Cider Review: Haykin Family Cider's Methode Ancestral Jonathan 2018

Trick or treat! I decided that treat was the only way to go for my Halloween cider review this year. I bought a mixed shipment of Haykin Family Cider back in the lockdown days of 2020, working with the owner to choose bottles that would age well or be awesome for vertical tastings.  

Haykin Family Cider comes to us from Aurora, Colorado. They’ve won basically every award you can shake a stick at, and I’ve loved all of the Haykin family ciders’ I’ve ever tried. That’s why I’m pinning some high hopes on the Jonathan 2018.

Here are my earlier reviews for Haykin Family Ciders.

Reserve Niedzwetzkyana (my #3 favorite cider of 2021): https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-haykin-family-ciders.html

2018 Method Ancestrale Ela Family Farms Cuvee: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/09/cider-review-haykin-family-ciders-2018.html

Harrow Pear: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/06/perry-reviews-haykin-family-ciders.htm

Finding Haykin Family Cider online is an awesome way to see all of the current releases: https://www.haykinfamilycider.com/.

Here’s how the cidery describes this particular cider.

The Jonathan apple is one of America's classic heirlooms, discovered in 1826 in Woodstock, NY. This sparkling cider has the aroma and flavor of plum and fresh rain. With light caramel notes, well-integrated acid and tannin, the creamy mouthfeel compliments flavors of brioche and spice. 100% Jonathan apples grown at Masonville Orchards, CO and bottled in 2018. This cider is dry. Aged 12 months sur lees and disgorged by hand. ABV of 8.1%

Appearance: super bubbly, warm straw, transparent

This cider bubbles with verve and excitement. I’ve never seen such a towering mousse on a cider. Yes, it dissipates but a show! The color is a gentle warm straw with clean transparency. 

Aromas: citrus, honey, pineapple, cherry

My gracious, the Jonathan smells astonishingly good. Everything about it just sings to me of sweet citrus and honey. Secondary notes rush in with cherry, pear, pineapple and powdered sugar. This is a fruit party of aromas!

Dryness/sweetness: Semi-sweet

I wondered if this cider would have a touch of sweetness based on all of its delectable juicy fruit notes, and it does! The sweetness is very natural and beguiling perfect for this holiday of dessert treats!

Flavors and drinking experience: floral, high acid, bubbly, cinnamon

The Jonathan is a floral and acidic dance. All of those fruity aromas primarily translate into blood orange on the palate. The sweetness helps the cider achieve a satisfying body while the bubble help lift and elevate the experience. The cider is semi-sweet and absolutely beautiful with notes of creamy custard and maple syrup. It’s not just simple though, the cinnamon finish turns leathery just at the end. 

I reached for a cider I expected to be good, and it still managed to surprise me by being even better and more complex that I hoped. What a treat! Happy Halloween!

Cider Review: Nine Pin Ciderworks Apple Pie-secco

Boot life continues whenever I leave the house, but this weekend I was able to take some practice time in the house to get used to moving around without it. On flat surfaces, I felt pretty good! Stairs will take a bit more time. The thrill was so real that I had to try a new recipe for my sourdough starter discard. And of course a dessert necessitates a fun cidery pairing! Nerdy domesticity rules my weekends with great joy.

Here’s what I tried: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe

They turned out beautifully with just one notable adjustment; my dark chocolate was a dark chocolate with almonds. Yum! And with that delicious dessert, I was very happy to enjoy Nine Pin Ciderworks’ Apple Pie-secco. Wordplay on apple pie plus Prosecco (the sparkling wine) gives the cider an immediate association with warm cooked apples and baking spices plus the delight of a sparkling beverage. 

Nine Pin Ciderworks is based out of Albany, New York but now distributed and shipped to at least 35 states. Here’s a quick list of all of my previous reviews of Nine Pin Ciders! More background information can be found in these earlier reviews.

Pink Lemonade: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/08/cider-revew-nine-pin-ciderworks-pink.html

House of Dabinett: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/04/cider-review-portland-cider-companys.html

Cucumber Lime Light Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/08/cider-reviews-ninepin-light-cider.html

Gathering of the Farm Cideries (including the Cascara cider): https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/gathering-of-new-york-farm-cideries.html

Peach Tea: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/06/pickcider-review-nine-pin-ciderworks.html

Blueberry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/08/cider-review-nine-pin-cider-blueberry.html

Ginger: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/10/cider-review-nine-pin-cider-works-ginger.html

Signature cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/04/cider-review-nine-pin-cider-works-nine.html

Nine Pin Ciderworks’ website is the best place to learn about all of this New York Cidery’s releases and taproom events: http://www.ninepincider.com

My faithful co-taster Woody picked this up locally. So many different cideries create their own version of fall-spiced ciders, so I’m always curious to see how everyone’s tastes!

Here’s the official description from the folks at Nine Pin: Crafted from apples from Samascott Orchards in Kinderhook, New York, Apple Pie-Secco symbolizes life’s simple joys, autumnal aromas filling our homes, explosions of taste; pure comfort. 6.5% ABV. 

Appearance: Brilliant, brassy blonde, few visible bubbles 

I love how brassy blonde this color looks in the glass. It's too pretty for a can, but I say that a lot. The cider poured brilliant with few visible bubbles.

Aromas: sweet and gentled cooked apple, cinnamon, ginger, 

The Apple Pie-secco offers up a medium intense aroma of ginger, apple and cinnamon. The apple smells mellow and cooked. This definitely gets the autumnal associations flowing. One note, in order to really access these great smells, you must use a glass.

Sweetness/Dryness: Semi-sweet

This cider is on the sweeter side, but it’s notably not fully sweet. This really gives an additional level of complexity to the cider’s other qualities like acids, body, bubble, and Nine Pin’s use of cinnamon.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, strong cinnamon, vanilla finish

Nine Pin’s Apple Pie-secco starts off with a beautiful burst of high acid that I associate with New York and eastern United States ciders more generally. Next, that acid coalesces into flavors I recognize as ripe peach and cooked apple.  This cider’s midpalate expands to include spices, mostly cinnamon; it tastes holiday-ish and feels a little rough and sandpapery, The cider’s finish is oodles of vanilla.

One of the most interesting characteristics of this cider was how the bubbles felt prickly and spiky and zesty. 

I appreciate that Nine Pin’s Apple Pie-secco doesn’t just go for the same profile as the classic seasonal sipper. The vanilla is a nice touch, as is backing off on the sweetness just a touch. It was a beautiful accompaniment to my chocolate chip cookies, but I imagine it would be even better with shortbread and caramel. 

Cider Review: Tandem Ciders' The Green Man

It’s a gray day here of the sort that makes me doubt Spring. We’re living in a gray-brown world of last year’s dead leaves, frozen mud, and dormant grass. Nonetheless, I’ve planted a few trays of seeds, and I’m watering them faithfully. Hopefully in the coming week or so, I’ll start to see fresh green seedlings. Until then, it's time to cook and nest and escape into movies. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Tandem Ciders’ the Green Man. Many thanks to my cider friends who got this to me to assuage my feelings of CiderConFOMO. ; ) You’re the best!

Tandem Ciders come to us from Sutton’s Bay, Michigan. There Dan Young and Nikki Rothwell founded Tandem Ciders in 2010 after their love of England and Cider combined with their love of Michigan orchard life. Find out more in my earlier Tandem reviews.

I’ve reviewed a few Tandem’s Ciders before. Here’s the list.

Crabster: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/07/cider-review-south-city-ciderworks-dry.html

The Bee’s Dream: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/01/cider-review-tandem-ciders-bees-dream.html

The Smackintosh: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/05/cider-review-tandem-ciders-smackintosh.html

I recommend checking out Tandem Ciders on the web to learn about what this Michigan Cider is making and doing: https://www.tandemciders.com/

You can also read the story behind the cidery on the website here. It’s a sweet one: https://www.tandemciders.com/about-us/

Here’s what Tandem Ciders has to say about The Green Man. 

Inspired by the carvings of the Roman Baths in the heart of English cider country -- Bath, England -- this adventurous blend of Rhode Island Greenings creates a subtly sweet cider that'll leave you anything but stone-faced.

Appearance: brilliant, very few visible bubbles, low-intensity cool-toned straw

This cider is too beautiful to be sold in a can! The cool-toned pale gold and brilliance deserve to be seen! The color reminds me of straw in spring; it’s yellow and not green but only just by a hair. 

Aromas: green apple, pineapple, sweet candy dust

The Green Man certainly smells green! I get lots of malic acid green apple notes from the start. Secondarily, pineapple aromas abound; this has some tropical flair for sure! The last hints from this cider are harder to describe; it’s a sweet and dusty smell like a container that has held sugar candy enough to have its residue floating around ambiently. We’ll see how these scents translate to taste!

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

This cider tastes semi-sweet in a fruity juicy way!

Flavors and drinking experience: Bubbly, fresh apple, full-bodied

The Green Man tastes so juicy, it reminds me of pear nectar. The cider tastes tropical with bright notes of sweet apple, pineapple, and pear. The cider shows off a clean fermentation with no funk, no bitterness or anything to interrupt the fresh and fruity celebration. The cider has plentiful bubbles and a full creamy mouthfeel. The cider has medium acidity: just enough to keep the sweetness in pleasant balance. It’s an easy-drinking cider and would be a lovely introduction to the semi-sweet range of the beverage.

We enjoyed this with a chopped Greek salad. The light medley of cucumbers, peppers, feta, tomatoes, and zingy creamy dressing were a lovely counterpoint to the bursting juicy sweetness of Tandem Ciders’ The Green Man. 

Cider Review: Snow Capped Cider's Dabinett

I have seen the sun more in the last three days than I have in the two months before. It's restorative in a way that goes deeper than I can communicate with words. The time hasn’t come yet for looking forward to Spring, but I’m profoundly grateful for the steps we’re making in that direction. 

This past weekend, I even successfully travelled out of state to visit with dear friends and see an amazing performance; I got to see Dita Von Teese’s Glamonatrix tour!  Part of the delightful weekend included sharing cider with wonderful dinner companions. I chose to bring a cider that isn’t easy to acquire in Massachusetts: Snow Capped Cider’s Dabinett.

Snow Capped Cider comes from Colorado. I encourage folks to visit the history section of Snow Capped Cider’s website to learn all about this fascinating multi-generation farm journey: https://snowcappedcider.com/about-us/.

My reviews include a few Snow Capped Ciders. I’ll share all the links below.

Jala-pear-no Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/11/ciderperry-review-snow-capped-ciders.html

Ashmead’s Kernel: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/09/cider-review-snow-capped-cider-ashmeads.html

Blanc Mollet: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/06/cider-review-snow-capped-ciders-single.html

Gold Rush: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/04/cider-review-snow-capped-ciders-gold.html

Harrison Reserve (My #5 favorite cider of 2021): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/cider-review-snow-capped-cider-harrison.html

I recommend visiting Snow Capped Cider online to learn about what Snow Capped Cider is up to: https://snowcappedcider.com/

Here’s how Snow Capped Cider describes the Dabinett. 

This revered bittersweet apple was first discovered in Somerset England during the 1800’s. Our high elevation orchards increase UV exposure creating intense flavor profiles. We combine this with a slow fermentation. Our Dabinett single varietal is processed unfiltered. Further maturation is developed in the bottle evoking a deep golden hue and beckoning butterscotch aroma. This complex flavor development leads to fruity sweetness, and rich buttery floral notes. Hinting woody vanilla then building tingling warmth and tannins on the tongue for a slightly dry bittersweet finish. 100% Dabinett apples grown in our Colorado Orchards. Serve slightly chilled.

Alcohol 8.20%

Appearance: Intense apricot, no visible bubbles, brilliant

I love it when a cider dares to show such extravagant color. Snow Capped Cider’s Dabinett’s color reminds me of apricots and spring sunrises. I don’t see any bubbles but beautiful clarity.

Aromas: overripe apple, yeast, dusty limestone, 

As soon as this was pouring, the rich aromas of the Dabinett made their presence known. These very strong scents of  overripe apple and yeast along dusty limestone and peach were enveloping and inviting!

Sweetness/Dryness: Semi-sweet

The label on the bottle uses a visual scale to set expectations for the level of sweetness or dryness. This one indicated that the Dabinett would be semi dry. We tasted it and found it semi-sweet to sweet instead. Read on for more specifics.

Flavors and drinking experience: honeyed, high acid, balance, leather finish

My first thought when the Dabinett crossed my lips was how honeyed it tasted. Thankfully the cider also brought beautiful high acid as well.  The sweetness and acid brought balance to the drinking experience. It stayed clean through the mid-palate but veered just a little funky with a leather finish. I enjoyed the complexity that those gentle notes of wildness added to the overall experience. It’s a lovely cider! 

We paired the cider with an array of takeout Ethiopian dishes, and the combinations worked beautifully! The cider’s sweetness was not unwelcome among the wonderful experiences of spicy, sour, rich, and savory. The sweetness of the Dabinett helped complete the meal this way! It added to a deeply satisfying meal and a wonderful weekend start to finish. 

Cider Review: Citizen Cider's Little Thicket Spruce Tip Cider

This is my last new cider review of the year. After this, I get to share my favorite 10 ciders of 2022, and then we’ll start a new year. On the one hand, I can scarcely believe it, while on the other I feel more than ready for a new fresh year. But first, a fresh new cider from Citizen Cider!

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Citizen Cider’s Little Thicket.

I found this cider at a local grocery, and I’m so glad that I did. Citizen Cider comes from Burlington, Vermont. They are a regional powerhouse that I often relish. I don’t always get access to the limited releases though. Here’s how Citizen Cider tells the origin story for the cidery. It highlights the focus on innovation and curiosity: two key elements of Citizen Cider.

Justin Heilenbach, Bryan Holmes and Kris Nelson founded Citizen Cider in 2010 on a hunch and some good old-fashioned hard work. Kris was working as a wine salesmen, Bryan as a chemist and Justin as a small farmer. All discontent for one reason or another, they started pressing sweet cider in Kris’s barn and fermenting test batches of hard cider in Bryan’s basement. As it happens, they discovered that their ideas about hard cider translated into some pretty unique and interesting finished products.

It’s been a while since I last reviewed anything by Citizen Cider: too long really. 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

I also recommend Citizen Cider’s website. That’s the best spot to find out about all of the ciders: https://www.citizencider.com/

What drew me to this cider is its use of spruce tips as an additional flavor. Here’s the full description. 

We are proud of being cidermakers in Vermont and look for ways to share the culture, history, and flavors of our little state. This limited edition cider is our way of sharing a piece of the green mountains with everyone. With a bright cherry nose and a rich, pine finish, this cider will transport you to a little thicket of trees, high in the mountains of Vermont. 5.3% ABV

Appearance: brilliant, pale straw, few visible bubbles

This is a lovely cider with a pale delicate straw color. I can see through the brilliant liquid clearly, but I don’t see a lot of bubbly action. 

Aromas: piney, herbal, aquatic, ripe apple, and blackberries

Oh fascinating! In some ways the Little Thicket’s smells remind me of some hopped ciders. It smells herbal, piney, and forested. The cider has more notes going on though than just those. It also smells piney without being either sweaty or soapy, both of which can happen with hopped ciders. Instead I get additional notes of ripe apple and blackberry along with something aquatic.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

This cider is semi-sweet rather than the semi-dry to off-dry indicated by Citizen’s packaging. The sweetness tastes very fruity and natural. It might be too much for some cider fans, but the sweetness is well integrated.

Flavors and Drinking Experience: medium acid, petillant, clean, fruity and soft

The Little Thicket is a cleanly fermented cider with loads of fruit and herbal flavors. It’s pleasingly full bodied. The low level of visible bubbles was an accurate predictor of a petillant rather than strongly sparkly cider.

This semi-sweet cider brings medium acidity and plenty of ripe apple character. Rather like the aromas, in some ways it reminded me of a hopped cider, but in addition to tasting clean and green, the little thicket tastes soft somehow.

It was a delightful cider to have with a simple supper of rye bread, cream cheese, raw veggies, and smoked salmon. Many thanks to my delightful sister-in-law and her family for sending delicious PNW salmon our way! I like a sweet cider with intense flavors like the salt and smoke of the smoked salmon.

I’m glad I got a four-pack, because I’m looking forward to tasting the Little Thicket again!

Cider Review: Wyndridge Cider Co.'s Original

I can barely believe that this blog is going to turn ten years old next month! When I started, I had no idea how many amazing people I’d meet, how much I’d fall in love with orchards, and what a big big place the cider world is. What I knew then was that I loved cider and I appreciated tasting seriously. I had learned a bit about tasting carefully from jobs in both fine chocolate and high-end coffee. I did some research and took the plunge, and I’m so grateful for everything this blog has brought me. Stay tuned for celebrations in January!

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Wyndridge Cider Co.'s Original. I was able to pick this up in Pennsylvania when I was there for the PA Farm Show Cider competition last week. My only previous Wyndridge review is of the Gingerbread. Here’s the link.

Gingerbread: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/01/cider-review-wyndridge-cider-cos.html

Wyndridge Farm is a cider company with a tasting room and restaurant. The company also makes other craft beverages including beer and soda. Here’s how Wyndridge describes the cider company.

Wyndridge Cider Co. has become a staple hard cider brand constantly pushing the envelope to deliver quality and consistency through our portfolio of ciders. Pennsylvania apples are the main ingredient in our ciders as we partner with local farms to get only the best apples. Fermented cold and blended in small batches, our hard ciders are gluten free, made with real fruit and have no flavorings or additives. They are made on-site in the cidery at Wyndridge Farm, and have simple ingredients for a bright, crisp flavor.

 Wyndridge Cider Co. has this to say about the Original, "ADAMS COUNTY PA blend of Gold Rush, Stayman, Northern Spy and Jonagold apples. Full juice cider with bright acidity & off dry finish. ABV 6%."

Appearance: brilliant, bright warm gold, tiny bubbles 

 

This is a beautiful cider. It has complete shining transparency that can best be called brilliance. I can see a few very fine bubbles, but mostly the Original’s brilliance just showcases the intense warm gold color. 

 

Aromas: ripe apple, creamy, not intensely scented

 

Wyndridge’s original smells like ripe apple with a creamy element running through. It’s not a strong aroma; I had to seek out the notes rather than letting them come to me. 

 

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

 

The Original’s description mentions an off-dry finish, but I found the cider semi-sweet throughout. The cider’s sweetness feels well-integrated and crucial to the cider on the whole.

 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, clean fermentation, full body, strong sparkle

 

Wyndridge crafted the Original to have plenty of fresh and fruity acid to balance out its sweetness. The cider is delightfully brimming with pomme notes, dominated by apple and pear. There’s more fruit than just pommes; the Original makes me think of pineapple with its juicy tropical notes. 

 

I appreciate how full bodied and bubbly it is. Each element in this cleanly fermented cider has its counterbalance. That leaves the overall effect balanced and approachable. It’s an easy drinking and very satisfying cider for sure. I enjoyed mine with a salmon burger and asparagus; that’s a pairing I would recommend again for sure!

Cider Review: West County Cider's Quince Redfield-Cortland

I tried this cider with family while enjoying a few days with them in the Adirondacks. We made time to relax, grill out, and play just about as many competitive games as will fit into the waking hours of an extended family of twelve. But when it was time for the adults to sit down and relax, I had the joy of sharing some ciders with some curious tasters. 

West County Cider is a Massachusetts based cider that’s been going strong since 1984. It was founded by the Maloney family who are still integral to the cider community. I like the description on West County Cider’s website. 

West County Cider was started by the Maloney family in 1984 with a commitment to making small-batch ciders with impeccable apples from local orchards. Thirty-five years later our family has grown but the tradition continues. We use fine-winemaking techniques and focus on freshness of flavor and total respect for each individual apple variety. Every harvest year represents a new foray into the possibility of the apple.

Here is a list of all of my previous reviews of West County Ciders. I don’t get access to them very often, so there aren’t as many on this list as I’d like. 

Singing Dog Orchard: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-review-greenwood-ciders.html

Cider Maker’s Favorite (my #3 of 2014): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-west-county-cider-cider.html

Reine de Pomme (my #3 of 2013):

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/03/cider-review-west-county-cider-reine-de.html

Visit West County Cider online to learn more: http://westcountycider.com/

We shared the Quince Redfield-Cortland with a simple meal of black bean and corn salad, green salad, grilled veggie burgers (and beef for the meat eaters).

Here's how West County Cider describes it, "Quince is an ancient highly-perfumed tree fruit. Some say it was the forbidden fruit of Eden.We cofermented this with Redfield and Cortland apples. Taste?: Tropical, beguiling..."

Appearance: warm peach, hazy, no visible bubbles 

This is a medium intense color that reminds me of peaches. The cider has just a hint of haze and not much in the way of bubbles.   

Aromas: creamy, ripe apples, yogurt, slightly astringent

I’m intrigued by how the Quince Redfield Cortland smells creamy and apple. The notes remind me of ripe apples and fresh yogurt. It’s very inviting.  There is on note of complication and complexity running through, something that hints at astringence like a slightly boozy medicinal note.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

The Quince Redfield-Cortland has plenty going on in addition to sweetness, its a central part of this cider’s scaffolding. 

Flavors and drinking experience: pineapple, lemon curd, high acid, applesauce, maple

What a luscious tasting cider!  My first impressions are of lemon curd, pineapple, and homemade applesauce. The Quince Redfield Cortland brings strong levels of spark, high acidity, and medium tannins. It’s such a pleasing melange; I love how the tropical pineapple notes melt with the fruity acids of homemade applesauce. There’s nearly a suggestion of maple—very nice how it interacts with the high sparkle. 

The cider is semi-sweet—surprisingly so! It immediately introduces itself as rich and mature, but not funky or challenging. The cider feels well put together, sophisticated, just a bit mysterious, and sessionable all at once. What a delight!

Cider Review: Snowdrift Cider Co.'s Red

Casual dinners on the patio feel like a balm to my soul right now. Has it always been so magical to cook and eat just outside my door? While I certainly cannot answer that question, I’m happy to share my take on a cider that accompanied one such dinner recently.  I poured Snowdrift Cider Co.'s Red for a meal of grilled shrimp, new potatoes, and sweet peppers cooked at served at my house but outside. Perfection. 

Snowdrift Cider Company produces orchard-based ciders in Washington state. I really like this description of the cidery and ciders that Snowdrift leads with, so I’ll quote it.

Our ciders are made from great cider apples that we grow on our orchard in sunny East Wenatchee, WA. Our incredible region gives our trees the ideal conditions to grow apples packed with the flavors necessary to produce fine ciders. Hot sunny summers and cold snowy winters result in apples that mature with incredible aromatics and delicious flavors. When ripened to perfection, we pick these apples and craft them with the utmost care into fine cider blends, resulting in rich ciders full of delicious complexity.

Here are my previous reviews:

Snowdrift Cider Cidermaker's Reserve 2014: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-con-2018-pt-1-eden-specialty.html

Cornice: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/01/cider-review-snowdrift-cider-cos-cornice.html

And The Cornice made my top 10 of 2018: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-favourite-10-ciders-of-2018.html

Visit Snowdrift Cider Co. online to learn about the cidery, the cider club, new releases and more: https://www.snowdriftcider.com/

Here’s Snowdrift Cider Co.’s official description for the Red. 

This stunning cider is a rare treat! We have been fortunate to get to work with some apple varieties only a couple generations removed from their native ancestors in the hills of Kazakhstan. Their brilliant red flesh yields a crimson red cider with bright acidity, packed with flavors of cranberries, watermelon, rhubarb & strawberries, finishing with soft toffee tones. 7.5% ABV.

Appearance: coral pink, brilliant, tiny bubbles

This delicate coral pink shade reminds me of everything spring: I see iris, tulips, daffodils, and sunrises with this color. It’s dreamy. The clarity of the cider is brilliant which is perfect for showing off the few tiny tiny bubbles I see.

Aromas: underripe strawberries, sweet orange, boozy

The Red smells like tiny Underripe strawberries, booze, and sweet orange. Something in the melange of aromas leads me to expect powerful acid from this cider, but we’ll see what happens.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

This cider is calibrated to be semi-sweet. The sweetness I note is balanced with plenty of acid and comes across as playful, fruity, and forward.

Flavors and drinking experience: bubbly, rhubarb, strawberry, candied, high acid, low tannins

I love how the Red is so strongly sparkling! The cider leads with high bold acids and low but present tannins. These are wonderful qualities to add complexity to the sweetness and keep the whole experience in balance. 

The flavors include notes like strawberries, rhubarb, and cotton candy. The combination of sweet and bubble become pleasingly prickly to the palate. There’s a peachy clinging sweetness in the finish. The cider is fun and food friendly. I enjoyed it with our marinated grilled peppers and shrimp so much!

Cider Review: Montana Ciderworks Hopped Up Heritage Cider

Tender green leaves and apple blossoms, is there any more beautiful time than this phase of spring? As a possibility, I can only put forth the peak of apple harvest, but right now I’m very fond of this season. Perhaps I write about it too much here. This isn’t a weather blog, I promise. I did take advantage of this warmer conditions this past week, and I chose a cider that looks ahead to Summer. I’m so happy to share my thoughts on Montana Ciderworks’ Hopped Up Heritage.

Looking at Montana Ciderworks website, I was struck with this introduction of the company and its practices, “We support sustainable agriculture and the preservation of open spaces in our beautiful valley. Our cidermaking increases the value and usefulness of Montana's orchards so that they will remain on the landscape to support and delight future generations.” This thread of cider as orchard conservation is dear to my heart.

Today’s review is only my second cider by Montana Ciderworks. I first reviewed the North Fork Traditional: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/01/cider-review-montana-ciderworks-north.html

To learn more about this cidery visit Montana Ciderworks’ website: http://montanacider.com/

Here’s the cider’s official description.

Hopped Up, Limited Release Cider: Hopped Up is complex and curious; a semi-dry cider of bittersweet heritage apples, dry hopped with a unique hop blend to wed Continental (brown spice & herbs) with English (citrus & fruit) hop profiles. Taste true cider flavor with complementing Fuggle & Sterling (Saaz X Cascade) hop aromas.

Gold medals at the 2019 Portland International Cider Cup and GLINTCAP 2019. ABV 6.9%, available in 500ml bottles only.

Appearance: slightly hazy, sandstone, visible bubbles

The Hopped Up cider looks so much like a quintessential UK cider! The Hopped Up Heritage has a slight haze, intense sandstone color, and a few visible bubbles just at the top of the glass. It makes my mouth water to look at it. 

I am loving these aromas; the Hopped Up smells s0 juicy! It’s reminiscent of fresh pear juice, but I also get minerals; zesty citrus,  honey or nectar, and peach. This cider definitely displays the citrusy side of hops.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

Though the Hopped Up cider has plenty more going on than its level of sweetness, it has a clear level. This is a semi-sweet cider. The sweetness reminds me of apples, honey, and peaches.

Flavors and drinking experience: very fruity, citrus, pear, tannic, acid 

This cider is so much fun. The Hopped Up reminds me of Summer because it tastes like it smells! It’s very fruity and wet: citrus, pineapple, grapefuit along with pear and peach. I also get a bit of grippy tannin action. That makes the whole experience much more interesting. Perhaps what I appreciate most thought is that somehow the apple stands up to the hops, with malic acid aplenty. 

This cider has medium high acid and a nice big mouthfeel. It is a bit warming—it feels a touch more boozy than I’d expect from the ABV. The Hopped Up is quite pleasing and balanced overall. The finish emphasizes a perfumed sweet warmth of nectar. Very enjoyable!

Cider Review: Snow Capped Cider's Gold Rush

Spring feels like it's slower than surely it has ever been before. Chances are that feeling is an illusion, and I’ve accused other springs of being unbearably slow before. I will say that I went looking to buy lilac bushes at a plant nursery yesterday, and it snowed. I’ve never had to clear plant tags of snow to be able to read them before. Still, I can see the sun out my window and there are crocus blooming in my yard. It's enough to give me a bit more hope that Spring will show its sweetness soon. And I can cook cozy meals and enjoy lovely ciders at home in the meantime.

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on Snow Capped Cider’s Gold Rush. The company comes from Colorado, and that explains the name of this particular cider. I’m used to Gold Rush being an apple name, but in this case it’s a reference to the historical happening in the American west. The cider’s description tells us more about what apples it uses. This was shared with me for review by Snow Capped Cider.

I’ve only reviewed one Snow Capped Cider thus far. Here’s what I had to say about the Harrison Reserve: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/12/cider-review-snow-capped-cider-harrison.html

You can visit Snow Capped Cider online here: https://snowcappedcider.com/

Here’s what the cidery has to say about the Gold Rush.

The Colorado Gold Rush is back. Coveted cider apples deliver with brilliant golden hue, tantalizing ripe fruit character. Clean quintessential medium tannin’s only produced from English and French varietals. Panning with complexity and a striking rich mouthfeel, Sweetness is found upfront leading to off dry semi sparkling finish. Colorado grown cider apples bring a whole new meaning to cider in a can. Crafted with a century old fruit growing family’s perspective, pressed and slow fermented with no added sugar.

ABV 6.9%

Appearance: brilliant, very few visible bubbles, intense antique gold

The color of this cider reminds me of what schools call antique gold; it’s a sort of harvest yellow, and the Gold Rush has it in spades. The cider has very few visible bubbles but a brilliant clarity.

Aromas: Minerals and soft mushy apples

I appreciate the sense of minerals and softened overripe apples that both waft from the Gold Rush. These notes contrast each other but are well counter-balanced.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

The Gold Rush is a semi-sweet cider that feels completely natural and appealing in its sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: mellow, medium acid, strong fizz, melon and cantaloupe 

This was such a hit! I shared this cider with my dining companions who both loved it. The consensus was that Gold Rush’s medium high acidity kept it exciting without foregoing a certain mellow and easy-drinking quality. The flavor notes I noticed most strongly are ripe melon and cantaloupe. This cider is very good! I appreciate it’s strong sparkle and sweet boozy finish. I didn't taste much in the way of tannins.

We paired the Gold Rush with black bean burgers and sweet potato fries. The combination was a delight. I like a sparkling cider with fries of any kind, but pairing a semi-sweet cider with sweet potato fries was especially nice. To me, this cider feels enjoyable and casual for this sort of supper. 

Cider Review: Bent Ladder Cider's Original

Yesterday I saw my first outdoor blooms of the season. What season, one might reasonably ask? It’s still Winter here, but I saw snowdrops. Yesterday the sun was powerful enough to melt feet of ice and tempt many people outdoors. I’m grateful for that little preview of Spring. Today, it’s a grey world of rain and mist, but I remember the look of a blue sky. Today’s cider is one that reminds me of Summer. A friend of mine sought out a selection of Bent Ladder Cider for me, and that makes me value it all the more. Bent Laddery Ciders and Wines come to us from Doylestown, Ohio. The company was founded in 2015. Here’s how the website describes the process,

Each cider is made from a selection of our estate-grown apples which we crush, ferment, age and keg in-house. Even if you have never tried a hard cider before, our wide selection ensures that you will be able to find something that you love.

I recommend learning about Bent Ladder Ciders and Wines on the company’s homepage here: https://bentladder.com/ As this is the cidery’s first appearance on the blog, I wanted to start with The Original. Here’s how the Original is described.

A blend of apples including Northern Spy, Jonathan and Winesap. Aromas of green apple and ripe pear. Fruit forward flavors of ripe apple, blossoms and nectar. Well balanced and easy drinking with a clean mellow finish.

Medium Sweet

6.5% ABV

Appearance: brilliant, lots of bubbles, medium intensity warm straw

This cider has a classic look with medium intensity warm straw color. I see many bubbles in the glass. As the image reveals, Bent Ladder’s Original is brilliant in terms of clarity. Aromas: baked apple muffins, spices, bready, ripe apple The Original reminds me of a brunchy weekend breakfast in the best of all possible ways. It smells like a fresh apple danish with notes of baking spice, clean yeastiness, powdered sugar, and ripe apples. There’s also just a hint sweet orange in the mix. I am so very reminded of baked goods! The aroma is clean and enticing. Sweetness/Dryness: Semi-sweet This cider strikes me exactly as the cidery describes it, semi-sweet. The sweetness in The Original is beautifully integrated in the whole experience, and it's a super approachable level of sweetness in a cider. Flavors and drinking experience: bubbly, medium acid, honey, ripe apple So much of what I noticed in the aroma comes through in this cider's flavors as well. It does remind me of a sweet apple-y dessert. The Original brings lots of bubbles to my glass, and I’m grateful. It has medium acidity, a beautifully honeyed flavor, and a generous share of fresh apple. The whole experience tastes jammy to me. Its a sunny, summertime cider in my book. I enjoyed this with a hearty veggie soup and homemade bread, but I’d love to see this with a quiche and muffins.

Cider Review: Bauman’s Cider Company's McIntosh Single Varietal

My brother-in-law asked me if it's really okay to trim apple trees in winter. It seemed to him that lopping limbs during frigid temperatures might be adding stress upon stress to a tree. I can understand why he might feel that way. This weather is hard for many of us mammals. It could seem almost like adding insult to injury to ask a living being to endure not only months of low temperatures but to heal fresh wounds at the same time. Thankfully, it’s not quite like that. We might learn a lesson from trees that go dormant this time of year. It’s okay to rest. This is a fine time of year to shed what we do not need. 

Perhaps I’ve strayed too far from a cider review, but that’s very much where I am right now. I’m running in hardcore Winter mode. I do the things I need to do and a few that warm my spirits, but mostly I’m hunkered down until days get just a bit longer. But luckily for me, I can enjoy my quasi-hibernation with some very good ciders. This week, I’m sharing my thoughts on Bauman’s Cider Company’s McIntosh Single Varietal.

Bauman’s Cider Company was named GLINTCAP’s small cidery of the year 2021. The cidery is based in Gervais Oregon. The cidery was founded on a small family farm and orchard by Christine Walter whose cider journey attempts to balance family tradition and experience with modern scientific knowledge. 

I’ve only reviewed one Bauman’s Cider before, the Mountain Rosé. It made my top ten list for 2020. This sets my expectations high.

Here’s that review: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/04/cider-review-baumans-cider-mountain.html

I recommend visiting Bauman’s Cider Company online to learn more: https://baumanscider.com/

Here’s the background information I was able to get online for the McIntosh Single Varietal.

    MCINTOSH SINGLE VARIETAL | 6.0% ABV

    GOLD MEDAL – 2021 INTERNATIONAL BREWING & CIDER COMPETITION (UK)

    GOLD MEDAL – 2021 PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL CIDER COMPETITION

     GOLD MEDAL – 2021 GREAT LAKES INTERNATIONAL CIDER COMPETITION

    PLATINUM MEDAL – SIP MAGAZINE BEST OF THE NORTHWEST AWARDS

    For our single varietal McIntosh Cider we started by importing McIntosh apples grown by        our friends in the Bitterroot Valley, Montana. We do minimal intervention so the essential        apple flavor shines though, as we leave just a little residual sweetness to showcase the rich        apple flavor and aroma.

Appearance: Tuscany yellow, brilliant, few bubbles

When looking at color charts for shades, this most resembles Tuscany yellow. And it does give off this sunny warmth. The cider is brilliant with few visible bubbles. 

Aromas: intense juicy apple, cherry blossom, cinnamon and peach

The McIntosh is extremely aromatic, brimming with juicy apple notes. The nose also features elements that recall cherry blossom, cinnamon and peach.

Sweetness/dryness: Semi-sweet

I’d call it semi-sweet, but some folks might interpret it as closer to semi dry. The sweetness is pleasant and well-integrated.

Flavors and drinking experience: juicy, crisp, apple, tart

This is a treat! Bauman’s Cider Company's McIntosh Single Varietal makes me glad that I chose it for today’s cider. The first impression is lots of super fresh malic acid, making each sip crisp and juicy. The cider tastes more directly like apples than many that I drink. It’s tapping into the fruity, juicy, powerful experience of a perfectly ripe McIntosh apple.

There’s more to this cider than just immediate fruitiness though. The McIntosh is mildly tannic with rough sandpaper grippiness in the texture. I love that about it. It has a clean fermentation; there’s not a whiff of funk. I appreciate the McIntosh’s medium intensity of sparkle and hefty body. This cider stays fun from tip to tail with its honeyed finish. My high expectations were met entirely!

Cheers to enjoying a good cider while not doing too much. This is a very comfy way to get through Winter. 

Cider Review: Snow Capped Cider Harrison Reserve

It was lovely to travel to Harrisburg and judge cider once again, but I will not be revealing any results from that competition for some time. Things must remain under wraps until the PA Farm Show in January. And in the meantime, some very exciting cider arrived for me. 

I was so happy to get some very special releases from Snow Capped Cider. I’ve only ever had the chance to sample sips from GLINTCAP bottles. I did have the pleasure of sitting with Kari Williams during the awards ceremony and learning about the orchards and history of Snow Capped Cider. The cidery has grown out of the Williams Family Orchards for five generations in Colorado. Ty and Kari brought cider to the extensive farm operations in 2014. I love how the cidery is described in relation to its geography on the Snow Capped Cider website. 

Williams Family orchards are located at the bottom of Grand Mesa in the beautiful Surface Creek Valley of Colorado’s Western Slope. At an elevation of 6130 feet, we are one of the highest elevation orchards in the world. The high elevation, warm days, and cool nights capture the crisp taste of Colorado, producing a clean, and balanced cider. 

I am so curious about what the Harrison will be like. There's a lot of cachet in single-varietal ciders and plenty of mystique about this particular storied apple. Plus this cider won the Best-In-Class gold at GLINTCAP in the Heritage Sweet category.

Here’s how Snow Capped Cider describes the Harrison on the bottle. 

America's most famous 18th century cider making apple was nearly lost to extinction and revived in 1976. This apple has earned its bragging rights from modern cider making to our past presidents. The straightforward flavors as a single varietal are presented with smooth juicy apple, slight sweetness, noteworthy orange peel, small hints of earthy spice and lingering touches of lemon ginger Medium body boasts soft tannin with a finish delivered on a light golden hue. We hope you will enjoy our interpretation of historic Harrison as much as we do! Made with 100% Harrison apples with special thanks to Cider View Orchard, WA. 6.5% ABV

Appearance: brilliant, bubbly, pale straw

This cider shines! When first poured, there’s a lively mousse, but it doesn’t stick around. The color is delicate and subtle: just a hint of pale barely golden straw. I love seeing all these bubbles.

Aromas: cherries, overripe apples, peaches, minerals

My anticipation for this cider was high, but when I got a scent from it that anticipation sky-rocketed! This cider was bubbling with notes of  wam overripe apples, cherries, peaches, and minerals. At the same time it smells like toasted bread crumbs. I cannot wait to taste this.

Dryness/Sweetness: Semi-sweet

This is a beautifully semi-sweet cider. The sweetness is fully incorporated into the beverage and comes across as entirely natural.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, peaches, intense, clean, fruity 

This semi-sweet cider is brimming over with natural fruity flavor. The Harrison’s high acid works with the cider’s sweetness to keep things tart and lively rather than thick or syrupy. The cider’s flavors are intense and concentrated and beautifully clean. As I sip the cider again, peaches and other stone fruits like apricot grow in the flavor landscape. I love how charming and sophisticated this cider is. 

The cider has a full body, a low but present level gentle tannins, and enticing sparkle. The whole experience is beautifully balanced. I’m so happy to finally get to review a Snow Capped Cider, and the Harrison is certainly a winner.