Cider Review: Stem Cider's A Salted Cucumber and Blake’s Hard Cider Rosé

It’s not the best day, cider fans. Stress, illness, uncertainty, and economic hardship are real, and they are here. It would feel disingenuous to pretend otherwise. What I can say is that they aren’t the only things going. I’m seeing Spring, creativity, resourcefulness, generosity, love and lots of pet pictures too. They can’t necessarily fix everything, but I’ll take them and appreciate them. 

I’m excited to start this week with Stem Cider’s A Salted Cucumber! 

Eric Foster and Phil Kao founded Stem Ciders in 2013. This cidery is based in Lafayette, Colorado. To find more background on the company, I recommend checking out the about section on the Stem Cider website: https://stemciders.com/our-cider-journey/.

Here are my previous reviews of Stem Ciders.

Colorado Heritage Blend: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/08/cider-review-eves-cidery-kingston-black.html

Banjo: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-stem-ciders-banjo-and.html

Pear Apple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-stem-ciders-pear-apple.html

Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-tieton-cider-works.html

You can find out more about the company online: https://stemciders.com

Today’s review is of A Salted Cucumber. To my knowledge this is the first cider I’ve seen whose name starts with the word, “A!”

Here’s how Stem Ciders introduces this one, “Dry hopped with cascade and citra hops, finished with fresh cucumber juice and sea salt. Crafted with 100% fresh pressed apples from the Pacific Northwest.” 6.7% ABV.

My can was a souvenir brought home from a large cider event last year. 

Appearance: hazy, crocus yellow, few visible bubbles

I could see one or two trails of bubbles floating through this hazy cider, but it’s appearance isn’t very bubbly. What I see instead is a classic hop haze and a pleasingly warm crocus yellow color.

Aromas: cucumber, salt, spice, hops, apple

A Salted Cucumber smells tantalizingly of cucumber, hops and a sprinkle of salt. I’m wondering if I’m also getting just a hint of spice. The cider is very clean smelling. There’s not a strong apple presence in the aromas, but some clean freshly washed apple notes breeze through.

Sweetness/dryness: Off dry

A Salted Cucumber tastes off dry to me. The can calls it dry, but I’m often not in perfect alignment with what packages suggests for a cider’s relative dryness or sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: cucumber, peppery, high acid, bubbly

I want to start by saying how very tasty this is! This cider tastes like salted cucumber and apple. It’s like a fresh salad! My cotaster and I both found A Salted Cucumber so enjoyably drinkable!
The cider offers up peppery and vegetal notes as well as green wood.

This hoppy cider tastes clean and not sweaty or soapy! It brings high acidity and intense sparkle to a very fun and approachable set of flavors.  The balance is really cemented by one hint of bitterness.

We paired this with a bean and corn salad and roasted Arizona Dreaming and Sofritos potatoes and faux-beef crumbles. It was a marvelous pairing. The cool and savory notes of A Salted Cucumber were just amazing with roasty spicy foods! This was followed up by a game of Trivial Pursuit, and I won!

And we’re closing out the week’s reviews with Blake’s Hard Cider Company’s Rosé.

Blake’s Hard Cider calls Armada, Michigan home. This popular company is always crafting new ciders; the range of styles Blake’s produces is large. The cidery prioritizes its local connections. The cidery grew out of a family farm. The ciders are now produced with only Michigan apples. There’s a lot of emphasis on the local and regional community. Someday, I’d love to see the cidery myself!

Here are my previous reviews of Blake’s Ciders.

Rainbow Seeker: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-stormalong-ciders-boston.html

Fido: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/11/cider-review-blakes-fido-and.html

Santa Rosa: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-blakes-hard-ciders-santa.html

Beard Bender: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-ciders-eves-ciderys.html

Apple Lantern: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-reviews-blakes-hard-ciders-apple.html

Black Philip: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/04/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-black.html

The Tonic: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

El Chavo: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/11/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

Wakefire:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/09/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

Snapdragon: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-blakes-hard-ciders.html

I recommend looking around Blake’s Hard Cider’s website. There’s a lot to see: https://www.blakeshardcider.com/


Here the official description for this cider, “Rosé Strawberry and rose hips. Semi-sweet with a citrus like acidity, this native fermented Rosé was infused with strawberries and rose hips, resulting in a vibrant finish.” 6.9% ABV.

Appearance: brilliant, watermelon, some tiny bubbles,  

This cider looks so pink and fruity. The color reminds me of watermelon. It’s brilliantly clear. I can see a few bubbles in glass, but they are small and few. The big show here is color, and it’s much too pretty to drink out of a can!

Aroma: Graham crackers, cherries, strawberries, 

When I poured this cider, I got my first aroma notes immediately. My impression is one of dessert with Graham crackers, cherries, and strawberries. These notes blend into raspberry, syrup, nectarine, and red fruit more generally. It’s very pie like. Other than my dessert impressions, the cider has aromas of minerals, wine, and walnut.

 Sweetness/dryness: sweet

This is a sweet cider! For some folks this would make a very satisfying dessert. The sweetness is intense, even with some fresh acid in the mix. It’s a bit sticky.

Flavors and and drinking experience: medium high acid, very fruity, bit sticky, full body and bubbly

I love that the Rosé begins with a little bitter bite at the start. That quickly gives way to a sweet and jammy drinking experience. The cider has medium-high acidity and a full body with floral and fruity qualities. It doesn’t really bring any tannins. The fruity notes are not powdery but are instead more than a little tropical. I also get bright banners of peach and raspberry flavor. I enjoyed this cider while relaxing with cats and my co-taster Alex after work. If you were to pair it, I think It would taste really lovely with a simple and creamy New York style cheesecake. 

Cider Review: Eve's Cidery Kingston Black 2017 and Stem Cider's Colorado Heritage Blend

We are barreling towards harvest time, the autumnal Equinox, and Cider Weeks all over the country. For us cider nerds, it’s almost show time! All that is to say that I’ve got some exciting news coming up, but I’m not quite ready to share it yet. Just keep watching this space! In the meantime, I wanted to treat myself this week. When things get busy, it’s tempting to just power through, but I think trying to do a lot is the perfect reason to slow down with a cider or two you have an extra good feeling about. That’s exactly what I’m sharing this week.

First up is Eve's Kingston Black 2017 single varietal. I loved sharing my thoughts on a delicious single varietal from only Kingston Black apples last week (thanks to Stormalong Ciders), so I looked through my cellar to see if I had any other single varietal ciders. That’s where I found another Kingston Black cider!

Eve’s Cidery operates in the small Finger Lakes community of Van Etten, New York. The cidery has been there since 2002 when the cider apple orchard was planted. Now, we can all taste the fruits of those early labors.

My previous reviews of Eve’s ciders and the cidery’s appearances at significant cider events are all shared below. I recommend checking out a few, just to see how consistently quality these ciders are!

Northern Spy: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/04/cider-review-eves-cidery-northern-spy.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

Albee Hill Still and Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-eves-cidery-albee-hill.html

Perry Pear:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt3-eves-cidery-wyders.html

Autumn led an Orchard Tour and picnic as part of Finger Lakes Cider Week back in 2016:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/cider-event-twilight-walk-talk-and.html

Darling Creek:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-ciders-eves-ciderys.html
And http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-favourite-10-ciders-of-2018.html

Cider Con: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-con-2018-pt-1-eden-specialty.html
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cidercon-part-2-including-heritage.html

You can read all about Eve’s Cidery on the website: https://www.evescidery.com.

There’s a whole page about this particular cider, it’s well worth reading.

https://www.evescidery.com/ourcider/2017-kingston-black/

If you just need the short official description, “On the nose: melted sugar, apple crate and anise. In the mouth, rough-sawn wood and tobacco dissolving into chewiness. The finish has substantial weight and smells like Christmas spice cookies.

Now for Eve's Cidery Kingston Black 2017 Single Varietal. I purchased my bottle at the Ithaca Famer’s Market, which I use like a weekend local cider market.

Appearance: copper, bubbly,  variable clarity

It’s hard to say what the clarity is for this cider. Each glass pours differently from a brilliant first glass to a cloudy 4th glass. All of the glasses glow with an intensely dark shade of copper, and each is alive with bubbles. Everything about this suggests a dry tannic cider is waiting for me!

Aromas: overripe apples, leather, orange, tea, spice, wood

The Kingston Black smells mouthwatering. I get notes of overripe apples, leather, orange, and tea. There’s a bit of funk and yeast,  but more of the flavors remind me of fruits, spices, and mellow barn wood.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

The Kingston Black tastes dry. It does have a hint of flavors more often associated with sweetness but they waft by as suggestions and resemblances and not sweet in the cider’s essence. If you want to know what I did taste, keep reading.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, astringent, orange peel, almond

I love how the Kingston Black tastes. This cider is gently bitter and tart with high acid and high tannins. I find it notably dry throughout, but it’s not entirely without fruit character.  I taste orange peel, clove, and a bit of brown sugar. The whole experience is complex and rich; I find it  warm, but not hot. The cider has plenty of minerality but also umami that reminds me of  Almond and apple peel.

I shared this cider with dear friends and a simple meal of corn on the cob, tomato pie, and some amazing cheeses. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Next up: Stem Ciders’ Colorado Heritage Blend

Lafayette, Colorado is home to Stem Ciders. Eric Foster and Phil Kao began the company in 2013. To find more background on the company, here are all of my earlier reviews of Stem Ciders. Full disclosure, this was a sample shared with me for review.

Banjo: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-stem-ciders-banjo-and.html

Pear Apple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-stem-ciders-pear-apple.html

Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-tieton-cider-works.html

You can find out all about the company online: https://stemciders.com

Here’s the official description for Stem Ciders’ Colorado Heritage Blend, “Made with a blend of local Dabinette and Winesap apples. ABV 7.7% Juicy, dry, clean, and light with a balanced acidity. Nice lingering soft tannins and a touch of grapefruit citrus without the bitterness. A quintessential hard apple cider.”

Appearance: day-lily yellow, super bubbly, hazy

This cider looks lovely in every glass we poured it in! The color reminds me of these late summer day lilies that I keep seeing all around town. It’s a mellow color that shows off all the bubbles present.

Aromas: cooked apple, dust, grain,

This cider smells just a little bit grainy and funky, but mostly I smell cooked apples. The scents remind me of homemade applesauce, warm on the stove. There are hints of dust and grain also. Based on these scents, I expect a super tart cider.

Dryness/sweetness: Dry

This cider tastes even drier than I expected from the aroma! Its austere and cooling, perfect for a humid summer evening.

Flavors and drinking experience: fermented, briney, cooling
Those dusty notes in the Colorado Heritage Blend’s aroma indeed translate into high acidity and some degree of astringence. What I taste isn’t exactly what I smell though. I could smell a certain graininess, but that tastes a bit like yeast and corn. There’s some classic clean barn notes going on at the same time, and I didn’t expect those from the cider’s aromas. What I don’t know how to articulate is what makes the flavors feel cool and aquatic to me; it’s not watery but something decidedly connotes a certain chill. The cider’s finish reminds me of many UK ciders with some phenolic character that reminds me of leather and olives.

I had this one with a fish fry and broccoli slaw. I like the creamy veggie slaw with this austere and structured cider. This one could be enjoyed with a plethora of different food pairings and in any season!

Cider Review: Stem Cider's Banjo and Grand Illusion Cider's Blue Illusion

Before I get into this week’s reviews, I do want to remind folks of two upcoming cider competitions for which I’ll be volunteering. I admit my bias freely, but I’m excited to be involved with both of these competitions, and I hope cider makers of all styles and categories will enter their favorites.

 New York Cider Competition through the Raise a Glass Foundation: https://cider.raiseaglassfoundation.com/

GLINTCAP (still a few more day for discounted registration): https://glintcap.org/register/

This week, I have two fun and different ciders. Before I start my reviews for the week, let me mention that both ciders were samples shared with me for review. A free cider doesn’t sway my opinion; I review based only on my perceptions. Both of this week’s are on the more inventive rather than traditionalist side of the spectrum. The first is Stem Cider’s Banjo

Stem Ciders is a company out of LaFayette, Colorado. The company dates back to 2013, but the flagship cider Real Dry Apple Cider was born even before the company in 2011. The company’s philosophy section of the website identifies a clear focus and mission within the cider world: one that straddles experimentation and apple-focus. (Read it here: https://stemciders.com/philosophy/). 

 I have reviewed two Stem ciders before. 

I tried the Pear Apple in 2017: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-stem-ciders-pear-apple.html

And I enjoyed Stem Ciders’ Perry last year during Very Perry May: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-tieton-cider-works.html

You can find out all about the company online: https://stemciders.com

Here’s the official description, “Crisp apple melodies and smoky undertones come together to create Banjo. Carefully picked apples are fermented dry and aged in bourbon barrels to smooth perfection. Pour a glass, find a band and marinate the day away.” 6.9%ABV.

Appearance: hazy, no visible bubbles, pale honey

I know it’s a cheat to call a cider honey colored because honey comes in as many colors as cider does, but that’s what looking at the Banjo makes me think about. It’s pale and nearly transparent but not bubbly, not golden, and not quite brilliant. Instead it looks like a mild pale honey. 

Aromas: Alcohol, bourbon mash, vanilla, smoke

Almost all of the Banjo’s smells relate to the barrel aging. It’s scent pours forth with notes of  bourbon mash, alcohol, corn, smoke, wood, steel. Secondarily, the cider smells of sour and sweet apple notes, but then we return to barrel qualities with sweet creaminess and vanilla. This collaboration is going to be very barrel forward, I predict.

Sweetness/dryness: off dry

This cider is mostly dry and has lots of different moments of flavor, but sweetness only makes a fleeting appearance at the beginning and end of the cider’s flavors.

Flavors and drinking experience: whiskey, hot, astringent, tannic

This is almost certainly a divisive cider for Stem fans. It tastes overwhelming of whiskey and barrel notes. I imagine whiskey drinkers and barrel fans (perhaps even stout drinkers) like it very much but those who want a more fruit forward cider might be less into it. I can see both sides of the story; for me, this has to come down to how such a cider might be best served.

The Banjo’s first note is grainy and intriguing, following instantly by a big wave of astringence sweeping the tongue front to back. It feels a little hot despite the perfectly reasonable ABV.  The wave dissipates, and what comes after both feels and tastes lighter. The barrel contributes corn, toasty, vanilla, and smoky notes.  

Somehow this cider can swing between cool and then warm all in one sip. I’m glad that there’s plenty of acid, which serves to deliver the bitterness in a more balanced way. Though I couldn’t see them, the Banjo brings  plenty of fine bubbles. It goes all over the place, but averages out to mildly more than  medium mouthfeel. Yes, it’s  tannic but only in a barrel way.  I got into its groove, but as a whiskey collaboration, it's definitely heavy on the whiskey end. I had this cider with veggie barbeque, corn, and cheddar. It could have handled even heartier foods. I’d love to try it again with a rich and smoky bean chili and cornbread. 

Grand Illusion Cider’s Blue Illusion

Grand Illusion Cider comes from Carlyle, Pennsylvania. The company has a restaurant and makes cider. You can also find a variety of beers, wines, and special events at the location.

Visit Grand Illusion’s website to learn more : https://www.grandillusioncider.com


A few months ago, I shared my first review of a cider by Grand Illusion Cider: Mystic Citra Pineapple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/08/cider-review-grand-illusion-hard-cider.html

The official description of the Blue Illusion is short and to the point, “This well-balanced blueberry-lavender cider offers a pleasant sweetness and a light berry fruitiness; it finishes with a touch of English lavender.” 6.5% ABV I’ve not had very many lavender ciders, so I’m curious to see how that flavor profile will blend with apple and blueberry.

Appearance: Cloudy, magenta, bubbly

This cider bubbles excitingly, just as the color strikes an intriguing ambiguous place  between red and purple. Let’s call it magenta, but I’m hard pressed to know if it’s more like red grape or a plum color. What I can tell is that it’s not filtered; this cider is cloudy!

Aromas: yeast, lavender, acetic acid, blueberry and apples

There’s a rich fermenty note that starts off my experience of the Blue Illusion; I think this comes from the yeast chosen. The Blue Illusion smells very much of both lavender and blueberry, with some tart acetic acid thrown into the mix. While there’s not a lot of apple in the aroma, I do smell some, blended with the clean yeast to remind me of apple pastries.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This is a semi-dry cider but one kept there by acidity rather than by austerity.

Flavors and drinking experience: Blueberry, lavender, lemon curd, high acid

The Blue Illusion tastes of lavender but most of its character can be traced back to blueberry; it’s not very apple-forward. The acidity in this cider is high and reminds me of lemon curd. That’s a flavor I love! This cider tastes enjoyable in an easy-going and approachable way. 

The mouthfeel is wet and full. The whole experience reminds me of blueberry muffins; that could also be the yeast notes from the smell coming through in a new way with all of the fruity notes.  The Blue Illusion boasts high acidity but no tannins. I’m guessing the apples involved are eating varieties, though I cannot be sure. 


I had this cider with some some pineapple pizza! Two fun easy things together: both fruity and flavorful.

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!

#PickCider Review Stem Cider's Pear Apple Cider

This is my first review of a anything by Stem Ciders. They are based out of Denver, Colorado and have operated since the start of 2014. I first ran across their beverages at Cider Summit Chicago 2017. I was pleased to stay in touch and get a few review samples this month.

You can learn all about Stem Ciders on their website here: http://stemciders.com/

This is Stem Cider's Pear Apple Cider and it could have fit into my Very Perry May, but I'm glad to have a canned pear-apple blend for this #pickcider for the 4^th of July series.

Made with Bartlett pears from Colorado's Western Slope. Rich golden hue, caramel and fresh fruit on the nose with a surprisingly tart finish 5.3% ABV Released April 2017. Suggested pairings include, “pork chops and apple sauce, spicy thai, lobster rolls” But we'll see if my sense of vegetable oriented pairings matches up.

Appearance: brilliant, few visible bubbles, deep roasty gold

This cider has a deep roasted quality to its goldenness. It reminds me of English or French ciders in color. I don't see many bubbles, but it is brilliant.

Aromas: cooked apple and pear, yeast, custard

The scents are rich, oxidized, and dusty. The cider smells sweet, warm, and rich. These aren't characteristics I associate very much with pear ciders, so I'm curious. The creamy custard smell is most intriguing.

sweetness/dryness: sweet

This cider drinks sweetly but remains complex and dessert like. The fruitness and sweetness taste all natural to me.

Flavors and drinking experience: rich, fruity, high acid, bubbly

Richness and mouthfeel are a pair of interconnected qualities that can make or break a cider, and the Pear Apple by Stem Ciders offers up a delightful experience in those crucial characteristics. Mind you, part of what makes the richness so enjoyable is that it's balanced by high acid. The contrast is not artificially extreme, just dynamic and buoyed up with medium to high fine bubbles.

I found this cider deeply enjoyable.

Its fruity but not in a raw fruit salad way. Instead it reminds me of a fruit tart drizzled with caramel. This apple pear blend, just oozes dessert, while still being sharp in a spectacularly nice way.

My recommended pairings for this cider include summer thunderstorms, chilled grain salad with cheddar, corn, tomato, and avocado, Twin Peaks, or caramel shorbread cookies. I've not gotten to try it with lobster roll, but give me a chance and I will! What this list is attempting to demonstrate is a certain flexibility that I suspect this cider is capable of providing.