My Fantastic Vermont Cider Tour: Day 1 (Starting with New Hampshire)

I know my trip is Vermont trip, but it starts with a significant stop in New Hampshire. After breakfast with family at the Fairlee Diner and a quick stop in Hanover, we were off to the legendary Farnum Hill at Poverty Lane Orchards, where we were greeted by the cider dogs Crosby, Marianne, and Newton—and of course, by Steve Wood and Nicole LeiBon.  Nicole took us on a pleasantly casual but deeply educational tour of Farnum Hill's complex. She's famous within the cider world as, "the nose" for her fabulous sensory abilities and her passion for blending great ciders.  

One of the ways that Farnum Hill has communicated with fans this year has been the #OrchardYear project.  Every Wednesday they post an Instagram photo of what's going on at the cidery that week.  Mid August is clearly preparation for apple harvest: dozens of bins are left to dry in the sun before they're needed, and it reminds me of just how many apples go into those lovely bottles.  

Farnum Hill harvests entirely by hand and press small batches on-site.  According to founder Steve Wood, The orchard, dating to the early 1960s, is as important to them as their cider. He says, "The two are inseparable."  

We explored two holy barrel rooms and sampled (with a pipette!) some of the perry and the semi-dry. These barrels sit stacked high to the ceiling; some are twenty years old, and neutral in flavor, "save for an occasional hint of vanilla," according to LeiBon. 

Our conversation ranged broadly but centered on the current state of the cider world until Steve gave us a tromp through his orchards.  Steve Wood has been working with these trees since he was eleven years old, "and if that doesn't blow your mind, it should."

The public face of Poverty Lane Orchards is the grove of U-pick McIntosh and Cortland apples, but behind it are the Wickson, Spitzenberg, Golden Russet, and Dabinett apples that made Farnum Hill unique.  The trees are old and widely spaced; beneath each grows tall grass that cushions the apples' fall.  I was reminded of England and its cider heritage. These trees are grown deliberately for their results and not for their aesthetics. 

I could have chewed the fat with these two all day, but it's a working farm, and I had miles to go.  Specifically, our next stop was Fable Farms in Barnard, a cooperative so new that their cider is really only found at the local farmer's market and a few high-end restaurants.  But if their gorgeous production barn (modeled after a 1745 building) and lofty ambitions are any indication, you may be hearing more about them.  

Christopher Piana looks the young rural prophet and speaks much the same: his vision of cider is foraged apples, wild fermented, and creatively combined with other local fruits, botanicals, and honeys. Fable Farms is unabashedly ecological and esoteric in their craft, which was invigorating and inspiring.  

"There are no boundaries to cider and what it could and should be," says Christopher.  Similarly cidermaker Johnny explains that in pressing 3500 gallons from apples all hand-foraged within an eight-mile radius, Fable has begun to think of terroir as more than merely the ground, but the broader context and origin story of a cider.  

We tried four bottles by Fable and were thrilled to buy and take home a few with us.  Their strengths lay in their high tannins, strong acid, and a unique combination of the better elements from both English and Basque traditions.  Expect reviews in the coming months.

We then switched things up with a brief but absurdly delicious visit to the Vermont Creamery.  Oh goodness, that butter, that cheese.  Or as our server's t-shirt declared, "Chèvre Forèvre." I'll stand by that.

Finally, we drove to the buzzing tourist destination of Stowe, where Stowe Cider has just opened their new tasting room.  There we met with Nikki, a longtime fan of the blog and the tasting room manager for the company.  Hi Nikki!

Nikki let us try all five ciders on tap, and we walked out having purchased an armload more.  Among our favorites from Stowe Cider were their Smuggler's Bourbon (a very drinkable winter cider with good notes of maple and a little tannin) and their surprising Snow's Raspberry (sweet, yes, but so much basil!).  

Stowe Cider has a really clean finish and look (thanks in part to their cross-flow filtering), and their plans to expand their reach into New Hampshire will surely excite our Granite State readers.  I got a great vibe from Nikki's energy and from the thematics that Stowe is going for, and the elegant balance they strike between local ingredients, modern methods, and accessibility.  

That's all for the cider today!  I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the completely amazing dinner we had at Plate in Stowe.  Ho. Ly. Cow.  Forward-thinking and delicious, with lots of creative vegetarian options.  Paradise on a platter.  Tomorrow, we're off to Citizen, Shacksbury, and Champlain.

Here's the link to Day 2:https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-great-vermont-cider-tour-day-2.html

Cider Review: Seattle Cider Company's Basil Mint

The finger lakes region of Upstate New York is experiencing a once in a lifetime drought. The dryness is so much greater than usual that you can see the difference in satellite photographs. But, thunderstorms are coming. While I wait, I want cider that feels extra cool and somehow even more wet. I'm hoping that Seattle Cider Company's Basil Mint will fill this need.

First, let's talk about Seattle Cider Company. They were kind enough to send me this cider in the mail. I wish I could buy their stuff locally. Seattle Cider Company uses Washington state apples, white wine yeasts, and cane sugar. Sometimes they add other ingredients, but the website makes of point of making the ingredients clear and simple. 

You can find out more about ciders on their cleanly designed website:

http://www.seattlecidercompany.com/

Previously, I reviewed the Gin Botanical. I was bowled over by not only the creative impulse behind the cider but also its beautiful execution and balance. Feel free to check out the review: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/02/cider-review-seattle-cider-companys-gin.html

I have a feeling that Basil Mint might share a few features in common with the Gin Botanical, that's partly why I chose it for tonight. We'll have to find out if I'm correct to anticipate cool aquatic herbal notes like I do.
I was struck by the notes and description for this cider. Take a look 

APPLES: Smith, Fuji, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala 

TASTING NOTES: Fermented with fresh basil and mint, this off-dry cider starts savory and floral, complemented perfectly by a tart, clean finish.

Many thanks to Seattle Cider Company for including their list of apples. These are a blend of eating or dessert apples. These are fairly typical choices for west coast ciders where loads of eating fruit is grown.  

As for the description of the Basil Mint, these tasting notes give me a lot to look forward to. And I'm still anticipating some echoes of the Gin Botanical.

Appearance: brilliant, wheaty gold, very few visible bubbles

While this cider appeared very pale when poured into a clear glass vessel, using my cider mug I was able to capture more color.

Aromas: mint, powdered sugar, fresh apples, hops?

Interesting, this smells like sugar, apples, and hops as well as mint. I don't smell a ton of basil.

Sweetness/dryness: sem-dry

I'd call this cider semi-dry but the flavors come from so much more what makes it semi or dry. I'd not go along with the description of off dry though.

Flavors and drinking experience: basil, mint, apple, tartness, balance

The basil appears in the flavor just not the smell. Oh that's so cool. I can taste mint and basil and apple! When I was trained to judge ciders with additional flavors, the number one consideration was balance. We must not lose sight of cider flavors in the pursuit of exciting additions. At the same time, why bother to mix in or coferment if it doesn't fundamentally change the beverage? I applaude Seattle Cider Company for so carefully preparing a drink that allows all of these ingredients to speak so beautifully together.

To go into a bit more detail, in terms of texture, I found a medium intensity of bubble in the Basil Mint. I tasted no tannins. This cider's slightly high acidity kept me on my toes in a very pleasant way. What a great cider to keep by my cider as I wait for rain. 

Cider Review: Griffin Ciderworks' Afterburner

Summer time comes with a special magic unknown to the rest of the seasons, but this summer has been really hot and really dry. Most of the magic for me has come in quiet early mornings and nighttime walks. This does not have to deter the devoted cider lover. I've been trying things along with all of the culinary splendors of summer, just attempting more cold salads and avoiding turning the oven on more than once or twice a week. 

And cider makes a fantastic cold treat. Today's comes from Griffin Ciderworks. They are a primarily local cider producer and taproom in Cleveland, Ohio.

They don't have the most complete website, but between it and there Facebook page, you can find a fair bit of information. Here are links to both.

http://www.griffinciderworks.com/home.htm

https://www.facebook.com/Griffin-Cider-Works-193584717379283/?fref=ts

Today, I wanted to share my impressions of Griffin Ciderworks' Afterburner.

Griffin's official description reads:

 “Ginger Ale’d” Cider – a medium, English-styled ‘Cider Ginger. Blended with fresh ginger and allowed to mellow for a rich and refreshing cider that is great to enjoy with the return of the ‘good weather.’ The ginger adds a nice light bite and provides a lasting and satisfying finish. Serve over ice or thoroughly chilled.

You know how I feel about recommending cider over ice, but I'll not blame the cider for that. And in this heat, and I can understand the motivation.

Appearance: brilliant, corn, bubbly

I am struck by what a bright corn color appears in my glass. As the photo shows, the cider could be read through, making it brilliant. Also, bubbles.

Aromas: strong ginger, powdered sugar, baking spice, stones, dust

So many smells! I am impressed by how whoa strong this cider smells like ginger. Also, the Afterburner offers up notes of powdered sugar, stone, cooked apples, and baking spices.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

To me, this cider tastes moderately semi sweet, I found it but extremely high acidity. This might make some folks experience it as more dry.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, ginger, tart

Again with the whoa strong, but the strength builds rather than shocks. This cider goes crazy with the intense ginger flavor. I'd call the Afterburner a bit acetic, but that plausibly almost melds into the ginger element. Definitely a semi sweet. The Afterburner does really interesting things with the concept of ginger cider by taking the acidity up so high, including a little funkiness, and keeping the sweetness in the medium range, but as a result it is not very balanced.

Overall the experience is very textural. I like highly bubbly tart ciders, and this is definitely one of those. I paired this with a cool cucumber soup and hearty bread. Personally, I enjoyed going with a contrast based pairing for this particular cider; it really added to the experience. 

Cider Review: Woodchuck's Local Nectar and an Announcement about CiderCon 2017!

I've been hearing about Woodchuck's Local Nectar for a while. This is the cider made from only Vermont apples; its semi-dry and has a higher ABV more in line with 100% juice ciders. I've been curious about this one for a while, so when I spotted it on  grocery store shelf in Vermont a few months ago, I picked one up. Usually Woodchuck kindly sends me little cider care packages, but this one I had to hunt down on my own.

Woodchuck is now celebrating their 25th anniversary! For cider in America, that's actually a tremendously long time.

You can read more about the celebration here: http://www.woodchuck.com/blog-post/25th-anniversary-cider-growler-launch

And Ciderstock 2016 is happening: August 20th in Middlebury, Vermont! Check out the music and food lineups here: http://www.woodchuck.com/ciderstock/index.php

I've tasted most everything Woodchuck has released: far too many to list in any one review. But I do want to share a few of my Previous reviews:

Gumption: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/07/cider-review-woodchucks-gumption.html

Cellar Series Chocolate: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/06/cider-review-woodchuck-cellar-series.html

Hot Cha Cha Cha: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/03/cider-review-woodchucks-hot-cha-cha-cha.html

Daychaser: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/05/cider-review-woodchucks-day-chaser.html

Barrel Select:http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/01/cider-review-woodchucks-private-reserve.html

But its time to turn to today's review: Woodchuck's Local Nectar

 Official description:  "Woodchuck® was born and raised in Vermont and our roots remain firmly entrenched in our home state. This cider was handcrafted using apples solely from our orchard partners in Vermont. It is light and crisp, semi-dry, and a pure reflection of the fantastic apple crop Vermont is known for."

Appearance: butterscotch, brilliant, visible bubbles

The color is more deep than bright. It reminds me of butterscotch candies but made totally brilliant. It is easy to see lots of bubbles in this cider.

Aromas: understated, ripe apples, vinous, dusty 

I don't notice strong aromas from this cider, even when I seek them out. But what's there smells fruity and dusty. In some ways the aromas remind me of a semi-dry riesling.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet

I find this cider semi-sweet, while being extremely well balanced and pleasant.

Flavors and drinking experience: applesauce, fruit esters, juicy, blackberry

Let's start with the obvious. This cider tastes appley Like applesauce but little smokey. Somehow it tastes more natural than some offerings by this brand. I'm also getting some yummy fermented fruit notes and esters. No tannins. Medium acidity. Reminds me of the Farmhouse Select Original '91.

 The overall impression comes across as freshly juicy. The sparkle is strong and pleasant. I'd be lying if I said this wasn't easy drinking. The most interesting thing abou tthis cider is its subtly blackberry finish. Both Alex and and I tasted some bubbly fruits of the forest notes consistently.

I had my local nectar with a homemade vegetarian burrito smothered in salsa verde. This was a perfect way to serve and enjoy this cider. The brightness of the salsa paired with the medium acidity and sweetness of the cider and the corn, tofu, tomato, rice filling was a nice offset to such a fruity and balanced cider. 

If I could buy this around here for hot days and mexican food, I totally would.

Last but not least, I am super excited to announce that I will be presenting at Cider Con 2017 in Chicago on Cider Branding and Online Content Marketing with my dear friend Eric West of Cider Guide. This isn't until February, but learning this news made my day today!

Cider Review Roundup: Common Cider Co. Hibiscus Saison, Finn River Dry Hopped, Two Towns Bright Cider, and Henney's Dry Cider

When kids come back from school, one always imagines them writing the essay, "What I did on Summer Vacation." Though summer isn't over yet, I only had one big bit of travel in my summer. This three day vacation was spent doing Family Reunion with my husband's very entertaining family on Lake Tahoe. This is how it looked.

But you guys don't want to hear about that! You're here to read about cider, so I'm going to share with you what I drank on summer vacation!
To be more specific, I explored a local beverage place between the airport and the lodge and picked up a few things I'd not seen before. These are ciders I cannot find easily in New York. Some family members were interested in trying some ciders, so we set up an informal tasting. I had no idea how many folks would be interested or I would have gone a lot more crazy in the store. But that simply tells me that people who aren't committed cider folks are still really excited to experiment with new tasty beverages, and that is a very good thing.

Cider #1: Hibiscus Saison

Common Cider Co. http://www.commoncider.com/

Official description: "Hibiscus Saison pours a rosy red color with a bubbly head. The aroma is light & floral with hints of sweet apples and hibiscus."

Aromas: Peach and citrus, dark acidity, strong smell of fresh green wood, a nice note of mineral

Flavors and drinking experience: sweet, acidic, easy drinking, fun. Some folks tasted a bit of funk on the nose initially, but it fades fast. We all found this cider sweet, and the saison yeast is very subtle. Our beer expert at the table (of Latitude 42) said he couldn't taste it. It has very high acid, owing to some degree from hibiscus. A few tasters noted a juicy tea aftertaste; this is Red Zinger, the cider. It had a light mouthfeel with no tannins.

Cider #2: Dry Hopped

Finn River http://www.finnriver.com/

Official description: "Bright cider, made with heirloom and organic dessert apples, blended with the bold citrus tang of organic Cascade hops. Some say it's like sipping a meadow; some say it's like chewing on grass. A hopped adventure. Alcohol content 6.5%. Dry."

Aromas: very hoppy, bits of grapefruit, lychee, green apple a whole hop smell

Flavors and drinking experience: We can definitely taste grass and green tea; the cider is floral and very fresh. I found it off-dry. The hops have some astringent qualities in a pleasant way. This has medium tannins and high acid, high enough to cause significant salivary gland response. In terms of texture, there's just a little bubble; petillant. I did taste some rhubarb notes.

Cider #3: Bright Cider

Two Towns  http://2townsciderhouse.com/

Official Description: "Clean and crisp, The BrightCider is made exclusively with fresh-pressed NW apples. BrightCider, always a bright idea!"

Aromas: A note of sulfites—it blows off. We all found it minerally and bright indeed! The smell reminded most of a freshly-bitten Granny Smith; just a dash of green apple candy though.

Flavors and drinking experience: The Bright cider tastes sweet, with very high acid; the malic acid is very strong. I noticed a pronounced lemonade aftertaste. Alex described a wet mouthfeel. Others found it Somewhat soda-like; gentle carbonation.

My favorite 2 Towns is still their Hop and Stalk which I reviewed back in 2014: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-hop-and.html

Cider#4: Dry Cider
Henney's http://www.henneys.co.uk/

Official description: "Henneys Dry Cider is our best selling cider. Smooth, light and refreshing. Sweet, appley aroma. Palate has a delicious bittersweet apple character with some spicy bite and a bit of a tannic grip. Very fruity and quite pure, with a nice savoury twist."

Aromas: We noticed all sorts of things. I'll just let the list speak for itself: fresh tobacco, caramel, very ripe apples, kim chi, fruit esters, funk, sun-warmed hay, rawmilk goatcheese, the freshly washed feet of an English milkmaid. Slightly silly, but there were reasons for these observations.

Flavors and drinking experience: Most everyone noticed a strong caramel presence, some barnyard funk, but not distastefully much. One sibling said: Ghetost. The cider was low acid, medium high tannins. I loved that it was darkly semi- sweet. I tasted new bruised apple, but found it so interesting.

All of these ciders went super well with family and sunshine and relaxing, but even better than that, sitting down to do a tasting after a ropes course felt magnificent. Highly recommended.

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 Vander Mill's Totally Roasted and my CCP certificate!

Some days are perfect. We don't have responsibilities; the weather is fine; we get to see friends while enjoying tasty food and drinks. These are easy days. My day didn't start out so well because I had to take my perfect cat to the vet. But, the way a day starts is not necessary how that day will finish. Here's how my lame day got better. 

I got my official Cider Certification Program recognition in the mail!!

Even my photo bombing cat Pie May couldn't resist checking it out!

Vandermill is a cidery I first started encountering at GLINTCAP three years ago. I had the pleasure of judging with a cider maker from Vandermill, and the business donated plenty of cider to the event. Two very nice early impressions. I cannot believe its taken me this long to actually review one of their ciders. The company started as a cider mill in 2006. They focus on local fruit, using only Michigan apples. Their cider can be found in at least four different states, but they maintain an aura of drinkability and approachability.

You can read tons more about Vander Mill on the website: http://vandermill.com/

So, Totally Roasted

 The medley of cinnamon, pecan, and vanilla will dance on your palate. This is a mind altering example of what cider can be. We hope you love it as much as we do. Gluten-free

I also found some earlier descriptions elsewhere on the web. This gives us just little more info: 

This cider was specially made for a draft customer in Grand Rapids, MI.. We are using over 4 lbs. of homemade cinnamon roasted pecans in a 30 gallon batch of this limited edition cider to bring you Totally Roasted. You will notice that soaking pecans in cider brings a unique texture and taste to the drink. We use cinnamon and vanilla during the roasting process and follow that up by adding whole cut vanilla beans to the cider. These subtle tastes certainly make this a cider all it’s own.

Appearance: Bright and bubbly gold

This pours with a light color, but don't mistake that low visual impact. Rather than from the color, the intensity comes from loads and loads of visible bubbles. Cider appears brilliant.

Aromas: dust, apples, sweetness, like brown sugar

Despite the abundance of bubbles, I cannot get a lot of aroma from this cider. I smell some fresh apple and some sweet blend of spice, but it isn't distinct.

Sweetness/dryness: semi-sweet to sweet

This is a sweeter cider. It's part and parcel of the experience. The sweetness adds to the mouthfeel and helps bring out the spicy and nutty flavors this cider is all about. 

Flavors and drinking experience: nutty, sweet, tart, brown sugar and spice

Fascinating! This cider does have something roasty and nutty going on, but I'm not sure how it works. I taste brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nuttiness.  At the same time, I cannot help but notice the high acid. Totally Roasted offers up really good mouthfeel; it's rich yet sharp. Unsurprisingly, I notice no tannins. Sweetness is brown sugar plus tartness.

My only complaint is that in some moments, this one can taste a little artificial more like green jolly rancher than like fruit or fermentation. What I cannot complain about is how extremely lively and pleasant I find this level of bubble.

I think pairing can make the difference between a reasonable experience and a really wonderful one with a cider like this. I found the spice and roastiness on the subtle side, especially when balanced by the high acidity. Therefore, I recommend having this cider with a slightly sweet bread and a soft cheese. That should bring out the best in everything.