Cider Review: Hudson North Cider Co.'s Toasted Pumpkin

Today I watched chipmunks in a garden during my lunch break and walked with normal shoes on campus for the first time in almost a month. I relished the bright blue sky and dappled shade. I noticed how good the outdoors looked and felt grateful to get to enjoy these things and notice them as they happen. This moment of seasonal shift is a lovely one. We’re almost to the Autumnal Equinox, and harvest is already underway.

Over the weekend I had the fun of trying a new-to-me cidery! One of my most wonderful co-tasters, Woody, picked up a six-pack of Hudson North Cider Co. for the first time. This Hudson Valley cidery is hoping to open a taproom in Fall 2024 and now is available in some states and shipping to many more. The apples come from Minard Farm in Clintondale, New York. 

This is the first time I’ve reviewed anything by Hudson North Cider Co. 

Find out all about the cider offerings and sign up for the newsletter here: https://www.hudsonnorthcider.com/

Here’s how the folks at Hudson North Cider Co. describe the Toasted Pumpkin.

Hitting all the flavor notes we crave in the fall, Toasted Pumpkin is packed full of warming spices and pumpkin pie. Made with Hudson Valley apples, this cider pours hazy golden brown reminiscent of a chilled mulled cider.

5% ABV — Gluten Free  —  8g Sugar

Appearance: foamy, intense pumpkin orange, hazy

The Toasted Pumpkin pours initially with a head, but it dissipates relatively quickly. The color is a fun one! It looks just exactly like a fresh pumpkin with all of that orange intensity. The cider is mildly hazy with some visible bubbles.

Aromas: Orange, citrus, nutmeg, allspice and cake and cinnamon and yeast!

Initially Hudson North’s cider’s aromas remind me of orange and other juicy citrus fruits. Secondarily, I get ripe apple, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and yeast. All in all, the range of aromas remind me of a spiced pumpkin frosting. The scents are very seasonal and appealing. 

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

There’s a lot going on in the Toasted Pumpkin cider, and it has some sweetness. In England, this would be called a Medium. I’ll call it a Semi-dry here. I think the sweetness is necessary to bring other elements together into a pleasing whole. Keep reading to see what all is going on.

Flavors and drinking experience: mild tannins, sour, apple, spices, funky

Everyone who tried Hudson North Cider Co.’s Toasted Pumpkin along with Woody and me quite enjoyed it. The cider bring mild tannins, moderate sourness,  apple, spices, and funk to the seasonal party. For me the medium sweetness really helped balance out the spices and tart or sour flavors. It reminds me of sour beer, but it’s still very recognizably cider, which is much more appealing for me! We agreed that it’s just a little bit funky, but what dominates is lots of apple followed by some pleasing Fall spice.

The Toasted Pumpkin has a light body and medium level of sparkle. It was a total delight with vegetarian sausages and multiple different kinds of homemade soft pretzel. What a treat!

Cider Review: 2 Towns Ciderhouse's Hollow Jack'd and Cider Week New York

This weekend, I walked in an orchard with my mom. We admired full-size Cortland apple trees, tasted a Karmijn de Sonneville apple, visited the Ithaca Farmers’ Market, looked for early foliage, and made our first batch of chili for the year. I even watched football with her, because she loves football. This is all extra special because she lives about 10 hours away, and she drove up for a weekend of Fall in upstate New York. We really committed to our autumnal appreciation by sharing the most seasonally appropriate cider I could get: 2 Towns Ciderhouse’s Hollow Jacked. 

Maybe I was showing off for my mom. Who am I to deny that? It’s not always that I can offer brand new seasonal releases from the opposite coast. 2 Towns Ciderhouse generously shared this cider with me to sample for potential review. 2 Towns is a cidery based out of Corvallis and Portland, Oregon. I’ve reviewed many 2 Towns Ciders and give more background on the cidery earlier. Check them out. I love how this list shows the range of this particular cidery! 

Two Berry Dream: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-two.html

10th Anniversary Cider Pacific Northwest Heirloom Blend: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/01/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-10th.html

Good Limes Roll: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-reviews-two-towns-cider-house.html

Cosmic Currant: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/12/cider-review-two-towns-cosmic-currant.html

Hollow Jack’d: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/cider-review-two-towns-ciderhouse.html

Afton Field: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/06/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-afton.html

La Mûre: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks.html

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html

Cidre Bouche: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-cidre.html

Pearadise: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

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

Bright Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/07/cider-review-roundup-common-cider-co.html

Hop and Stalk: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-hop-and.html

Learn about all of 2 Towns’ ciders and events at the website: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

Here’s how 2 Towns Ciderhouse describes Hollow Jack’d.

HOLLOW JACK'D

IMPERIAL PUMPKIN CIDER

Extra mischievous, Hollow Jack'd takes our fall classic of fresh-pressed apples, caramelized pumpkins and sweet potatoes that are finished with local honey and spices to a whole new level.

MADE WITH HEIRLOOM PUMPKINS

ALC/VOL

8.4%

TASTING NOTES

Imperial take on our Fall classic

25+ pounds of caramelized pumpkin per barrel

10+ pounds of sweet potato per barrel

Whole fall spices and raw honey

Appearance: hazy, orange, few visible bubbles

The Hollow Jack’d looks like a classic jack o’lantern in color; its intense true orange.The cider looks slightly hazy and very appealingly autumnal.

Aromas: Nutmeg, clove, ginger, ripe apple, cinnamon

Hello spicy season! The Hollow Jacked smells redolent of fall baking or chai spices immediately. I notice nutmeg, clove, ginger, and to a lesser degree cinnamon. There are also notes of ripe apple in the mix.

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet!

This is unambiguously a sweet cider. Don’t ask it to be what it’s not. I think some sweetness is necessary to go with spice otherwise it can be very astringent and bitter. 

Flavors and drinking experience: Bubbly, cinnamon, apple, ginger, honey

The cinnamon that didn’t come through strongly in the aromas for me was much more present in the cider’s flavors. The Hollow Jack’d continues the party with lots of rich apple and ginger notes. This is a sweet and spicy blend with lots of bubbles, medium acidity, and a full body!

I didn’t taste much that I would describe as explicitly pumpkin, but it was certainly more spiced, appley, and honeyed than most pumpkin delights offered up in Fall. The Hollow Jack’d is a fun cider. If this is a profile you like, seek it out!

Cider Week New York is almost upon us! From September 29th through October 9th, we’ll celebrate cider across the state. 

Check out the upcoming events here: https://ciderweeknewyork.com/. 

These range from paired dinners like the one I’ll be joining at *the* Moosewood Restaurant with ciders from Black Diamond Cider, to interactive educational exhibits at Mann Library on Cornell University’s campus to amazing tap takeovers and orchard tours in every region of New York. Check out the schedule; you’ll find something amazing. 

Cider Review: Two Towns Ciderhouse Hollow Jacked and Blue Bee Cider's Hewe's Crab Plus Cider Week VA

I just ate my first chili of the fall! That is a major seasonal milestone in my world. In the evenings, I light candles and put on big fuzzy socks for coziness. I even went to the Farmer’s market on Saturday to get some decorative gourds for my porch. It’s easy to tease autumnal enthusiasm, but it’s more fun to just give in to it! That’s exactly what I did this week with my cider choices. I want to share my notes on Two Towns Ciderhouse Hollow Jack’d which is a roasted pumpkin cider, and I want to start whetting folks’ appetite for Virginia’s upcoming cider week with my review of Blue Bee Cider's Hewes Crab.

Two Towns Ciderhouse uses a few basic facts to declare the company’s identity. It calls itself Northwestern craft cider and highlights the following, “BOLDLY CRAFTED IN
OREGON,” “INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED,” and “ESTABLISHED IN
2010.” And this tells us a lot. Outside of the nuggets of information shared, these short, pointed statements display a declarative confidence that’s only expanded when reading the rest of the companies values and priorities. Two Towns cider house cares about using local fruit and not adding concentrates or processed sugars to the ciders. The company was kind enough to share this cider with me for review. 

I’ve reviewed several ciders and a perry by  2 Towns Ciders over the years. Here’s the rundown.

Afton Field: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/06/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-afton.html

La Mûre: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks.html

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html

Cidre Bouche: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-cidre.html

Pearadise:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

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

Bright Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/07/cider-review-roundup-common-cider-co.html

Hop and Stalk: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-hop-and.html

You can visit 2 Towns Ciderhouse Website. That’s where you can find the most current information about the ciders and events: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

Here’s the official description for the Hollow Jack’d.

IMPERIAL PUMPKINExtra mischievous, Hollow Jack'D takes our fall classic of fresh-pressed apples, caramelized pumpkins and sweet potatoes that are finished with local honey and spices to a whole new level. 8.4% ABV

Appearance: bubbly, hazy, butterscotch candy

The color reminded us of butterscotch candies. Hollow Jack’d is hazy and bubbly in the glass. It looks like a juicy big cider. 

Aromas: Peach, pear, raspberry, minerals

I don’t smell pumpkin, but I get lots of appealing aromas from the Hollow Jack’d. The cider smells very much like peach, pear, and raspberry. I also get some zingy minerality in the aromas.

Dryness/sweetness: Sweet

This cider tastes decidedly sweet. It feels honeyed and thick in the mouth.

Flavors and drinking experiences: nectarine, apricol, sparkling, mulling spice

This sparkling sweet seasonal reminds me of nectar, with a honeyed jasmine character. The Hollow Jack’d brings notes of nectarine and apricot, raspberry and spice. I don’t taste much pumpkin but I do get hints of the caramelization and sweet potato that were used in the process. The cider has a pronounced mulling spice finish.

I enjoyed this with plenty of popcorn and my first ever viewing of Candyman! I highly recommend this combo.

Now for Blue Bee Cider Hewe’s Crab.

Blue Bee Cider was kind enough to share this cider with me for review. This company describes itself as Virginia's first urban cidery. The way the folks at Blue Bee talk about the cider making process emphasizes concepts like seasons, small batches, and the special characteristics of different apple varieties.  

I don’t have as many previous Blue Bee Cider reviews as I’d like just because I don’t often see the cider for sale. Here’s what I’ve managed.

Hopsap Shandy:
https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/cider-review-blue-bees-hopsap-shandy.html

Charred Ordinary (my #4 cider of2017): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-blue-bee-cider-charred.html

Here’s how Blue Bee cider introduces the single-varietal Hewes Crab.

A rare breed, the HEWE’S CRAB apple makes a comeback from near-extinction in this distinct, fruit forward cider. Bright, floral, notes of cumin and honey.
RS 0.3%, ABV 8.5%.

Appearance: Active bubbles, brilliant medium straw

This cider has so many tiny super fast bubbles! I love to just watch the Hewe’s Crab go! The color is a pleasant medium straw.

Aromas: Green apple, honey, white flowers, minerality 

Something about the Hewe’s Crab cider’s aromas feels very pointed to me. I think it’s somehow the acidity coming through without it being at all volatile. It reminds me of minerals and green apples. I also smell white flowers and honey. Everything about this is consonant with other crabapple ciders I’ve tried before. 

Sweetness/dryness: off-dry to dry, but not bone dry

The Hewe’s Crab dances across the palate with lots of flavors and almost no sweetness. What’s there is fruity and more than balanced by everything else happening.

Flavors and drinking experience: tangerine, orange blossom, tropical fruit

The Hewe’s Crab reminds me of Orange blossoms and tangerine. This cider is off dry and pleasingly puckeringly acidic. It’s definitely filled with my favorite characteristics of crabapples. The cider brings just a bit of tropical sweetness, specifically pineapple and citrus.

Of course, I love that this cider overflows with the tiniest champagne-like bubbles. The fermentation is gloriously clean and the cider is headily aromatic. As we all enjoyed it with dutch herbed cheese and apples, it warmed up slightly and the aromas kept unfolding. The minerality of Hewe’s Crab aromas come through in taste. I get a little spice and fair amount of white pepper. 

This cider leaves a tannic residue on the lips. One of my co-tasters noticed a very wet mouthfeel, but I am not quite sure what to make of that. We all agreed that the cider tastes complex but unified And consistently interesting. This is an outstanding cider!

Coming up November 15th through 24th, Cider Week VA will be celebrating cider all over the beautiful state of Virginia. I talk a big game about New York ciders, but Virginia is another state that has amazing apple varieties and some of the most talented cider makers and orchardists active today. I loved this week’s Blue Bee cider, and the company is far from alone in making thoughtful delectable ciders.

Let me encourage you to check out the website which has event listings and introduces all of the cideries participating: https://ciderweekva.com/

I can see bonfires, pairing dinners, comedy shows, cider making workshops and more on the list of events.  These are some fun, creative events! This is the perfect time to spend some time doing fabulous cider things before the holiday rush eats your calendar for the next six weeks! 

Cider Reviews: Woodchuck Ciders' Bubbly Rose & Awestruck Cider's Hometown Homicider + NYC Cider Week

October starts getting dark and darker and darker still. But with Halloween, we balance out all things dark and scary with plenty that’s sweet and fun. So, in honor of the sweet side of the season, I want to review two fun semi-sweet or sweet seasonal pics! Hopefully that’s not too scary for the cider purists out there! ; ) I promise I’ll be back next month with some love for ya!

I’m excited to finish up the month with one last Halloween pick for the year, Awestruck Cider’s Hometown Homicider! When we get there, don’t forget to check out the minimal yet totally evocative label! But to begin with a semi-sweet  look back to summer with Woodchuck Ciders’ Bubbly Rosé. This cider is all dressed up in pink and ready for a party!

I’ve reviewed a number of Woodchuck’s ciders over the year’s of the this blog. Here are just a smattering of the more recent reviews. 

I still miss Woodchuck’s June and Juice: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/10/cider-review-woodchucks-june-and-juice.html

There are a couple different versions of the Local Nectar: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/07/cider-review-woodchucks-local-nectar.html

I reviewed the Pear Ginger as part of Very Perry May this year: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-review-of-woodchucks.html

And I also liked their pepper-blended Hot Cha Cha Cha: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/03/cider-review-woodchucks-hot-cha-cha-cha.html

You can read all about Woodchuck’s ciders and events online: http://www.woodchuck.com

Woodchuck Bubbly Rosé

The official description is relatively short, “A bubbly, fruit-forward blush cider made with a blend of red apples delivering a crisp mouth feel” so i want to include a few quotes from the press release that I think give some helpful background. 

I really enjoyed how this quote contextualizes both of the new can releases, “with our newest offering, we are inspired by wine. Woodchuck is excited to introduce Bubbly Rosé and Bubbly Pearsecco ciders.” Woodchuck is framing these ciders in reference to popular wine styles. And here’s just a little more about the cider itself, “Taking a bite out of the Rosé wine category, which is experiencing meteoric growth, Woodchuck’s Bubbly Rosé is crafted using a blend of red apples and back sweetened with fresh juice to deliver a balanced cider with a pink hue and elevated carbonation for a sparkling crisp fruit forward taste.” The ABV for the Rosé is 6.1%

For full transparency, this is a sample that was shared with me for review. 

Appearance: deep pink, brilliant, some bubbles

This is one pretty cider! The clarity is just so brilliant. It shines. It’s a deep rich pink with a few visible buttles. They use purple carrots to enhance the color. 

Aromas: hibiscus, minerals, berries, dust

The Rosé smells very much like hibiscus. For those unfamiliar, all of the red tart notes in any of the classic zinger herbal teas. I also get notes of minerals in that dusty stony way. I can also smell blackberry notes.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet to sweet

This will taste either like a semi-sweet or sweet cider depending on who tastes it. If you notice initial flavors more it will come across as semi-sweet, but if you are particular sensitive to how ciders finish, this will taste sweet as the finish is sweet.  

Flavors and drinking experience: bubbly, high acid, fruity

As promised and to my delight, the Rosé is very bubbly. That light and springy feeling is underscored by how high the acid levels are in this cider. Yowza! THought it’s mildly tart it isn’t at all sour. I enjoy the bubbly and tart qualities about it plenty. The cider tastes fruity like blackberries and strawberries. There’s also an almost a classic old-school bubblegum note, but that could just be my brain’s susceptibility. 


I find the Bubbly Rosé pleasant! I enjoyed mine with the first episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Though I enjoyed it and the show plenty, the cider is not of a style I usually prefer.  I like how the tastes attack, and I appreciate those bubbles. The finish is a touch on the sweet side for my personal preferences. Still if you like strawberries, blackberries, or crave one last hint of summer, this is a fine Rosé choice!


Awestruck Ciders' Hometown Homicider

Now for my last Halloween cider of the year and perhaps the most seasonally apt of them all. 
The Hometown Homicider is a cider with Pumpkin aged in a bourbon barrel Not only is this cider sweet and pumpkin-y it’s also just a bit scary with the name and label. Awestruck is based out of Sidney, New York. The company has been around since 2014. 

I have previously reviewed the Hibiscus Ginger: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/10/cider-review-awestruck-premium-hard.html This one even made my top ten in 2015!

You can visit Awestruck Ciders online: https://www.awestruckciders.com/

Check the FAQ, it’s hilarious: https://www.awestruckciders.com/faq.html

The Hometown Homicider’s Official description reads, “Lightly spiced, vanilla bean, ripe pumpkin, in a warming Bourbon Barrel finish” ABV of 6.8%.

Appearance: hazy, bubbly, caramel color

This just looks like when I make caramel. It’s the right color, hazy and bubbly. And if you’ve not made homemade caramel, I highly recommend trying it for popcorn or to pour over a spice cake. 

Aromas: brown sugar, cheesecake, caramel, melon and flowers

Holy autumnal dessert aromas! The Hometown Homicider smells strongly of brown sugar, caramel, and cheesecake. These are the aromas I expected but the cider also includes notes of melon and flowers. Neat!

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet!

This is a sweet cider. Do not expect anything different than rich desserty sweetness!

Flavors and drinking experience: rich, sweet, roasted fruit, caramel, medium acid

THe strongest impression I get when I drink this cider is how rich and very flavorful it is.

The Homicider has Medium acidity, but all of the acids taste rounded out. I get the roasted pumpkin but more than that the pumpkin is melded with roasted apple, caramel, and brown sugar. It has a nice full body, probably because of that sweetness.

I enjoyed this cider with a simple meal, all the better to let the complexity and intensity of this cider shine through. It paired with cajun-spiced tilapia, steamed cauliflower, carrots, broccoli and brown rice. I thought the moderate spiciness of the fish was brought into excellent harmony by the sweetness of this cider.

Though it’s not a cider review, I cannot forget to talk about Cider WeekNew York City! It's coming up soon from November 2nd through 11th.

Read about it here: https://ciderweeknyc.com/nyc/

One of the most tempting events is the Lower East Cider Fest. There are a ton of fantastic cideries sharing samples and pairings in a beautiful historic market setting. Read all about it and buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lower-east-cider-fest-tickets-50910466576

Cider Reviews: Blake's Hard Cider's Apple Lantern and Orchard Pig Reveller

It’s nearly Halloween, but I am not done with pumpkins, costumes, and horror movies! And I’m not done drinking autumnal ciders. This week I want to share one extra-seasonal choice and one traditional English cider, just to keep things balanced. I’m starting with my Halloween ready cider from Blake’s Hard Cider.  

I’ve reviewed several Blake’s ciders over the years of this blog. It’s a Michigan cider that makes many different ciders in broadly ranging styles. Here are links to all previous reviews. This range I think best introduces folks to what Blake’s Hard Cider is doing.

I’ve reviewed several Blake’s ciders over the years of this blog.

My first Blake’s cider was the El Chavo (habanero and mango) and it’s still a favorite: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/11/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

After a long wait, I finally got to taste the Black Philip(cranberry and blood orange): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/04/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-black.html

I paired The Tonic (cucumber & ginger) with a meal of asian-inspired dishes: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

During Very Perry May 2017, I sampled the Grizzly Pear(pear, prickly pear cactus, & elderflower):
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/05/very-perry-may-pt-5-e-z-orchards.html

Just about a year ago I shared the Snapdragon (rum raisins): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-blakes-hard-ciders.html

Most recently, I tried the Wakefire (cider with sour cherries and orange peel): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/09/cider-review-blakes-hard-cider-companys.html

Find out more about the company by following this link to the Blake’s Hard Cider Company website: http://www.blakeshardcider.com/

I’m starting today with the Apple Lantern by Blake’s. Here’s the official description, “It's the season of campfires, sweaters & pumpkin carving. Experience the warming flavor of our handpicked apples balanced with the oven roasted richness of pumpkin. Refreshingly crisp & perfectly spiced our Apple Lantern brings you the taste of autumn that can only come from Blake's Orchard.”

Appearance: mandarin orange, almost still, brilliant

This cider looks very pumpkin indeed! The color is orange like the classic fall vegetable or like the flesh of mandarin orange. The clarity is brilliant. The cider looks like it might have a very low level of sparkle because of how few bubbles I can see.

Aromas: cooked apple, caramel, molasses, tropical fruit, woodsmoke

The Apple Lantern smells just perfect for its’ name in that it smells fruity, warm, and just a hint smoky. The cider smells like cooked apples or a ripe apple dipped in caramel; I think that’s the molasses coming out. My tasting companion smelled oakiness and wood smoke but more sweet than sharp. It definitely reminds me of fall and campfires with aroma notes that range from pineapple to marshmallow.

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is a sweet dessert cider. It doesn’t pretend to be anything else. It’s luscious and confident in it’s sweetness. I think using molasses to provide both body and sweetness has a really lovely effect here.

Flavors and drinking experience: molasses, creamy, petillant

If you are even mildly amenable to sweet ciders, please try this! It isn’t the usual profile of a pumpkin cider; it doesn’t taste like pumpkin pie spices but like richness, vanilla, custard and molasses. The Apple Lantern is intensely pleasing with its long finish and gentle bubbles.

There’s something so seasonal about the notes of burnt sugar and cooked fruit. The roastiness of pumpkin really comes through. It’s not really high acidity or very tannic, but it has a thick mouthfeel; everything about this cider is just creamy and rich. It isn’t cloying, but it’s straight up dessert.

Now, back to my summer trip to Scotland where I was lucky enough to eat dinner at a place serving Orchard Pig cider on Draught. Orchard Pig is a Somerset cider company. Though the company was started in the early 2000s, the affiliated orchard, West Bradley Orchards can trace its history back to the 1850s! To this American, that’s pretty impressive.

I’ve had this cider before, but it was part of a whirlwind of ciders experienced at the Euston Tap, so I only got a mini review: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/06/along-came-cider-goes-to-england-pt-3.html

Read more about Orchard Pig here: https://www.orchardpig.co.uk

Here’s the official description, “Reveller is a celebration of Somerset! The generous
apple aroma draws you into a crisp, refreshing cider with a tangy note
of freshly squeezed lime in the finish. The gentle sparkle enhances the
flavours giving a light, moreish cider – less bubbles means more apples…” 4.5% ABV.

Appearance: brilliant, warm straw, fine visible bubbles

This is a lovely cider. It had a familiar warm straw color though not as orange and intense as some UK ciders get. I don’t seen any cloudiness and only a few bubbles in a ring around the top of the glass and in a little continent on the cider's surface.

Aromas: ripe apples, bready, clean, nectarines

This fresh and bright cider smells like ripe apples and nectarines. It has a warm and clean breadiness to it that’s very friendly and inviting.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

I’d call this cider semi sweet in a particularly fruity and approachable way. 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acidity, apply, tannic finish

The Reveller tastes as bright and appley as it smelled. The notes of nectarines, grapes and other clean fresh fruits certainly remain. This semi-sweet cider is highly acidic, especially for a Somerset cider. Though I may risk shocking some folks, I would almost call the Reveller influenced by some characteristics of American ciders. It just has that nice tannic finish that comes from cider apples.

The fruity warmth comes through best in big drinks. I enjoy the pleasant, tannic aftertaste, and I’m glad the ABV is only 4.5% because this is easy drinking. I call this cider balanced, approachable, and fun! I had this cider with vegan macaroni and cheese on one of the last nights of my trip and it was perfect with a rich mild dish like a creamy pasta.

I would recommend both of these ciders even though they are sweeter than my usual preference. The Reveller is fun and balanced while the Apple Lantern is just decadent. Yum!

Cider Review: Portland Cider Co. Pumpkin Spice and Shoal Hope Ciderworks Little Tart

This morning I walked down the hill to my office in autumn fog. I could see yellow foliage glowing through the grey mist, and it was cool and peaceful. I feel grateful for these calm moments and lovely sights, perhaps especially so when the wider world is full of bad news and discouragement. And in addition to the coming of fall color and cooler temperatures, the season of fall flavors is here! I’m reviewing two ciders that really embody the season, Pumpkin Spice by Portland Cider Company and a Cranberry cider from Shoal Hope. 

Portland Cider Company stakes it’s identity on being a hybrid of two cider cultures: the pacific northwest and England. Those are very distinct identities. The people behind the brand are Jeff and Lynda Parrish who are from these two regions, respectively. They started Portland Cider Company in 2012. While I cannot speak precisely to the melding of regions, I’ll be curious to see if any of that comes through in the ciders from Portland Cider Company that I try. 

Visit Portland Cider Co online: https://www.portlandcider.com

I have reviewed a few ciders from this company before.

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

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

Today, I’m reviewing Portland Cider Co. Pumpkin Spice. This was a review sample shared with me just in time for the autumnal craze for all things Pumpkin.

Here’s the company’s description of the Pumpkin Spice.

Take the flavors of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Allspice, and Ginger, blend them in just the right proportions, and you get our Pumpkin Spice cider. Full of all the spices of your favorite pumpkin pie, this cider is a delicious tribute to the flavors of autumn. A familiar Fall spice blend blended to pair perfectly with a classic American semi-sweet apple cider made with 100% Northwest apples. 5.5%ABV 

Appearance: brilliant, bubbly, popcorn

The color reminds me of popcorn kernels not yet popped. It’s warm and richly hued. The clarity is brilliant and shows off lots of bubbles. 

Aromas: ginger, cinnamon, clove, ripe apples

This smells distinctly like Pumpkin Pie spices. The aromas foreground ginger and cinnamon, but I can also smell clove, nutmeg and ripe apple. Secondarily, I get notes of lemon and peach too. For fans of this profile, this cider will be seriously appealing. 

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-sweet

This is right on the line for be between perceiving as semi-dry or semi-sweet. The brand calls it a semi-sweet, so I’m happy to trust them on it.

Flavors and drinking experience: cinnamon, peach, nutmeg

Almost everything I noticed in the Pumpkin Spice aromas comes across in its flavors. I can taste cinnamon, peach, nutmeg, and ripe apples. The cider has a medium intensity of sparkle. I didn’t notice much in the way of tannins, but it offers plentiful high acid. The cinnamon notes give a textural experience somewhat like tannins.

I enjoyed this cider after dinner because I knew all of the complex flavor notes might be too much for many foods. Instead of a food pairing, this cider was complemented by David Cronenberg’s Rabid (1977). It’s October, a perfect time to curl up for some scares.

The next cider I want to highlight for fall is by a relative newcomer to the cider world: Hope Shoals. This Massachusetts company was founded in 2015 in Provincetown with the first cider releases in early summer of 2017. I received a few samples from them this year, and I’m excited to try these new ciders. From what I can see on the web, this company focuses on their local identity.  This is my first review of anything By Shoal Hope Ciderworks.

Find out more about the company on the website: http://www.shoalhopeciderworks.com/

The cranberry cider is called Little Tart, which leads me to expect that it will taste at the very least a little tart.

The official description reads: “LITTLE TART is a blend of apple and cranberry juices fermented together and then back sweetened with cane sugar. The sugar enhances the sweetness of the apple which then gives way to a tart, tannin cranberry finish. 5.3% ABV”

Appearance: transparent, true ruby, no bubbles

This color is drop dead gorgeous. It is a true ruby shade with no visible bubbles. I’ll call it transparent but the color is so deep, it’s almost hard to say.

Aromas: Ripe apples, cranberry, autumn leaves

Wow, this smells so seasonal! The first note is of ripe apples, but I can also smell cranberres and something that reminds me of freshly fallen autumn leaves.

Sweetness/Dryness: Semi-dry

This is so tart it’s difficult to accurately note the sweetness/dryness of this cider. I’ll call it semi-dry, but I wouldn’t hazard a guess on its residual sugar level.

Flavors and drinking experience: off the charts tart, minerals, cranberry

This cider is not a little tart; it’s hugely tart! I’m not surprised that this cider tastes so much like cranberry juice; there’s a ton of cranberry here. The autumn leaves I smelled are present but less distinctly so in drinking this cider. I do get lots of mineral notes. 

While the cider tastes kind dry, I think I’m being fooled by how very tart it is. With every sip, I notice the fruity tartness again. The cider has an extravagently long finish of exceeding high acid. The cranberry brings both astringence and bitterness in addition to the tartness, making them function somewhat like apple tannins. It’s light bodied and zesty with only a medium to low level of sparkle. 

I enjoyed this cider with roasted broccoli, salmon, and butternut squash. It was a harvest feast of a sort I look forward to eating many times this season. 

Both of these ciders were more on the adventurous side of the cider spectrum. And though I love orchard-based heritage ciders, there’s also a lot of to be said for innovation, excitement, and seasonal variation. There’s room at my table for many different kinds of ciders, and these two really bring some fall spirit! 

Cider Review: Harpoon Brewery's Pumpkin Cider

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

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

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

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

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

Official Description:

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

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

Appearance: barely hazy, saffron, a few clinging bubbles

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

Aromas: beer yeast, apples, spice

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

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

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

Flavors and drinking experience: Nutmeg, balance, yeast character

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

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

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

Cider Review: Tieton Ciderworks' Smoked Pumpkin Cider

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

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

That's alright.

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

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

Smoked pumpkin by Tieton cider works

Official description

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

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

Appearance: aged intense gold

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

Sweetness/dryness: semi-dry/semi-sweet

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

Aromas: spicy, peppery, fruity, dusty 

Smells sweet dusty peppery

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

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

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

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

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

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


Happy Halloween


Conclusion