Cider Review: Five Maidens Craft Cider's Betty

We’re under the heat dome, and I’m afraid there’s no real escaping it for the next several days. My primary recommendation for those of you who are stuck in it with me, please drink water often, enjoy the shade, take it as easy as you can, and take everything with a grain of salt this week. Cider on the porch still sounds good to me, but I’ll have a glass of water ready to hand as well.

This week, I’m sharing my thoughts on Five Maidens Craft Cider’s Betty. This is my first review of anything from this cidery. The ciders come to us from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Andrew David, Brian Williams, and Mandy David own and run the cidery, which grew out of Brian and Andrew’s passion for home brewing. 
You can visit Five Maidens Cider online here: https://5mcider.com/

If you want more background about this cidery, I do recommend this member spotlight for the cidery on Lehigh Valley’s Brewer’s Guild websiteLehigh Valley’s Brewer’s Guild website.

I picked this sample up when I was a cider judge at the PA Farm Show in Harrisburg, otherwise I would not have access to this cider, so big thanks to the competition folks for sharing!

Official description:

Betty, our single varietal cider from the Rosalee apple, reminds us of our favorite Betty White character, Rose Nylund. This single varietal cider provides a sweet, fragrant fresh apple picked aroma. The flavor is semi sweet initial lush apple with background acidity that finishes drier. Betty is a unique single varietal cider that should appeal to both dry and sweet fans.

Appearance: brilliant, pale straw, subtle color

The Betty looks like an inviting new world style cider with a pale straw hue and beautiful brilliance.

Aromas: vanilla frosting, green apple, fresh apple

At first scent, the Betty smells fresh and sweet like vanilla apple frosting. The fruit notes are specifically fresh green apples. It’s an easy smell to enjoy.

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is a sweet cider. It’s not cloying or overpowering, but it’s unambiguously sweet in a fresh fruity way.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, full body, mild bubble, tropical fruit

The Betty is vivacious with mild bubble, high acidity, and a full body. This is a super approachable cider for folks who might not have tried many single varietals before.
The mid-palate really pleases with tropical fruit flavors alongside notes of peach and ripe apple.

I find this cider to be pleasant and easy drinking. It went well with a simple supper of sautéed zucchini and a lemon ricotta ravioli with pesto. Cheers!

Cider Review: Albemarle Ciderworks Jupiter's Legacy

Today, I’m reviewing Albemarle Ciderworks’ Jupiter’s Legacy. This cider was shared with me by the fine folks at Albemarle Ciderworks. We’re cruising into Summer quickly, and this cider was my reward after a huge day of garden work and exercise. I wanted nothing more than peaceful relaxation on my porch and this is what I enjoyed with it. 

I’ve reviewed a few Albemarle Ciderworks beverages before. You can find more information about this Virginia based cidery in the earlier reviews. Here’s the full list. 

Brut D'Albemarle Hewes Crab: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/09/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks-brut.html

Wickson: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/07/dryciderjuly-cider-review-albemarle.html

Brut D’Albemarle Harrison: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/03/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks-brut.html

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

Ragged Mountain: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/cider-review-albemarle-ragged-mountain.html

Royal Pippin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/08/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks-royal.html

Pomme Mary (a Top Ten cider from 2013): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/09/cider-review-albemarle-iderworks-pomme.html

This is where you can find the most up to date info on Albemarle releases and tasting room events: http://www.albemarleciderworks.com.

Here’s what Albemarle’s website has to say about Jupiter’s Legacy.

Jupiter's Legacy

Jupiter’s Legacy has a bright acidity with notes of citrus. Made from a blend of classic cider apples that changes yearly with the variation of the apple harvest, this cider has a nicely astringent tannin and a tart apple finish. Elegant with chicken and cream finished dishes.  8.2% ABV

Tasting Notes

As our most complex blend, Jupiter's Legacy displays a nuanced depth of body and flavor that reveals itself slowly, over the course of a glass.  Some warm tannins give this cider a rounder mouthfeel and longer finish, while the balancing acidity keeps it lively.  Jupiter's Legacy really shines when paired with complementary foods: chicken and cream-finished dishes, game meats, steak au poivre, and of course pork.  Sweet, apple-based desserts can also offset Jupiter's tartness nicely, such as an apple tatin with caramel sauce, or simply a cider donut.

Why we like it

This is our flagship cider incorporating our best traditional cider apples.  We believe that this blend which will vary from year to year as we are able to grow more traditional American cider apples.  We believe it represents the best of what American cider was and will be.

The cider’s label makes clear that Albemarle Ciderworks named this cider to honor an enslaved man and cider maker: Jupiter. His last name is thought to be Evans, but sources aren’t entirely confident. I’ll link to two sources of information about the cider’s namesake.

From the Monticello research center: https://www.monticello.org/research-education/thomas-jefferson-encyclopedia/jupiter-evans/

Civil Eats Article: https://civileats.com/2019/05/10/american-cider-in-black-and-white/

Appearance: brilliant, bubbly, intense saffron color

This cider’s color reminds me of saffron yellow, which is warm and leans toward apricot. It’s brilliant and bubbly as well.

Aromas: overripe apple, baking spices, grilled peach

Initially, Jupiter's Legacy’s aromas bring to mind applesauce and baking spices. A gentle ghost of cinnamon is decidedly present. Repeated sniffs unlock overripe apple and grilled peach notes too. Very inviting. 

Sweetness/dryness: off dry

This one is a bit debatable. When I first had a glass, it tasted off dry. A second glass the next day, and after a meal, tasted drier. I’d be curious to learn the cider’s residual sugar. 

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, high tannins, soft leather, sweet orange

Albemarle Ciderworks has crafted something special in Jupiter’s Legacy. This cider has high acidity and medium tannins, but those words do not capture what’s special about it.  I love that it reminds me of old supple leather softened by time and handling, overripe apples and sweet orange. It’s stony with a fine active bubble.

Drinking it, I found the cider both balanced and beautiful. It’s one I was so happy to enjoy two nights in a row as I watched the evenings stretch out long and golden. 

Cider Review: 2 Towns Ciderhouse Sidekick Pacific Pineapple

My posting has been off schedule lately. I’m not going to say that life keeps getting in the way, because life is the way and the blog must fit into it to continue. And that’s how everything goes, certainly including cider. Which leads me to this week’s review. I’m reviewing a non-alcoholic cider for the first time. The timing is perfect for me to share my thoughts on 2 Towns Ciderhouse Sidekick Pacific Pineapple.

Things have been hectic and difficult lately in such a way that I sometimes want the flavor and experience of having a cider without the buzz or effects of alcohol. And I’m seeing a ton of new non-alcoholic beverages out in the world. I was thrilled to accept some samples for review by 2 Towns Ciderhouse. As always, my reviews are my own opinions and completely unpaid.

I’ve reviewed many 2 Towns Ciders over the years. Here’s a full list.

Apricot Cosmic Crisp: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2024/02/cider-review-2-towns-apricot-cosmic.html

The Baddie: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/03/cider-review-two-towns-ciderhouses.html

Crimson Bliss: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/10/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

Hollow Jack’d: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/09/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-hollow.html

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find out what 2 Towns has been up to lately on the website: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

And here’s how the ciderhouse describes this new release. 

SIDEKICK - PACIFIC PINEAPPLE

NON ALCOHOLIC PACIFIC PINEAPPLE

Juicy and tropical, Pacific Pineapple rolls ripe Costa Rica golden pineapples into fresh-pressed Northwest apples. Refreshingly juicy and easy drinking, no matter your locale! Using exclusively sourced Northwest apples, each batch is fresh-pressed with a custom blend of ingredients. After fermentation, the alcohol is gently removed low and slow until it reaches less than 0.5% AB. The newly dealcoholized cider is finished and blended to create a crisp, clean cider that always has your back!

Here’s what I thought of 2 Towns’ Sidekick Pacific Pineapple.

Appearance: Hazy, buttery yellow, bubbly

This cider has a consistent haze that makes me think of lemon curd. The color is a pale buttery yellow, and the Pacific Pineapple doesn’t lack for bubbles. Apologies for the lack of a picture. I was drinking this in the yard with my cat. Here's a picture of the cat instead. This is Braeburn.

Aromas: fermentation, apple, pineapple, bread yeast

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect for this cider’s aroma, considering that it’s non-alcoholic. It certainly smells fermented, with an inviting blend of clean bread yeast, fresh apple, and pineapple. I would have no notion that’s anything other than 2 Towns Pacific Pineapple (the with booze version) by aroma.

Sweetness/Dryness: Sweet 

This cider is sweet, but it’s not maximally sweet. What’s there is balanced by body, bubble, and acid. It’s a good level, and I’m so glad it’s not sweeter.

Flavors and drinking experience: Super fresh, vivid, light fermentation flavor, medium high acid, bubbly, full body

The Sidekick Pacific Pineapple smelled like cider and pineapple, and that comes through in its flavors as well. The cider is sweet and lightly fermented tasting  but largely the experience is super fresh and vivid. I appreciate that it’s just a bit yeasty! That gives the experience a hint of warmth and a reminder that I’m not drinking soda. I love that there’s a tiny hint of bitterness in the mid palate.

The cider starts of reminding me of citrus, blooms into pineapple, and ends with an apple finish. I appreciate that it’s complex, offering up loads of flavor, a full body and strong bubble.

I enjoyed this tremendously, and I don’t really want to share my 6 pack with anyone, but I suppose I’ll have to. I know everyone will want to try it! Way to go, 2 Towns Ciderhouse.

One more cat picture, because I cannot help myself.

Cider Review: Rootwood Cider Co.'s Harrison

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I found out about Rootwood Cider Company through the Northwest Cider Club. This is a wonderful way to get access to a mouthwatering array of ciders from that region. I would not find out about a fraction of the Northwest ciders I’ve enjoyed without them. 

Here’s a link to the club for the curious: https://nwciderclub.com/

This introduction to Rootwood Cider Co. came through a delivery in 2021, so it has waited a while in my cellar. Here’s what I can say about the cider producer. This Washington State cidery was founded in 2014 in the Koenig family’s 5th generation of orcharding. The cidery is now owned by Emily, Kate, and Anna Koenig. A short quote from the about page on the cidery website gives a sense of the cidery’s breadth of style.

“Rootwood will continue to produce a combination of traditional and modern ciders - both heirloom apple blends and single-varietal products, and small-batch experimental ciders such as the syrah-infused Rosé, honey infused Pollinator, and ghost chili pepper infused Golden Ghost.”

This will be my first ever review of anything by Rootwood. I was excited to try the Harrison on a recent spring evening, because of the mystique surrounding the varietal. Here’s how Rootwood Cider Co. introduces it.

Tasting notes

HARRISON - SINGLE VARIETAL - juicy apple brightness with a warm sherrylike finish

Once thought to be extinct, a single Harrison apple tree was rediscovered in 1976 in New Jersey, allowing for the reintroduction of this variety through grafting and budding. This cider was produced with apples from our estate cider orchard, where more than 500 Harrison trees grow today. 6.9% ABV.

Appearance: Orange,  bubbly

I was shocked initially by the Harrison’s intense shade of orange. I admit, it left me curious about what to expect from this cider. The cider is brilliant, bubbly, and bewitching with its unusual hue. I’ve seen a few UK or French ciders with shades of orange for color, but it’s not usual for an american cider or a cider with this level of clarity. 

Aromas: Ripe apples, pear, and peach

As surprising as I found this cider’s appearance, the Harrison smells familiar and wonderful. The enticing notes center on ripe apple, pear, and peach.

Sweetness/dryness: sweet

What a treat! Often single varietal ciders are fermented to total dryness. I like that. It’s a good way to make a considered cider, but it’s not the only way. Rootwood has crafted something lovely approachable and delicious in the sweet but not simple Harrison.

Flavors and drinking experience: Tannic, juicy, golden raisins, apricot finish and bubbly

The sweet and tannic cider does not strike me as typical of any sort of American cider. It’s not always easy to get apples that will make a tannic cider, but Harrison is one. The cider sings with high acidity and notes of golden raisins.

The Harrison’s mid-palate is peachy, juicy, and bubbly. It finishes with a pleasant apricot and seasoned wood drift of flavor.

Cider Review: Eden Cidery's Cellar Series Franklin Pet Nat

Things change all the time. The seasons cycle through (though less predictably than in the decades gone by), and we all grow and change. Recently, I completed a first draft of a novel manuscript. This is a first for me, and I’m excited to jump into editing. And I’ve accepted an exciting offer of a different role within the larger organization of my day job. That will start next week. I still love apples and cider, so I celebrated the good job news with a special bottle.  Today I’m sharing my thoughts on that celebratory beverage: Eden Cidery’s Cellar Series Franklin Pet Nat.

If anyone reading isn’t familiar with the term Pet Nat, that’s totally fair. It’s short for Petillant Naturel. That’s a specific fermentation technique used for wine and cider that leverages the yeast’s transformation of sugar into carbon dioxide to create naturally bubbles in the bottle with just one round of fermentation and no disgorging. Here’s a link to a better explanation by the illustrious Beth Demmon: https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/beer/cider/pet-nat-cider/. 

I love a good Pet Nat. They are dry and often taste super fresh, slightly funky, high acid, and bubbly. This is a huge part of what I want from cider. It’s not the only profile, but it’s a trustworthy one!

Eden Ciders are some of my favorites. This small Vermont cidery experiments and creates new delicious ciders all the time while remaining truly orchard and harvest focused. There aren’t enough cideries that can make that claim. I’ve amassed quite the collection of reviews of Eden ciders. Here’s the list.

Fuzz Ball: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/09/cider-review-eden-ciders-fuzz-ball.html

Cobble Knoll: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-eden-ciders-cobble-knoll.html

Sorciere: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/07/cider-review-eden-ciders-sorciere.html

Oliver’s Twist Foxwhelp Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-eden-ciders-olivers-twist.html

Brut Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/07/cider-review-eden-ciders-brut-rose.html

Benjamin: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/06/cider-review-eden-ciders-benjamin-and.html

Deep Cut: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/08/cider-review-eden-specialty-ciders-deep.html

Peak Bloom: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/09/cider-review-eden-ciders-peak-bloom-and.html

Ezekiel: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-eden-specialty-ciders.html

Extra Sec: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/03/cider-review-angry-orchard-super.html

Eden Heritage Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/06/cider-cans-crush-it-eden-heritage-and.html

Siren Song: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html

Brut Nature: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-con-2018-pt-1-eden-specialty.html

Imperial 11 Degree Rose: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-january-2017-cidrbox-and-edens.html

Sparkling Dry: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/06/cider-review-eden-sparkling-dry-cider.html

The Sparkling Dry supported my Thanksgiving & Birthday celebrations in 2016: 

http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/11/pick-cider-for-thanksgiving-and-my.html

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

I suggest visiting Eden Cidery’s website. That’s the best place to read about the harvest ciders, aperitifs, and ice ciders available along with the sister brands Eden is now affiliated with: https://www.edenciders.com/

Here’s how the label describes the Cellar Series Franklin Pet Nat.

Franklin is Vermont's own cider apple variety. Propagated from a wild seedling tree found at the edge of a small orchard in Franklin County, Vermont. It is a high volume apple, producing a dry sparkling cider that balances mouth-watering acidity and robust tannins. We were privileged to pick the fruit of the mother tree for this special small batch. Abv 7.2% Residual sugar 0 grams/liter

Appearance: intense butter yellow, brilliant, lots of active fine bubbles

This is a lovely cider! The color just radiates like welcome spring sunshine in a pure buttery shade of yellow. There are tons of bubbles present, all tiny and active!

Aromas: Nutty farmy lemon and moss and grape skin

The Franklin Pet Nat smells nutty and farmy upon first whiff. As I let the aroma notes unfurl, I get lemon, moss, and grape skins. It feels so appropriate for Spring!

Dryness/sweetness: Dry!

Eden’s Franklin Pet Nat is a completely dry cider, and it tells no lies about that. Dry cider fans, rejoice!

Flavors and drinking experience: high acidity, lemon fluff, funk, bubbly

I love the mouthwatering high acidity on this cider.  Eden has released something super gorgeous and bubbly with the Franklin Pet Nat. This dry cider comes across with citrus zest, lemon fluff, and some farmy wildness.

The mouthfeel is Austere and spiky with tannic weight. The cider is more indebted to minerals than fruit, but the fruit that is present is firmly citrusy. The gentle notes of funk from the Franklin Pet Nat’s aromas remain present in its flavors. They aren’t out of control, but they remind us that we’re drinking something a bit untamed. 

Cider Review: Deep Roots Hard Cider's Double Barrel Reserve

 

I wanted to make comfort food at home this weekend. We’ve had a lot of hard stuff going on lately, and the weekend finally gave me enough breathing room to cook about it. So I made vegetarian lasagna. Every lasagna I’ve ever made is vegetarian, but I looked for ways to pack more vegetables in without losing the dish’s richness and indulgence. It’s supposed to be a super savory pile of cheese and noodles smothered in rich tomato sauce! And as soon as the craving hit, I knew it would be a great chance to pick a big cider with intense flavors as an accompaniment. That’s why this week’s cider review is of Deep Roots Hard Cider's Double Barrel Reserve.

I came across the Double Barrel Reserve when I had the pleasure of judging cider for the PA Farm Show this past December. Deep Roots Hard Cider comes to us from Sugar Run, Pennsylvania. The cidery was founded by Tim Wells in 2015, and this is the first time I’ve managed to snag a bottle for myself. Getting Pennsylvania outside of state is still no easy feat, folks! That’s why this is my first Deep Roots review.

I recommend visiting the cidery online: https://www.deeprootshardcider.com/

Here’s Deep Roots’ official description for the Double Barrel Reserve.  

Double up on what makes our Barrel Reserve great! This bourbon-barrel-aged hard cider starts with our original Northern Spy hard cider aged for a full year in a double-oaked-bourbon barrel. It has notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak with a silky smooth finish.

This small-batch cider sells out fast!

9.9% ABV 

Appearance: Sunny yellow, few visible bubbles, brilliant

What a lovely cider. It doesn’t have the haze that lots of barrel-aged ciders display. Instead I can see a few bubbles in the cider quite clearly. The Double Barrel Reserve is a sunny pastel yellow. Maybe it’s just my wishful thinking, but the color reminds me of spring sunshine.

Aromas: vanilla, caramel, smoke, wood, barrel

The Double Barrel Reserve smells amazingly of vanilla and barrel. The aromas are just so vivid and intense. I also get plentiful aromas of caramel, salt, and smoke. The cider hints at woody and balsam notes.

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is a sweet cider. It’s an unapologetic dessert with plenty of complexity to the sweetness. 

Flavors and drinking experience: Petillant, full body, buttery, barrel, woody

Deep Roots bring us a cider that’s both petillant and sweet. I don’t necessarily associate these two qualities together, but the emphatic barrel focus melds the two. What I get is a rich buttery cider that has dessert levels of sweetness on the mid-palate and a twinge of a bitter hint on the finish. The cider has tons of barrel character and a full body. 

The Double Barrel Reserve cider carries its hefty alcohol-by-volume level well and the strong flavors can stand up to a dish like lasagna.  In a perfect world, I’d love to see all of that fun barrel character countered balanced with more fruit and acid, but it’s hard to get everything in one cider. My co-taster commented that the Double Barrel Reserve tasted intriguingly like a tree or a pine cone with just one sharp hint of apple.

It was a treat to make, pair, and enjoy my lasagna with this rich super-barrely cider. Cheers!

Cider Review: Raw Cider Company's Brut Nature

I’m an introvert, and yet I love good events. It feels like a paradox. I need quiet time away from people to recover energy rather than gaining energy from time with people, but at the same time both attending or hosting many different kinds of events remains satisfying to me. I’ve been slowly reading bits of The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker, and so much of what she writes resonates with me. I’ll share one quote and then I’ll get into this week’s review. 

Why do we gather? We gather to solve problems that we can't solve on our own, we gather to celebrate, to morn, and to mark transitions. We gather to make decisions, we gather because we need one another. We gather to show strength. We gather to honor and acknowledge. We gather to build companies, and schools, and neighborhoods. We gather to welcome and we gather to say goodbye. .. But here's the great paradox of gathering. There are so many good reasons for coming together that often we don't know precisely why we're doing so. ― Priya Parker, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters

I love that kind of reflective thinking and acting to deepen connections. I had the honor to attend not one but two wonderful parties this weekend. Thank you again to my hosts! And to the first of these gatherings, I brought a cider from my cellar that I thought would be pleasing to my hosts and shared it. Here’s how it went. 

I brought a bottle of Raw Cider Co.’s Brut Nature to the birthday party of a friend who just happens to be an amazing artist. She and her partner have wonderfully adventurous palates, so I wanted to bring something a bit daring for them. 

This is my first ever review for anything from Raw Cider Company. This cidery is based out of Oregon, and they focus a lot on letting nature guide their processes. 

Visit the cidery online here: https://rawcider.com/

Here’s a bit of info about the Brut Nature.

This blend of Airlie Red and Karmijn de Sonneville apples were sourced from family orchards in Oregon. We work with growers that are passionate about their produce because the best flavors come from nature. Our gift at Raw is to share these naturally cultivated flavors with you so you can enjoy them in the company of friends or a good book.

Aged on the lees for a minimum of 12 months. Bottled May 2021.

 ABV 7.5%.

Appearance: medium intensity, transparent, warm straw

The color is the classic warm straw hue that I associate with many American ciders made with heirloom apple varieties. It’s not brilliant, but neither is it hazy. I think transparent would be the right word.

Aromas: leather, salt, funky, UK cider, melon, grape leaves 

I chose this cider hoping for something a bit challenging and different, because that’s a profile I know my hosts enjoy. As I hoped, the Brute Nature smells like some Cornish ciders I had when traveling. I get notes of salt, leather, fusil oils, grape leaves, and melon.  There’s a fully present funk but it’s not out of balance.

Sweetness/dryness: Dry!

This is a dry cider! There’s a lot else going on, but it’s decidedly a dry cider.

Flavors and drinking experience: honey, pear, tannic, medium full mouthfeel, leather, medium acidity

Exactly as I hoped, this cider was a huge hit at the party. Everyone who tried it raved about the taste. I noticed notes of honey and pear. It’s very sparkling texture with some substantial tannins made it very popular. The Brute Nature offers a medium full mouthfeel with medium high acidity; the two features balance one another nicely. In terms of secondary flavore notes, I got lots of leather, some citrus, and overripe apple as well. 

Many thanks to the creative and daring friends who pulled us all together to celebrate this weekend. You've reminded me how much a good event can mean even to an introvert at heart.