interesting is that the bottle has a sticker that calls this cider semi-sweet, an the label calls it dry. That might be contributable to the sorbitol that occurs naturally in pears. Because that sugar cannot be fermented, a perry fermented to dryness can still taste more or less sweet.

Appearance: Amber, hazy, few bubbles

First off, I am so sorry I don'thave any pictures of the poured perry! I was distracted by good company. When I poured this perry, I knew it had to include perry pears from the intensity of color. Most perrys are very light straw, to light green, or even translucent. This is decidedly a more rich amber hue with a bit of haze and a few bubbles.

Aromas: Ripe pear, caramel, banana

I can smell the texture and freshness of pear flesh in this cider. Something about the actual granular texture of ripe pears comes across through smell alone. I also get notes of caramel and banana that could hint at some mild, oxidization. All of the aromas present are gentle and in good balance.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

Sorbitol or no, this cider perceives to me (and to others I was tasting with) as semi-sweet. The sweetness does feel very fruity, warm, and natural.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, medium high tannins, nutty

The high acid keeps this semi-sweet perry from pushing into fully sweet territory. As do the medium high tannins. This perry definitely uses real perry pears. It tastes so nutty. The Sparklingly Perry speaks primarily with bright acid bouncing in contrast with friendly brown sugar notes—but without any sort of a burnt sugar flavor.

I am struck with how clean and fruity the finish is while still evoking minerals somehow. I had this with homemade vegetarian Indian food: Aloo Gobi and Palak Paneer. The sweetness and spiciness were perfect together. Wow!

Next Up: Stem Cider Perry

My second perry for the week comes from out west, from Colorado cider and perry maker Stem Ciders. The company sent me this review sample last year, but it didn’t arrive in time for Very Perry May, so I’ve been sitting on these notes for a little while now. The company was started about five years ago, by Eric Foster and Phil Kao. Stem Ciders is based out of Lafayette, Colorado. The company makes a range of ciders from perennially available styles to limited releases and collaborations.

Read plenty more and see some great pictures at: https://stemciders.com

The page I recommend checking out the most is the Philosophy section: https://stemciders.com/philosophy/

My only previous review of a Stem cider is the Pear Apple Cider as part of the #PickCider series: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-stem-ciders-pear-apple.html

Appearance: pale yellow green, brilliant, no bubble

This perry is strikingly brilliant. Many contain a note of haze, but not this perry. The color is a pale yellow green, and it shows no bubbles.

Aromas: pear flesh, bubble gum, mint

Oh, what fresh smells! I think this perry smells tremendously appealing: sweet and juicy like fresh and ripe pear flesh. Other notes include bubblegum and mint. It’s all so fruity and springy. I can also detect the tiniest hint of metallic and dust that lead me to expect high acidity. I find the combination of aromas mouthwatering and powerful. The ntoes keep coming every time I lift the glass.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-dry

This is a mild and friendly semi-dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: bubbly, twiggy, mild, creamy

This cider pours with bubbles. Nice, I wasn’t sure based on its first appearance. I can taste sugar down the middle of my tongue. The primary notes I’m tasting are twiggy and green but not under-ripe. There’s just a bit of tannins—chalky but kinda nice. I think this perry tastes super approachable and good, but not quite as wowsers as it smells. All of the flavors are mild. There’s

a great aura of cream soda or birch beer. It's herbal but not bitter or very astringent. Definitely a keeper.

I had mine with corn on the cob, veggie nuggets, and a very tomato-y salad. Yum.

This last week, I travelled to Grand Rapids with my illustrious partner and co-taster Alex for GLINTCAP! We tasted through 7 rounds, including 2 Best in Class rounds. It was wonderful inspiring work. We also go to see some awesome cider makers, cellar hands, wine sellers, fellow writers, and cider nerds of all ilks. I love Grand Rapids, and I love GLINTCAP. I feel like I learn things every year from this crazy grueling celebration of cider. Many thanks to Eric West and all the volunteers who make this fantastic event happen.

And I’d like to send all interested parties (that means everyone!) over to the GLINTCAP site to get a peek at the Best in Class Awards. Congratulations to all of those winners!

http://glintcap.org/

I look forward to seeing the full results which should be up before the end of May!

Very Perry May: Aeppeltreow's Orchard Oriole Perry and Big Fish Cider Co.'s Church Hill Blush

Welcome back to Very Perry May! This week, I want to share my thoughts on a more traditional perry, but also sample something else springy to stretch out my perry stores to last the rest of the month. It’s a beautiful time of the year right now, and I am so thrilled to spend it on this avenue of the cider world. 

This week’s perry is from Aeppeltreow winery and distillery out of Wisconsin. This small producer is one of my favorites because each beverage truly is its own beast, made from committedly interesting fruit choices and fermented with care. I received this bottle as a review sample after the cider maker saw last year’s Very Perry May.

Visit the website at: http://aeppeltreow.com/

Here are my previous review of Aeppeltreow ciders:

Most relevant is last year’s review of the Sparkling Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-1-aeppeltreow.html

Similarly sparkly, I do love the Appley Brut: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-appeltreow-winerys-appley.html

My first review of anything by Aeppeltreow was the Barnswallow: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/03/cider-review-appeltreow-barnswallow.html

And my all time favorite of the bunch thus far, the Kinglet Bitter: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/09/cider-review-appletreow-kinglet-bitter.html

Official description of the Orchard Oriole Perry, “English traditional perry pears. Complex and tannic. Fermented to highlight cultivars and terroir. Subtle pear, different from Bartlett and not-so-subtle tannins, tart, slightly bubbly." 5.5% ABV

And some background,

Oriole Perry is our proud ‘estate’ perry.  It’s grown at Brightonwoods, within sight of the Winery.   It’s more subtle and complex than the Sparkling Perry- being fermented from 100% bitter perry pears.  We ferment it with a Sangiovese yeast that we think really brings out the tannin characters of the perry-specific cultivars.  These pears are exceedingly rare in the US, and not easy to grow.  When we get the question ‘Then why use them?’, we pour a glass of Oriole.  These are not mellow, easy-going French ‘butter pears’.  Perry pears think they are Cabernet – and have the tannins to back it up.

Appearance: deep topaz, brilliant, some bubbles

It took me much thinking and gesticulating to even approach this color with words. It’s a lovely tawny somber shade with some fire and clarity. Of course I think of semi-precious stones, and this one does remind me of my birthstone, topaz, in its dark yet brilliant form. I can see bubbles in the glass, and its there’s no hint of haze.

Aromas: Perry pears, tropical fruit, perfume

This perry smells distinctly like perry pears as opposed to dessert pears. Just like cider apples, perry pears are not enjoyable to eat  The aromas are intense and welcoming. I smell ripe tropical fruit, flowers, with a hint of concentrated sweetness. The overall impression is both perfume in its ethereal floral sense and also lush tropical immediacy.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-dry

It’s hard to describe this perry in terms of its sweetness, because it offers so much more. This does remind me of the unfermentable sugars in pear juice.

Flavors and drinking experience: high tannins

The Orchard Oriole Perry tastes immediately of high tannins from these special pears. The high tannins create strong drying action, but with a nice amount of sweetness still. The perry has very immediate pear flavor, but not not like Bartlett pears. The Orchard Oriole perry tastes fresh, with a pleasant high note of sourdough bread.

I’m grateful that the perry has a good amount of sparkle with small bubbles. That combination of mouthfeel features is a neat juxtaposition of cottony or astringent while also being scintillating and exciting. In terms of fruit flavors, there’s more than just pear going including a very round, lychee-ish taste. As I sip more, the tropical acidity lingers. The Orchard Oriole Perry is very beautifully  balanced and delicious to contemplate. Even if with all those tannins, it’s not thirst-quenching as such. 

I love that this perry is playful and enjoyable yet serious. It’s an unambiguous winner.

This is my first review of anything by Big Fish Cider Co., starting with the Church Hill Blush. This bottle is a review sample from Cider Con.

This Virginia cidery won a 2018 Good Food Award, and they’ve cleaned up at GLINTCAP, yet they launched in only 2015. Big Fish Cider Co. is based in Monteray, Virginia, where they have a tasting room. 

Read more about the company here: http://www.bigfishcider.com

The official description gives some nice context. 

Sparkling clear rose colored Medium Sweet cider, featuring locally grown heirloom apples and fermented with locally grown raspberries.  

Other than apples, I know of no other fruit that tops raspberries in the cellars and the hearts of cidermakers.  Church Hill Blush is made with raspberries from a local Highland County farm, Church Hill Produce. The color and the aroma are completely natural. This is a bright, festive drink that is poured for celebrations, big and small. 

The Raspberry comes through on the nose and at the beginning of the palate, with the sprightly apple flavors coming through to the finish. The sparkling character, the brightness of flavor, the beauty of the color, and the amazing aroma of this cider makes it a favorite for celebrations, weddings, anniversaries, and life’s celebrations. 

This cider also can pair well with just about any poultry dish, particularly crispy skin recipes. Also this can pair nicely with fruit salads.

Appearance: rose gold, brilliant

Rose colored ciders are just so lovely. I am not normally a fan of pink shades, but this rosegold is undeniably pretty. As the photo shows, it’s brilliant as well. 

Aromas: fresh raspberry, raspberry leaves, apple

Oooh! Such summery smells! This cider’s aromas has a backbone of apple, but fresh raspberry up front. I also get an almost tea like note of raspberry leaf. Very neat!

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

Though this cider is sweet and fruity, it is complex. 

Flavors and drinking experience: ripe raspberry, high acid, balanced

What’s most important to me in any fruit-blended cider, is the final balance between the added fruit and the cider flavors themselves, I never want to taste just berry or just spice. The Church Hill Blush does an excellent job in that it has a very good balance between apple and raspberry. 

The cider starts with a dark and almost bitter first note, but that quickly gives way to notably sweet mid palate. The flavor of ripe raspberry comes across clearly. I notice both medium sparkle and  medium high acidity, with just a bit of tannin. This cider’s sweetness lingers but doesn't cloy. I am so impressed by this presence of both raspberry and apple. It doesn’t hurt that these two fresh fruits happen to be two of my favorites.

Keep reading for more perries all month!

Very Perry May Pt.3: Eve's Cidery, Wyder's, Magner's

Part 3 of Very Perry May is arriving a little later in the week than my first two groups of perry exploration. This is because I travelled to New York City this past weekend to celebrate my anniversary of being married to my favorite co-taster, Alex. We chose the weekend not just because it is our anniversary, but because that's when Midnight Oil was playing New York City! What a concert! Wow! Okay, to return the point. It was fascinating to see what ciders are on shelves and taps in the city these days, and what perries.

Which leads me to my first perry review of the week: Eve's Cidery's Perry Pear.

I was able to get a glass of Eve's Cidery's sold out 2015 Perry Pear at Murray's Cheese Bar (http://www.murrayscheesebar.com/). This is especially exciting as the company doesn't get access to enough pears to make a perry every year.
I've reviewed a few ciders by Eve's Cidery over the course of the blog so far. Here's the brief rundown.

Albee Hill: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-eves-cidery-albee-hill.html
Autumn's Gold: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/06/cider-review-eves-ciderys-autumns-gold.html
Beckhorn Hollow Dry:http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/cider-review-eves-ciderys-beckhorn.html

Find out all about this Finger Lakes cidery that specializes in both still ciders and bottle conditioned sparkling ciders on the website: https://www.evescidery.com.

Perry Pear's official description reads, "Super aromatic on the nose, sweet cream, vanilla bean, honey and figs mingle with balsam fir. The palate is layered with fresh ripe pear, venison and bitter dandelion. The finish is soft, round, full and filling with a creamy texture."

What's more, you can read the story of this particular perry from 2015 pears, right on the site: https://www.evescidery.com/our-cider/2015-perry-pear/

Appearance: cinnamon sugar gold, brilliant, no visible bubbles

The color makes me think of mellow golden dusting of cinnamon sugar. It has lots of color compared to most perries. Its brilliant and doesn't show off the bubbles that are within.

Aromas: clean barn, fermented fruit, honey

Nothing could be more autumnal and rural than this smells. The notes encompass a clean wooden barn, fermenting fruit, honey, and just a hint of dry firewood. These smells are really raising my expectations for something complex and dry.

Sweetness/dryness: just barely off dry

Beautiful balance. I love how the perry has just enough residual sweetness to let the flavors speak and not a hint more. The dryness is structured and solid. This perry sweetness isn't confusing as sometimes happens. 

Flavors and drinking experience: funky, warmed fruit, acid, leather

Some of those same barn and firewood notes that were present in the aromas remained in the drinking. More prominent was a wild thread of acid, medium-high tannins, and lots of leather. The impression of fall just continues as the subtle acetic acid and sorbitol remind me of leaves in the air, warm wood, and crisp breezes. 

As the picture reveals, I had this perry with three cheese pairings: ricotta and honey, brie and blackberry preserves, and sliced apple with cheddar and edible flowers. It complemented all three. What a treat.

Wyder's Hard Cider: Dry Pear

This is my first Wyder's review. The Dry Pear was shared with me when I was visiting the Woodchuck facility in Vermont this summer. Link to that day of my Vermont trip: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-great-vermont-cider-tour-day-3.html

You can visit the Wyder's site to learn about their portfolio: http://www.wyders.com/pear-cider/

Wyder's official description reads, "This light, crisp cider presents a tangy aroma while offering a distinct pear taste, and ends with a lively mouth feel that tickles the tongue."

Appearance: brilliant, pale, lots of visible bubbles

This has a bubbly light appearance. There's not a hint of haze.

Aromas: apple pear, candied pineapple, ginger

The Dry Pear smells like apple more than pear, but it does smell floral and gingery. It also smells like crystallized sugar. The floral notes remind me of edible orchids.

Sweetness/dryness: sweet

Not ambiguous. Not dry. Sweet.

Flavors and drinking experience: sweetly ephemeral, perfumed, fruity
This is a relatively easy to understand perry, especially for a cider person like myself. The Dry Pear does have the ephemeral perfumed quality that some perries have. It's initial hit is a bit drier with even a touch of bitterness, but that is quickly replaced by sweetness and fruitiness. It tastes like extremely clean fermentation with a finish that's clean and delightfully aromatic. Like a breath of spring flowers.

This is fundamentally sweet though, I don't see why they call it dry.

Magners Irish Cider's Pear

I have reviewed one Magner's before: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/04/cider-review-magners-irish-cider-plus.html

You can find out more about them online: http://usa.magners.com

Magner's Official Description reads, 

We all need a bit of variety and that’s why we came up with the idea for Magners Pear. Of course, we like to do things properly and don’t mind taking our time, so unlike some Pear ciders, the only fruit that goes into ours is pears. 

Only 100% premium quality pears, which are filtered to get rid of any impurities before being slowly fermented. 

That’s what makes Magners Pear so fresh, fruity and full of flavor. So next time you’re out and wanting a bit of a change, pour a Magners Pear, sit back and enjoy.

Appearance: visible bubbles, light green gold, brilliant

I used my Cider Tasting Mug by 33 Books (https://www.33books.com/products/the-original-cider-tasting-mug) so I could get the most out of this cider. The mug generally enhances both color and aroma, so it being fairly pale green gold in this mug means it would be even more subtle in glass.

Aromas: floral, pear jolly rancher, white grape

I could smell exactly the clear notes in my above list: pears, Jolly Rancher green apple candy, white grape juice, and a floral atmosphere as well.

Sweetness/dryness: very sweet

The Pear is intensely soda-like in its initial burst of sweetness. This is another sweet perry.

Flavors and drinking experience: sweet, thick mouthfeel, lots of pear, hint of maple

The Pear offers up a thick mouthfeel, which I don't think is necessarily characteristic of perry, but it recalls specifically the flesh of a soft pear. I get a bit of granularity to it. The sweetness hits climatically and slowly fades: the experience of drinking it is a journey down that slope, and there are some nice points along the way, but no changes. Sugar and pear juice are both perceivable, with a little mapleness. 

This interacts interestingly with the air: drinking it from the bottle offers a more beer-like note: the alcohol is more upfront and slightly mutes the sweetness. 4.5%ABV and sent to me in a lovely custom 19.2oz bottle.

Very Perry May Pt 2 : Woodchuck, Dunkertons, and Misson Trail

Welcome to Very Perry May Pt 2! 

Today, I am pretty excited to further develop my understanding of perry and share my thoughts on three more fermented beverages based (at least partially) from pear juice! Two of the brands I'm talking about today have not yet been featured on the blog, so all kinds of repertoire expansion are afoot!

(In case you didn't catch last week, I introduced the series which will be lasting the whole month- https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-1-aeppeltreow.html)

Dunkerton's Organic Perry

Read about this small cider and perry operation in Herefordshire on the importer's webpage: http://www.winesellersltd.com/wine-brand/Dunkertons.html 

Or their site: https://www.dunkertonscider.co.uk/

Official description: 

A delicious sparkling Perry made from organically grown Perry pears. Though relatively uncommon, the trees are easily identified in Herefordshire’s orchard landscape by their great height and cascading white blossoms; some are over 300 years old. It pours golden and slightly hazy with very gentle bubbles. The nose has over-ripe pear evanescence. A creamy mouthfeel with a good balance between initial sweetness and the dryness of the finish.

Appearance: hazy, warm applesauce color, no visible bubbles

I'm noticing that more perries are hazy than most of the ciders I see on the market. This one decidedly so.

Aromas: overripe fruit, fermenation smells, hint of vinegar

From the aromas, I anticipate that this is going to be wild! Aromas are all about overripe fruit as much like fermented apples as pears. The smells include a little acetic acid but in a proper English perry way—actually kinda fun. I also can scent stone, dust, and cool well water, all hints that tannins will be present.

Sweetness dryness: semi-sweet

This is a balanced perry. The start is more dry and bitter but the end is more sweet, but neither is extreme.

Flavors and drinking experience: tannic, fruity, funky, cleary English, approachable

This sparkling perry is quite fruity and a little funky with an unobtrusive vinegar note. I'd call it balanced and clearly english in style. These perry pears have tannic presence and a long finish that has a bit of figgy, acrid sweetness to it—the sorbitol is there. There are loads of ripe fruit qualities as well, including notes of plum and papaya for sure. I like this!

Woodchuck's Summer Time Pear Ginger Cider

Find out about all of Woodchuck's ciders online: http://www.woodchuck.com

Official Description: 

Summer is here, bringing warm, carefree days and fun, festive nights. Woodchuck® Summer Time delivers a crisp pear cider bursting with fresh ginger for a taste that refreshes like a cool jump in your favorite swimming hole. Enjoy the brand that started the American cider revolution. 5%ABV

This strikes me as a little light on content, but luckily, my samples came with a press release with more helpful information, "Summer Time infuses both pear juice and fresh ginger into the cidery’s small batch hard cider." Later in the press release, it is described as a semi-sweet. 

Appearance: brilliant, bright gold, plenty of bubbles

I'm noticing lots of color for a perry; its a bright gold. Its also brilliant.

Aromas: pear, ginger, cherries

This pear cider smells fresh and clean, with lots of tropical fruit, cherries, and ginger.

Sweetness/dryness: sweet

Unambiguously sweet. Very fruity. 

Flavors and drinking experience: gingery, lots of cherry flavor, pear

Summer Time Pear Ginger tastes like an intense ginger cherry soda. There is a  background of pear but it stays in the background. My fabulous co-taster and husband says like a hopped cider without the hops." I think he means it is a driven by a bright pop of acid and some sweetness. 

It isn't much like other perries I've tried. The most comparable would by the Wyder's Perry, which will show up next week in Very Perry May Pt 3.

Mission Trail Perry

You can learn about the cidery on their website: http://www.missiontrailcider.com/

Official Description: 

California's only 100% Perry. Pure pear, no apple in this one. This is unlike any other. Exquisite and fruity, this remains peerless in it's flavor, balance, color, and artisinal quality. Soft and round, with pear bursting through, this drink has been crafted to remind you what a freshly picked pear tastes like. This is your uncommon perry. We never use concentrate, add flavoring, or add artificial ingredients, nor do we ever blend with apple cider. This is a pure California 100% Perry, made exclusively from high elevation, mountain pears. 6.0% ABV

Appearance: transparent, light green gold, some bubble

This is a very pretty cider in the glass! It shows a nice springy col. or, brilliant, poured with a lacy mousse that faded quickly.

Aromas: freshly cut pears

Wow! I can scarcely believe how much this smells like unfermented fruit.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet to sweet

This is described on the label as being back-sweetened with fresh pear juice and that shows. It is sweet and juicy.

Flavors and drinking experience: clean, juicy, very very pear like

This tastes like half a dozen fresh fruits: pear, grapefruit, white grapes, pineapple, and honey dew melon. It does not taste like fermented fruit though. The sparkle is pronounced and pleasant. Acidity keeps this lively. There are no tannins and not much yeast character. This does not make me think of perry so much as semi-dry Riesling.  The fermentation is spotlessly clean and unobtrusive.  I can imagine this being tremendously popular for warm weather. 

My second set of perries was as varied as my first. My journey continues next week.