Cider Review: Starcut Immortal Jelly

January is here, but I'm thinking about fruits, berries, and sunshine, even though I know for the most part these things are months away. So, I am returning to a cider I tasted back in June while visiting dear friends. We walked outside with bare arms. Hence the un-cropped silly picture; it captures the casual pleasant moments of reviewing this cider.               

Based in Michigan, Starcut Ciders just celebrated their second birthday! This cidery is an enterprise that comes out of Short's Brewing Company. The folks wanted to take advantage of Michigan's bountiful apple crops, so started a cidery. This marks my first review for them.

You can find out plenty of additional information on Starcut's website: http://starcutciders.com/

Here's the company's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/starcutcidersmi/?fref=ts

I'm including Starcut Cider's description of their Immortal Jelly:

Immortal Jelly is a semi-dry hard cider inspired by Short’s Brewing Company’s Soft Parade. Immortal Jelly is fermented with Michigan apples and a blend of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. This cider is rose in color and has scents of tart fruit. Immortal Jelly’s complex blend of berry fruit flavors provides a big tart acidity up front before a semi-dry finish.

They list the ABV as a relatively low 5.1%.

Appearance: beyond cloudy, ruby, no visible bubbles

This cider's Color is opaque ruby, and as the picture shows its almost entirely opaque. Both of these facets separate the appearance of this cider from most. Its lovely and very different.

Aromas: Beer yeast, cranberries, lots of aroma, fresh apple.

What I notice most when smelling this cider is the beer like notes. Secondarily, I get aromas of tart berries like cranberries and blackberries.

Dryness/sweetness: semi-dry

One aspect of the Immortal Jelly that's particularly neat is that it's very fruity but not too sugary. I'd have no trouble calling it a semi-dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: beery, sour, raspberry

This cider has a SUPER beery first taste, after which the bubbles go crazy, and quickly it creates a wall of sour, raspberry flavor. This is a nice quick three-part experience. Beer, then the carbonation crests, then I taste berries. Lastly, I get a pleasant bready finish that reminds me of fresh sourdough.

This cider offers up high acids and low to middling range (but present) tannins. The flavors come across as bright but not aggressive in either sourness, beeriness, or fruitiness. The mouthfeel is decently full tasting. I can detect one very little note of funk, but nothing overly challenging. Rather, it reminds me of a lambic or a sour beer. A solid combination of very accessible while still being decidedly interesting enough to talk about. What a neat cider. I look forward to trying more things by Starcut Ciders as I see them.

And just for a last picture. This company has really neat labels and fabulous label art. Feast your eyes.

I didn't pair this with much aside from relaxing and friends. I think we had some tasty fruit and cheese on the table, but our focus was on conversation and being in the moment. Were I to pair the cider again, knowing its flavors, I think it would be ridculously fun as brunchy cider with a tofu scramble or some big wheaty waffles and butter. You could also be a bit more restrained and have the Immortal Jelly with a salmon under a creamy custardy sauce. Treat it like a dry raspberry lambic, and you will go in the right direction. But I really wouldn't change a thing about activities for the cider; enjoy it with people you care about. Relax into this interesting cider. 

Cider Review: Cider Creek's All The King's Men

Today, I'm finally sharing my notes on a Cider Creek collaboration: All The King's Men.

Cider Creek is a small cider company now primarily based in Canisteo, New York, but the company retains strong ties to the Boston area of Massachusetts. 

You can read about their core varieties and seasonal ciders on their website: http://www.cidercreekhardcider.com

Additionally, I recommend visiting https://www.facebook.com/cidercreekhardcider/ their very active Facebook page and best way to keep up with whats happening in their tasting room. They have tons of limited edition ciders and fun musical events.

I have previously reviewed two of their ciders and found both of them filled with complexity and creativity. Here are both of those:

The Cascade Hopricot combines cider, hops, and apricots and was one half of my east west fruity hopped cider showdown: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/06/cider-review-cider-creek-hard-ciders.html

Fall'n'Cherry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/10/cider-review-cider-creek-hard-ciders.html

And this doesn't scratch the surface of everything they are trying. Kevin Collins, the head cider maker, is wild experimenter and a great guy. 

But for today, I'm reviewing All the Kings' Men.

All the King's men is a collaborative beverage made together by Cider Creek Hard Cider and Resurgence Brewing. More and more folks in all corners of the beverage world are trying collaborations. I'd call this one a graf because it is a beer and cider hybrid that does involve grain and fruit.

Here's some information about what all went into this beverage: "This is a smoked cider saison, a hybrid and a collaboration between Resurgence and Cider Creek Hard Cider. It's apparently 45% un-fermented cider, 30% barley wort, and 25% wheat wort." I have no idea what to expect based on these facts, but I am glad to know and very very curious.

Appearance: hazy, deep persimmon, rich color

The All the King's Men's appears hazy. In the glass, it looks like brandy. I love how rich the color is, and I had fun comparing shades of yellow and orange to find a way to describe it. I settled on persimmon, but I love a cider that gives me this sort of descriptive challenge

Aromas: bourbon, caramel, milky, acidic

Whooooooooa, this cider is extremely fragrant with bourbon notes. I also smell sour mash. Sweet dolce de leche notes.  I'm also noticing some yogurty lactic acid sourness. This is going to be so interesting!

Dryness/sweetness: dry at first with a slightly sweet finish

There's a ton going on with this cider, and almost none of it has to do with sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: complex, sour, still, interesting finish

First impression, I am surprised by how completely still it is. I could see some bubble action when I first poured it, but that is not apparent when drinking it. The cider is dry and sour, with a bit of graininess like barley. It has elements of yeastiness like a hearty stout. I rather  thought it would be more dessert like.

In terms of flavors, first it's sour, then hard booze edge rises and fall, followed by a pleasant oatmeal raisin aftertaste. I think subtle oaty  finish is the best part: lingering and nearly sweet and mapley. A big sip makes all of the stages clearer.

This cider is a big beverage: very thick mouthfeel.  You could practically pour this on pancakes because of how substantial it feels to drink. All The King's Men indeed: somehow this graf does taste very masculine, with bits of mushroom, aftershave and leather. This tastes more complex and woody than most ciders, and at some moments its even a little harsh.

I want to reward Cider Creek's continued creativity in this thoughtful slow drinking cider. It isn't a summery cider though, try with chili, or a really aged cheese that has some substance of its own.

Cider Review: Square Mile's Spur and Vine Hopped Apple Cider

I can see fall around me, but I can only feel summer because of the heat. Leaves are falling to nearly dry creek beds. Every morning, I can sit on my porch reminded of the cool humid mornings of summer camp in the mountains. I suppose I should press that luck while I have it and keep reviewing the ciders that have some connection to summer and warm weather. It won't last forever.

 
Square Mile's slogan is the bold imperative, "Stake your claim" which strikes a rustic, frontiersman, note. This makes sense to me because of their identity as an Oregon cider company whose frontier days are not as historically distant as those nearer here. The packaging, brand name and product names create a more understated image, though not one that necessarily undercuts the slogan.

This is the bulk of the introductory copy on their website.

Inspired by the pioneering spirit of those who traveled the Oregon Trail in the pursuit of a dream, we offer Square Mile Hard Cider.  We set out to reinvigorate an enduringly classic American beverage with a blend of apples hand-selected for the perfect balance of sweet and tart.  Our hard cider pays homage to the fortitude and perseverance of the original pioneers.

You can see their ciders, find where they are sold (mostly west coast), and see the brands' Tumblr all on their website:

http://squaremilecider.com

It's a visually appealing website with great photo imagery and clean design. It's both very modern and very nostalgic with that Instagram photo filter vibe.

Square Mile sent me a sampling of both of their ciders, and tonight I'm reviewing the Spur and Vine Hopped Apple Cider. Many thanks to them for these! Since I'm sticking with summery ciders while the warm weather holds, I thought starting with a hopped cider makes sense.

Here's how Square Mile introduces their Spur and Vine:

Spur & Vine puts a Northwest twist on our classic American hard cider.  Starting with the same apples and yeast as The Original, we added a generous amount of Galaxy hops during cold conditioning.  Since no heat is applied to the hops, our cider takes on flavors and aromas of peach, melon and honeysuckle but none of the traditional hop bitterness.  Spur & Vine is best served straight up to allow the complexities of this cider to shine.

Looking to their Original's description, those apples are eating apples: Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious and Jonagolds, all from Oregon. The yeast is a beer lager yeast, which is going to affect the flavor in a major way. 6.7% ABV for the Spur and Vine, making it stand out from the vast vast majority of ciders sold in 12oz bottles.

Appearance: Dark popcorn gold, brilliant, very few visible bubbles


As the photo shows, this has tons and tons of color. I like how the warm depths of color remind me of smooth kernels of unpopped popping corn. This cider shows brilliance and very few visible bubbles with no mousse at all when poured.

Aromas: hoppy in a very cool green herbal way, soapy. stony, grassy

Yum! Though they sell you this cider in a bottle, please pour in a glass to enjoy it! The smells are too good to lose. I like how green it smells, how soapy, piney, and grassy come together.

Sweet/dry: off dry

Here's where the beer yeast comes in! This cider has bitter notes that change the perception of sweetness. I cannot tell exactly where this falls in terms of its residual sugar in the semi-dry to off dry range, but it tastes off dry. This is a very neat thing to be doing in a hopped cider!

Flavors and drinking experience: hoppy, beery, balanced, not too bubbly


Summery! I'm glad that this timing worked out so well. This cider presents a beautifully balanced drinking experience that really doubles down on exploring the similar possibilities available to beer and cider. I like the hoppy aroma, gently bitter notes, dryness, and mild carbonation. Although if you want it to taste more fruity and cidery and less beer like, consume in a glass rather than straight from the bottle. I tried one each way, and I can see the benefits to both.


This is a genuinely enjoyable off dry cider sold in a 12 oz bottle. This is a nearly unique combination of taste and packaging. I wish this was sold in New York state, though we have cideries a plenty there really isn't anything filling this particular niche. Great job, Square Mile!

Cider Review: Bad Seed's Belgian Abbey Hard Cider

 

Though the Hudson Valley cider scene is physically close to us here in the Finger Lakes, I've felt surprised by the relative separateness of our cider scenes. Nonetheless, I always try to pick up these ciders when I see them for sale. Hence, my review of Bad Seed's Belgian Abbey Hard Cider.

The last time I reviewed a Bad Seed cider it was their IPC (India Pale Cider) back in September of 2013. You can read the review here: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/08/cider-review-bad-seed-ipc-india-pale.html Theyve come a long way since then and even longer since Bad Seed was started by two friends in 2011. Now they even have website: http://www.badseedhardcider.com/ in addition to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Badseedcider.

In reading Bad Seed's website, the most fascinating writing I found says, "We seek to advance the craft cider industry through mixing both old and new cider techniques and craft beer influences. Making ciders from 100% fresh pressed apples grown by us on a 6th generation family farm with no Alchemy used, after all this is cider not science. You wont find the endless list of chemicals, artificial sweeteners, and excuses on our label because we don't use them." Alchemy, eh? I hadn't known that was a major issue in the industry, but what a fascinating idea.

This is what Bad Seed says about their own Belgian Abbey Hard Cider: "If Belgian Monks only found this the higher purpose of the apple, Crafted from apples grown in the Hudson Valley , fermented with a Belgian abbey beer yeast, unfiltered and bottle conditioned. Tart, tangy, Dry and a little off beat like a Bad seed should be." This cider has a very middle of the road 6.3% ABV, making it nice and easy with meals.

 
Appearance: Hazy bubbly lemon sorbet color

Aromas: beery, yeasty, citrusy

First and foremost, this cider smells like beer. Behind the intense beer smells, I can also detect some citrus and maybe maybe a hint of apple. Mostly though the yeast choice makes itself clear in the aromas of the Belgian Abbey Hard Cider.

Sweetness: Dry

Absolutely bone dry. Both from the copy on the website and the dryness of this cider, I'm confident saying that the Belgian Abbey Hard Cider has been bottle conditioned.

Flavors and Drinking experience: beer-like, bitter, bubbly

Unsurprisingly based on the aromas, this cider tastes very beer-like to me, mind you I don't usually drink beer. Somehow though, the bitterness and citrus notes just say beer to me. The Belgian Abbey is very bubbly too, but not very appley. This isn't a problem; ciders don't have to be very fruity or appley and this one is not. As I drink on, it seems almost burly and definitely burpy. I can taste hints of something savory: celery, fennel and pepper. And I get a consistent minerality. The only true fruit note is grapefruit pith. Very interesting. This cider is definitely low in tannins, medium low acid, and no sweetness.

My impression is that it is so dominated by the yeast choice that if you like that you'll like the cider and if you don't, you won't. The Belgian Abbey even pours with a lot of yeast at the bottom if the bottle when compared to other bottle conditioned ciders.

This cider made a great match with vegetarian chicken dumpling soup. I would always choose to pair the Belgian Abbey Hard Cider with salty food. Its combination of citrusy notes, extreme bubbliness, and bitter beery edge complement salt and heft extremely well. With food, I liked this one a lot, but I think it needs food: at least for me.

Cider Review: Woodchuck Cellar Series Smoked Apple

Back to the cellar series from Woodchuck! I so enjoyed their Dry Hopped Cider (reviewed here http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/11/cider-review-woodchuck-cellar-series.html) There you can find some background on the company as well as links back to my reviews of Woodchuck's Winter limited release and their Belgian White cider.

Woodchuck now keeps a blog for their cidery business; it hosts recipes that feature a wide variety of their ciders. So, if you like cider recipes or want to read more about Woodchuck, it is definitely something to check out: http://www.woodchuck.com/blog/  The specific entry on the Cellar Series Smoked Apple is really neat because of its rare visual insight into Woodchuck's cider making process. http://www.woodchuck.com/blog/woodchuck-cellar-series-smoked-apple/

 
I'm back with their cider series this evening, reviewing their Smoked Apple cider. Full admission here, I did not pay for this cider. Woodchuck was kind enough to send me a bottle for review. Here's the short version of their official description of the Smoked Apple, "Apple pomace is smoked using a blend of maple and applewood chips. Our original small batch hard cider is run through the smoked pomace. The result is a full-bodied deep amber cider. Strong crisp apple notes with hints of vanilla are balanced on an applewood smoked backdrop." I'd like to just throw in a few background facts. This cider's ABV is 6.5% and it is only available in 22 ounce bottles. This is pretty much the perfect sharing size.

 "After the pomace was smoked using maple and applewood chips it was brought to the Middlebury Cidery. The smoked pomace was then infused into small batch fermented cider. The result is a full bodied deep amber cider. Strong crisp apple notes with hints of vanilla are balanced on an applewood smoked backdrop. A well-balanced, limited run cider that is perfect for the cooler days ahead."

 Appearance: Deep burnished brown red, many many many visible bubbles

I honestly cannot tell if this cider is brilliant, hazy, or cloudy. Between the dark mahogany color and the number of bubbles, it is difficult to see the clarity of the Smoked Apple. I notice the color more than anything else, because it is so unusual. This depth and redness just looks rich and satisfying.

Aromas: leather, fresh apples, hint of smoke

The more I  inhale this deeply and think about it, the more I can scent the smoke. My dear husband Alex gets beer and cranberries. I can see where he is coming from, but the Smoked Apple still smells more like leather to me.

Flavors and drinking experience: Smoke, bacon, apple

As I drink the Smoked Apple, it begins like sweet molasses but then the other flavors take over. Mostly those other flavors are smoke, leather, peat and meatiness. Seriously, this is like bacon cider. Bacon freaks, I know you are out there. Dig in. Whiskey, earth, smokety-smoke smoke. It intensifies in the after flavor. The smoke makes this a beverage for its sensory experience rather than any thirst-quenching properties, but it's uniqueness more than makes up for that. 

Overall, this is a super neat cider. Probably not one I'll buy for myself with any regularity just because of the intense bacon-ness that the smoke calls to my mind. I do heartily recommend it though for fans of smoked beverages. Still though, I'm more than happy to enjoy it with some vegetarian chili or lentil soup. It is super warming and appropriate for these cold dark months. I'd also recommend it for a recuperating after winter outdoor adventures. I've been enjoying giant walks in the snow lately (till our rain melted it all) and this is the perfect kind of cider to enjoy after coming in from the cold. 

Cider Review: Woodchuck Cellar Series Dry Hop

 Tonight, I get to reviewing a cider that came to me in the mail from Woodchuck, so this is not a cider I paid for. That's also how it happened to come in this really snazzy box. Woodchuck sure knows how to put together a nice package. I have reviewed a few of their ciders before, recently I checked out their Belgian White (http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/cider-review-woodchuck-belgian-white.html) and my very first review here was their Winter cider (http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/01/cider-review-woodchuck-winter.html), but this is the first I've received from Woodchuck for reviewing.

Woodchuck began their cellar series this fall, and I'm reviewing the first Cellar Series Cider, the Dry Hop. First a little info about the Cellar Series: they will be released nation wide periodically; the line seeks to highlight several different innovative cider styles. Dry hopping a cider is just such a technique; several different small cider producers make a dry hopped, but this may be the first one that is available in many places. So for some readers, this could be the first hopped cider on your local shelves.

Here's what Woodchuck says about this cider, "The dry hop technique, by which the fermented cider is strained through a tank of fresh Cascade hops, infuses the cider with crisp citrus and pine notes. The smooth apple character of Woodchuck’s signature hard cider balances perfectly against the bitterness of the hops. It’s another category bending cider from Woodchuck." This isn't tons of information, but it is good to know that they use Cascade hops.

Color and Appearance: corn kernel, lotsa bubbles, some foam

This has foamiest head of any cider I've ever seen. The Dry Hop offers rich intense color like that of an un-popped kernel of popcorn. It is a really neat color. Even after the cider's head dissapates, the number of visible bubbles in the glass is truly unusual.

Aromas: beer

Yes, I can smell the hops, but more I smell the finished product, beer. This cider doesn't show off clear hop distinctions like citrus or pine but just smells like a cold fresh mildly hoppy beer.

Sweetness: semi-sweet

If not a first for Woodchuck, the semi-sweetness of their Dry Hop a near first. Enchanting! What sweetness there is comes in at the finish. It is so nice to be surprised in this arena by a cider company that usually sticks to sweet.

Flavors and Drinking Experience: Grapefruit, sweet finish, piney hops.

The hop characteristics come out more in the flavors of the Dry Hop than in its aromas. This cider really does taste so much more complex than it smells. I get strong notes of lychee, grapefruit and kiwi.  The Dry Hop opens with a soft floral fruit that is the Lychee but finishes with distinct ruby red grapefruit. With moderate minerals, the cider tastes pleasantly rocky. That aspect reminds me of the Belgian White, but I prefer this cider. Dry hopping continues to be a way for cider makers to win me over.

Overall, I have to declare this cider deliciously gulpable. If you see any on the shelves, get several and have them with the crazy amazing sandwiches we'll all be making with Thanksgiving leftovers on November 29th.

I'm curious about the rest of the Cellar Series releases. Hopefully I'll be trying their second one, the Smoked Apple before too long.

Cider Review: Bad Seed IPC (India Pale Cider) Reserve

Before leaving New York City, I stopped at the Union Square Greenmarket regularly. It is a great place to pick up some New York State ciders that are a bit off the beaten path. If you ever want to check out their times, vendors, etc. the website has all that info: http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket-site/manhattan/union-square-greenmarket. On one of my last trips before moving, I picked up four ciders from a quite small new cidery, Bad Seed Ciders. Their offerings seemed adventurous and what I tasted at the stand pleased me. This is the first, but I'll be reviewing all four the ciders I bought.

Bad Seed Cider doesn't have a traditional website. Like more and more companies, they are spending their web time on their Facebook presence. Here's the link to their active Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Badseedcider. It has tons of great pics and updates about their availability, but not much info about each of the ciders. I'm not a big fan of cideries not having a consistent place with tasting notes and detailed information about each of their offerings, but I understand that developing and maintaining both a website and a social media presence is tons of work that can feel redundant. Here's what I could find out on their FB page. They were founded in 2011 and are based out of Highland, New York as a development of Wilklow Orchards.

The Bad Seed's cheeky acronym IPC stands for India Pale Cider, not a phrase I've ever seen before. The official description says this about the beverage: "India Pale Cider- Fermented with and American Ale yeast and Dry Hopped with Cascade hops for a bright grapefruit flavor of a fresh IPA" The cider is a small batch reserve with with an ABV of 5.5%. I have shared here a few times how much I love dry hopped ciders, so my hopes are high.

Appearance: tremendously bubbly, hazy, creamy beeswax

When poured this forms a head briefly, but even after that dissipates lots and lots of bubbles both cling to the glass and to the surface of the liquid. I'm almost alarmed by how bubbly this looks. The color is a creamy beeswax with hints of yellow/green. I think the color looks a bit different than many ciders because of the number of bubbles and because it is hazy rather than brilliant.

Aromas: Not apple, lemon, bran and wheat, hint of herbs

The IPC smells cold in an unexpected way. I smell all kinds of fruits and foods, but not much apple. The citrus smells dominate the nose of this cider.

 Flavors: Big citrus bitterness, fresh hay

 Again, not very appley. The Cascade hops speak as grapefruit pith and there's a decided backdrop of hay and bitterness. I think by using both beer yeast and hops, this has traveled further into beer territory than most ciders influenced by beer. I love how full the mouthfeel tastes to me.

Drinking Experience: first though is cider for beer people.

Mind you, I second guess that, because the passionate beer afficianados in my life seem to divide binarily about cider. Either they grant its pleasures and validity, in which case they like a number of ciders, or they do not and they list the things they dislike about every cider they try. So I guess it is a cider for cider people who enjoy some beer characteristics. I fall decidedly into this category, so it certainly is a cider for me. It is citrusy, bittery, and extremely carbonated. There is a slightly soapy aftertaste which is odd and perhaps a sign of stressed yeast, but doesn't prevent me from enjoying the cider tremendously.

In terms of pairing, I'd suggest having it with a very flavorful meal. This isn't a light salad or dainty snacks kind of cider. Get a big pizza or make it a burrito night when drinking Bad Seed's IPC. The cider's bitterness would go well with rich foods, including everything cheesey. The flavors are so big and lovely that it really demands some big food as well. I think it could also be a great cider for the last grilling occasions of the summer. Take advantage of the good weather and this very summery cider before fall arrives.

Cider Review: Woodpecker Premium Cider

When I saw a very English looking woodpecker on a cider bottle at my corner grocery store, I wasn't quite sure what to think. The name Woodpecker only vaguely rings any bells in terms of cider, but I feel like I occasionally saw this cider years ago. The bottle said "Made to the recipe of H. P. Bulmer Ltd. Hereford, England." I've heard of Bulmer's; they belong to C&C Group which owns Magner's and a number of other English and American cider companies. This is a big big operation, not a mom and pop cider farm. Here's the fairly minimal website specifically for Woodpecker: http://www.woodpeckercider.us.

Unfortunately, it doesn't tell me what I really want to know.That quote saying that Woodpecker is made to an English recipe doesn't actually tell me if Woodpecker available in the U. S. is made here for a British company or made abroad. It took a little digging, and I could be wrong, but it appears that the Woodpecker available in the states is in fact made in Middlebury, Vermont. I'm afraid learning all this has dampened my enthusiasm somewhat. Hopefully the cider will still be good, but the big companies owned by even bigger conglomerates are not usually the most interesting part of the cider world.

This appears to be the brand's only variety. The cider has a lower than average 4.2% ABV, along with a slightly lower calorie count as well.Here's what Bulmer's says about their Woodpecker cider, "The use of the English bittersweet apple provided Woodpecker with a distinctive taste and refreshing drinkability. A crisp semi-dry finish, amber hue with a lightly sparking appearance, sweet fruity aroma and a slight toffee-apple note." To look on the bright side, this will be an English style cider made in the United States. Tasting will hopefully tell me more than my online research.

Color and Appearance: Intense yellow gold, brilliant

Woodpecker Cider showed no visible bubbles on first pour. Brilliant in terms of clarity. The coloar is intense yellow gold. A small foam appeared and quickly disappeared during my second pour.

Aromas: no discernable apple smell, yeast

This smells like tasty sweet bready yeast. I could not smell much in the way of apples or fruit from Woodpecker Premium Cider.

Sweetness: semi-sweet

The Woodpecker's sweetness is a bit honey like, but it's cleaner and the minerality keeps it that way. It really is very balanced.

Flavors: minerally, beer-like, balanced

I hate to keep returning to the same word, balanced, but that is what I'm noticing the most. This is a mild and relatively beery cider. It does give some pleasant minerality, but I'm missing the appliness or tannins that often make my favorite English style ciders remarkable.

Drinking Experience: not super fruity, good level of carbonation

As I keep drinking, I'm noticing the thin mouthfeel on this cider. It is very pleasant and extremely drinkable, but its wateryness becomes apparent by the end of the bottle. While in some ways this is a low-impact cider, it becomes most appreciable as a session cider.

My husband called it a picnic cider, in that it is refreshingly beer-like and not boozy. I'll agree and recommend it for long afternoons spent outside with sandwiches, pasta salad, baked beans, and watermelon.

Cider Review: Doc's Draft Dry Hopped Hard Apple Cider

Doc's Draft ciders keeps appearing in my glass/fridge/life. I reviewed the flagship cider from Doc's Draft a few months ago. You can read that review here: Cider Review: Doc's Draft Hard Apple Cider. I introduce the brand more fully there, but for now, I'll just point readers back to their website: wvwinery.com. The brand appears more regularly than many around  New York City, and I got to visit their tasting room briefly in June. Today, I'm finally finishing my second review of one of this brand's ciders, though I admit I've tasted it a few times before getting around to writing about it. 

Being a fan of hopped ciders, I'd been looking forward to trying Doc's Draft's Dry Hopped Cider for months. The official description gives some useful information about the types of hops used, "Dry Hopped with Centennial and Chinook hops providing a citrus and floral hop character to a traditional cider."I don't know very much about different hop varieties, so I looked up Centenniel and Chinook hops. My readings say that both types are strongly aromatic and can be used for bittering; Chinook hops offering spiciness and pine while Centenniel can be citrusy and floral. From what I understand dry hopping primarily contributes to the scents of a beer or cider but does not add bitterness because they are added without any boiling.

 (The cider accompanied by an amazing grilled cheese on a Hello Kitty plate)

Color and Appearance: pale straw

This cider shoes lots and lots of bubbles. It briefly has a head that dissapates almost before a glass is fully poured. The color looks like pale pale straw. After a moment, the bubbles are barely visible.

Aromas: beautiful grapefruit pith and pine, hint of apple

The hops dominate the apple, in the form of herbal pine and citrus. It smells so vibrantly green! The scent reminds me of new mown hay, Japanese green teas, and the long summer evenings of my childhood. Warm sun on green growing stuff, I guess is the simplest way to say it. The hint of apple becomes most discernible at the end.

Sweetness: perfect semi-sweet

This is a supremely clean sort of semi-sweet. It doesn't coat the mouth or cloy. Instead, I can taste the cider for a moment when it is on the tongue, then it disappears. The flavors come across far more strongly than the level of sweetness which is ultimately unobtrusive. For me this is a tremendous strength.

Flavors: green herbs, citrus, beer, green apples

My tasting abilities may be clouded by my general unfamiliarity with hops, but I noticed fairly high acidity in Doc's Draft Dry Hopped Cider. I did not taste very high levels of sweetness or tannins though. The primary flavors include green herbs, citrus and pine. It reminded me of beer + fresh green apples, which is not really a surprise based on what I read about the types of hops used.

When I shared this with a home-brewer and beer enthusiast, he noticed the delicacy and balance of the hops in the cider. For him, it was not nearly as dramatic as it was for me as a nearly-exclusive cider drinker.

Drinking Experience: Amazing

Not a useful term, and I apologize. The Dry Hopped Cider drinks easily and quickly but never disappears unnoticed. The carbonation is present but not distracting. I love the bright pine in the scent and taste.

I've had this with meals, with snacks, and on its own in the tasting room setting. I enjoyed it all three times, but I enjoyed it most with a special grilled cheese. For those who care, my amazing husband made me a mozzarella and cheddar grilled cheese on a hearty wheat bread with sweet Kumato tomatoes. The Dry Hopped Cider makes me feel triumphant, so perhaps drink this when having a food and board games night.

This continues my personal trend of loving hopped ciders. I cannot imagine I am the only one. Cidermakers, please keep these coming and keep them great.

Cider Review: McKenzie's Hard Cider Original

McKenzie's Cider is made in Seneca, New York. You can visit their website here: http://www.mckenziesbeverages.com/ The company has been in business since a fairly tumultuous start in 2011 (I'll let you Google it if you care), but since then they've gone on to win a fair number of cider awards for a few of their varieties. I decided to review them tonight in no small part because a my very best friend just added a different McKenzie to her name. Congrats you guys!

As I like to do, for my first encounter with this brand, I'm tasting their mainstay cider. For McKenzie's that is their Original Hard Cider. It has and ABV of 5%. Unfortunately, I'm not seeing a lot of information about their apple selection, but I do know they work with Mayer Brothers which is a long-standing Western New York apple company, so I imagine they have access to primarily dessert apples and concentrate, but that's speculative. What I cannot find out in print hopefully will be countered by what I can taste. Let's find out.

Color and Appearance: nectarine flesh

McKenzie's Original has deep intense color. It looks like the inside of a nectarine or even like the slightly orange tinted yellow of a yellow caution light. An interesting color.

Aromas: fresh apple smell but not strong, a hint of estery smell

McKenzie's smells beer-like at first, but then a bit of sweetness creeps in. It's a bit like the floral or fruity end of an alcohol smell, closely related to a vinous smell but lighter and more floral.

Sweetness: sweet

The sweetness specifically reminds me of Strongbow. It is decidedly drinkable, especially on a warm day.  The cider coated my palate a bit, but not in an overly sticky way.

Flavors: dark apple caramel with a tiny mineral tang

I can taste the apple more than I could smell it, which is good for this still fairly beer-like cider. McKenzie's clearly followed a fairly mainstream English cider making tradition with a goal of an extremely approachable beverage. It reminded me of several large scale American cider companies, which is not a bad flavor profile for a sweet beverage.  I enjoyed the slightly caramelly element to the fruit forward beverage. At the base though, I could definitely taste a slightly tang of minerals.

Drinking Experience: Not too much carbonation, quick

This flows directly from my comments on the sweetness. McKenzies is a very fast cider. The low ABV and level of carbonation make it easy and quick to drink.  It has a medium body that goes well with a variety of foods. I had my cider with a cheddar-topped veggie burger and strips of red bell pepper. In terms of function, this is a good choice for an after work cider, especially if you want to share cider with coworkers, neighbors, or friends who aren't familiar with the beverage.

Cider Review: Eve's Cidery's Autumn's Gold

Today, I'm reviewing Eve's Cidery's Autumn Gold. Maybe because it is very warm right now and I'm craving anything other than hot hot summer. No matter my reason, Eve's Cidery is another fabulous small cider producer in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. Can you tell how excited I am to move to the area? I first discovered them during New York City's 2012 cider week, and again when I stumbled on their booth at the Union Square Farmer's Market in New York City. The cider started in 2002. They have a great website. Here's what they say about themselves, "Eve’s Cidery is a small family run orchard and cidery located in Van Etten, in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. We grow apples and other tree fruits and ferment artisanal ciders. We believe in nature, art, good food and hard work. These beliefs influence the way we farm, make cider and sell our product. We hope you can taste some of it in the bottle." I suppose we'll soon find out.

Autumn's Gold fills my glass today, and I'm curious what in particular about it can bring autumn to mind. Anything along those lines would be appreciated. The cider is listed as 9% ABV on the bottle but 10% ABV on the website, so I imagine it varies slightly year to year. This is what Eve's Cidery says about this variety, "Naturally sparkling, off dry. This cider is a blend of English, French and American cider apples. Autumn’s Gold is golden, bubbly and off dry. It has a distinctive fruity nose that comes only from bittersweet apples, smoky, tannic undertones and a rich, warm texture and lingering finish. One of the great delights of this cider is pairing it with cheese. Cave aged cheddar, stilton, smoked gouda or a unique raw-milk cheese from your local dairy. Serve Autumn’s Gold with your main course alongside savory foods such as home-made pasta with truffle butter, parsnip soup and anything with bacon." While I won't be trying the cider with bacon, I love the other food suggestions. Very autumnal and pleasant.


On Eve's Cidery's webpage about making sparkling cider, I found even more interesting factual information about the Autumn's Gold. They tell us about their aims and apple selection, "But for the Autumns Gold and Bittersweet ciders, we aim for a ratio of between 60% and 75% cider apple to desert apple varieties.  We conceive of the Autumns Gold as a rich, dry, tannic cider.  So two 260 gallon tanks after a long day of pressing in October might hold a 60:40 combination of bittersweet varieties such as Brown Snout,  Medialle D’ Or and Chisel Jersey and desert varieties such as Jonagold and Ida red." I cannot tell you how happy it makes me when a cidery tells us this kind of information about their apple choices and rationales. Two thumbs up!

Appearance: absolutely brilliant, pale honey, cornbread

Pours with a light mousse that dissipates quickly. The honey-like color so intrigued me that I wanted to look at the specific colors of different types of honey. I matched a few and found that this looks to me most like sage honey. Now I really want to taste sage honey.

Aromas: ripe apples, green grapes, sugared walnuts

The list of aromas catalogues the nature of the apple smell, the secondary fruit scents, and other associative aromas. To be a bit more abstractly descriptive it smelled fresh and fruity, but also tangy and zesty, with a bit of yeast

Sweetness: off dry

The particular type of off dry in this cider has to be a beery near dryness. It hints at richness without really being sweet.

Flavors: grapefruit, barrel

The cider has medium high tannins and quite high acidity. These contribute to my sensing pithy white grapefruit as I drink it. Very enjoyable but intense. The barrel notes come from the tannins and are a little more relaxed than the acidity but still come across in a pronounced way. It comes together as a very grown-up cider.

Drinking Experience: This is most definitely a sipping cider. The Autumn's Gold contains some of the bitterness of beer. The level of carbonation is notably high, to the point that it gives the experience of drinking a dry apple champagne. This could be a cider for something formal. Make this a wedding toast cider.

In terms of food pairing, I could go in one of two directions. For nibbling, I'd pair it with an aged gouda, preferably the ones that are old enough to having a fairly hard and slightly crystalized texture, like a 5 year. Or if you do want to pair it will a meal or course, put it with a summery salad that has both fruit and avocado.

I find the cider to be very good, but don't pair it with a thirsty meal or try to drink it by itself. This is a cider to be considered and enjoyed slowly with other flavors and textures that can stand up to the tannins and acidity.

Lastly, I also want to recommend a specific section of Eve's Cidery's website. Their section about making cider is clear, well-written, and educational. I have to recommend it to anybody who wants to learn more about the cider process as well as enjoying its rewards.

Eve's Cidery: Making Sparkling Cider

Cider Review: Julian Hard Cider Harvest Apple

This cider company certainly has an image in mind: a wild west hard cider that is very American and very masculine. Check out their snazzy website. While this is not exactly my scene, (it primarily reminds me of the old show Deadwood) having a strong identity is a good thing. Their design and copy establish them very successfully as the Gold Rush Cider Men, and it isn’t a bad look. The cider is made with American apples in Julian, California with no added sugars or any juice concentrate. Those particulars are some I can get behind. The brand makes a few ciders: Harvest Apple, Cherry Bomb, and Black and Blue. I’ve only seen the Harvest Apple in New York City, but I admit to a huge curiosity about the Black and Blue since it incorporates black berries and blue berries. Ooh! But, back to the review at hand…

The ABV for the Harvest Apple is listed as 6.99%. Their official description reads as follows, “Julian Harvest Apple Cider is lightly carbonated, slightly tart, perfectly blended cider with a clean, dry finish.” I will be on the lookout for all of these characteristics and see what I find.

Color and appearance: Bubbly, pale, good clarity

After I poured the Harvest Apple, the glass became lined with very tiny still bubbles. This cider is clear and very pale. The color is almost like white gold.

Aroma: beery, yeasty slightly minerally

Different. Not fruity. This is definitely not the cider for someone looking for a sweet beverage, but if one likes British style semi-dry ciders, I’m guessing that this will fit the bill. I love this style, so I’m excited.

Sweet-dry scale: semi-dry

If one reads reviews online outside of the hard cider community (do so at your own peril), no one can make up the internet’s collective mind on how sweet Julian’s Harvest Apple is or is not. Some folks find it unpleasantly dry in a white wine style and others call it sweet. I can see the white wine connection because it does have a tart mineral element, but it isn’t face puckering or bone dry. I’d call this a very friendly semi-dry.

Drinking experience and flavors: beer like, tart, zesty

Refreshing. This cider has a light mouthfeel. It is acidic with a tartness that borders on the pleasant side of sour. This is a convoluted way to say that It all really adds up to being very lively, refreshing, and crisp beverage. It is very summery in a wonderful way. Not very appley though. I might fault the promotional copy’s accuracy a bit on that score.

Finish:  sweetest part of the taste

Though the finish sweetened up the cider a bit, it remained very clean. Not a tremendously long finish.

Pairs with: spring soups, snacks, versatile

I had my Julian Harvest Apple with creamy red pepper and chickpea soup, and then again later with my version of trail mix (roasted almonds, cashews, craisins, then half servings or less chocolate chips and sometimes Reese’s Pieces). It went well with both, but I think it could be enjoyed with many foods. As for the ideal activity for this cider, I must recommend reading outside.

I’d heartily recommend this cider as one to bring to potlucks. Mind you, I’m also likely to buy a 22oz bottle and not share with anyone while I read all afternoon once the semester ends. This is why teachers love summer. The Julian Harvest Apple is a great cider for those who enjoy a crisp cider with some beery characteristics. I do, so I enjoy Julian Hard Cider’s Harvest Apple very much.

Cider Review Commonwealth Cider Traditional Dry

 

Based out of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth Cider Traditional Dry is a relatively new cider attempt from the Philadelphia Brewing Company. I got to taste it because I have good friends in Philadelphia who want to share local things with me, and I'm quite grateful.

This is my review of their Traditional Dry. Their website describes it as “a very dry, crisp, easy drinking and delicately balanced cider.  It is wonderfully tart and effervescent with a light apple fragrance.” We’ll see how it tastes to me. I'm always curious about how different companies interpret their own ciders on the sweet/dry scale.

ABV: 5%

Color: clear topaz

Some steady thin streams of bubbles. No head but a ring of bubbles formed around the edges of the glass.

Aroma: bread, yeast, raisins with apple

The scent is sweeter than the taste. The scent is not unlike that of the Doc's Draft, with an aura of pastry.

Flavors: beer-like cider, mineral notes

In some ways this Commonwealth Cider is like a more intense Strongbow. Like how I remember it tasting, rather than how it tastes to me now. It is a bit textural. Not quite rough.  It is a perfectly satisfying semi-dry beer-inspired cider.

Drinking experience: This cider has loads of carbonation.

It keeps reminding me of beer! The carbonation levels are indeed strong, and the mineral notes dominate any fruitiness. A summery beverage.

Sweet to dry: semi-dry to dry

Not the most outstanding flavor profile, but a when the company promises crisp and effervescent, they deliver.  I can imagine that this works well in warm weather or when someone wants to enjoy a beverage that will not distract from a meal. For Strongbow fans, it is a clear winner.