Cider Review: Bantam Cider's Wunderkind

To celebrate my return from lovely, warm, comfortable Florida, I'm reviewing my very first Bantam Cider. You can check out their website here: http://www.bantamcider.com. It has a beautifully simple design and lots of excellent information. The company operates out of Cambridge, Massachussetts where they share some equipment with a small winery: a good practice for a young company.This is how Bantam describes its own identity as a cider company:

Bantam Cider was born from a proud family tradition of
winemaking and a desire to be part of a creative process
rooted in the local community.

We were inspired to do something special, to create a truly unique and
modern line of products that would reshape the way people experience
cider. We source our apples from local orchards and create and trial
cider concepts at our small lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts. By shar-
ing capacity with a regional winery, we are able to scale up production
to meet demand. This allows us to grow our business while maintain-
ing flexibility and a compact footprint.

We are a small enterprise in a world of big brands. While we don’t have
a big budget, we do have big ambitions and hope to challenge conven-
tional thinking about what cider should be.

We are committed to making creative and distinctive crafted cider using fresh pressed apples and high-quality,
all-natural ingredients. 

These are some pretty admirable (and lofty) goals. I'm curious about how their focus on innovation and experimentation will translate to taste. I like a good traditional cider in many different styles, so we'll see what breaking tradition tastes like.

Bantam makes a few different ciders. My wonderful brother-in-law picked the Wunderkind up for me during a family visit. He chose just the right one because this is their first cider, which is always a grand place to begin. The bottle didn't give me very much information, but when I looked up the Wunderkind online, I found much more. Here it is:

We are proud to introduce our first cider, Wunderkind.
Bantam's maiden voyage is named in honor of one of
the greatest modern adventurers, Amelia Earhart. She
was bold and courageous and never settled for any-
thing less than achieving the extraordinary. It is her
fearless spirit and sense of adventure that inspires
our own quest.

Wunderkind is bright and crisp and gently lingers on
the palate. It is made from a blend of local apples,
slowly fermented to capture subtle esters, and del-
icately balanced with a hint of flower-blossom honey.
It is the result of countless test batches on dozens of
apple varieties and yeast strains to arrive at just the
right combination of flavors, aroma and body.

Wunderkind isn't simply a new twist on a familiar
theme, it's a new story altogether.

Still curious about what they mean about a new story. Let's see.

Appearance: White, very pale, super clear

Bantam's Wunderkind just shines in this big gorgeous glass my family let me borrow. Obvious brilliant. The color looks nearly white, almost light green. The bubbles look like champagne bubbles in that they are so very active and fine. I wish I'd taken more time for photos, but getting photos and tasting notes while enjoying cider and family at the same time isn't actually as easy as I'd like it to be.

Aromas: Honey

I can smell just oodles of honey. Secondarily, the Wunderkind wafts off notes white wine, pear, and vanilla. It doesn't not smell very much like apple. Perhaps this is the innovation to talked up in Bantam's promotional copy. It smells back sweetened, which means that the cider was likely fermented to dryness and then sweetened after fermentation to taste. This is a very common technique for cidermakers producing on any scale. Smells lovely but different.

Sweetness: Sweet

The taste matches the smell in that I can definitely taste some significant back sweetening with honey on the finish. That really affects the character of the sweetness and the cider.

Flavors and Drinking Experience: sophisticated even while being sweet, creamy, and approachable

At first the Wunderkind tastes sweet, then it blooms into a creamy floral mid palate. Next, I get spices  and very easygoing, fleeting honey-vanilla on finish. What really sets the Wunderkind apart is that it isn't strongly fruit forward even while having plenty of flavor and sweetness. I experience this cider primarily as something light, sophisticated, and pleasant. It goes well with any number of desserts, and since I was visiting family I got to try it with several. I enjoyed it most with almond cookies. The  tiny bubbles seem to occur naturally and add wonderful texture and lightness.  The Wunderkind comes across as bright but not super acidic, very low in tannins, and very friendly.

I'd definitely bring this cider to party. It seems meant for light conversation and little desserts. I'm curious to try Bantam's other offerings. This one really worked for me despite not tasting very much like my usual favorites. Maybe they are achieving exactly what they were talking about in terms of breaking tradition?

Cider Review: Redbyrd 2013 Harvest Cider

So exciting! I'm about to taste my first craft cider bottled from the 2013 harvest. I've had some tasty home brewed ciders, but Redbyrd Orchard Cider introduced their 2013 Harvest Cider more quickly than any other offerings from this year's bumper crop of apples.  

First through a bit about Redbyrd Orchards. They are a very farm and orchard oriented cider company. They are also very small, independent, and locally oriented. All good things in my book. You can read about their ciders, process, and philosophy on their website: http://redbyrdorchardcider.com 

One of the really neat things about Redbyrd is that they have a cider CSA (it stands for Community Supported Agriculture) Their CSA shares are on sale now. What a great concept. They explain how it all works on this page:
http://redbyrdorchardcider.com/2013/12/16/best-holiday-gift-ever-cider-csa-sign-up-begins-today/

Back in the fall, during Cider Week, I did my first review of a Redbyrd Cider, their Starblossom 21012. Feel free to check out that review here: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/finger-lakes-cider-week-special-review.html I do a more thorough introduction to Redbyrd in that post. For now though, I'm ready to dive into this exciting new cider.

Luckily for us, Redbyrd Orchard Cider gives extensive and informative notes on all of their releases. I'll let them speak for themselves about the Harvest Cider before going into my own impressions.

2013 Harvest Cider

Tasting Notes:  Harvest Cider 2013 is a blend of our first two pressings of the 2013 harvest season.   It is rich in color with aromas of bittersweet apple, rose hips, and peach skin. In the glass, Harvest Cider is lightly sparkling, or petillant, with a palate that is clean, crisp, and ripe with fresh fruit and minerals. This cider finishes with velvety tannins and racy acidity.

Apples:  20% Browns Apple: early sharp English cider apple, aromatic

                12% Major: early bittersweet English cider apple

                12% Domaines: early bittersweet French cider apple

                8% Dolgo Crab: early Russian crabapple for color and aroma

                48% mixed early heirlooms and early bittersweet drops

Alcohol:  7.7% alc/vol.

Residual Sugar: 0.0%rs.

Production Notes:  Most ciders from the 2013 vintage will not be ready for release until late winter/early spring 2014. After primary fermentation, the cider from the first two pressings naturally clarified much quicker than usual.  Normally we wait for all of our tanks to finish fermentation to find the right blends to create balance and brightness in our ciders. These very first two tanks of cider were surprisingly balanced, aromatic, and bright, and in combination made for an early cider to be released. Racking off the top of the tanks allowed us to take only the clearest cider of each and then blend, force carbonate, and bottle. This cider is unfined and unfiltered.  This is cider in its purest form.

Alrighty, back to Along Came a Cider then. I love that Redbyrd tells us about their specific apple choices in the blend and about the process that allowed this cider to come into its own so early. Fascinating stuff. 

 
Appearance: maple, brilliant, no bubbles

This is a exceptionally dark cider. To me it looks almost like maple syrup in the glass. Perhaps this is because it is both unfined and unfiltered? Or it could have to do with the apple choices. Either way, it is striking to see.

Aromas: wood, tannins, some apple

Not a lot of apple aroma. The scent of this cider is dominated by woodiness. I can detect some minerally almost metallic notes as well. I'm definitely predicting a dry cider based on this aroma.

Sweet to dry: Absolutely bone dry

Dry, and I do mean seriously dry. But with just a tiny hint of more fruitiness in the tasting than I got from smelling the Harvest 2013 cider. If you like sweet ciders, this is not for you.

Flavors and drinking experience: Acidic!

This is just about the most sour cider I've ever tasted. The bright acidity knocks every other element out of the competition to get noticed. Yes I can still taste the woodiness and some citrus and apple fruitiness, but mostly this is an extremely zesty acidic cider. It isn't to my tastes as much as the 2012 Starblossom, honestly. But I can see some cider fans really getting into this style. I like the woodiness, but I wish it were more mellow. I do enjoy the level of carbonation on this.

What I would do though to maximize my enjoyment of this cider is to pair it with the right dish, something that needs some brightness. And believe me, this time of year there are a ton of heavy dishes that could use a pick me up. I think a creamy chowder would complement this cider very well. As for activities, pick this for snowed in night at home with just your nearest and dearest, who are presumably already cider fans. This is an unusual enough cider that you don't want to share it with any new cider converts necessarily. This is more for those who already like the more acidic and dry sides of the beverage.

Cider Review: Albemarle Ciderworks Royal Pippin Virginia Apple Cider

This afternoon, I'm quite pleased to share my first review of cider by Albermarle Ciderworks. I've been following the company online for a while, but I got a chance to taste several of their ciders on my recent vacation. I asked on Twitter and did a bit of research into where I could get cider reasonably close to the Norfolk, Virginia airport and I was thrilled to see so much cider at the fairly nearby wine store. I hauled my embarassing amount of vacation cider to the Outerbanks of North Carolina and reviewed ciders all vacation long. This is definitely a process I recommend and plan to repeat.

You can check out their website here: http://www.albemarleciderworks.com It has lots of great information about their ciders, local events, and cider more generally. Very nice. Though I haven't gotten to visit it, I'm excited that Albemarle has a tasting room! You can visit them Wednesdays - Sundays from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. in North Garden, Virginia just south of Charlottesville.

I'm starting this series of reviews with my encounter with their Royal Pippin Virginia Apple Cider in no small part because I've already tasted and reviewed the Newtown Pippin single variety by Original Sin. You can check out that review for comparison here: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/02/cider-review-newtown-pippin.html. The apples aren't the same, but they are closely enough related that I think looking at the reviews together makes sense.

Here's the official blurb for the cider from Albemarle: "The Albemarle Pippin, besides being an exquisite dessert and culinary apple, makes a delightful single varietal cider. Royal Pippin has notes of pineapple and grape, with a well balanced acidity and a lush apple taste. It is a refreshing apertif and pairs splendidly with seafood and pork. 8.5% ABV." What I find really interesting is that the label lists a different ABV than the website; on the cider label the ABV appears to be 9.5%. I'm sure batches vary and that labelling requirements are as mysterious in Virginia as they are in other states, but I wish I knew what the actual ABV of the cider was. 

In the websites's tasting notes section, it says this about the cider: "Royal Pippin is a wonderfully diverse cider, perfect for pairing with so many dishes.  Roasted chicken over winter root vegetables, lemony scallops, poached salmon, even spicy carnitas or a firm, nutty cheese. . . all work well alongside this cider."

Giving a bit of extra info in the "Why we like it" section, Albemarle says this about the background of its Royal Pippin: "The Albemarle Pippin has a storied past; Queen Victoria and her subjects were so enamored of the taste of the Albemarle Pippin that they were willing to pay higher prices and forego the import tax on this richly flavored apple.  Our Royal Pippin cider captures all the best aspects of this apple's essence superbly."

Appearance: slightly hazy, glowing deep vanilla

The color needs a slightly more whimsical description than some, perhaps because of the haziness or the lovely bubbling. So, I stand by my glowing deep vanilla color assessment.

Aromas: Fresh apples, wine yeast, tea, pencil shavings

This smells sweet but the other blended aromas that include clean minerals, iron, wood, and wine yeast give me a good hint that it won't likely taste sweet. I am expecting a fairly high tannin level though.

Sweet-dry scale: off dry

Upon first taste, my prediction is fulfilled. This is not a sweet cider, but is approachable and full of flavor. I love this level dryness. The Royal Pippin could easily go with food or be enjoyed just on its own.

Flavors and Drinking Experience:  floral, high tannin, low acid, woody

Thie cider tastes wild and English, but not farmy. Instead it strikes me as refined with hints of very sharp cheddar, lapsang souchong tea, rich mushrooms, maybe even bleu cheese. The Royal Pippin's  finish is citrusy, but I get no citrus before then. It gives a lingering warmth that is most enjoyable.

Drinking Experience:

This single varietal is better balanced than Original Sin's Newtown Pippin.  In fact, it is so well balanced and drinkable, I would not have guessed it for a single origin cider had I known this beforehand. For me that makes it not just an educational or interesting beverage, but one to savor on its own merit as well.

Though you could drink this on its own, I recommend it with a summery veggie tart something with lots of zucchini, tomatoes, corn and cheese. It could also go easily with sitting on a porch and watching the world go by. Very lovely indeed.

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 Doc's Draft Cranberry Spice

This is probably far later than anyone was expecting to see a review of a holiday cider, but I ran into this at a New York wine store randomly the other night. We happened to have a cold drizzly night not long after, and I felt like I could really enjoy something both fruity and spicy.

I've reviewed Doc's Draft and written a bit about their brand before, http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/01/cider-review-docs-draft-hard-apple-cider.html Here is a link to their cider page: http://wvwinery.com/cider/ but to stay up to date on their news, I'd suggest their Facebook page instead: https://www.facebook.com/docshardcider?fref=ts

The Cranberry Spice is their winter seasonal, and I looked for it casually for months before catching one in May. Here's what they say about their own special flavor, "A unique, hand-crafted holiday spiced hard cider. Made from pressed NY state apples, fresh cranberries and spices fermented with champagne yeast and malice acid to excite the action." I'm curious what the very unspecified spiced blend will include, let's find out.

ABV: 6%



Color and appearance: clear dark pink

When poured, this cider gives a brief appearance of a head that dissipates quickly. Lots of visible bubbles all along the glass at first but these too disappear quickly. The color is lovely.

Aroma: Spice! Cranberry and a surprising hint of wintergreen

The scents of baked goods, especially cinnamon, dominate the cider. I did not smell much apple or fruit, but I did note a secondary element of wintergreen in the spice. A nice wintery smell that does make me think of holiday celebration more than a cool spring night.

Sweet to dry: semi-sweet

The cranberry makes the sweetness very different from most ciders. The sweet and tart come together to keep it from being a true sweet. The Sweet-tart candies actually show some pleasant similarities here.

Flavors and drinking experience: punch-like, tart

This is a beverage more than a cider. Between the cranberry and the spice, there is not much apple flavor. Some cider drinkers would find this to be a fault. I think it merely specifies what this cider is. It is a cider-based punch. Very appropriate for winter parties.

Finish: sour candied apple

The finish on this cider continues to keep sweetness and tartness absolutely side by side and feels like a sour apple candy finish with a shadow underneath of minerals.

Pairs with: Creaminess! Tofurkey! Parties! Though I might have enjoyed this on the last cool night of spring, it truly is a winter cider. I'd drink it with foods with cream sauces. My husband's side of the family (shout out to the amazing Reeds, Laytons, and Troys who share this with me every year) makes Béarnaise sauce a special part of Christmas dinner and I think this could taste very very good with the rich herbed butteriness of Béarnaise sauce. For more info on this wonderful sauce: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9arnaise_sauce

As far as ideal activities, take this to an office holiday party; it will be an excellent conversation starter and add something genuinely pleasant and bright to a mix that may or may not be satisfying on its own.

In Conclusion, the Doc's Draft Cranberry Spice's strength of cranberry and spice notes make it really unusually. So unusual that it tastes not very much like a cider, but tasty nonetheless. I enjoyed it for a treat, but I doubt I could make this a staple.

Cider Review: Arsenal Cider Cannoneers Bone Dry Sour Cherry and a Cider Event!

Today, I’m sharing my review for another cider from Pittsburgh’s Arsenal Cider and Wine Bar , The Cannoneers Bone Dry Sour Cherry. I previously reviewed their signature cider, the Fightin’ Elleck which has since gotten a silver medal at the 2013 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. If you want to find information about their current offerings, rather than using their website, I’d suggest going to their frequently updated Facebook page. This Pittsburgh cidery sells by the 1 litre refillable growler, and their local tap list grows by the week.  

At first I was skittish about even trying a free sample of the Cannoneers Bone Dry Sour Cherry  because I tend to dislike most cherry flavors. Even most varieties of cherries themselves. Once encouraged, I will try most ciders, and this one was full of surprises.
 
The ABV clocks in at a whopping 11.5% which means that our 1 litre growler is a pretty potent sell. I had some very interesting tasting help from my husband and our good friend Aaron (who is usually a scotch or beer drinker). Arsenal ciders are carbonated right at the bar, so I was curious how this one would do after waiting unopened for about five weeks.  On to the review!
 
Color and appearance: deep pink, a few visible bubbles, no cloudiness
I tend to love the ciders with deep naturally occurring color. This one is beautiful. It looks like a sparkling rose in the in the glass.
Aroma: Funky, farmy, fruity
 
The Sour Cherry doesn’t actually smell very much like cherry. Its dominant impression is resinous and funky. The fruit comes through more as apple core and red currants. Some of our tasters noticed some mineral elements that reminded them of shellac, but for me this has a very pleasant farmy barnyard smell. Many of my favorite English ciders have aromas in this family.
 
Sweet-dry scale: off dry
 
Though Arsenal calls it bone dry, I’d call it pleasantly off dry. It is too fruity to taste completely dry, but it could not be called sweet.
 
Drinking experience and flavors: Carbonized cherry crumble, Chestnut, pulp
 
Between all three tasters, we got associations and impressions in a few different directions. We each tasted the cherry more than we had smelled it, but between the carbonation (which remained good and strong in the unopened growler) and the dryness, the cider does not taste like fresh cherries. It has a pastry quality, more like a cherry crumble. We also agreed on a warm nuttiness that probably connects to the fairly full and oily mouthfeel. I love a robust mouthfeel in my ciders! I also tasted hints of wet paper pulp amidst the green pear and slight tannic puckering. The Sour Cherry is a cider that is better than the sum of its parts, some of which are a bit weird. The overall experience, however, is truly enjoyable.

Finish:  Salt, lime, well water
 
For Aaron, the finish reminded him of the saltiness of Islay Scotch, but for me it was all citrus and minerals. That’s how I understand tasting salt and lime.
 
Drinking Notes: The added carbonation remained strong in the unopened growler quite well for more than a month. I’ve been drinking the cider little by little and the carbonation has waned understandably after the growler has been opened.
 
The Cannoneers Bone Dry Sour Cherry pairs very well with potatoes. I'd be more specific, but I think this cider shows real flexibility in terms of food accompaniment. I'd love to drink the Sour Cherry with an au gratin or with garlic mashed potatoes or even with fries and a sandwich. I'd stick with savoury pairings, but within that category, you can go nuts.
 
The cider is available in house and at some local Pittsburgh bars and restaurants. I can heartily recommend Arsenal's Sour Cherry Cider to folks who enjoy the funkier side of the beverage. It singlehandedly changed my mind about cherry ciders.
 
Also, Arsenal is organizing a Pittsburgh Cider and Mead Festival for April 27th!

Check out the info on their handy dandy flier.

Cider Review: West County Cider, Reine de Pomme

West County Ciders hail from Colrain, Massachusetts where they have been made by cidermaker Judith Maloney and her family since 1984. They mention hailing previously from California’s wine making traditions which they have blended with New England cider making and blending techniques. They only use pressed apples and no concentrate. Their website has much more information.

As a varietal intro I mostly want to share what West County says about their own cider. The story comes from their discovery of “a classic French bittersweet apple” described as having strong tannins, complexity, a note of iron. Their blurb says, “Reine de Pomme is an archaic French Apple. We found it in the Geneva Reference Orchard. In 1987, in France, the only reference to it we found was a listing in a nursery catalog from the 1920’s at an apple museum in Normandy.” And this is just the apple. When described the cider as they have created, cellared, and blended it, they say, “As a cider it has a deep, dark-fruit, honeyed taste. We blended it with our Dabinet to round out the tannins, and Redfield to add bright fruit and to balance the bitter-sweets. Though blended, Reine de Pomme leads the taste, and the Dabinet and Redfield fall in nicely as supports. It is the fullest-bodied cider we have made. And the closest in taste to a French Cider.”

ABV: 7.3%

Color and appearance: Deep glowing apricot

The appearance of this cider is truly unique. Its color is glorious. When we cannot stand a moment more of grey winter, pouring a glass of the Reine de Pomme can temporarily transport us to sunnier days. This cider also shows tremendous levels  of bubbles. So many active bubbles. A bright white head formed when I poured my first glass, and then vanished quickly.

Aroma:  candied citrus, nectarine, and dusty granite?

As crazy as this may sound, the end of the each sniff of this cider brought strong grey rock in the sun to my mind. As an inveterate basker and lounger who would always prefer to sit or lay on the ground, I’ve smelled rocks aplenty and the Reine de Pomme smells like a sun-warmed rock. It also smells like fruit and sugar with a citrus pinch.

Sweet to dry: Off dry

The bottle describes the cider as dry, and for many cider drinkers it would be quite dry. For those more attuned to independent, small-batch ciders though, the range is wider and dryer than that made up only of more widely available ciders, making the Reine de Pomme a very pleasant off dry. This an ideal level of sweetness and dryness in my mind.

Flavors and drinking experience: tannic, heavy, creamy mouthfeel,

The citrus from the scent develops fully when I taste this cider. I can taste the mineral element from the smell also, but it fuses with the fruit notes more, almost adding a shadow of depth behind the brighter notes.

Finish:  slow but still creamy with residual flavors of lemon

The finish is luscious, less dry than the initial taste. It dallies and gives a second impression of creaminess united with lemon or sweetish citrus.    

Pairs with: a full meal with strong flavors, maybe a risotto or shepherd’s pie.

The unusual mouthfeel would allow drinkers to pair this with something usually less available for cider pairings. Maybe even something with more than a hint of spiciness. Alternately, the cider drinkly beautifully on its own. I’d take this particular drink sunbathing, maybe because of the aroma. Still, I think the Reine de Pomme would be a lovely companion for unwinding in the out of doors. Quite a fascinating cider, especially for one so drinkable.

Cider Review: Bellwether's Liberty Spy (and blog news!)

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Tonight I’m happy to be reviewing a cider I’ve enjoyed the few chances I’ve had to taste it. The Liberty Spy is created by Bellwether Hard Cider. It is a cidery that has been in business since 1999: located in Trumansburg, a small hamlet outside of Ithaca, New York. The company produces ten distinct ciders. Bellwether is part of a larger cider scene in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. Since I will be moving to Ithaca in a few months, this is a cider scene I’m definitely planning on joining. If you're from there, please say hi!

Within the cadre of Bellwether ciders, the Liberty Spy is described as semi-dry/semi-sweet. Its apple components are listed as Liberty and Northern Spy, hence the name. They sell it as a cider to bring to people not yet familiar with ciders. That’s partly why I chose it to be my first Bellwether review, an introduction of sorts. It comes in a 750ml bottle, a good sharing size.

ABV: 6.8%

Color and appearance: Quite pale

If feeling romantic, I’d almost call this color moonglow. It hints at springtime with its paleness just on the verge of yellow and green.

Aroma: floral, honey, yet tart

The scent plays between a few different notes not uncommon in a semi-sweet cider, including a sort of floral honey mélange and a lightly sharper element reminiscent of green fruits.

Sweet to dry: semi-sweet

Though Bellwether calls this a semi-dry/semi-sweet, I think it falls a bit more into the semi-sweet category. It opens with sweetness that dissipates quickly. It is anything but cloying; the refreshing zest of this cider is wedded to its light amount of sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: green apples

I immediately understand why this is described as an introductory cider. It shows off the pleasant and lively side of cider with ease and power. Perhaps that sounds a bit odd, but the carbonation level is just right. It sets the drinking pace and showcases the cider’s flavors well. The mouthfeel is what gives the impression of power because it is not a thin cider, instead it feels rich on the palate.

Finish: Surprisingly quick

For such a mouthfeel, I was surprised by short the finish is on this cider.

Pairs with: asparagus, nuts, mushrooms

Because of this cider’s balance and effervescence, I’d choose foods with bitter elements and play up the contrast. It could easily be served with appetizers including nuts and cheeses or a meal including asparagus or mushrooms (especially if cooked with butter). The substance of this cider can stand up to buttery highly flavored dishes, but the range is far wider than these descriptions. Socially speaking, I’d choose this cider for a vintage-style listening party. Give everyone a plate of nibbles, a glass of the Liberty Spy, and get lost in whatever music calls to you. 

  

I’m very excited about trying this cider again once the weather is more genuinely spring-like. Even more exciting to me is the notion of expanding my knowledge of Bellwether’s offerings. The upcoming move to Ithaca should make that easy. In the meantime, I heartily recommend tasting the Liberty Spy and sharing your impressions with me in the comments. I’m all ears!

Cider Review: J. K.'s Northern Neighbor Farmhouse Cider

 

J. K. makes a number of organic ciders and represents the efforts of Almar Orchard in Michigan. Depending on who you ask, the J. K. can either stand for Jim Koan or Jim and Karen, and in either case, it connects the cider maker to the cider. These folks take great pride in what they do and claim a continual cider-pressing tradition dating back to the 1850s, something truly unusual in the United States. Their website is well done and full of interesting information. I must admit though that I do have my doubts about how they use some cider terminology like scrumpy. (Maybe I'm just being an English major.)

This particular J. K. cider is their Saskatoon Cuvee; it is made using a mixture of Michigan Apples and a Canadian prairie apple: the Saskatoon. I wish I could find out more specific information on this particular cider of theirs, but I can say that these apples hail from the region of Saskatchewan. The term Cuvee is not precisely regulated, but usually implies a special blend that is set apart from a maker's usual stock. That certainly seems how it is used in this case.

Color and appearance: red and cloudy

To see this much red in a cider is totally unusual. I cannot believe I forgot to photograph the cider. It is beautiful in the glass and would be perfect for creating some romantic atmosphere for that simultaneously beloved and dreaded upcoming holiday, Valentine's Day.

Aroma: sweetly tangy, red fruits, carrot

Lovely and gentle, slightly tangy. The scent of this cider could be described as slightly vinegary. It makes me very curious to see how it will taste.

Sweet-dry scale: Very Sweet

The sweetness is immediate and palpabale. If you’ve tried any ciders by J. K. Cider you’ll recognize it, because it is characteristic of the brand. All of their ciders are quite sweet. Let that be a litmus test before you decide to try it because sweetness as a quality does so often divide cider drinkers. I think the cider would be better less sweet, but I also know folks who would prefer this.

Drinking experience and flavors: thick fruity start, sweet, fast

Cherry, and lots of fresh red fruits. The level of carbonation is mild. This paired with the sweetness could make this a quick, easy-to-drink cider. I like it, but I can easily see how it would be too sweet and uncomplicated for some cider fans.

Finish: vanilla

Beautifully lingering finish, it is perhaps the best thing about the cider.

Drinking Notes: pair with desserts, could be great for a cider float

The whole picture, a beautiful red cider with loads of sweetness and easy approachable flavors, medium sparkle, and a vanilla finish suggests romance to me. I'd pair it therefore with some sweet baked goods like red velvet cupcakes or milk chocolate. Drink it with a sweetie.

Photo Credit: Original photo by Bruce at J. K. Cider. He helped me out since I forgot to photograph this one at all. Editing by me via Flickr. 

As a bonus/apology. I do feel very sorry for failing to take my usual product photos. What is the best way to apologize in photos? Cat pictures. So, without further ado, here is a picture of all of the cats at Along Came a Cider HQ being lazy.

 

Cider Review: Anthem with Hops (plus Cider News)

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All the Anthem Ciders are created by Wandering Aengus Ciderworks out of Salem, Oregon. These appear under a different label because these cider makers use different apples, including many dessert varieties, whereas any cider under the Wandering Aengus label only uses heirloom cider apple varieties. For more information, I highly recommend checking out the line’s FAQ here.

The Anthem Cider with Hops is a cider I’ve been really excited to try. Hops are an ingredient very common to beers but not at all common in ciders. According to Anthem, these are Cascade Hops from Oregon. I have no idea how the flavor will come out in a cider. The ABV comes to 5.5% which doesn’t give me many clues since so many ciders have similar ABV percentages. The Anthem Cider with Hops sells in a 22oz. bottle for about seventeen dollars a bottle in New York City. It looks like the price varies a lot by location based on what I can see online.

Color and appearance: dark amber

This cider has a notably rich color. This isn’t a golden cider, but rather it looks more like maple syrup or deep amber. When pouring, this cider creates no visible bubbles. It looks entirely still.

Aroma: whiskey mash or wine, fermenty, reminiscent of barrels

The aromas are undeniably boozy but they wander between being vinously fruity or more like the cereal smells of a distillery and the woodsy smell of bourbon barrels. The smell makes me wonder about the listed ABV, which doesn’t usually smell this, potent. The scent is almost three-dimensional; it feels like the kind of super yummy smell I’d like to fall into entirely. Cidery, rich, and deep.

Sweet-dry scale: semi-sweet

In describing the particular sweetness of this cider, I can only use words like dark, rich, and caramel. It offers a mature sweetness that more refined and less fruity than most. Wonderful. The sweetness comes across as understated.

Drinking experience and flavors: smoky and amazing

I was surprised by Anthem’s slight tangy sparkle because the bubbles are 100% invisible. Sweet basket of kittens, this is good. This has a truly unusual rich mouthfeel.  As I drink it, I can discern a bit of lemon but nothing too tart. This is a filling and satisfying cider.

Finish: citrusy, woodsy, and long

I think the hops really contribute to how the finish lingers in the nose. Very pleasant.

Drinking Notes: I want to drink this with everything. Cheese

In an effort to be more helpful and descriptive, this is a cider that really could be enjoyed with a wide variety of foods and experiences. During this cold snap, I’d drink it with chili or a casserole. It could also go beautifully with a fondue or other rich foods. As for recommended experiences, this is the cider to convert a beer snob. Seriously. Invite one over for something appropriately tempting and share this cider.

  

The Anthem Cider with Hops tastes perfect for winter. But I tell you I’ll be trying it again in Spring, Summer, and Fall. This has to be one of the most delicious complex and yet balanced ciders I’ve ever tasted.

Also in truly fantastic cider news, I've been hearing about a very special get together for cider fans in Chicago, Portland, and Seattle. Please take a peek at the Cider Summit.

Cider Review: Cliffton Dry

 

Cliffton Dry Premium Cider comes from New York state and New York state apples. The cider has an abv of 5.5%. Their website unfortunately appears to be in flux and currently unable to give much additional information. One interesting note gleaned from their Facebook page is that the company claims to use the same fermentation process for their cider as for their wines.

Color and appearance: very very pale almost green

The bottle is clear, something rare in ciders, and its shows off the Cliffton Dry’s unusual lack of color. In the glass, it looks even more translucent, if such a thing is possible. The bubbles rise slowly in columns to the top rather like a sleepy champagne.

Aroma: winelike, acidic, red currants

The smell reminds me more of grapes and wine rather than cider. This could be because of the fruity and acidic notes in the aromas. Even mild spring beans with their green fresh qualities come to mind.

Sweet-dry scale: a true semi-dry

This has some aspects of sweetness and others of dryness. I could certainly call this cider vinous, which might be the fermentation process showing. It isn’t too drying but nearly so. Semi-dry is an apt description.

Drinking experience and flavors: tart, nippy, green

The Cliffton Dry has a raw quality to it. The cider should definitely be paired with foods. Because of the tartness, it drinks slowly. Lots of carbonation further slows the cider down. This compromises its enjoyability, because it isn’t very satisfying little sip after little sip.

Finish: lingering and citrusy

This cider is particularly fresh tasting at the finish.  Though it is undeniably sour, that could be refreshing under the right circumstances. It reminds me of spring days and mown grass.

Drinking Notes: Pasta salad, potatoes, or other starchy foods

This is a picnic cider. It is very Summer friendly. The cider and I didn’t get along perfectly, but I blame the circumstances rather than personal failings from either of us.

In conclusion, I’d suggest that fans of lighter but not sweeter ciders consider trying it. It is available in New York City Whole Foods locations at approximately five dollars for a small bottle. I might give it another while come June, but for winter, it simply isn’t the cider for me.

Cider Review: Prima Most

Tonight I’m reviewing something quite special and unusual. Prima Ciders come from Long Grove, Illinois, near Chicago. Prima has spent over 30 years on their cider-making process, though their labors have only been available to the public for a fraction of that time. Only six liquor stores in the United States sell their locally beloved ciders. While visiting Chicago over the weekend, I purchased a 750 ml bottle for 18.50; this would be a bit steep for ordinary cider, but tasting the Prima Most really is a rare opportunity.

The Most cider, one of their three varieties, contains 7% abv. The special methods Pima uses for the Most cider include cold-cellar fermentation and bottle or cask conditioning. They refrain from filtering their ciders for a farmhouse cider taste, look, and experience.

Color: cloudy light blonde

Immediately after pouring, this cider gives the glass an almost frosted appearance because of its color and cloudiness. The Most cider makes a tremendous fizz in the glass, but the bubbles dissipate quickly rather than forming a head. The choice to share this cider unfiltered supports its claim of being farmhouse style, at least in appearance. Let’s find out how it smells.

Aroma: sour and fruity, red currants, hints of funky fermentation

The smell is sharply unlike most American ciders in its bold earthiness. It harkens to English farmhouse ciders of the rough and rustic sort. The cider’s aroma reminds me of The Black Rat, a Somerset cider, but with less horsiness.  

Flavors and drinking experience: lemon zest, grapefruit, lots of carbonation 

The Prima Most gives a first impression of a citrus bitternessness that is tremendously refreshing. This smoothly transitions into a crab apple bite that makes me feel just a bit of tannic pucker in my cheeks and jaw. For a farmhouse cider, it is aggressively effervescent. Wonderfully balanced.

Sweet to dry: dry

 The combination of a more sparkle with true dryness and fruit notes is a surprising and satisfying combination. I love how dry it is, but I expect that it will surprise some cider drinkers who haven’t had any small batch dry ciders before. The American cidery with the most in common with this quality of dryness has to be Farnum Hill. Good company to be in.

Finish: Extra lemon on the back, minerals

It has some of the mineral qualities of a dry white wine, but the citrus farmy notes definitely give the last impression.

Pairs with: salad, many cheeses, and whole grain breads

At the risk of sounding stereotypical, this farm-style cider goes well with simple foods. A heavily-grained bread like oatmeal bread or a dense wheat would be a delightful counterpoint. To bring out the light fruitiness of the cider, it could also be paired with salads. Like many many many ciders, it enhances a whole spectrum of cheeses delightfully. Since this cider is relatively hard to come by, I'd not suggest pairing it with any activity at all. Let the Most be your entertainment.

This cider makes me sad to leave Chicago, despite the terrible weather. The Prima Most shocks me with how good it is. This cider has some of the best characteristics of English and American cider traditions. The aromas tantalize; the flavor satisfies; the bubbles add zip. What a wonderful beverage. I hope someday to be able to try their other two varieties.