Cider Review: Redbyrd Orchard Cider's 2021 Baldwin - Brown Snout - Kingston Black

I’ve gone more than a full week wearing a boot and treating my right foot as though I’m healing a break. Thankfully the boot works and eliminates pain while walking around the house, so I will not complain about it. I do look forward to being able to resume my normal habits of walking miles a day and getting outside whenever the weather is pleasing and often when it's not. But I certainly don’t mind sitting on my porch on these late summer mornings and evenings.

But I did make it out of the house briefly this weekend to celebrate a wonderful friend, and I brought Redbyrd Orchard Cider's 2021 Baldwin- Brown Snout- Kingston Black to taste and share. I picked up this Redbyrd Orchard Cider from Ithaca’s Farmer’s Market earlier in the Summer. In case you’re ever travelling this way, do not overlook the Farmer’s Market as a place to sample and buy local ciders. Our selection is really astounding!

One of the local gems in the Finger Lakes has to be Redbyrd Orchard Ciders. The cidery is based on a small biodynamic farm near Trumansburg, York. I’ve reviewed several of their ciders since first encountering them in 2014. You can find more background in earlier reviews. Here's the full rundown of my earlier Redbyrd Orchard Cider reviews, including one from earlier this year. 

Biodynamic Cloudsplitter Extra Brut: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/04/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-cyders.html

Tompkins King/Stoke Red (my #6 favorite cider of 2022): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/07/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

Black is Gold (a collaboration with Black Diamond Cider and my #1 cider of 2021): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-black-diamond-farm-and.html

Celeste Sur Lie 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/redbyrd-orchard-ciders-celeste-sur-lie.html

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

And I encourage folks to visit Redbyrd Orchard Cider online to learn more about the current cider lineup: https://redbyrdorchardcider.com/.

Here’s what I learned about the 2021 Baldwin- Brown Snout- Kingston Black from the folks at Redbyrd.  

Alcohol 8%

A beautiful dry cider made from these three apples: Baldwin, Brown Snout, Kingston Black

Certified Biodynamic® by Demeter

pressed rack and cloth with secondary fermentation in bottle, sediment natural

all grown, fermented and bottled at Redbyrd Orchard

22 cases produced

notes of chocolate mint, cinnamon, peppercorn, bittersweet apple

Appearance: intense brass color, brilliant, bubbly

Apologies for the action shot; I’m having issues with my camera lately. Still, it’s apparent that this cider shimmers with a beautifully intense brass color. It’s brilliant with bubbles as well. 

Aromas: oranges, autumnal, overripe apples, rubber

The Baldwin- Brown Snout- Kingston Black  causes an immediate salivary reaction for me! This is going to be a wonderfully exciting cider. The first aroma notes I can identify are overripe apple, oranges, and wet autumn leaves. The scents are mellow and a touch oxidized. I expect deep autumnal acid and apple flavors in this one. Yum.

Sweetness/dryness: fully dry

I love the total dryness of this cider. It’s austere and yet filled with flavor. 

Flavors and drinking experience: actively tannic, fine bubbles, funky, acid but round

The Baldwin- Brown Snout- Kingston Black tastes actively tannic, even a bit fiery and aggressive. I love its champagne-style bubbles from the cider’s second in the bottle fermentation. That crisp sophistication is made beautifully complex with some funky and metallic notes and big round acids. The mouthfeel is full, with a long blocky tannic finish. This cider goes best with salty foods. It’s big, fun, and challenging. These are wonderfully interesting apples, and I’m so glad that Redbyrd Orchard Cider made the most of them.

Cider Review: Redbyrd Orchard Cyder's 2020 Biodynamic Cloudsplitter Extra Brut

Spring has burst into fullness with an unseasonable run of hot days. It’s disturbing to see temperatures in the high 80s in April, but it’s also amazing to see trees go from twiggy to budding and then blooming in so few days. It finally feels like the season has arrived to drink cider outside, and I couldn’t be happier about that.Today, I chose a cider that I picked out with some help from the cidermaker at the opening day of Ithaca’s Farmers’ Market. 

This is Redbyrd Orchard Cyder's  2020 Biodynamic Cloudsplitter Extra Brut. This cidery is a delightful one in my region. I have several earlier reviews for Redbyrd Orchard Cyders. Many include more background on this awesome cidery. Here’s the list.

Tompkins King/Stoke Red (my #6 favorite cider of 2022): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/07/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

Black is Gold (a collaboration with Black Diamond Cider and my #1 cider of 2021): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-black-diamond-farm-and.html

Celeste Sur Lie 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/redbyrd-orchard-ciders-celeste-sur-lie.html

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 visit Redbyrd online to learn about all of the ciders and what’s happening at the cidery: https://redbyrdorchardcider.com/

Here’s information on the 2020 Biodynamic Cloudsplitter Extra Brut.

~notes of~

cherry, birch, vanilla, clementine

0.0% residual sugar

champagne style, disgorged in batches of 10 cases

2020 harvest disgorged 9/2022

Certified Biodynamic® by Demeter

porter's perfection, kingston black, liberty, golden russet, ashmead’s kernel, tompkins king, keepsake, nehou,

roxbury russet, dabinett, brown snout, wickson crab,

honeycrisp, goldrush, geneva crab, harry masters jersey,

somerset redstreak, zabergau, baldwin, golden hornet,

redfield, rubinette, zestar, browns’ apple, texas king crab,

NY75, redbyrd bitter, barn hill sharp, gnarled chapman

Grown, Fermented, and Bottled at Redbyrd Orchard.

19 cases produced

The cider has an ABV of 9.3%

Let me just note two things here. First, that’s a fabulous list of apples. Secondly, 19 cases is not a lot of cider! I feel lucky to have just one bottle!

Appearance: active bubbles, warm sandstone color, brilliant

The Cloudsplitter Extra Brut looks so inviting. The color is a warm and intense shade of orange that reminds me of sandstone. The bubbles are multitudinous and active. I can easily see through the cider, even with the bubbles, leading me to calling it brilliant in terms of clarity.

Aromas: applesauce, pears, straw, mellow overripe apple

I love how the Cloudsplitter smells immediately and vividly of applesauce. Ciders with this homey aroma start to win me over immediately. Secondarily, I get notes of pears and straw; it’s a mellow and welcome set of scents.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry, but fruity

This cider is dry, and it has to be dry because of how it is made. Nonetheless, it’s far more fruity than many ciders with a similar level of dryness. The fruit makes it tremendously enticing and friendly.

Flavors and drinking experience: overripe apple, apricot, high acid, high tannins, many bubbles, fruity and concentrated

The Cloudsplitter makes a big first impression with high acidity and also high tannins. The cider dances across my palate with lively miniscule bubbles. Again, I love how it manages to taste so fruity but completely dry. I’m reminded of homemade fruit leather in that all of the Cloudsplitter’s flavors are so concentrated. This cider is a dynamo of apple flavor. My co-taster really captured it when they said that this cider tastes specifically like many types of apple at once. Wow, yes. And on the finish, it’s tremendously elegant: apricots and a hint of honey.

We enjoyed this cider with a veggie fried rice and then beautiful locally created macarons. What a divine taste experience.

My Favorite 10 Ciders of 2022

Finally! We’ve been holidaying for weeks; its time to wind down the year. Only a few more days remain in 2022. That means it’s also time for me to round up my favorite 10 ciders of the year. And though this isn't a year I expect to look back on fondly, I have some very happy cider memories. Mostly, I'm glad to that I got to see more cider friends than I have in a while and that I became a Pommelier in 2022. 

This favorites list is one of my favorite year-end traditions: the tenth time I’ve gathered such a list. I’m so happy to share again. But first, here are all of the earlier cider countdowns I’ve made. 

2021 Top 5: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/my-favorite-5-ciders-of-2021.html

2021: My 10-5 countdown: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/5-of-my-favorite-10-ciders-of-2021.html

2020: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2020.html

2019: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/12/my-10-favourite-ciders-of-2019.html

2018: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-favourite-10-ciders-of-2018.html

2017: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2017.html

2016: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2016.html

2015: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2015.html

2014: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2014.html

First ever cider countdown from 2013: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2013.html

And here’s a little bit about how it works. I choose only cider per company.  That’s not because no cider produces more than one absolute champion per year but I want to highlight ten different ciderys each year. Any cider I’ve reviewed in 2022 is eligible. I want to reiterate that these are my favorites; I have no illusions that my tastes are objective or universal. These are just ten ciders that wowed me the most this past year.  

10. Stormalong Cider - Pearman Quince (Massachusetts) 

https://www.stormalong.com/

https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-pearmain.html

I remember tasting the Pearman Quince on a sweltering summer evening while exploring a space perhaps not strictly intended for cider exploration. The cider was barely bubbly but featured medium levels of tannins, aquatic flavor notes, a healthy dose of funk and fruity acidity. Stormalong created a fun and unusual cider in the Pearman Quince with lots of excitement brought by the addition of quince.

9. Wild Arc Farm - Apples (New York) 

https://www.wildarcfarm.com/

https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/09/cider-review-wild-arc-cider-and-news.html

This Hudson Valley cider uses a blend of apples and pears, a natural fermentation, and very limited interventions like filtering or fining. Many of those choices increase the risk level when making a cider, and this cider still managed to end up incredible. The fruit, the time spent in oak plus all of the factors I mentioned above created a beautiful alchemy for deliciously balanced and integrated cider with a gorgeous strong sparkle. What a win!

8. West County Cider - Quince / Redfield Cortland (Massachusetts)

http://westcountycider.com/

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/07/cider-review-west-county-ciders-quince.html

Lemon curd, pineapple, and homemade applesauce, what’s not to love here? The Quince Redfield Cortland is a semi-sweet cider with lots of aromatic quince in the mix,  bringing sparkling vivacity, high acidity, all supported by a solid base of medium tannins. 

7. Montana Ciderworks - Hopped Up Heritage (Montana)

http://montanacider.com/index.html

https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/05/cider-review-montana-ciderworks-hopped.html

This hoppy cider benefitted from taking hops seriously. The hops included add multiple dimensions of aroma and flavor. So much citrus aroma! The cider maker also chose to make this hopped cider semi-sweet, with notes that remind me of super-ripe apple, honey, and peach. I feel like many cider folks have tasted some unbalanced hopped ciders or don’t see the point of hopped cider, but a good one can really be a beautiful and complex beast. That’s exactly what I smelled and tasted in Montana Ciderworks Hopped Up Heritage.

6. Redbyrd Orchard Cider - Tompkins King / Stoke Red (New York) 

https://redbyrdorchardcider.com/

https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/07/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html

I love a small blend. To me it seems the most logical stopping place for a cider maker who wants to show off the natural qualities of a few specific apples while also presenting a balanced beverage that’s complete and enjoyable on its own. This 5050 blend of Tompkins King and Stoke Red apples illustrates this wisdom amazingly. It’s got all the tannins, acidity, and aroma that one could want. I loved that this cider brings both gorgeous fruit notes and solid minerality. 

5. Absolem Cider Company - Ferryman (Maine)

https://www.absolemcider.com/

https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/10/cider-review-absolem-ciderys-ferryman.html

The Ferryman by Absolem uses time spent in port barrels and pressed red wine grapes to create a shockingly soft cider. Both the flavors and the mouth feel were beguiling with complex tannins that sent along with some gentle fruit notes as well. This off dry cider is one shows off that use of port barrel and grape must in the aromas and flavors both, but without losing a distinct sense of apple stems and cores.

4. Big Hill Ciderworks - Barrel Aged Reserve (Pennsylvania)

https://www.bighillcider.com/

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/12/cider-review-big-hill-ciderworks-barrel.html

Barrel aging can change everything about a cider. I’ve had ciders that lose a lot of apple characteristics because they are so dominated by barrel qualities, but Big Hill Barrel Aged Reserve doesn’t lose sight of the cider at all.  The cider’s aromas are all about ripe apples and the blunt clean woody side of barrel aging. This off-dry cider is zingy with medium tannins and tons of flavor. 

3. Black Diamond Cider - Perry (New York)

https://www.blackdiamondcider.com/

https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/10/cider-week-new-york-moosewood.html

This pear cider is from one of my favorite local cideries: Black Diamond. I enjoyed this as part of the Black Diamond and Moosewood pairing dinner during New York Cider week. This pear cider does everything I love in a perry or pear blend: lively bubbles, grapefruit citrus notes, softness and high acid.

2. Big Fish Cider Co. - Punk and Henry (Virginia) 

https://www.bigfishcider.com/

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/03/cider-review-big-fish-cider-cos-puck.html

It’s no surprise that Big Fish makes some fantastic ciders. (I already have two sets of notes that will go live in 2023 that I’m very excited about.) Punk and Henry is all about softened autumn fruit in semi-dry cider that delivers high levels of fruity acids, along with high tannins, and notes of golden raisins, ripe apples and caramel. It is a glorious cider.

1. Snowdrift Cider Company - Red (Colorado) 

https://www.snowdriftcider.com/

https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/06/cider-review-snowdrift-cider-cos-red.html

Everything about the Red works for me. Actually, that’s underselling it, I love everything about this cider from Snowdrift. Its aromas of under-ripe strawberries, booze, and sweet orange were intriguing. It sparkles with verve and acid while still presenting fruity sweetness and some low but present tannin. The Red is a gorgeous cider that plays tremendously well with food. 

This was a hard list to create because I tasted far more than 10 delicious ciders this year. Thanks so much to all of the cider makers, apple growers, and other folks in the industry who work hard to help get utterly fantastic ciders from the tree into our glasses. May next year be even more sparkling with good times and good tastes. 

Cider Review: Redbyrd Orchard Cider's Tompkins King / Stoke Red

Finally, it rained. I don’t want to complain about all weather, but it’s been damagingly dry here. This rain could not be more welcome. It feels like the whole palette of the world has softened and cooled blue-gray. We’re not yet out of drought territory but I feel so grateful. I may even be willing to heat up my kitchen with some of the cooking I’ve been avoiding for days. We’ll see about that though. Today, I’m sharing my review of Redbyrd Orchard Cider's Tompkins King / Stoke Red.

Redbyrd Orchard cider comes to us from the Finger Lakes region of New York, AKA my neck of the woods. I know the cidery through Deva Maas and Eric Shatt: two anchors of the local cider community. They founded the cidery and steward its biodynamic orchard. Here’s just a bit more background about Redbyrd from the website, including their land acknowledgement and commitment to contributing to the Haudenosaunee. 

Redbyrd Orchard Cider is the combined work of the sun, the moon, the earth, the tides, and som specific animals, trees, and humans. We’re glad you are here.  Our small cidery and currently Certified Biodynamic managed orchards grow heirloom, wild seedling, and cider apples to make the best cider we possibly can and provide a space to connect with each other, the land, and the cosmos.

 Redbyrd Orchard is located in the rolling hills of the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, on the traditional Gayogohó:no nation lands of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of New York state, and the United States of America.

In acknowledgment, a portion of sales from our orchard are contributed to Ganondagan.

My previous Redbyrd Orchard Cider reviews include:

Black is Gold (a collaboration with Black Diamond Cider): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-black-diamond-farm-and.html

Celeste Sur Lie 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/redbyrd-orchard-ciders-celeste-sur-lie.html

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

It was an adventure to find the official description of this cider, but thanks to social media I did! Here’s what Redbyrd Orchard Cider has to say about the Tompkins King and Stoke Red. 

2021 Tompkins King/ Stoke Red

50% Tompkins King 50% Stoke Red

~notes of~ Toasted coconut, Honey Dew Melon, Black Pepper

Alcohol 7.5% Residual Sugar 0.0%

Pressed 10/14/21 Bottled 12/27/21

This is another blend of a North American Variety and one from Europe. Tompkins King is an old American heirloom variety that originated as a seedling from Warren county New Jersey and was brought to Tompkins County NY in 1804. Some of the first Tompkins King trees in New York were planted near Jacksonville which is 5 miles from our orchard!! Tompkins King has that classic antique apple flavor with spicy aromas of apple pie. It is a large apple with lots of juice and has always been a valuable component to hard cider in our region over the years. Tompkins King lacks those dense tannins so common in European cider apples so we blended it with Stoke Red. Stoke Red is from Somerset England dating back to the early 1900’s and is classified as a bitter sharp, containing both high levels of acid and tannin. This cider blends the fruity spicy aromatic characteristics of Tompkins King with acid and tannins from Stone Red. There is more acidity in this cider from both varieties which gives it a fresh and lively character.

Appearance: warm harvest orange, medium intensity, few visible bubbles

Because I was enjoying my cider outside at a restaurant, the glassware was fun and practical rather than designed for ultimate cider ogling. Still, the Tompkins King / Stoke Red is lovely. The color reminds of all the oranges of harvest season in a medium intensity. I could see some bubbles in my glass as well. 

Aromas: malic acid, twiggy, vanilla, sweet orange citrus 

Redbyrd Orchard Cider’s Tompkins King/Stoke Red starts with deep and powerful malic acid. Tree twigs. Creamy and vanilla. Sweet citrus: oranges.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

This is a dry cider. Period. Deliciously, delightfully, dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: high tannins, petillant, minerals, full mouthfeel

The Tompkins King/Stoke Red brings tension and intense flavors; the cider has both high acidity and high tannins with lots of austere minerality and zero sweetness. I appreciate the cider’s long finish: pointed and lingering. My glass had a relatively gentle level bubble, more petillant than sparkling. I’m never sure though when I get a glass of cider from an open bottle if the full presence of bubbles will be there. It’s a skillful blend of British bittersharp with American high acid; the tannins hit fast: tasty and textural. I appreciate that they don’t overpower, pulling back to allow the fruitiness of the cider to speak. 

I sampled this cider as part of a lovely outdoor meal at a new Ithaca restaurant: Lev Kitchen. I paired it with one of their Malawach wraps: Halloumi with strawberry jam, marcona almonds, and greens. It was remarkable! I loved having toothy tannins with the mosaic of textures in the wrap. It was an altogether yummy experience!

My Favorite 5 Ciders of 2021

It’s almost here. We are lucky enough to have the chance to make 2022 a wonderful magical year. As we dream of what we’d like to do, change, and create in the future, it only makes sense to gather the best parts of 2021 (strange year though it was) and reflect on them. Part of that for me means continuing my tradition of counting down my favorite ciders of the year. It wasn’t easy to choose, but I’m so happy to share my top five!

But if you’ve not read about my favorites 6-10, check those out first: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/5-of-my-favorite-10-ciders-of-2021.html

5. Snow Capped Cider Harrison Reserve

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/cider-review-snow-capped-cider-harrison.html

I’m not surprised that a GLINTCAP best in class gold medal winner will also be a favorite of mine. The Harrison Reserve won Heritage Cider sweet, and while sweet isn’t a quality I look out for in cider, I’m not going to turn away a delicious and well-balanced cider because of a bit of sweetness. The Harrison has acidity, body, and wonderful fruit notes like overripe apples, peaches, and cherries.

4. Eden Cider Oliver’s Twist

https://www.edenciders.com/

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-eden-ciders-olivers-twist.html

Eden makes undeniably good ciders year after year. I chose this tannic and acidic cider to go with Thanksgiving foods, and it was absolutely perfect to lift up rich intense flavors. Oliver’s Twist is very lemony, mildly funky but not dirty, and wonderfully wild. This Vermont cider has everything from savory herbs to a surprising tropical fruit finish. And the bubbles are perfect!

3. Haykin Family Cider’s Reserve Niedzwetzkyana

https://www.haykinfamilycider.com

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-haykin-family-ciders.html

Colorado's Haykin Family Cider makes some wonderful ciders, so I had high hopes for the Reserve Niedzwetzkyana, but I didn’t have a lot of specificity to those expectations. A 100% single-varietal cider can go in nearly infinite directions, and I’m not familiar enough with Malus Niedzwetzkyana to hazard any guesses. The cider is a blast of floral flavors with tart cherry notes and high acidity. My initial review called it “everything forward,” and I love its dryness. This very special cider made a big impression!

2. Presque Isle Cider’s Farmhouse Hard Cider 2020

http://www.presqueislefarm.com/

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/09/cider-review-presque-isle-farms.html

This bottle was a gift from someone at Presque Isle farms promised before results were announced but shared after we learned that it won second place for Dry Traditional Cider. That’s a competitive category as well as one most likely to award ciders I’ll love. And GLINTCAP predicted my preferences again; I love Presque Isle’s Farmhouse Cider from northern Michigan. The aromas of this cider are beguiling with notes of leather, overripe apples, and dried orange. It’s beautifully balanced, dry, and full-bodied. Seriously good stuff.

1. Black Diamond Farm and Redbyrd Orchard Cider's Black is Gold

Black Diamond Cider: https://www.blackdiamondcider.com/

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

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-black-diamond-farm-and.html

When two excellent Finger Lakes cider makers like Redbyrd Orchard Cider and Black Diamond Farm work together, I suspect the results will be stunning and with Black is Gold, they are. Here’s the apple list: Goldrush, Tremlett’s Bitter, Wickson Crab, Harrison, Dabinett, Roxbury Russet, Black Oxford, Suncrisp, Razor Russet. This collaboration absolutely delights me with tart clean citrus, ferocious bubbles, sturdy tannins, and plentiful fruit notes that keep the experience fun and lively. 

I appreciate that this collaboration came to be for a reason. Here's how they describe it,  “What can we, as beverage makers and farmers, do to support the vital work of abolishing barriers to racial and social equity and justice in our community?” The cider's proceeds support OAR of Tompkins County and The Food Justice Project. Awesome.

What a list! These are each exceptional ciders that I’m grateful to have tasted. My year was much tastier and more fun because of the cider and cider experiences I was lucky enough to have. Endless thanks to my cider friends, orchard growers, competition volunteers, cider makers, and every apple lover out there. Let’s hope for more fun and safe times together in 2022!

Cider Review: Black Diamond Farm and Redbyrd Orchard Cider's Black is Gold

It has been far too long since I’ve gotten to share anything by Redbyrd Orchard Cider, and even Black Diamond Cider hasn’t graced the blog recently enough. I was thrilled to learn of their first annual collaboration: Black is Gold. 

Black Diamond Farm and Redbyrd Orchard Cider both anchor the Finger Lakes cider scene; they are each based nearest to Trumansburg, New York. You can find plenty of introductory info on both orchards and cideries in earlier entries. I encourage you to go back and check them out. Both of these ciders are special endeavors that produce delicious ciders. 

Here’s my list of Redbyrd Orchard Cider reviews:

Celeste Sur Lie 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/redbyrd-orchard-ciders-celeste-sur-lie.html

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

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

And the full rundown of Black Diamond Cider Reviews:

Black Diamond Cider's 2018 Rosé: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/09/cider-review-eden-ciders-peak-bloom-and.html

Shin Hollow: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/08/cider-review-mountain-west-ciders-sweet.html

Jaywalker: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/03/cider-review-alpenfires-dungeness-and.html

Geneva Tremlett’s: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-black-diamonds-geneva.html

Somerset Jersey: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/05/very-perry-may-with-vandermills-ice-ice.html

Slatestone: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/cider-reviews-big-hill-ciderworks.html

Hickster: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/12/cider-review-black-diamond-ciders.html

Porter’s Pommeau: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

Solstice: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/08/cider-review-black-diamonds-solstice.html

Rabblerouser: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-black-diamonds.html

Learn more about Black Diamond Cidery online here: https://www.blackdiamondcider.com/

The B I G Project: A Collaboration Cider is called Black is Gold. Here’s how the label describes the cider.

Black is Gold

Semi-dry Carbonated Cider

The B I G Project: An Annual Collaboration from Black Diamond Farm and Redbyrd Orchard

Made with love and care in support of the fight for racial equity and justice

The first year a blend of Goldrush, Tremlett’s Bitter, Wickson Crab, Harrison, Dabinett, Roxbury Russet, Black Oxford, Suncrisp, Razor Russet.

8.0% Alc/vol 750ml 

Appearance: shining gold, brilliant, few visible bubbles

This cider looks warm, shining, and totally brilliant. The color is a toasty gold. I can see some bubbles; they are very active and tiny. What instant appeal!

Aromas: lemon, baked apple, peach, breadcrumbs, minerals

It was fun picking out aroma notes in the Black is Gold. I noticed lemon, bread crumbs and minerality. One of my co-tasters zeroed in on the baked apple and ripe peach notes. The cider smells cleanly inviting and fruit but complex.

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-dry

The Black is Gold tastes semi-dry: exactly as the label said it would. I get enough sweetness to open up the layers of flavor and fruit but not more than that. The sweetness isn’t distracting at all.

Flavors and drinking experience: bubbly, tannic, high acid, tropical fruit, citrus, balanced

This cider! Oh my goodness, I love this. The Black is Gold blooms into a full lush experience centering on tropical fruit, sweet citrus, and juicy acidity. The cider is delightfully bubbly too. The  tannic presence helps to anchor the cider, maintaining a sophisticated sense of balance.

What a complete delight! The tropical fruit notes keep me coming back for more sips, and the ciders lovely clean finish just keeps making me smile.  I’m really digging this collaboration. The Black is Gold brings everything I enjoy to the experience: tart clean citrus, awesome bubbles, structural tannins, and enjoy fruit to keep everything fun and lively. 

We paired the cider with pasta, marinara sauce, and homemade veggie meatballs. Having all of the lightness from the bubbles and cutting acidity made for a remarkably good pairing. This cider is something special!

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. 

Cider Review: Redbyrd Orchard Cider's Andromeda Crab and Original Sin Cider's McIntosh Unfiltered

We’re at the start of a whole new year. I hope that cider folks enjoyed their New Year’s celebrations. I know I enjoyed sharing a couple of lovely ciders with friends in the last hours of 2018. Hopefully, 2019 will bring even more tasty adventures. 

I’m so excited to start this year of reviews with something special I’ve been cellaring from Redbyrd Orchard Cider! This is a small orchard-based cidery that focuses on using heritage, European, and crab apples to make dry exciting ciders. The Redbyrd Orchard is grown using  biodynamic farming methods. 

I’m very fond of Redbyrd Orchard Ciders, so I’ve posted a fair number of reviews. Here’s the list:

The North Star:  https://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

But I’m ready to share my thoughts on the Andromeda Crab!

The cider’s official description give some great information.

A nose of ripe strawberry, lemon peel, and waxy bittersweet apple notes. Finishes with lingering tannins and velvety texture. Andromeda. It’s the closest galaxy to ours and the brightest is the heavens- the most distant thing you can see with the naked eye. The way we think about Andromeda is the way we feel about the crab apples in this cider: they are amazing! We hope you’ll open this bottle of cider and spend an evening sky gazing and contemplating the wonders of the universe. 80 cases produced

And the label lets us know in amazing detail the apples that go into this cider: “38% aromatic crabs (Manchurian, Dolgo, and Wickson), 50% bittersweets (Dabinett, Domaines, Sweet Coppin, Binet Rouge, Medaille d’Or, Michelin, Yarlington Mill, Harry Masters Jersey), 12% heirlooms (Tompkins King, Sweet 16, Spigold, Northern Spy).”

Appearance: brilliant, warm straw, fine bubbles

This is a very attractive cider with pleasing brilliance and tiny bubbles. The color is a warm straw.

Aromas: mushy apples, golden raisins, plums

These aromas were all sweeter and fruitier than I expected based on the other crab apple ciders from Redbyrd Orchard Cider. I could smell cooked apples, plump golden raisins, and ripe plums.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

This is definitely a dry cider with tons of acidity and loads of tannin, but the flavors include so much more. This cider surprised me a little, given the sweetness of the aroma notes.

Flavors and drinking experience: grippy tannins, high acid, citrus

Yum! The Andromeda Crab is very high acid with notably grippy tannins. Ihe cider tastes  juicy, but that’s almost a background to the salivary action-inducing tartness. This cider delivers lots of flavor. It’s dry but not understated. 

This cleanly fermented cider presents no funk, but straight up crabapple zinginess. I get notes of golden white flavors, candied orange peel, lemon, and ginger. The taste unfolds over time with a sense of ongoing blooming. The finish lingers and tantalizes.  The tannins have a strong effect on how the overall balance. The texture sparkles with fine bubbles. 

I had the Andromeda Crab with family and a holiday meal. It made for an extremely pleasant and very flavorful accompaniment to roast broccoli, mashed potatoes, maple butter carrots, broiled tomatoes, all slathered with Bearnaise sauce. The acidity was necessary for this rich meal and the two supported one another amazingly well.

Original Sin McIntosh Unfiltered

For lots of cider makers, the single varietal cider is a major goal. These ciders are difficult to do well. Most apples do not have all of the characteristics necessary to ferment into a balanced beverage on their own and instead the blend is how a cider has enough aroma, acid, sweetness, and tannin. And yet the desire remains, and I’m excited to try the new Single Varietal  lineup from Original Sin.

Original Sin has been around making ciders since 1999. The company is based out of New York City but many of the apples are grown in Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes region or other more apple dense areas.  

You can visit the Original Sin website to learn about all of the ciders Original Sin makes: http://origsin.com

Here's my list of previous Original Sin  reviews.

Most recently, I included the pear cider in my Very Perry May series: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-5-e-z-orchards.html

I sampled the flagship cider in one of Ithaca's most missed bars, the Chapterhouse Pub: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/02/cider-review-original-sin-hard-ciders.html

In 2013, I reviewed the Elderberry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/09/cider-review-original-sin-elderberry.html

And more recently, the Original Sin Extra Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/02/cider-review-original-sin-extra-dry-in.html

And a previous single-varietal release, the Newtown Pippin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/02/cider-review-newtown-pippin.html

Here an introduction to the whole line of single variety ciders. 

The single varietal ciders boast unique flavor profiles of their respective apples, the Fuji, the McIntosh, the Golden Russet, and the beloved Northern Spy. 

Each of the chosen apples has an entrenched history of being grow in the Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley regions of upstate New York affirming Original Sin’s commitment to source local products and promote New York’s agriculture.  

New York is the second-largest apple producing state and boasts the most diverse selection of apple varieties in the country. This diversity has only grown in recent years as growth in the U.S. cider industry has propelled a resurgence in American apple culture.  

The first of the new series is Original Sin McIntosh Unfiltered Cider.

Appearance: cloudy and sunny yellow

This indeed looks unfiltered. I poured it from the can into a clear glass so I could see just how cloudy it is. As the picture shows, it’s cloudy and a sunny yellow.

Aromas: Fresh apple, mint, lemon, grain

The McIntosh smells so very fruity, fresh and herbal. I get notes of fresh apple, mint, lemon, and clean grain.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

As with most Original Sin ciders, the McIntosh is semi-sweet. The sweetness tastes extremely appley and natural. This will be a hit.

Flavors and drinking experience: unfermented apple, baking spices, well balanced

The semi-sweet niceness of the McIntosh shocked me because from the first sip, this is a very well balanced cider. I do not associate balance with a single-varietal, yet this absolutely has it. It’s also very very apple. I think the first phrase I uttered after a sip was the barely coherent, “Ultimate fruit directness.”

The McIntosh is enticingly sessionable. It hits the tongue with a perfectly pitched acid, and something about the flavors just brings the texture of crisp apple flesh to mind! There are other flavor notes like baking spice and citrus. This won’t be the cider for everyone, but it’s just so fresh and balanced. I was planning on having mine with veggie chili, but it was all gone before the chili was ready. Oops!