Cider Review: Portland Cider Co.'s Cranberry Mule

This past week, I took two and a half days for a writer’s retreat at a local non-profit: Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts. It was incredible. I wrote, edited, hiked, read and absorbed so much quiet. What a wonderful opportunity. I kept it very simple. I set a few reasonable goals for my time, downloaded a few podcast episodes related to writing and relevant research topics for the project, brought two fun reading books and one writing book with me and brought a laptop with my project. I highly recommend it or doing something like it for yourself if you want to move a project ahead and take time for yourself simultaneously. 

If you’re curious about what I’m writing, I recommend patience. It’s not cider related, but I’ve been working on the project for about 10 months so far. It still needs many stages of work, but I can now see the shape of the whole project. That feels good.

If you want to read more about Saltonstall, apply for a residency in 2024, or support their programs, please visit here: https://www.saltonstall.org/about-us/about-saltonstall/

Before I left, I knew I wanted to have a fun and complex cider with a simple snack and some Star Trek Discovery (I’m just starting the first season). I was happy to reach for Portland Cider Co.’s Cranberry Mule to accompany my spiced popcorn!

I’ve reviewed many Portland Cider Co. beverages over the years, and many of my earlier entries give more background on this Oregon cidery. Check out the full list below. 

Imperial Abbey Apple: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/11/cider-review-portland-cider-cos.html

Bloody Hell: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/07/cider-review-portland-cider-cos-bloody.html

Lemon-Lime Ciderade: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/06/cider-review-portland-cider-companys.html

Crangerine: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/12/cider-review-portland-cider-companys.html

Razzberry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/06/cider-review-once-upon-tree-wild-flight.html

Peach Berry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/04/cider-review-portland-cider-companys.html

Kinda Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-portland-cider-company.html

Pineapple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-review-portland-cider-company.html

Cranberry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-seed-stone-cidery-heritage.html

Pumpkin Spice: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-review-portland-cider-co-pumpkin.html

Pineapple Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/07/cider-reviews-portland-cider-cos.html

This is where to find Portland Cider Co. online: https://www.portlandcider.com/home

Here’s how Portland Cider Co. describes the the Cranberry Mule:

Vibrant Cranberries Sparkle

Ripe cranberries, juicy lime, and a hint of fresh ginger sing in this cocktail-inspired cider. Pouring a vibrant ruby hue, every pint adds a sparkle to your festivities.

Tasting Notes
Subtle apple notes, ripe cranberry, citrus and ginger zest nose, bright lemon tang, earthy ginger, and a tart, fresh finish.

Pairing Suggestions
Roasted turkey, brie, pumpkin pie, honey baked ham, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies.
6% ABV

This is a seasonal release for them, available from November through January.

Appearance: intense brick red, bubbly, brilliant

This is a gorgeous cider! Wow! I love the deep brick red of the color. I can see some visible bubbles at the surface of the cider, but not a lot below. Still, I’m expecting some sparkle. The cider is totally brilliant. 

Aromas: cranberry, apple, rock candy, ginger, and lime

The Cranberry Mule smells not unlike I would expect. The scents are reminiscent of the cocktail that inspired the cider’s name. I get notes of cranberry, apple, rock candy, ginger, and lime.

Sweetness/Dryness: Sweet

This cider is sweet but in a juicy, fruity way that’s balanced by zesty acid!

Flavors and drinking experience: Tart cranberry, sweet apple, ginger, lime!

This is absolutely like a Cranberry Mule backed up with a sweet core of apple. I think the cidery has done exactly as they planned. I couldn’t hope for a more appealing balance of cranberry tartness, apple sweetness, with two respective kicks of ginger and lime.

The high acid and sweetness of this cider makes it work beautifully. The overall experience is fruity, bubbly and well suited for holiday revelry! The ginger comes out more with repeated sips.

While apple isn’t the central or more forward note, I do appreciate that I can consistently taste the apple in this cocktail-like cider.

This is an amazing treat with spicy popcorn!

Cider Review: Harpoon Brewery's Pumpkin Cider

Pumpkin has become a divisive topic. I can only blame its popularity for the pumpkin backlash. Anything beloved enough to be a craze is going to make some haters. And for cider purists, the idea of a pumpkin cider is blasphemy. But I refuse to participate. I like pumpkin and I love cider, so I try new pumpkin ciders every year. Some formulas work beautifully. Others don't.

Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on Harpoon Pumpkin Cider. This is my first review of a cider by Boston-based Harpoon Brewery. They've made cider since 2007 and beer since opening 1986. They are primarily a brewery, but I can see five different ciders on the website, though I've only seen two available for sale in my travels. (Full disclosure, I did receive this review sample from Harpoon.)

Read about their ciders and beers at the website: https://www.harpoonbrewery.com

Or, take a peek at this compilation of cat pictures that feature Harpoon Beers (and one of this cider!)

https://www.harpoonbrewery.com/blog/16-cats-who-are-loving-beer-and-loving-life-341

Official Description:

• Appearance: Straw/light golden
• Aroma: Freshly pressed Northeastern Apples, traditional pumpkin pie spices and a hint of pumpkin.
• Mouth feel: Light, crisp, tart, cleansing. Sprightly.
• Taste: Apple forward with all the traditional Autumn flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg, and a touch of sweetness for balance.
• Finish: Dry, light, refreshing.

Reading elsewhere on the website, I learned that some selective mixing of their Winter Warmer beer and their signature cider inspired making this spiced cider. It has a very low alcohol content with an ABV of 4.8%. That's really not typical.

Appearance: barely hazy, saffron, a few clinging bubbles

There's no mistaking this cider for beer as its poured! It doesn't form a head and instead just shows off a few clinging bubbles in a gentle barely hazy sea of saffron liquid.

Aromas: beer yeast, apples, spice

The smells of this cider aren't super potent, but what's there is yeasty, spicy, clean, and appley. All of these relatively low intensity aromas are pleasing and subtle. Reading about their ciders, My perception of a beer yeast is borne out. They use a proprietary ale yeast in all of the ciders.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This is a straightforward semi-dry, but if folks are not used to to flavors brought by a less fruit beer yeast, this might taste a bit less sweet (even if not exactly drier).

Flavors and drinking experience: Nutmeg, balance, yeast character

The spice blend makes up a significant part of the cider's flavor; it favors nutmeg, but includes enough cinnamon, ginger, and clove to really bring out that mulled cider, pumpkin pie, autumn feeling that any pumpkin item promises. Here's what I love about it though. This cider is really pleasantly balanced. That doesn't sound like a giant high point, but trust me it is. The beer yeast is the absolute perfect way to counter the sharpness of baking spices. We get all the notes, apple, spice, bread, and pumpkin.

This is an exceptional cider both for the format and for style. Its light bodied with medium acid and no tannins. This cider is the classic autumnal flavor experience that so many things promise.

I enjoyed mine with fresh homemade salsa, black bean and corn salad, tortilla chips and the two-part finale of Twin Peaks The Return. The show may not have offered answers(to do so would have betrayed the show entirely), but the cider and snacks certainly did. 

Cider Review: Angry Orchard's Spiced Apple

Last posting day, March was roaring into town and since then we've been warmed by the sun, drenched, snow covered, and blow dried. I think of Spring as a season of worry and  hard work tempered by the excitement of change and glimpses of gentleness. I feel like we've already covered that in a week.

There's a nice upside to crazy weather like this if you're a cider lover: beyond even just a good reason to spend evenings indoors with a glass of something delicious. Cider can be a strongly seasonal beverage I've talked about this before on the blog. But getting all the seasons in a week means having very different ciders in closer proximity than usually makes sense. 

It snowed twice unexpectedly in the past week, so I went back to my store of spiced ciders. Tonight I'm sharing the the most recent spiced cider a company has shared with me: Angry Orchard's Spiced Apple. This is one that can found in their Winter Orchard Sampler Variety 12-Pack, but folks were kind enough to send me one in the mail. Thanks! 

Angry Orchard has been developing in multiple directions as the cider market is maturing and changing. They've not grown in 2016 the way they did in previous years, but this is still a company that's making and selling cider on a truly massive scale. Today's review is part of push for more seasonal variety in their 12 ounce bottles. The other direction of change is higher end ciders coming out of their research and development facility in Walden, New York. 

As always, you can find out tons more at Angry Orchard's website: http://www.angryorchard.com/

I have lots of previous reviews of Angry Orchard ciders. I'm only going to share a few of my favorites because there are too many to link back to all of them.

The Stone Dry is a nice reliable cider that's notably drier than most of their offerings: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/10/cider-review-angry-orchard-stone-dry.html

Walden Hollow from the Research and Development facility: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/09/cider-review-angry-orchards-walden.html

Knotty Pear which is a blended perry and cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/06/cider-review-angry-orchards-knotty-pear.html

Back in 2014, I shared a roundup review of a few of their ciders Strawman, The Muse, and Traditional Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/05/roundup-of-angry-orchard-reviews.html

These new releases are designed for winter: Tapped Maple and Spiced Apple. You can find these ciders in the Winter Orchard Sampler Variety 12-Pack which is being sold only through April 2017. Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on the spiced apple; you'll see the Tapped Maple in the coming weeks. 

Angry Orchard's official description says this about it.

Angry Orchard Spiced Apple was Inspired by the spices in this classic dessert and connection to the American cider making tradition. This hard cider achieves its balanced profile by combining bright and festive warming spices and a blend of culinary and bittersweet apples. This new limited release style is perfect for evenings with friends and family during the last months of winter.

The coolest part of the description is a list of apples used in this cider: "Braeburn, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Gala French." All dessert apples and relatively familiar varieties that often make for aromatic, mildly high acid ciders without much tannic presence. Though the description hints at cider apples. The ABV is listed at 5%.

Alrighty, on to the cider!

Appearance: brilliant, dark red-orange

There's no denying that this is a pretty cider with a lot of color. Its brilliant and a deep reddish orange. I don't see much bubble.

Aromas: spicy, sweet, apple 

The Spiced Apple smells very much as the name would suggest of spices and apples. The spices are the classic baking or mulling spices with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove. It smells sweet.

Sweetness/dryness: sweet.

This is a sweet cider. This makes some sense for a cider that uses dessert spices. There's plenty more going on than just sweetness, but it is there. Don't look here for dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: mellow, baked goods, lactic acid, balanced

Initial taste is sweet followed by one half-hint of bitter and a half-hint of sour. It reminds me of lactic acid. The more sips I take, the more a mellow cinnamon dough impression creeps forward. I keep thinking of a number of pleasant autumnal desserts, cinnamon rolls, apple muffins, etc.

Everything spicy happens in the middle of each drink of this cider. Now that I'm thinking more precisely, it reminds me of Apple Stack Cake, which for me is a special family recipe handed down more than three generations. Definitely notes of brown sugar But there's also some tannin, I can taste that they are now using some cider apples- maybe what I was interpreting as Gala french is Gala apples and a blend of french cider apples. It's not clear. 

The spice isn't hot. it reminds me of apple pie ice cream actually. There's enough acidity to keep things in check but acidity isn't the star of the show. I'd say the star is the long sweet  finish that just keeps rolling across the palate again and again.

 So, March, what's next? Will it be time for the Tapped Maple this week or will I get some time for springy ciders before we visit winter again?

Cider Review: Tieton Ciderworks' Smoked Pumpkin Cider

Okay, I know I give pumpkin stuff a hard time. It's not that I don't absolutely love the orange gourd that has come to represent all of fall. Therefore, I'm not going to apologize for trying most pumpkin ciders that I see anywhere and anywhen. Finding one I actually really like doesn't happen even half of the time, so its a difficult hurdle and yet and interesting one.

Perhaps I've tipped my hand too soon, but here's my review of a fall seasonal by Tieton Ciderworks. 

That's alright.

You can visit their website here: http://tietonciderworks.com

My only previous review of anything by Tieton Ciderworks has more of a company intro there:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/07/cider-review-tieton-ciderworks-yakima.html

Smoked pumpkin by Tieton cider works

Official description

An earthy nuanced cider filled with tannins and acid and smoked over apple wood – the same wood that produced the apples – which gives it a light sweetness. the earthiness of pumpkin is your first experience The apple juice steps back, allowing the smoke to be your first experience, followed by a light smoke and finishing with the acid of the cider.

This cider has the familiar 6.9% ABV of many craft ciders. at this point, its almost reassuring that this is the fermented juice of apples instead of a blend leaning too heavily on unfermented ingredients.

Appearance: aged intense gold

Like popcorn kernels and the eyes of certain cats, this cider offers a mesmerizing intensity of old gold. Its an exciting cider to see with all of those big clinging bubbles and gorgeous clarity. 

Sweetness/dryness: semi-dry/semi-sweet

Tieton's Smoked Pumpkin falls in the middle of the road in terms of sweetness, at least to me.  Truly, I'd be hard pressed to say if its more a semi-dry or a semi-sweet. Tieton calls it a semi-dry and I think most cider drinkers would find that a reasonable description.

Aromas: spicy, peppery, fruity, dusty 

Smells sweet dusty peppery

There are good notes of anticipation in here. So often I love the ciders that smell both spicy and dusty. This has that going on but also sweet and peppery.

Flavors and drinking experience: spicy, vegetal, tart, woody

I'm not sure the official description gives a guidebook the my experience of this cider! It rather rates a guidebook though because it does have multiple stages and plenty of complexity. I can taste lots of smoke, plenty of pumpkin and what feels like savory spices. Before I read the description I would have called white pepper, nutmeg, and clove but not in a "pumpkin spice" way. I taste these spices are bitterness, heat, and savory because the cider isn't very sweet and there's no cinnamon brown sugar softness to sand down the angles. But once I read more, I learned it's just pumpkin juice. Fascinating.

My tasting companion instead found tons of squash and vegetal notes and much less smoke. he noted the tension between sweet and bitter with fibrous woodiness.  Our different impressions were far more distinct than usual. 

We did agree about the full mouthfeel and medium sparkle. I'd say its tastefully fizzy but that could be even stronger.

This pumpkin cider definitely pairs well with food. I'd recommend it with a fall quinoa salad and the first roasted brussels sprouts of the season. Or have it for yourself when you open up your door for tricker-or-treaters this weekend!


Happy Halloween


Conclusion

Cider Review: Cider Creek Hard Cider's Fall'n'Cherry

 Finger Lakes Cider Week is upon us! This means that those of us lucky to be visiting or dwelling in this region of New York state can enjoy fabulous cider events from now through October 11th. There are more events than their are days between now and the end. It is a cider lover's dream.

To find out about Cider Creek specifically you can find them on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/cidercreekhardcider?fref=ts

Or on their own website:
http://www.cidercreekhardcider.com

I have reviewed Cider Creek Hard Cider before. Here you can read about my wonderful trip to the production facility as well as what I think of the Cascade Hopricot.

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/06/cider-review-cider-creek-hard-ciders.html

Tonight I'm reviewing Cider Creek's Fall'N'Cherry. This cider is not listed on their official website as it is a short term fall seasonal, but I was able to track down an official description. Here's how Cider Creek writes about this special limited release: "Smoked apple & cherry saison cider aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels." 

They are considering it a fall seasonal with 6.9%ABV and advertising this as an alternative direction for a season than the ubiquitous pumpkin everything. Let's see how it tastes.

Appearance: slightly hazy, carnelian red, very few visible bubbles

This gorgeous deep red color is smoky red with hints of spicy orange more than purple. It isn't cloudy, but neither is it brilliant; the haze makes it look substantive.

Aromas: Cherry, maple, barrel, cinnamon, nutty

The first smell recalls cherry smell, phenolic but not troublingly so. There's also a wave of cinnamon-dusted french toast. This makes the whole cider smell juicy, breakfasty, and sweet. I do not think it will taste as sweet as it smells.

Dryness/sweetness: Off dry

Off dry and extremely complex and taste packed. Whoa! This hits rather harder than most off-dry ciders.

Flavors and drinking experience: ham, cherry, jam, warm apples

The first taste washes over the tongue as a wave of bacon, ham, cherry, and jam. I also get maple, warm apples, bourbon, and sweet corn. The bitterness comes in a brief crest of fizz and yeast. More specifically, this cider high acid, Medium barrel-y tannins, but those characteristics are dwarfed by the plethora of other flavors. They dry the tongue. On draft, the Fall'n'Cherry has medium to gentle carbonation.

Cider Creek has a point; this cider is seasonal but different. I think its impressive in that it's warm but without being either boozy or just based on mulled or cake-like notes. I had this with butterut squash risotto and whipped chevre. I heartily recommend that you do the same.

Even if you can have this cider with that food fabulousness, go find it at Cider Creek's Grand Opening of their tasting room!

http://blog.cidercreekhardcider.com/cider-creek-hard-cider-grand-opening

Saturday, October 10th from 1-10p

6459 Cunningham Creek Rd. Canisteo NY 

This sounds like quite the festive opening with live music, food trucks, cheese pairings, fireworks, as well as other local NY beverages. Speaking of Cider Week Activities. I have a partial list of the events near-ish to my neck of the woods. Please don't treat this list as exhaustive! Find out about the FLX cider events near you!

Tuesday, I'll be helping out with...

Science Cabaret- The Cream and The Crop; Cider, Cheese, and the Perfect Pairing
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 @ 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM   | FREE
The Space @ Greenstar | 700 W. Buffalo St. Ithaca, NY , 14850
The Science Behind the Perfect Pairing: FLX Hard Cider and FLX Cheese! Join Cornell University’s flavor scientist, Gavin Sacks, cider maker Autumn Stoscheck and cider blogger Meredith Collins for an evening of engaging conversation followed by a walk around tasting of ciders and cheeses like never before.  Cheese and Cider will be available for purchase as well.  This year’s cider based Science Cabaret will be hosted at The Space @GreenstarCoop.

Ithaca’s Science Cabaret was inspired by the Cafe Scientifique movement, which started in Europe in the late 1990’s and has spread rapidly.Cafes Scientifiques are informal talks in bars, cafes and other public venues that give like-minded people a chance to discuss current and sometimes controversial topics in science.  In Ithaca we meet one Tuesday a month. October’s Science Cabaret is jointly produced by Finger Lakes Cider Week.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1627354064220687/

And this weekend...

Saturday Oct. 10
Black Diamond Farms Orchard Tours, 11am and 2pm
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 @ 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM FREE
Black Diamond Farms | 4675 Seneca Road Trumansburg, NY , 14886

Saturday Oct. 10
Cheese & Cider Saturday!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM  FREE
Finger Lakes Cider House will be hosting Kenton’s Cheese Co., Keeley’s Cheese Co., and Finger Lakes Dexter and Englebert Farms (11am-6pm)
Bellwether Hard Cider will be serving Side Hill Acres’ Chèvre throughout the day 

Englebert Farms will be hosting the cider producers of the Finger Lakes Cider House 

Muranda Cheese Co. will be hosting South Hill Cider 

Three Brothers’ Winery and Bombshell Cider will be hosting Shtayburne Farm Cheese
Harvest Moon Cidery will be hosting Crosswinds Farm Creamery
Cider Creek Hard Cider will be hosting Heaven Scent Farm Cheese
Sunset View Creamery will be hosting (10am-3pm)
Side Hill Acres will be hosting Eve’s Cidery

And this isn't all of them.

For a complete list: https://www.facebook.com/ciderweekflx

Cider Review: Angry Orchard Summer Honey

Our summer got off to a beautiful slow start this year with plenty of breezes and green and flowers and rain. That was lovely. Many thanks to Mother Nature. But it didn't inspire me to get all of my hot-weather-summer-coping activities going until the start of August. Yes for seven miles of walking every day! Boo for not needing gorgeous floats, watermelon, and cold noodle salads. But, let me tell you, August has made up for that. Hot, check. Humid, check. Just humid but not actually raining, check. But now we've had that for going on three weeks now. I've really needed those coping strategies.

One of my experiments in this vein has been ciders sold as summer seasonals. I'm not straight up calling them summer seasonals, because that's in the taste buds of the drinker. These are ciders intended to compliment the season well.

Today it's Angry Orchard's Summer Honey, but here's some background.

The Angry Orchard website: http://angryorchard.com

Here are my previous reviews of Angry Orchard Ciders:

A Roundup including two of their Cider House Series: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/05/roundup-of-angry-orchard-reviews.html

The Elderflower: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/06/cider-review-angry-orchards-elderflower.html

The Hop'n Mad Apple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/03/cider-review-angry-orchards-hopn-mad.html

Angry Orchard's official description reads, "Our Summer Honey cider is a light and refreshing cider with subtle notes of wildflower honey, perfect for those warmer months." 5%ABV sold in 12oz. bottles and 16oz. cans.

Appearance: medium aged gold

I didn't expect quite this deep a color. It looks brilliant and intense.

Aromas: sweet, honey, candy

It smells a bit dusty and stony but mostly like honey and various kinds of sweetness.

Sweetness: Sweet!

Yep. Fruit and honey all the way.

Flavors and drinking experience: orange blossom honey, honey comb, raw apple, nice acidity

The candy from the aroma is decidedly present in the taste, as is the honey. It tastes somewhat like a raw apple slice slathered in tangy orange blossom honey. I'm pleased that it offers reasonable acidity. The cider features medium light carbonation and a long aftertaste. The most interesting element of the flavors was that after a few sips it seemed to tranform from honey to honeycomb. Not sure there's a logical explanation for that part. It's too sweet for me, but I'm guessing it's a real crowd pleaser. I know my tastes are well dry of center at this point.

Foodwise, pair this with with a chilled peanut noodle salad: the kind with cucumbers and a little bit of spiciness. I'll also recommend it with the perfect perfect music of Father John Misty. But that may just be me

It is appropriately seasonal, but I think the honey doesn't have to go with summer. I could also see it with raw early spring when everything sweet sounds oh so good.

Reviewing Ciders for Winter: Schilling Spiced Cider

Welcome to my series of posts reviewing ciders especially suited to winter! Though February is more than half over, I feel like much of the United States is buried deep in a winter. Right now winter feels so deep that it makes many of us think of Westeros and that Winter has finally and actually arrived. Anyhow, geeking out aside. It is cold and snowy and for some folks very cold and very snowy.

We need ciders that can somehow complement this insanity. Hence, I've looked through my collection and identified a handful of ciders that for one reason or another seem like they are best enjoyed in winter. I'll be reviewing through these types of ciders: spiced, oaked, things with flavors of bourbon, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. etc. and saving my summery stuff for later.

My first winter-friendly cider is Schilling Spiced Cider. This is one my amazing husband brought back from his trip to Oregon last fall. The company is not from Oregon, but from Seattle, Washington. They also make a point to use only Washington State apples.

Since I didn't know very much about this company, I visited their website:
http://schillingcider.com

The site has plenty of information presently clearly with a warm and pleasant aesthetic.I actually found far more interesting material than I can use in one post, so I though I'd start with Schilling's first statement about themselves, "Here at Schilling Cider, we believe in minimizing our impact on the environment." First statements make first impressions and tend to show a company's primary focus. In this case, Schilling identifies themselves as a cidery invested in sound environmental practices.

The other thing I like to include is a company's last statement about themselves because it often underscores something of particular importance in a clear way. Schilling's final statement on their about us page says, "We founded Schilling Cider to bring great cider to the masses by crafting high quality cider in affordable packaging and offering it at a fair price." This presents a very different identity than one solely based on environmental concerns; it taps price, value, and, oddly enough, packaging. (Side note: if I'm not mistaken, I think this refers to their use of cans in addition to bottles. Lots of people have opinions about cider coming in cans. They fuss about it. Eh. That's not what we're talking about today.)

More interesting to me and perhaps to other cider geeks, this is what Schilling says about their cidermaking process:

We believe the yeast selection and fermentation processes play a major role in the characteristics of the final product. We focus our energy accordingly. We use several yeast strains across our different ciders, sometimes multiple in a single batch. We carefully select the highest quality and most unique adjuncts for recipes that call for them. We also always choose quality ingredients including local hops, raw ginger puree, and American white oak. We don’t believe in following tradition. We believe in innovation.

Sounds like they focus on yeast choice and creative additions. They aren't as focused on apple varieties. Good to know and very logical for their location.

One last thing I learned is that Schilling both sells their own cider and runs a cider tap room in Seattle seven days a week. If you want to learn more about their tap room as opposed to their house brand, their Facebook page is the way to go: https://www.facebook.com/SchillingCiderHouse
Schilling Spiced Cider

Here's some more specific information from Schilling about their Spiced Cider

• Our “taste of the holidays” cider!
• Warming notes of cloves, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cardamom
• 6.9% ABV

Appearance: brilliant, lots of visible bubbles, persimmon

It looks very deeply flavorful and spiced in the glass because of its intense color. I can see through the cider easily, so I'd call it brilliant. As the photo shows, we can see some small bubbles but no foam or head.

Aromas: Maple, oak, apricot, dust

Frequently when I smell dustiness in a cider I also smell cooked apples and stones. Not so for the Schilling Spiced Cider. I can smell mostly maple, molasses, oak, and apricot. I don't really smell apples much at all.

Sweetness: Semi-sweet, especially at first

This cider hits with an immediate sweetness that backs off as I can taste more of the spices.


Flavors and drinking experience: mace, allspice, nutmeg, a bit of ginger; some bitterness

First and foremost this cider gives me a progression from sweet to spicy. At first it can taste that maple sweetness that comes across in the aroma, but it is quickly replaced by a strong blend of wintry spices. Next, the cider tastes oaky, boozy and lingering. It stays more than a little spicy. I can detect shades of minerals.  Big sips give complex notes, with nice bitter, almost leafy, papery back-end bitterness.  This isn't the smoothest cider, but it is so far from boring.

This cider is entirely appropriate for winter. The spices are enticing and exciting. It doesn't feel sleepy. As my photos reveal. I enjoyed this cider while playing Scrabble. The pairing worked well. I tried it also with two desserts, first chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and then cranberry oatmeal cookies. It paired much better with the oaty and hearty cookies that offered up their own dose of wintery spice. 

Cider Review: McKenzie's Hand-Pressed Seasonal Reserve Hard Cider

 
The last time anybody saw any McKenzie's Cider appear on this blog was when I reviewed their Lazy Lemon at the beginning of August. It was their special shandy-inspired cider for summer and you can remind yourself about it or check it out for the first time here: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/08/cider-review-mckenzies-lazy-lemon.html I still really like the concept, but I wasn't bowled over by some of the specifics. I want to be fair though and acknowledge that what McKenzie's as a brand is going for is a specific style of very approachable, sweet, easy-drinking hard cider. That's the category; that's the style. To criticize it for doing that is missing the point.

McKenzie's original, which I reviewed in July, shows that they have a firm understanding of what they're going for. Here's that review, which was my first encounter with this Seneca, NY brand: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/07/cider-review-mckenzies-hard-cider.html. That's where I write the most about the company, or you can visit their own website and learn what they have to say about themselves: http://www.mckenziesbeverages.com/

Today's review is about their fall seasonal release, McKenzie's Hand-Pressed Seasonal Reserve Hard Cider. It is their take on a bottled cider with mulling spices. McKenzie's describes it this way, "Flavored with Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Sip, smell and savor the rich, mulled spicy goodness of McKenzie's Seasonal Reserve. Aromatic fall flavors warm you from the inside out, and chase away the chill on those cold nights. Serve warm or cold, but only for a limited time!" I love mulled cider, and this is a beverage that needs sweetness with spice, so I've got high hopes that McKenzie's can really do this one right!

Appearance: Hazy, applesauce, bubbly

I can see so many bubbles on the sides of my glass that it took a while for me to determine if this was slightly hazy or brilliant. Hazy, as it turns out. The color of McKenzie's Seasonal Reserve for fall reminds me of applesauce. The photo doesn't show all the bubbles because they do start to dissipate steadily after a moment or two.

Aromas: minerals, candied fruit, ginger

Spices dominate my impressions of the McKenzie's Seasonal Reserve in terms of aroma. I smell a dusty candied ginger smell, cinnamon, and cooked fruit. All of this comes together to form a picture that's very old timey and familiar. I don't know exactly why, but perhaps it is nutmeg, mace, or allspice notes that recall my grandmother's pumpkin pie. In any case, it is a good smell but not one very usual for cider.

Sweetness: Sweet

The sweetness is totally integral to this drink. It needs to be sweet and the sweetness in this case is very enjoyable. This mulled cider inspired beverage needs to be a sweet spicy dessert and it is.

Flavors and drinking experience: super flavorful, medium carbonation, light mouthfeel

Spices! That's definitely what defines the Fall Seasonal from McKenzie's. It tastes a lot like a mulled cider but chilled and carbonated. So, in a way it feels very old fashioned but also non-traditonal. The mouthfeel is fairly light for such an intensely flavorful beverage. Medium carbonation is just right for this one. There is a touch of spice bitterness on the finish that reminds me of citrus peels or grapefruit but also of nutmeg.

Enjoy this while watching silly holiday movies on TV or bring the McKenzie's Seasonal Reserve to a cookie swap. Though it is marketed as fall, I can see this cider performing well through the holidays. Mulling spices go tremendously well with the cider McKenzie's is producing, and this is far and away my favorite cider of theirs that I've tried.

Cider Review: Doc's Draft Pumpkin Hard Apple Cider and Cider Week NY

First off, I have to say that I enjoyed our Finger Lakes Cider Week tremendously. Soon, I'll write up the amazing cider and cheese pairing night that went down at The Cellar D'Or in Ithaca. It'll happen.

The whole experience was fun enough that I have to recommend folks in NYC and the surrounds try to make it to some Cider Week NY events. This Cider Week begins tomorrow (October 18th) and runs through the 27th. There are great ciders and cider makers coming in not only from the Hudson Valley and New York State but from all over the country. Cider Week NY is an amazing way to increase one's cider knowledge and taste some great stuff, including some product releases that are happening as part of Cider Week! Read more about it and look at their events list: http://www.ciderweekny.com/events.

 
Today, I get to try my first pumpkin cider of the year. I'm pretty excited. Fall and pumpkin things have brainwashed me like they have millions of otherwise sane reasonably-level-headed human beings until I look forward to fall treats all year long. No pressure for Doc's Draft then...

I've reviewed a few Doc's Draft ciders: their original (http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/01/cider-review-docs-draft-hard-apple-cider.html), dry hopped (http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/07/cider-review-docs-draft-hopped-cider.html), and cranberry spice (http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/05/cider-review-docs-draft-cranberry-spice.html). In the first of those, I introduce the brand more thoroughly. You can check out their website which talks about all of their ciders and related products: http://wvwinery.com/cider/.

The official Doc's Draft description keeps the description of their Pumpkin Hard Apple Cider simple, "A seasonal cider made with roasted pumpkins, cinnamon, allspice, fresh ginger and nutmeg."

In a blind taste test by Willamette Week of a wide variety of not only pumpkin ciders but also pumpkin beers, Doc's Draft Pumpkin had the absolute top ranking, and pretty much the only whole positive set of notes. Pretty impressive, no? Here's what these tasters said about Doc's Draft Pumpkin, "This kicks ass. A little nutmeg, a lot of pumpkin and not too sweet,” and “It really balances the apple and pumpkin—it’s like a hug from autumn.” and “A light, crisp cider that brings back memories of my mother’s sugar-free pumpkin pie." I'm not at all sure about this concept of a sugar-free pumpkin pie, but I'm not going to insult anyone's mom or her notions about pie.

You can read the whole article here:
http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-21239-drank_the_greatest_pumpkin.html

Appearance: apricot, brilliant,

This cider pours with a head that dissipates into lace then vanishes entirely. The cider has no haze or cloudiness. The pumpkin variety offers a deeper color than most colors, making it more apricot or mango.

Aromas: Spices, nutmeg, clove, mace

The Pumpkin Hard Apple Cider's most immediate notes are pumpkin pie spices: nutmeg, clove, and mace. I can smell them all immediately, even before pouring the cider from the bottle into a cider glass. I'm not getting many other scents, not pumpkin or apple.

Sweetness: Semi-sweet

I love how the spiciness affect the cider's sweetness! This is a cider with some bitter notes and some sweetness that play really well together. The spices definitely take center stage in relation to the fruit, but the apple and pumpkin are part of the sweetness in Doc's Draft Pumpkin Hard Apple Cider. The allspice and nutmeg mean that a bitter, slighty astringent edge cuts through sweetness; it's great.

Flavors and Drinking Experience: balanced, lots of carbonation, autumnal

As I'm drinking, a few different things characterize this Doc's Draft. It is so very very fall and autumnal and seasonally appropriate. The pumpkin pie spices give it a lot of flavor and the apple background combines with them easily and well. I also notice that this is a bit more strongly  carbonated than many of the ciders I've had lately, but sparkle is a great flavor transmitter. Mostly though I notice how well-balanced this spicy pumpkin cider is. Pumpkin and apple play supporting roles to baking spices happily. Unlike some ciders by the brand, I don't notice much yeastiness in the Pumpkin Hard Apple Cider. There are no noticeable levels of tannins, just enough acid to be lively but not distracting.

In some ways this pumpkin cider is a lot like mulled cider, while being cold and sparkling. The spices are forward enough that the cider is not measurable by some traditional criteria, but what makes it so different is what makes it so pleasant. I enjoyed my cider with a sweet and savory baked pasta. It worked well, but I think roasted Delicata Squash, veggie sausage, and cornbread would be even better. Drink this outside by a bonfire before the nights go from crisp to cold. Enjoy!

Cider Review: McKenzie's Lazy Lemon

McKenzies Hard Cider is produced in New York State south of Buffalo in West Seneca. I reviewed the flagship cider from this brand earlier in the summer. You can can see a more complete brand intro and how that cider fared here. You can also find out some information about the brand from their own website.

Here's what they say about themselves, "McKenzie’s Hard Cider was founded in 2011 by Lenny Ciolek in Buffalo, New York. Lenny played a crucial role in the success of the Mike’s Hard Lemonade brand and was able to secure distribution for McKenzie’s utilizing existing relationships and a grassroots method of marketing. McKenzie’s currently produces 5 different varieties of hard cider; Original, Black Cherry, Green Apple, Seasonal Reserve (cinnamon and nutmeg) and Lazy Lemon (lemonade blend). Its varieties have received several awards including Double Gold Medal for Black Cherry, and Silver Medals for Original and Green Apple at the 2012 New York Wine & Food Classic. McKenzie’s can be found at a bar near you, or at Wegmans and Tops grocery stores, where it is the best‐selling hard cider." Now that I live in Ithaca, that Wegmans reference has a whole new meaning for me. It is the grocery chain of the region and much beloved. (For my Florida friends, people here love Wegmans as much as Floridians love Publix.)

Today I'm reviewing McKenzie's Lazy Lemon. This is definitely the first lemon cider I've seen for sale, but many ciders have citrus notes, so the pairing is fairly logical. Furthermore, I've enjoyed shandies, a mix of beer and lemonade served ice cold, and this could well be the cider answer to a shandy. Informed by these two associations, I have hope that this will surpass many of the six-pack ciders I've tried lately.

Their product description is more playful than informative, but I'll share it here since it has disappeared from the official website for the year. "Pucker up! You're going to love this little tart. Lazy Lemon has a burst of citrus without the acidic bite, giving long carefree days a zesty punch of refreshing flavor. Serve Chilled. Kick back and enjoy often."

Color and Appearance: Brilliant, fresh corn

When poured I see almost no visible bubbles in the Lazy Lemon. It has a lovely pale color, almost like fresh corn on the cob. The clarity, as the picture suggests is brilliant. You could read text through this easily.

Aromas: musty, lemon, minerals

The cider gives off a genuinely intriguing aroma. It smells very pleasantly rocky and citrusy. Rather like some white wines. So far, my hopes are not disappointed.

Sweetness: Sweet!

The Lazy Lemon is sweet like lemonade. It left my mouth a bit sticky like lemonade also.

Flavors: Boozy lemon soda

I'm tempted to just leave it at that. It doesn't taste like apple or cider. The Lazy Lemon is easy on the carbonation, which is a plus. It has some mild tartness that cuts the sweetness pleasantly, but that could be stronger. It really does taste like a slightly boozy sparkling lemonade.

Drinking Experience: Needs ice

Ice actually helps mend the level of sweetness, so I'd say break the traditional cider rules. Pour this one on ice if you want to enjoy a the Lazy Lemon at its best. It isn't very cidery, so I'm not sure the rules really apply.

The other two things you could do are either add a scoop of super tart sorbet or gelato and just turn it into a float or get a lager and make a shandy-esque lemon + cider + beer blend. If anyone tries either of these, please comment and let me know.