Cider Roundup: The Cider House Vancouver

 

Last post about my Summer vacation, I promise. And that feels entirely necessary since all of the Fall back-to-school things are happening in my neck of the woods. My entire brain is full, and I’m still forgetting things! So, if I owe you an email or a review or really much of anything, I’m sorry. Feel free to remind me!

Maybe things will be more settled into a routine a couple of weeks from now. That will be my hope! But for right now, I want to drift back to mid-July and think about trying a super fun cider oriented restaurant and cidery while on vacation. If only I could time travel.

Friends took us to The Cider House Vancouver, because they are sweet and thoughtful. And these Vancouver folks take so much joy in the neat experiences their city offers. There’s no better way to visit a place than in the company of someone who already loves it. 

We approached the Cider House Vancouver knowing it was going to be hopping. The place is located near a public beach, and it was a hot summer afternoon. I’ve been to more than a handful of places that center cider on their menu, but this had a completely different atmosphere. This was a plant-based restaurant featuring hard cider, and yet the pop music and party vibes made me think more of a beachside cocktail bar. This place was color, sound, and festivity turned all the way up!

Our group was seated, ordered a range of appetizers to share and each picked out a flight with very little overlap. The menu is that large! 

Learn more about the Cider House Vancouver direct from the source here, including the full cider menu: https://ciderhouserules.ca/

Here’s what I had in my flight along with a few brief thoughts on each. 

Big Dry-

Of course I had to start with the Big Dry. This cider smelled like Peanut shells, salty minerals, something savory and a hint of carrots. A second sniff garnered a little booze in the mix as well. As for taste, the Big Dry offers extremely high acid, a fine bubble, and loads of fruit flavors. I think it’s off dry and very drinkable. 

Rosy-

This cider opens with aromas of deep soft powder and jam. It’s an oxidized smell, but the aroma is subtle rather than intense. The Rosy tastes good. The primary flavor is strawberry with a tannic note added. Though it looks likely a welcoming delicate pink, something about that fruity yet tannic note evokes dark fruits like Pomegranate to me. The tannins are papery and pleasant. It’s less bubbly than the Big Dry.

Rhubarb-

This is another one with a fairly low level of aroma. When I taste it, my first impression is how extremely strong the sparkle is. What fun! The rhubarb flavor is gently sweetened but still fresh. The high acid belongs in this cider because rhubarb is such a tart and puckery fruit. This cider had no tannins to speak of, but it really works because of the acidity. It’s a semi-dry cider with a rock candy finish.

Pineapple Jalapeno-

I know that not everyone wants a Pineapple Jalapeno cider, but I do. I love what a note of spice can do for a sweet cider, and pineapple is practically a cheat code for my happiness. This cider wafts plentiful aromas of grilled pineapple! When I take a first sip the peppers hit immediately and dissipate. This cider is sweet with high acid and an endless amount of juicy fun. My only complaint is that the cider’s body is a touch thinner than goes ideally with something both sweet and spicy. And importantly there’s still some apple in the cider’s backbone.

These are not the sorts of ciders I would choose every glass and everyday, but they paired well with our roasted brussels sprouts, sweet potato fries, and veggie nachos. They were fruity, tart, and fun. The whole place was buzzy and fun with energy to spare!  

Cider Review: Citizen Cider’s Ruby Sipper

From moving fast to being grounded, my week has been a whirl and a shift. I’m in a boot and instructed to stay off my right foot for a few weeks as of this morning. I’d been experiencing increasing foot pain for about a month, but I’m hopeful that with the boot I can keep it immobilized for a while. Obviously, this is not what I’d like to be doing right now. I need to cut the blooms off of my basil, harvest from the garden, mow the yard, and care for all of the pets and people and house in my life. This slow down isn’t negotiable, so it’s time for me to literally put my feet up and see what work I can do from this position.

Happily, before I got this news, I was able to enjoy a fun new cider spotted in my local grocery store. Rhubarb and Hibiscus are two of my favorite flavors, so when I saw what Citizen Cider uses for the Ruby Sipper, I had to pick up a pack. I’m often fond of what this Vermont-based cidery creates, so I’ve reviewed several. More background info on the cidery is available in these earlier reviews. Here’s the full list. 

For Shore: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/06/cider-reviews-bellwether-rhode-island.html

Tree Tapper: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/02/cider-review-citizen-ciders-tree-tapper.html

Northern Spy: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/09/cider-review-thornapple-brewings-rough.html

Sur Lies: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-citizen-cellars-sur-lies.html

Tulsi: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/03/cider-review-fable-farms-greensboro-and.html

The Wood: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/07/cider-review-citizen-ciders-wood-and.html

Companion Sour Cherry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-citizen-ciders.html

Wit’s Up: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/04/cider-review-citizen-ciders-wits-up.html

Barrel Aged: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/02/cider-review-citizen-ciders-barrel-aged.html

Citizen Cider bRosé: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/02/cider-review-citizen-cider-brose.html

My visit to Citizen Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-great-vermont-cider-tour-day-2.html

Here’s a link to Citizen Cider’s website, where you can find info on all of the cider releases: https://www.citizencider.com/

I’ll share the full description of the Ruby Sipper from Citizen Cider’s website. 

Introducing the Ruby Sipper - a cider in technicolor. This unique rosé seamlessly blends the wild aromas of Brettanomyces with notes of candied cherry, vanilla, and strawberry. Buckle up, because the Ruby Sipper is funky, fruity, and entirely out of this world.

Alcohol 4.20%

Appearance: ruby, brilliant, very few visible bubbles

My gracious! The Ruby Sipper has a lovely intense ruby red hue. Why on Earth is this cider sold in cans? This color was meant to be seen! The cider is brilliant, and I saw very few bubbles in my glass.

Aromas: rose hips, hibiscus, ripe apples, red grapes, mineral dust

This cider doesn’t have the most bold aroma but what’s there is enticing, The Ruby Sipper smells most immediately of rose hips, hibiscus, ripe apple, and red grapes. My cotaster said it smells like a sweeter cider. Lurking in the background I can detect mineral dust and creamy yogurt. 

Sweetness: Semi-dry to semi-sweet

This falls on the sweet side of semi-dry or the driest edge of semi-sweet. What sweetness is there is very fruity and juicy.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, ripe apple, sparkling, leather finish, rhubarb, hibiscus, smoky

Wow, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this cider based on the mention of Brettanomyces in the description. That’s honestly not what I taste. Instead, in the Ruby Sipper I get loads of high acid, plenty of fruit, and a specifically leathery finish. The fruit is a beautiful blend of apple and rhubarb and is clear in the taste in a way that was less so on the nose. 

There are elements that taste a bit smoky even meaty; they are phenols that I taste often in higher concentrations in heritage style English ciders. The Ruby Sipper has a pleasingly rich mouthful, but it’s not sticky or overwhelming. My co-taster commented that it reminded him of a sweet ripe tomato.

I enjoyed this with a wild rice and veggie salad that included tomatoes from my garden, tangy cheese, and all manner of ephemeral summer flavors.

Cider Review: Embark Craft Ciderworks' Strawberry Rhubarb

I try not to get ahead of myself and spend my time only looking toward the future, but that can happen in winter. I’m afraid I saw something springy on the grocery store shelves and just went for it. We’re having earlier mornings and sunsets after 5pm, so I’m allowed to think spring just a little. Today, I’m sharing my notes on Embark Ciderworks’ Strawberry Rhubarb.

Embark is a regionally local cider here in central New York. The company is based outside of Rochester, New York on a multiple-generation family farm and orchard. The cider is masterminded by Jake Lagoner and Chris Gowan. The cidery crafts both traditional apple-only ciders and innovative blends, including a seasonal range of ciders. 

I’ve had the chance to review several Embark ciders. Here’s the list.

Apple Pie Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/01/cider-review-embark-ciderworks-apple.html

The Northerner: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/12/cider-review-silo-cider-semi-dry-and.html

Golden Russet Reserve: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/09/cider-review-embark-golden-russet.html

Crab Series #1: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/08/cider-review-embark-craft-ciderworks.html

The American Hopped: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/01/cider-review-embark-craft-ciderworks.html

Embark’s website is a great place to learn more about the ciders: https://embarkcraftciderworks.com/

Here’s the official description of the Strawberry Rhubarb. 

We ferment our farmhouse blend of apples and then age it on whole sweet juicy strawberries and tart rhubarb that we grow right on our farm. This cider is truly the first tastes of summer in a glass. 5.3% ABV.

Appearance: palest sunrise peach, transparent, bubbly

What a lovely cider! The Strawberry Rhubarb is transparent, showing off plenty of sparkle. The color reminds me of the gentles peach notes of sunrise.

Aromas: fresh strawberry, Strawberry Jam, sugared rhubarb

These smells do make me think of Spring. The Strawberry Rhubarb cider smells like fresh strawberry, shading into strawberry jam. And I get notes of sugared rhubarb. All in all, the aromas remind me of strawberry rhubarb pie, dry grass with a firm background of apple. My mouth waters after sniffing this cider!

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet cider

Embark’s Strawberry Rhubarb cider tastes semi-sweet and so jammy and fruity!

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, medium tannins, apple, strawberry, peach, and  rhubarb notes

All fruits I smelled are totally evident in how this cider tastes. I am completely into it! This cider brings excitement with it’s high acid dance of apple, strawberry, rhubarb, and peach! I appreciate the minerality, acidity, and even some tannins. The cider tastes more tart than one expects from the aroma.

This cider is well balanced and fun! I love the spring fruit flavors. As for pairing, this brought out the nutmeg and spices in our pumpkin cheesecake. It was perhaps a bit strange to pair a fall dessert with a spring cider, but it tasted wonderful this way.

Cider Review: Sea Cider's Ruby Rose and South Hill Cider's Bluegrass Russet

As the weather gets warmer, people start planning more events and calendars fill up. Cider events are popping out like spring flowers. My busy calendar is no exception. This week brings circus rehearsals, a cider competition, and lots and lots of studying for the the Cider Certification Program’s Level 2 test. Wish me luck! Perhaps I should reserve this time next year just to stare and new green buds and flowers, but that might not be particularly realistic. I am determined to keep sharing reviews, so let’s get to it!

This week, I’m starting with another recent vacation pick: Sea Cider’s Ruby Rose.  

Sea Cider is a small Canadian cidery based on a farm on Vancouver Island. The cidery has operated since 2007. You can visit the cider house and taste a lineup of the company’s cider there. Part of the company identity comes from growing apples organically. For more background on the cidery, look to it’s first appearance on the blog.

I reviewed of Sea Cider’s Pippins cider previously: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/cider-review-sea-cider-farm-and.html

Here’s Ruby Rose’s official description,

A captivating semi-sweet cider infused with rhubarb, Ruby Rose is a beguiling vixen and part of our Canadian Invasion Series. She may be as aromatic as rhubarb pie, but her namesake is the merciless Rosa Rugosa, an invasive plant that threatens many coastal regions. Proceeds from our Canadian Invasion Series support efforts to combat invasive species in sensitive ecological areas. Ruby Rose pairs fabulously with light summertime meals and is perfect as a patio sipper. Consider sautéed prawns, a creamy brie, candied salmon salad and salty snacks.

Wow. That’s a 9.9%ABV.

Appearance: brilliant, salmon, no visible bubbles

This salmon colored cider looks like a springy beverage indeed. It’s totally brilliant and shows no visible bubbles.

Aromas: Pie cherries, hibiscus, rose, citrus, rhubarb

Luscious indeed! Ruby Rose smells mouth-wateringly of: cherries, hibiscus, and rhubarb. The most interesting aroma note that came to mind was crumbled rose petals on split and sugared grapefruit. I don’t get a ton of apple aromas; they are competing with other stronger smells. I think this will be a sweet cider and a tasty one. 

Sweetness/dryness: sweet

This is a decidedly sweet cider! The sweetness affects a few other characteristics, to learn more keep reading.

Flavors and drinking experience: burnt sugar, perfume, floral, rhubarb, rosehips, cinnamon.

This is a carousel of manic and exciting flavors.  The cider tastes like burnt sugar, rhubarb, rosehips and cinnamon. It reminds me of a well balanced floral perfume. 

Ruby Rose pairs very well with strong foods: Alex and I had it with spicy Mexican food and it manages to speak loud and clear. The cider has medium high acidity and medium tannins. Both are clearly present but pulling against the sugars. This is crucial for the cider to remain in balance. With so many flavor factors turned way up, and an ABV of 9.9%, I am grateful that the mouthfeel has presence and body. The cider offers only a mild sparkle. 

In terms of serving the Ruby Rose, it could double as a dessert cider. With it’s mouthfeel the higher ABV and sweetness, it’s certainly a beverage to sip and consider. The whole experience is boozy and warm: redolent of cherry and plum. 

South Hill Cider’s Bluegrass Russet

I’m a big fan of South Hill Ciders. This lineup is consistently apple-based and adventurous. Cidermaker Steve Selin has a young orchard in my own stomping ground of Ithaca, NY and also uses foraged, heirloom, crab, and cider specific apples all rrom the local environs.  

Most recently, I reviewed one from the limited release Prelude line, the Prelude 3: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-prelude.html

This was my #7 favorite cider of 2018
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-10-favorite-ciders-of-2017.html

I included South Hill in my Finger Lakes Cider pairing dinner back in September of 2017: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

A South Hill Cider was my top pic for 2016, the Stone Fence Farm: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-stone.html

Before then, I also enjoyed the 2014 Packbasket: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/04/cider-review-south-hill-ciders-2014.html

My first South Hill Cider  review for them was the hyper-limited Hypothesis: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-south-hill-ciders.html

You can visit South Hill Cider’s website to learn more about the process and all of the ciders: http://www.southhillcider.com/

And now for the Bluegrass Russet.

Bluegrass Russet‘s label introduces it as the following, “The Golden Russet apple was born in New York State in the early 1800s. Since then it has been prized for its excellent  flavor for cider as well as on the table. This cider exhibits the Golden Russet’s aroma with hints of lemongrass, apple blossoms and apple-skin, with very lively natural effervescence and a crisp finish. Pairings: rich cheeses, pork, and even with an herbed sorbet. Apple Varieties: Golden Russet, Northern Spy, Baldwin, Crabapple. 196 Cases. Batch 2016. ABV of 8.5%”  

Aromas: Minerals, apples, citrus and flowers

The Bluegrass Russet smells very tempting. I can smell minerals, apples, fresh flowers, and citrus.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

Though the label calls it off dry, this cider tastes sweet to me. The residual sugar is measured (according to the South Hill website) at 1.8%, so I don’t feel entirely off base to suggest that it doesn’t taste off dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: fruity, bubbly, lush, heavy mouthfeel

I had this cider with pesto pasta and sun-dried tomatoes. I’m glad I had some bold balancing flavors, because this cider brings a party on its own! I enjoy that the Bluegrass Russet is so very fruity. It tastes green yet tropical, like pineapple and kiwi. The cider is very bubbly: my favorite! It has acidity, tannins, bubbles, and higher ABV, making the whole experience lush, almost creamy with a decadently heavy mouthfeel. I enjoyed it very much!

Cider Review: Kite and String Cider's King of Hector and Star Cider Wild Child Rhubarb

 

Welcome to July! The month of fireworks, fresh tomatoes, and sweet corn is here. There are heat waves and cool lakes here in the heights of upstate New York summer. Even though I know I could cover dozens more canned ciders, I can’t neglect other formats. This matters to me especially because I know of some really special ciders never see the inside of a can. I promise to visit to the most summery format soon and often, after a whole month of cans, I do want to review two ciders I tasted in big beautiful 750ml bottles.

Quick geeky aside! Formats aren’t just an issue of convenience. Formats often imply serving size. A lot of folks don’t look at ABV when choosing a cider or pouring a drink. And cider ABVs vary wildly. One can often turns into one serving, whereas a 750ml bottle is more often treated as 4 distinct glasses of cider no matter the ABV. I think it’s awesomely strategy to be cognizant as either a drinker or host when dealing with a beverage that doesn’t have a standardized pour size, glassware, format, or consistent ABV. Read those labels, friends!

Kite and String’s King of Hector

Kite and String is the local cider at the heart of the Finger Lakes Cider House in Ovid, New York. They are also known as Good Life Farm as that's the umbrella farm that makes everything possible. The big news around her is that the Cider House made it into USA Today’s list of the the top 10 Cider Bars in America! That’s huge for a farm-based destination in rural New York. The place really is beautiful, fantastic, delicious, and worth a trip.

I've enjoyed Kite and String Ciders before. 

The Barrel Rye: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/12/cider-review-good-life-ciders-barrel-rye.html

The Cazenovia: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/09/cider-review-good-life-ciders-cazenovia.html

I've enjoyed the Hickok at a few special dinners including:

Thanksgiving: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/happy-to-pickcider-for-thanksgiving.html

and a Finger Lakes Locavore Birthday Dinner:  
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html

Read about both the Finger Lakes Cider House and Kite and String Cider on the website: http://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com

Or see what the company (and the farm animals) are up to on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KiteandStringCider/

Today I’m reviewing a cider that I wouldn’t ordinarily be able to get because the King of Hector was a special release for a pairing dinner and the Kite and String Cider Club. Luckily for me, dear friends of mine are in the club, and they were generous enough to bring this bottle over to share. 

Read the full write up with tons of background information here: http://www.fingerlake
sciderhouse.com/blog/2018/6/27/two-more-weeks-to-get-in-on-king-of-hector

I’ll share just an excerpt

Tasting and Cider Maker Notes: Gripping acidity typical of wild seedlings and crab varieties. Slow fermentation (2 months). Hands off approach with little intervention. High acid cider aged well over the winter with beautiful aromas and unique flavor. We were excited to keep this extremely small lot separate that  season and this cider was filtered and bottled as our last traditional method product of the year. 8.4% ABV

And the pairing suggestions:

We think this cider drinks like a dry, Spanish champagne style. It is crisp, long lasting, and acidic, and embodies the heat of 2016. Drink it as a starter to open up your guests’ palates and imaginations, with light appetizers like dried fruit or with lightly fried fish or potatoes.

Appearance: straw, translucent, no bubble 

This cider looks beautifully translucent, though not brilliant. I’ll call the color straw but it warmth and golden hue are more inspiring than the name strictly denotes. I don’t see any bubbles when I pour a glass, but I’m sure they’ll there once I taste the cider. 

Aromas: riple apples, bitter orange, meyer lemon, limestone

I smell citrus and apples, but having seen a few mentions of Spanish stylings (although of sparkling wine rather than Sidra), I did expect some sour notes or even volatile acidity in the smells. They weren’t there. The aromas were more fruity and restrained which suits my preferences well. I did get some fun salivary response.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry

This is a dry cider. Other features that I’ll describe later only enhance the perception of dryness. Super duper dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: dry, high acid, medium tannins, citrusy

The cider tastes dry and acid driven, but it’s not sour. The acid flavors I taste are more fruity and less funky. The cider doesn’t show volatile acidity or acetic acid. Instead, and more to my personal tastes, I get tons of citrus notes from the King of Hector. It tastes like Meyer lemons, Seville orange, and just a little bit of tropical fruit. 

The King of Hector does have some tannic presence. That’s notable and enjoyable. As the notes on my phone say, “Drrrryyyyy.” The combination of medium tannins, very high acidity, and a dry cider come together to emphasize a dry, zesty, tasting experience. The King of Hector tastes lithe and a little light. I didn’t necessarily expect that because of the 8.4% ABV, but it was seasonally perfect and very refreshing. 

This is a cider for wine and cider lovers. It’s definitely sophisticated and austere. It’s precisely the kind of cider that I like to have even before I put food on the table. The King of Hector has enough to say on its own to be a delightful conversation starter. 

Star Cider's Wild Child Rhubarb 

Confession time, I’ve had these tasting notes for too long! I tasted Star Cidery’s Wild Child Rhubarb for the first time in October of 2016 at a Finger Lakes Cider Week event. I met folks from Star Cidery and learned what I could about the operation. I liked it so much that I got a bottle for later. I consumed that with friends later that winter, taking tasting notes and squirreling them away. I must have hidden them too well, as I’ve just rediscovered them. 

Star Cider makes and sells cider in the greater Rochester, New York area. The company was founded in 2014, but the founders were home cider makers long before. Reading about Star Cider’s approach, I am struck by the focus on process. Cider gets described as a journey with an expectation of change and evolution. That’s appealing  in that’s both grounded in the realities of learning a new business but also in that openness to changes is how improvements happen.  This is my first review of anything by Star Cider.

Read all about the company and the ciders on the web: http://www.starcidery.com

Or check in with the Star Cider Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StarCidery/

Today’s review is of one of Star Cider’s seasonal releases, the Wild Child  Rhubarb.

Let’s start with the official description, “Rhubarb: Fresh heirloom rhubarb is hand-picked at its peak ripeness and blended with cider made from a mix of dessert apples. This cider is crisp, tart, and tastes like biting into fresh rhubarb.”  6.9% ABV

Unofficially I learned that this cider uses 1.5 lb of rhubarb per gallon of juice. The finished cider is back sweetened with sweet cider after being fermented to dryness. The flavor was inspired by the cidermaker’s grandmother and grandfather’s recipes.

Appearance: brilliant, warm canteloupe color, visible bubbles

I wish I had better pictures of this cider. The color really is lovely with a shade that reminds me of canteloupe and beauitful clarity. 

aromas: strawberry, celery, and candy dust

Oh my goodness wow! These aromas are so neat! I definitely smell strawberry, rhubarb and apple, but also celery! There’s also so sweet and powdery candy dust lurking in the background!

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-dry

This might be on the slightly sweeter side of semi-dry, but it has a powerful acidity that keeps all sweetness in check. 

Flavors and drinking experience: rhubarb zing, herby, strong sparkle

Like many of my favorite ciders both in the region and more generally, acidity orchestrates the whole experience. The Wild Child Rhubarb just vibrates with zingy acidity. But that’s not all that’s going on. I’m also completely sold on the herbaceous and vegetal notes. They integrate beautifully and really cement that rhubarb plus apple combination. This cider really works.

Part of what I enjoy about the Wild Child Rhubarb is the mouthfeel. Part of that owes to it’s powerful tartness. The cider feels fresh and medium bodied with strong bubbles. There’s also a nice backbone of apple behind everything. And I relish the long cold finish. My first tasting was in a varied set of ciders, and it really stood out. My second experience with this cider was with vegetarian chili, wheat crackers, and sharp cheddar. Both worked, but I’d love to try it with summery foods when I see this cider again. 

Cider Review: 2 Towns Ciderhouse Hop and Stalk

My darling husband traveled to Oregon without me for work this past fall. I would have loved to have gone with him, but between August and early November, I'm pretty tied to this area for many reasons (all of which have to do with apples). So, he went alone and vowed to bring me back some ciders from the region. He brought back a whole suitcase full of cider goodies and tales of the wonderful hospitality offered to him by the kind folks at 2 Towns Ciderhouse. He visited their tap room, and they took amazing care of him. I am so grateful. Thanks, guys! So, I have to recommend visiting their tap room if you are in Corvallis, Oregon. I hope to make the trip myself someday before too long. This is my first review of any the ciders he brought me back from that trip.

In looking at the 2 Towns Ciderhouse website, one thing becomes abundantly clear. They want everyone to know that their ciders are natural rather than artificial. Those are some fairly huge concepts: natural and artificial; I'm afraid I spent too much time in grad school to just accept that we all mean the same things when we use those words. Luckily for me, and all the other word nerds out there, 2 Towns Ciderhouse clarifies their position in a very helpful introduction to their ciders. Check out how they outline their concepts and their ciders:

At 2 Towns Ciderhouse our aim is Damn Fine Cider. This means cider produced using the best the Northwest has to offer, superior brewing standards, innovation and a lot of love. We insist on using only the finest fresh-pressed 100% NW apples in our ciders. We never take shortcuts in the cider-making process, and never add any sugar or essence flavorings, but instead let the fresh, naturally fermented ingredients speak for themselves.

Further reading identifies three qualities that 2 Towns prioritizes in their final products body, aromatics and flavor. So, I'm happy to think of these qualities in particular when I taste and describe my first 2 Towns Ciderhouse beverage, their limited edition Hop and Stalk.

If you want to read more about 2 Towns Ciderhouse, you can either visit them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/2townsciderhouse or their full website: http://2townsciderhouse.com/ Both places have plenty of additional information, pictures, and news from this exciting cider company.

Tonight's cider is their limited edition Hop and Stalk, which is a cider with both hops and rhubarb. The official description follows, but it doesn't add a tremendous amount of additional insight to help us build more precise expectations, "An outrageous amount of hops and a healthy helping of righteous rhubarb make the Hop and Stalk a perfect cider for adventurous hop heads! Stalk on Hop!"  This is only sold in 500ml bottles. It's ABV is 6%. That's all I know so far.

My only previous encounter with rhubarb in cider came through a really fun little petillant cider from Eaglemount: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/06/cider-review-eaglemount-rhubarb-cider.html

Appearance: Deep nectarine color, brilliant, lotsa bubbles

Nectarine color really pops tonight because the sun has been hiding for so many days. I can see every single little bubble because this cider is crystalline in its brilliance. The bubbles most remain still; I don't see a lot of motion in the Hop and Stalk.

Aromas: hops, red fruit, dust

The aromas promise good things for this cider. I can smell hops with that piney, almost soapy, grapefruit freshness. I simply adore how this smells. Hops in cider are such a shortcut to my heart, or at this point, to high expectations. I can also smell red fruit like strawberries or currants. This simply smells so good, so in terms of aromatics, 2 Towns Ciderhouse is doing well.

Sweetness/Dryness: semi-dry

Very fruity but not too sweet. Tons and tons of zingy acid to balance out the sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: balanced, zippy,

The rhubarb tastes subtle at first, but it definitely builds. This cider has notes of mind and herbs that decidedly come from the hops. Definitely pine and basil. It has an almost celeriac quality in a yummy way.  Very tart. The rhubarb builds in this tartness with some strawberry, lychee, and orange notes. I just get tons and tons of zesty fruit flavor. I love how tremendously big yet well balanced this is. Great body with lots of robust carbonation.

I savored my Hop and Stalk tremendously with a giant fluffy deep-dish cheese pizza, the kind it takes to get through this many days in a row with no sun at all. Sorry to fuss, I promise I'm not a winter hater. This cider is really helping though. I feel like I am reminded that summer and fruit exist because of its rhubarb hoppy lightness. This is particularly thrilling, even inspiring, in late December. You could pair it with lots of different dishes, but I think making sure you've got something not too acidic would be key, and dairy fits the bill well for me. I could also see pairing this cider with present wrapping and cookie baking. Enjoy!

Cider Review: Eaglemount Rhubarb Cider

I like to think of summer as visiting season here in Ithaca, and, when people visit me, they get to try ciders. Sharing cider is always a joy, but choosing ciders for friends and family that I think they will particularly enjoy makes the experience even better. So, during my dad's recent visit, I broke out the first Rhubarb cider I've ever seen.

Eaglemount makes wines and ciders in Washington state; their Rhubarb Cider is a blend of half apple wine and half rhubarb wine. I say wine because they do, and they have to because of their 8%ABV.

Eaglmount Winery has been in business since 2006 but the founder had been making ciders, wines, and meads since 1996. They have a tasting room in Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula in northwest Washington State. Their website gives plenty of good information about their business, their products, and even about their orchard. They mention several distinct heritage varieties including Gravenstein, Winter Banana, Jonathan, and Roxbury Russet as well as varieties of French and English cider apples. You can read more about them at http://eaglemountwinery.com/.

One last cool note. They introduced me to the existance of a Washington State Cider Route: "The Olympic Peninsula’s 3 cideries are located within minutes of each other." This clearly deserves a place high up on my list of future cider vacations.

Appearance: Deep maize, hazy, some sediment

This cider has tons and tons of color. When poured it looks as intensely maize as an unpopper kernel of popcorn. I see no visible bubbles anywhere, but I do see some sediment. This cider is hazy and not totally brilliant.

Aromas: Rhubarb, apple, cherry, fruity and juicy

Eaglemount's Rhubarb Cider gives off oodles of fresh fruit aromas, mostly rhubarb, but also apple and cherry. This cider smells so very juicy! Fruit just utterly dominates the aromas, but with a hint of smooth acridity,  perhaps even a tiny note of coffee or at least coffee berry.

Sweetness: semi-sweet to sweet

The fruit flavors come out just as much one the palate as to the nose. This cider tastes like apples, rhubarb, and strawberry. For being a fairly sweet cider, it has medium astringency and a persistantly pleasant mouthfeel.

Flavors and drinking experience: fruity, very nearly still, tannic, sippable

One of the most notable features of this cider when I drink it is that Eaglemount's Rhubarb cider is petillant, almost entirely still. Ciders can come in all levels of sparkle from completely non-sparkling and still to champagne levels of effervescence. This cider falls far more to the still side of the spectrum.

I can taste a moderate level of tannins coming from the heirloom apples in this cider. I do not taste much in the way of acidity: decidedly low acid. I almost wish there was more going on there.  Sipping is the best way to enjoy this cider, as big gulp do not illuminate it in any special way. I get some lingering astringency after drinking and that ongoing nice mouthfeel. Alex says “the more I drink it, the more I like it.” High praise from him.

The flavor really doles out lots of strawberry—a bit like an oaked strawberry wine—but rhubarb tends to bring out that flavor in its companions.  This cider is astoundingly not warming for how alcoholic it is; kinda hard to believe it’s really so strong.  I also get nice lakeside breezy minerals.
 
Overall, I think this is a lovely fruit wine and cider blend. It tastes very good with strongly flavored foods; we had it with falafel and hummus, though something about this bespeaks cold summer nights—a rocky beach, lighthouse in the background. If you want a cider for nighttime beach picnics or lakeside porch sitting, this is a great one for that.