Cider Review: Scrumpy Ewe's Golden Crab and Forward Cider's Penpal

I’m so excited to introduce two cideries to the blog that I’ve not reviewed before. Of course, I love reviewing new ciders by my standby favorite cider makers, but there’s something differently exciting about trying a brand new voice in the cider world. It’s like picking out a book in the bookstore or library by an author you’ve not yet read. The expanse of what I don’t know is vast as I pour that first glass. And I was surprised to find these ciders have something else in common, you’ll have to read carefully to find out what. 

The first new brand I’m trying tonight is Scrumpy Ewe. I’ve admired the sheep’s head logo online for many months; it’s a striking graphic that feels both immediate and yet hearkens back to artistic styles of previous centuries. Scrumpy Ewe is a cidery in rural New York state in the Catskill mountains. Here’s how the company describes itself online.

"Scrumpy Ewe Cider is an independently-run, New York State Farm Cidery that ferments and grows a variety of European, heirloom and wild seedling apples in the fertile Schoharie Valley. We make hand-crafted, artisanal, dry ciders."

I highly recommend visiting the website. You can learn about the orchard, the cider making processes, and see a plethora of bucolic farm pictures with sheep, trees, cider, and apples. 

Here’s how the label introduces this cider.

“Golden Crab is a slow-fermented cider that showcases two of our favorite apples[:] the Wickson Crab and the Golden Russet Bright, bold and acidic, this complex cider pairs well with spicy curries, braised pork, and sharp cheeses” ABV 7.7%

Appearance: hazy, warm straw, no visible bubbles

The popularity of hazy ciders must be growing! I'm seeing more and more of them. This one pairs its haze with a warm straw color and no visible bubbles.  

Aromas: ripe apples, barely sweetened buttercream frosting, and pears 

The Golden Crab Smells inviting clean and fresh. The specific notes that stand out most immediately are ripe apples, cold juicy pears, and buttercream frosting. That last one might raise a brow for some cider fans, but I stand by it. I don’t mean general sugary sweet bakery smells, but the dairy richness of just barely sweetened real-deal buttercream. 

Sweetness/dryness: Off dry

I think many drinkers would call the Golden Crab completely dry, but I feel like it brings just the tiniest sliver of sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: still, fruity, high acid 

The Golden Crab is a still high acid cider that drinks in some ways like a wine. It has a beautiful balance of fermented and fresh flavors: yeast and apples. The still texture highlights how high and arching cider’s acidity can be without become pointed or punishing. The fruit notes are pomme fruits and tropical fruits. I get wafts of overripe apple, pineapple, cherry, and quince. The whole effect feels golden and ringing. The cider just reverberates with clear and appealing acidity. Perhaps my upstate New York is showing here, but I appreciate taut tartness. 

The cider is intense and welcoming. I enjoyed it tremendously. I served it to friends with a dinner of cauliflower Parmesan and pesto carrots. I was glad to double down on acidity, but that might not be for everyone. Now that I’ve enjoyed this cider, I think I’d pair it with a hearty vegetable soup, cheddar, and farmhouse bread next time. 

Next up, it’s a cider I received in a trade that has been tantalizing me from my fridge for too many weeks now! I’m super excited to taste Forward Cider’s Penpal!

Please note the tiny can! It's adorable!

I don’t know much about Forward Cider, but the company is based in Myra, Wisconsin. Instead of a website, they maintain a Facebook page. There’s a short intro that gives a sense of the cidery’s identity. “Dry Cider. Made in a Barn. Myra, Wis.” Short and boldly declarative, I like it!

You can see updates to Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/forwardcider/

The Penpal cider is described as dry and barrel aged on the can, so I thought it might be a nice winter sipper. 

Appearance: hazy, deep copper orange, no visible bubbles

This is a lovely cider. The can is cute, but why hide this color? It’s a deep copper orange with no visible bubbles. It has an even haze that makes it reminiscent of soft cider from a farm stand.

Aromas: overripe apples, peaches, volatile acidity

I got all sorts of seasonal imagery when I inhaled this cider. The Penpal smells soft like sweated overripe apples and peaches. It’s very fruity with hints of VA.  I also get some citrus and syrup notes. Its fragrance is shimmering with a little sweet and a little sour. 

Sweetness/dryness: off dry

This cider is labelled as having o grams of sugar, but it’s fruity enough to taste just off dry. For many drinkers this would taste dry. I’d not feel confident in guessing its residual sugar down to the decimal points, but I’m not sure it’s 0.00.

Flavors and drinking experience: still, sour, peachy, overripe apples

Many of the notes I gathered when sniffing this cider came back around when I tasted it. It does taste drier than it smells though. I was surprised to find that this cider is still! I don’t get access to many canned ciders that are entirely still. 

I tastes some tart or sour notes of several varieties—both bright apple and dark citrus and stone fruit. It definitely offers up a peachy stone fruit finish.  This cider is also rich with minerality—more water and metal than stone. Penpal’s acidity spikes early and then recedes. 

This cider’s pineapple-heavy finish is the best part by my measure. I had some of this cider in a glass and some in the cute tiny can. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it more from the can, which is curious. This cider’s gentle element of bitterness seems tied to some of its creamier notes.  First sour, then bitter, then just barely sweet. When thinking about the whole experience I’d say that the cider has a somewhat European sensibility, which on inspection makes sense—the can says "Apples from France, Handmade in Chicago." Now I’m curious about how that came to be!

I enjoyed this cider as a little evening treat after dinner and after a winter workout. It was complex enough to stand on its own easily!

Cider Review: Grisamore Cider Works Flight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cider Review: Cider Creek's All The King's Men

Today, I'm finally sharing my notes on a Cider Creek collaboration: All The King's Men.

Cider Creek is a small cider company now primarily based in Canisteo, New York, but the company retains strong ties to the Boston area of Massachusetts. 

You can read about their core varieties and seasonal ciders on their website: http://www.cidercreekhardcider.com

Additionally, I recommend visiting https://www.facebook.com/cidercreekhardcider/ their very active Facebook page and best way to keep up with whats happening in their tasting room. They have tons of limited edition ciders and fun musical events.

I have previously reviewed two of their ciders and found both of them filled with complexity and creativity. Here are both of those:

The Cascade Hopricot combines cider, hops, and apricots and was one half of my east west fruity hopped cider showdown: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/06/cider-review-cider-creek-hard-ciders.html

Fall'n'Cherry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/10/cider-review-cider-creek-hard-ciders.html

And this doesn't scratch the surface of everything they are trying. Kevin Collins, the head cider maker, is wild experimenter and a great guy. 

But for today, I'm reviewing All the Kings' Men.

All the King's men is a collaborative beverage made together by Cider Creek Hard Cider and Resurgence Brewing. More and more folks in all corners of the beverage world are trying collaborations. I'd call this one a graf because it is a beer and cider hybrid that does involve grain and fruit.

Here's some information about what all went into this beverage: "This is a smoked cider saison, a hybrid and a collaboration between Resurgence and Cider Creek Hard Cider. It's apparently 45% un-fermented cider, 30% barley wort, and 25% wheat wort." I have no idea what to expect based on these facts, but I am glad to know and very very curious.

Appearance: hazy, deep persimmon, rich color

The All the King's Men's appears hazy. In the glass, it looks like brandy. I love how rich the color is, and I had fun comparing shades of yellow and orange to find a way to describe it. I settled on persimmon, but I love a cider that gives me this sort of descriptive challenge

Aromas: bourbon, caramel, milky, acidic

Whooooooooa, this cider is extremely fragrant with bourbon notes. I also smell sour mash. Sweet dolce de leche notes.  I'm also noticing some yogurty lactic acid sourness. This is going to be so interesting!

Dryness/sweetness: dry at first with a slightly sweet finish

There's a ton going on with this cider, and almost none of it has to do with sweetness.

Flavors and drinking experience: complex, sour, still, interesting finish

First impression, I am surprised by how completely still it is. I could see some bubble action when I first poured it, but that is not apparent when drinking it. The cider is dry and sour, with a bit of graininess like barley. It has elements of yeastiness like a hearty stout. I rather  thought it would be more dessert like.

In terms of flavors, first it's sour, then hard booze edge rises and fall, followed by a pleasant oatmeal raisin aftertaste. I think subtle oaty  finish is the best part: lingering and nearly sweet and mapley. A big sip makes all of the stages clearer.

This cider is a big beverage: very thick mouthfeel.  You could practically pour this on pancakes because of how substantial it feels to drink. All The King's Men indeed: somehow this graf does taste very masculine, with bits of mushroom, aftershave and leather. This tastes more complex and woody than most ciders, and at some moments its even a little harsh.

I want to reward Cider Creek's continued creativity in this thoughtful slow drinking cider. It isn't a summery cider though, try with chili, or a really aged cheese that has some substance of its own.

Cider Review: Aaron Burr's Homestead Elderberry Apple

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aroma: tart, blackberry, yeasty

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

Dryness/sweetness: dry

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

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

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

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

Cider Review: Nine Pin Cider Blueberry

I know that summer is on its way out: grass has gone to seed, spiders are going web-crazy, and insects will my mellow evening with songs. Or, more realistically, because all of the college students have come back. This is nature's reminder for me to drink fruity summery ciders while I can. These go so well with hanging out on my screen porch and eating all of the summer vegetables.

Hence, Nine Pin Ciderworks Blueberry. Which I feel super excited about right now while blueberries are actually in season in upstate New York.

You can read all about Nine Pin Ciderworks in Albany, New York on their Facebook page. If you live in the area, I'd especially recommend checking it out because Ninepin keeps a busy social calendar and their events are super fun.
https://www.facebook.com/ninepincider

I've reviewed a few Nine Pin Ciderworks Ciders before.

My first taste of Nine Pin Cider, the Signature Blend:
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/04/cider-review-nine-pin-cider-works-nine.html

Here's my review of their very tasty Ginger: 
http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/10/cider-review-nine-pin-cider-works-ginger.html

But today is all about Nine Pin Ciderworks Blueberry!
Here's how Ninepin introduces it, "This is a blend of apples co-fermented with blueberries from Indian Ladder Farms. It has a dry, complex, and integrated flavor and is rose in color" This cider comes in with a nice round 6.0% ABV.

Appearance: brilliant, bubbly, blush

What a fun color! This cider looks a blushing pink or even delicately  lilac. It's brilliant such that we have no trouble seeing hundreds of very active bubbles in the glass.

Aromas: Very little aroma, dust and mineral, no apple

Even when poured into one of my mini-widemouth jars, I don't get a lot of scent from this cider. What I do smell reminds me of earth and dust and wet limestone more than fruit. Hrm. Interesting. Perhaps this will fall more to the tart and dry side of the spectrum.

Sweetness to Dryness: Semi-Sweet

Nope, I wasn't getting all in the smell that comes across in the drink.  This is a very melded fruity sweetness and decidedly a semi-sweet.

Flavors and drinking experience: tart, green apples, blueberry, clean

I can taste just the tiniest bitterness but tons of tart malic and citric acid. It creates a very pleasant salivary reaction. Rather like very tart and nearly sour green grapes. I'm loving the strong carbonation, which is predictable for me. Love those bubbles. In this semi-sweet cider, the blueberry fully melds with apple. I can totally see the co-fermentation described in Ninepin's description. Even if I hadn't read it, I would have guessed that the blueberries were added early in fermentation. Not a long or complex finish but brilliantly clean from start through finish.

I had this cider with homemade fisherman's pie and the pairing was incredible! Of course this acidity of this cider goes with a rich pie crust, creamy liquid, tender fish, and piles of vegetables.  I'll also recommend this as cider in sips. Big gulps don't show off its best characteristics. 

Ninepin Cider makes a number of limited runs with different styles and additions, and I consistently enjoy them. So, if you like cider adventures, check out these seasonals!

Cider Review: Cider Creek Hard Cider's Cascade Hopricot (Pt 1 of the Hops+Apricot Cider Showdown)

After writing for a while about my faraway travels, I feel like I need to return to my cider home of New York state. We've got the most cideries of any state in the United States of America! Recent I visited a newer cidery called Cider Creek Hard Cider in Canisteo. 

Read about them on their website: http://www.cidercreekhardcider.com  Several weeks ago, they invited me to go out and visit their production facilities and the site of their future tasting room. Though it is just a couple hours away, it was a perfect late spring thrill to attempt to befuddle my phone's GPS and go out into the country to see where this cider is made.  
 

When I made it out there, I got to meet everyone Melanie and Kevin Collins (Necessary aside, I feel so proud to see my own last name representing in the cider world!). The assistant cidermaker Marty Kelleher, and yes, I did get to meet Rocky the adorable cider dog.

Kevin and Melanie were so welcoming! They shared so much of their time and story, and I got to see their facilities from top to bottom. Homemade kegs washers, beautiful rum barrels, gleaming tanks filled with cider, hops, pineapple juice. Wait a moment...pineapple juice? Yes, part of what makes Cider Creek different is their drive to try new and exciting ways to make cider. They are the opposite of traditionalists; Kevin and his cider making crew want to change preconceived notions about cider by making new and different ciders.

And for more up to date news, you can always visit with Cider Creek on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/cidercreekhardcider?fref=ts

Today, I'm reviewing their Cascade Hopricot, a special release for spring 2015. Here's what Cider Creek Hard Cider has to say about this one.

6.5% ABV, 500ml bottle, Gluten free.

Our unfiltered Cascade Hopricot Hard Cider is a blend of our sweet cider made from 100% New York State apples and all natural apricot puree. It's fermented with a West Coast Ale Yeast and finished by dry hopping with New York State Cascade Hops. This yeast strain allows the tangy citrus hop flavors to really punch through. Enjoy the complex fruit profile and semi-dry, crisp, finish. Available in limited quantities in New York and Massachusetts.

 Appearance: cloudy, peachy, with suspended dots of color

Wow! The Cascade Hopricot looks very cloudy and opaque. The color is peachy pastel orange, with dots of darker orange made visible when I hold my glass up to the light. Because it is unfiltererd, I expected a significant amount of sediment, and I wasn't surprised. The Cascade Hopricot shows as much as any cider I've had. 

Aromas: Belgian beer yeast, orange, herbaceous

Smelling this cider is like experiencing one hundred tiny breezes: some from citrus groves, others from herb gardens, and some from Belgian breweries. The overwhelming impression is one of cooling fruitiness. My favorite part is the frisson of herbal notes which is likely the hops. At first I smell fruit, but then herbal and yeasty notes overtakes the citrus. 

Dryness/sweetness: quite dry

This dryness struck me as a big surprise given how fruity the aromas are. 

Flavors and drinking experience: fruity yet dry, high acidity, complex

Very fruity—very strong apricot notes but not much apple. This cider is decidedly tangy and cleanly sour with crisp finish. It has low to no tannins. I tastes loads of citrus, melon rind, a little bitterness and wet coolness but it remains fruity. I can compare it eating watermelon rind soaked in apricot juice and mint leaves. There's also one tiny hint of rubber tire as the glass approaches and the cider hits, but not too much to be anything other than interesting.  I get a little yeast in the flavors but the cider tastes much less boozy than its 6.5 ABV. I love how cooling and pleasantly hoppy it tastes. The cider offers medium high carbonation, which is always a plus in my world. Overall it is fruity, cooling and complex: really neat and different. This probably won't be a favorite for traditionalists, but that just leaves more for the rest of us.

I had the Cascade Hopricot with the best corn on the cob of the summer and veggie chicken nuggets (don't judge me!).  Coming soon will be my encounter with the only other cider made with hops and apricot (Rev. Nat's Hallelujah Hopricot) and we'll see how the two compare.

Cider Review: Millstone Cellars Hopvine

Today makes Millstone Cellars' third appearance in this blog. I'm lucky to have friends in the Maryland DC area and a phenomenal local cider seller (https://www.thecellardor.com of course!) who hosted the cidermaker from Millstone (bringing in the current line of ciders for tasting and sale) because normally these ciders are only available in the Maryland and Washington DC areas. Ask me another day about the extremely difficult hurdles of distribution for small craft cider producers. I'll talk your ear off. Anyhow...

Here are my two previous reviews of Millstone Cellars ciders.

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/02/cider-review-millstone-cellars-cider.html

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/07/cider-review-millstone-cellars-gingeroot.html

Millstone Cellars makes really interesting ciders. You can read about them on their website here: http://www.millstonecellars.com/artisanal-cider/ They aren't afraid to try interesting additives, unique apple varieties, and the most nuanced use of honey as a backsweetener that I know. Combine my good feeling for Millstone Cellars' style with the fact that I love hopped ciders. They are the absolute best for hot summer afternoons. The world can consider me very excited to try Millstone's Hopvine.

Obviously the Hopvine is an apple cider with hops, but we can do better than that for some useful information. Here's what Millstone says, "Cask cider aged with Maryland dry hops and blended with a touch of raw honey. Wrap your taste buds around a cascade of lemony and spicy hop flavors." Further reading or even just admiring of the beautiful label shows that this cider uses York Imperial apples, wildflower honey, and Cascade hops. This cider has an ABV of 8%. It is also listed as being bottle conditioned and dry.

Prepared with this details, let's pour and taste. Today is 88 degrees in Ithaca, perfect for hopped cider.

Appearance: Hazy, lemon curd color, not too many visible bubbles once the initial head disappears
 

The Hopvine pours with some belgian lace that quickly dissipates.

Aromas: Wow, alfalfa, citrus

The reason for the wow is that this cider is intensely aromatic. I love it when a cider gives me plenty of good smells! This one has alfalfa, hay, citrus, grapefruit pith, and a background of apples. But as it warms up a bit, the smells develop and give me additional notes like baseball glove or soft patent leather. Mmm! Wow indeed.

Dryness: Dry

Like many bottle-conditioned ciders, the Hopvine manages to exhibit loads of flavor while being bone dry. I really appreciate this in a cider. 

Flavors and drinking experience: zesty, astringent, sour, fruity

I must preface my description with the fact that this cider tastes milder than it smells. It is dry, phenolic, and astringent. I love the intensity that astringency brings to mouthfeel; it makes everything zesty. The cider finishes with notes like straw, leather, and sour yeast. The hops make it spicy yet vegetal or herbaceous. I love how totally insane the Hopvine is with leather and acidity. This does not strike me as a sipping cider. I was tasting with a few friends who faulted it for moments of bracing funk that approach sweatiness, but I really enjoyed those facets. What can I say? I like a little stink in my cider. I like it a lot.

What we can all agree on is that Millstone's Hopvine pairs with strongly flavored aromatic dishes. Bring out the Rosemary bread, olives, and feta. I flipping love Rosemary and never get to eat it often enough, but the salty rosemary bread and briny feta just complemented this cider perfectly. My love for hopped ciders continues! This is probably one for the lovers of sour beers, unusual ciders, and deliciously complex tastes. I'd not share this with just everyone, but then again I say that about most of my favorite discoveries.

Cider Review: Redbyrd 2013 Harvest Cider

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

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

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

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

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

2013 Harvest Cider

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

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

                12% Major: early bittersweet English cider apple

                12% Domaines: early bittersweet French cider apple

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

                48% mixed early heirlooms and early bittersweet drops

Alcohol:  7.7% alc/vol.

Residual Sugar: 0.0%rs.

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

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

 
Appearance: maple, brilliant, no bubbles

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

Aromas: wood, tannins, some apple

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

Sweet to dry: Absolutely bone dry

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

Flavors and drinking experience: Acidic!

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

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