Cider Review: Grisamore Cider Works Flight

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been writing about enjoying cider in Summer. I drink cider year round (of course!) but I don’t make the same cider choices during different seasons. What I recommend today is tasting cider on the farm where it’s made. I love to visit cideries and orchards year round, but they are particularly lush and green right now. And you’ll beat the rush of folks will be flocking during Fall! 

When my dad came to visit this summer, I knew I wanted to take him to a cidery. I wanted to share my love of cider and get outside in the sunshine. Simon at Grisamore had invited me out do a tasting at the newly opened tasting room a while ago, so it had been on my list.  Luckily, we had a great weather day for it. 

Grisamore is a third generation family farm, a u-pick apple destination, and a new cidery in the Finger Lakes area of NY state. The farm has been in the family since 1975, and Grisamore Ciderworks has been operating for a few years now.  

Check out Grisamore’s website to learn about the cidermaking and orchards and check out lots of lovey pictures: http://grisamoreciderworks.com

I have reviewed a couple Grisamore ciders before. Here are both of those in depth reviews.

The 24.4 squared: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-grisamore-cider-works-244.html

Currantly: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/10/cider-reviews-redbyrd-orchard-cider.html 

The Grisamore Flight. I’ll start with Grisamore’s description, followed my impressions.

Alice: “An earthy nose with pungent green apple and allusions of peach.” ABV 7.5%.

I found the Alice very appealing with the Green tea notes in the aroma. This is a high acid, very dry cider. Probably it’s nicest feature is a delightful golden applesauce finish. I found the texture petillant.

24.4²: “An easy, clean drinking cider with tropical notes, aged on citra hops.” 7.6%ABV

Boy oh boy the 24.4²: smells and tastes hopped! I appreciate how remarkably Clean and non-sweaty this cider smells. The hops come across as pineapple and grapefruit. This cider similarly high acid and petillance to what I found in the Alice. This one offers a bit of dry plum at the end and pleasant hay notes

Blue Goose: “fresh minty green blueberry flavor on the palette with a clean sparkling finish.” 7.3% ABV

I didn’t know quite what to expect from the Blue Goose. What I got was luscious blueberry muffin aroma with some sweetness. This cider’s flavors reminded me of rhubarb, watermelon, and minerals. It also had notes of blueberry skins. This cider brings a medium level of bubble and just a little sweetness.

Respect Your Elders: “A semi-dry cider fermented on elderberries sourced from our pensioner bush.” 7.4% ABV

The Respect Your Elders had more subtle aromas than the ciders I tasted before. What I could smell was gently floral. What I taste is foxy and spicy with notes of grass and with poblano notes right upfront. This was a remarkable delight. 

Field of Your Choice: “A farmhouse cider with a golden straw glow. A sour cider with a clean dry finish.” 6.5% ABV

I thought Field of Your Choice would be more sour! Instead I smelled sweet fresh soft apple smells.The sourness is present but understated. This cider also varies in that it has more bubbles. There’s also something in the flavors that strikes me as grainy.

It was a fun flight. I like Grisamore Ciderworks’ stuff, and I love a reason to go out and look at a farm on a beautiful day. This is such a fun way to appreciate cider and enjoy Summer!

Cider Cans Crush It: AeppelTreow Blackbird Berried Cider and Farmhaus Cider Co. Classic

My last post for Cider Cans Crush It has arrived. I don't even feel like I've scratched the surface of what kinds of cider can now be found in cans. Yes, the eight I picked are all very different from one another, but I know have at least this many more that highlight other facets of the cider world in cans. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I do want to show off these last two ciders in the series!

Today we're starting with AeppelTreow's Blackbird Berried Cider. This is far from my first AeppelTreow review. The cidermaker, Charles, is a friend of mine within the cider world. He regularly does trainings on fermentation and on perceiving flaws in cider from a scientific view. The whole community of cidermakers and drinkers has a lot to thank Charles for. So, I'm always happy to review any samples from AeppelTreow.

Here are my previous reviews of AeppelTreow Ciders:

Orchard Oriole Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-aeppeltreows-orchard.html

Appley Brut: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-appeltreow-winerys-appley.html

Sparkling Perry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-1-aeppeltreow.html

Kinglet Bitter: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/09/cider-review-appletreow-kinglet-bitter.html

Barnswallow Draft Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/03/cider-review-appeltreow-barnswallow.html

You can read about many of the ciders, fruit wines, and spirits on the AeppelTreow website: http://aeppeltreow.com/ and also now http://appletrue.com

The canned line is AeppelTreow's Songbird Ciders. Blackbird Berried Cider. The ABV is 5.5%. I'll share what I saw on the can itself.

AeppelTreow Songbird Ciders are crafted in small batches from apples grown by farmers we know. They are named for the birds that live in and around the orchard.

Blackbird is our American-style berry-flavored cider, blended with the juices of black currants and elderberries. It's a little sweet and a bunch tart.

At AeppelTreow we are Apple True

Respect the land

Savor the fruit

Deliver unique flavors

Make it the hard way

Appearance: brilliant, some bubbles, mulberry

I'll call the color mulberry because it's to red to be purely purple and to purple to be purely a dark red. Though the color is dark, the cider is brilliant and shows of a host of bubbles. This one is too pretty to leave in the can! Transport it to your drinking destination, but then put this beauty in a glass!

Aromas: black currant, black berry, dusty, citric acid

The cider smells like citric acid, black currants, and dark fruity berries in general. The fermentation notes come across subtly in a very tantalizing way. It's mouth watering.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

I find this cider approachably semi-sweet. Though I tend to prefer dry ciders, I can enjoy the sweeter side of life when done well and with good balance. This is just such a cider. I like how the malic acid and citric acid keep that sweetness from getting out of control.

The cider tastes a little sticky and a bit foxy and oh so summery. I love the dark and foresty notes. The Blackbird is grippy due to black currant juice. They offer up pleasantly fruity tannins. The cider has undeniably high acid but low level bubble that keeps it from getting harsh.

This cider is very drinkable, even dangerously drinkable. Full bodied, coats but doesn’t clog. I am a big fan of the Blackbird's pert acidic finish. I find the whole experience lusciously balanced. I had this cider with homemade vegetable burritos, and it was perfect.

Farmhaus Cider Co. Classic

This company is the product of the fifth generation of a Michigan farming family. The current endeavor was founded in 2015 near Grand Rapids in Hudsonville. They even have a Cidergarten and tasting room now! I met the founders Megan and John at a cider event years ago, and I've been watching their progress and rooting for them. So, I'm happy to finally be reviewing the cider. This is a review sample shared with me.

Find out all about the company on the website: http://farmhauscider.com/

In the "About" page, there's a hilarious section dedicated to haters, even giving them a specail email address for negative feedback. I think that's so clever.

The Farmhaus Classic cider's official description follows.

Fresh. Bright. Halbbitter.

A semi-sweet cider with a fruity last and sweet aroma created using local apples and fermented in a Germanic style, giving it superior drinkability. Most often compared to a riesling or Moscato, this cider pairs well with soft & creamy cheeses, chicken dishes and your favorite pizza

Appearance: straw, transparent, very bubbly

This cider looks so bubbly! My sparkle-loving taste buds are now actively anticipating this one! I'd call the color straw and the clarity transparent.

Aromas: Stony, fresh apples, dust

I didn't get a lot of smell from the can, but I detected more aromas once I poured the classic into a glass. I can smell stones, dust, and fresh apples. These are very traditional aromas for a cider of this type.

Sweetness/dryness: right on the line between semi-sweet and semi-dry

This cider perceives as semi-dry, but only just barely. It's right on that semi-sweet/semi-dry line, but because the acid is on the higher side, I'll call it semi-sweet. The sweetness that's there is very apple-y.

Flavor and drinking experience: citrus, high acid, balanced

Like many modern ciders, the flavors are all driven by the high acidity in the Classic. It's fruity but tastes more like citrus than like pomme or stone fruits. My first impression was how very much the cider reminds me of fresh-squeezed orange juice. The cider comes across as reasonably balanced even with that high-ish acidity.

There are no tannins to speak of but it has some excellent refreshing qualities. I appreciate the nice strong bubble level. I'm always a sucker for strongly sparkling ciders. All the flavors combine to create a crisp, sessionable drinking experience. The cider has a light body and a clean finish.

One of the most interesting things I noticed about it is a floral finish and pear-like aftertaste. I had this cider with homemade popcorn and good conversation. It was a simple pairing for an approachable cider, and I enjoyed the experience.

This may be the last week of Cider Cans Crush it for June, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop covering canned ciders. What I learned in focusing on them for 4 weeks is that there really is an amazing breadth to this format. I want to keep exploring it and showcasing all the different kinds of ciders that people are canning these days. Cans really are perfect for Summer, and I have a feeling we have a lot more hot weather coming! Cheers!

Cider Review: Aaron Burr's Homestead Elderberry Apple

On this still dark and snowy morning, Along Came a Cider finally reviews an Aaron Burr cider. I thought I'd reviewed one long ago, but a little looking reveals my error. I suppose I thought I'd reviewed a cider by Aaron Burr Cidery, because it is such fascinating cult cidery of sorts. Andy Brennan makes these ciders in Wurtsboro, New York in tiny runs from either heritage or foraged apples. Some blends include interesting additives or co-fermented ingredients. Brennan also doesn't add preservative sulphites. Its a very purist and historically oriented approach to cider making, which adds to the mystique

Read how Aaron Burr Cidery presents its cider identity on the website:

“The Cidery”, which produces Aaron Burr Cider in Wurtsboro, New York, is a small homestead farm dating back to the early 19th century. We specialize in growing cider-apples, which are different from eating-apples in the same way wine-grapes are different from table-grapes. We use our apples and other locally grown and foraged apples for one mission: to re-create “true cider”, the time-averaged most popular drink in America.

This focus is founded on the belief that early Americans drank history’s best cider. Reestablishing this involves holism -from farming to art, from the market to politics- cider is an identity. There is much from our recent past which must be undone but luckily the descendants of early cider apples do still exist in the wild. We believe their ability to survive the 20th century provides American cider its future.

You can find out more at the website itself: http://www.aaronburrcider.com/

Tonight I'm reviewing the Elderberry Apple which intrigues me mightily. I've only had one other elderberry cider, also from New York state, but one I suspect is nonetheless very different.

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/09/cider-review-original-sin-elderberry.html

Here's the information Aaron Burr Cider presents about the Homestead Elderberry Apple

2014 Homestead Elderberry Apple 98 cases made, 7.4% abv , 750 ml

Specs: Tannic, dry, medium acidity. Deep crimson hue with slight carbonation.Notes: Woody/ forest aromas mixed berry upfront. Balanced, light body. Chalky and fruity.

Source: 10% elderberry foraged from BashaKill wetlands, 90% unsprayed west Sullivan County apples

Furthermore, the back label has a charming little addendum, "Dry. May become naturally effervescent." With a bit more instructional information in terms of how to pour a cider with lees (fermentation solids) and and how to store a cider without any added sulphites.

Appearance: hazy, rich watermelon color, a few tiny bubbles

I cannot over-emphasize how absolutely beautiful this cider is in the glass. It glows with the color of ripe watermelon flesh.

Aroma: tart, blackberry, yeasty

The smell is full and tart. It reminds me of both blackberries and orange, fruits that give flavor and tartness in equal measure. I also detect very real amounts of yeast that lean the aromas in the direction of a sour beer.

Dryness/sweetness: dry

The bottle tells the truth; this cider is dry. I know that fruitiness does not actually either take away from or add to dryness, but to call this cider dry without calling attention to its fruitiness only tells part of the story.

Flavors and drinking experience: rustic, light, tart, fruity and vegetal both

The Elderberry Apple tastes a little like a sour beer and like its aromas: tart. a bit of vinegar in with the berry notes. Perhaps the fermentation included a subtle level of acedification, which I know will excite any fans of Spanish style ciders. As the description predicted, it has a light mouthfeel—almost watermelony, to be sure. Texturally, the bubbles are small but not so present to be strongly sparkling. I can taste the yeast a little on the back of the tongue. The flavors include lots of citrus and berry notes, but I also get some vegetal elements like potato & celery, but not unpleasantly. The cider comes across as more balanced in big sips. If you enjoy a rustic cider, this cannot be beaten.

guess right now I'd say drink this cider while listening to David Bowie's music or watching a film he was in. Perhaps I'd say that about any cider right now; its all I want to do. But, I actually think this makes more sense with a special cider by this cidery more than most. Andy Brennan's ciders are unique and vary between being extremely playful and inviting and being somewhat more challenging. They always offer distinctive character and craft. If these qualities do not serve to parallel the towering achievements of David Bowie, I don't know whose ciders would. This, in my mind, serves as one of the highest possible compliments, and I mean it as such.

Cider Review: Original Sin Elderberry

Original Sin has been around making cider since 1997. This New York City cider company got its start with hand delivery and a well-balanced six-pack cider. Over time, they have become an award-winning company with some very nice ciders and the best iconic style in the industry. To check out that style take a look at all of their posters available in their online shop: http://origsin.com/v4/shop/.  I first reviewed one of their specialty ciders, the Newtown Pippin a few months ago: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/02/cider-review-newtown-pippin.html.

 Here's what Original Sin has to say about their newest cider, "Elderberry is a common fruit used in wine making. Its unique tart qualities make it an ideal fruit to use in the cider making process. Much of making a good cider is finding the perfect balance between acid, sugar and tannins. With Original Sin Elderberry, the Company believes it has achieved this balance. There is a long history of Elderberries being used in cider production. In fact, in the 1822 book ‘The American Orchardist’, it suggests adding Elderberries to give 'cider a fine colour as well as flavor." I can vouch for the fine color, let's see about the flavor.

Appearance: claret, brilliant, dark

The Elderberry briefly has head that disappears entirely just seconds after it is poured. This cider has quite a number of visible bubbles that entirely coat the sides of the glass. It's deep claret red is very appealing, but definitely on the unusual side for a cider.

Aromas: Not a lot of aroma

Though I didn't get a tremendous intensity of aroma from this, I could smell berries for certain. It's secondary notes come across most immediately as stone and citrus.

Sweetness: sweet

I think there is a key to making sweet ciders that I enjoy, acidity. When a cider balances this well, a cider can be sweet but not troublingly so because the sweetness has a fruit character and depth rather than stickiness. This is still a delicate balance, but one that Original Sin has handled well in this cider. Very easy drinking.

Flavors and Drinking Experience: tart, light, fun

Original Sin's Elderberry Cider has a hint of the berry bitterness that I saw in Julian Cider's Black and Blue but with less deep dark flavor. The tartness pleases my palate very much. Overall, the cider offers a sweetly tart cider with a light refreshing mouthfeel. I highly recommend having the Elderberry with nutella toast or other similarly yummy sweet comfort foods.