Cider Free or Die

It looks like finally getting around to joining the BrewFree or Die homebrew club came at the right time. Group buying is one facet to homebrew and winemaking clubs, and when it works, it works really well.

Not long after joining the club I got a note through the club listerv about a group purchase of cider from Sunnycrest Farms in Londonderry. At the price we were quoted for the expected volume we would buy as a group, which ended up being 175 gallons, I calculated that I could buy four buckets for the price of three based on the price I paid in 2009. More liquid gold for the same money? Sign me up!

The day to pickup the cider came and club members from all over the southern tier of NH converged on Londonderry and stood around a raised tote filling buckets for several hours. There was much talk about people’s fermentation plans, what yeast, types of added sugar, do you sulfite or not, etc, etc, and there was plenty of laughter.

There was a healthy mix of experienced cider makers as well as folks trying their hand at it for the first time.With plenty of knowledge to be shared amongst those assembled, there clearly will be much anticipation built up as we all wait to share our creations with fellow club members.

The cider was pouring at about 46 degrees, which is too cold to start with so at a minimum letting it come up to room temperature before pitching any yeast would be expected. The gravity of the raw cider was 1.046 at 46 degrees and the pH was 3.5. 

I also sulfite my sweet cider before using it to ensure nothing unwanted gets a chance to grow. A little pectic enzyme will also go a long way to help foster clearing later in the process. A good stir ensured decent aeration and with that my four buckets of cider would sit for 36 hours before any more attention was required.

As many of the followers of my wine, beer and cider projects have become accustomed, the story always gets more interesting from here. Fermenting four buckets of cider as is would produce a pleasant result, but it isn’t interesting enough for me at this point. So what did I do?

I always add more sugar, acid blend and grape tannin to my ciders. The outcome is much more like an apple wine, but don’t tell my guy friends who love the stuff. They might stop drinking it!

One bucket saw an addition of a gallon of B grade maple syrup and is fermenting with Trappist Ale yeast. Sounds crazy, but in reality I stole the idea from Crispin Cider after sampling a cider of theirs made using similar ingredients.

Another bucket had eight pounds of honey and four cinnamon sticks added to it. It is being fermented with a Sweet Mead yeast. My first cyser.

The two remaining buckets had their gravity increased with white sugar and are fermenting with traditional cider yeast. One will be made still and the other will be sparkling.

Fermentation is winding down for all four batches, but there is much more waiting ahead. Clarification of cider is a notoriously lengthy process, but I still have some from 2009 to drink so I can be patient!

Reports from other club members run the gamut from similar applications of maple syrup, honey, white sugar to brown sugar, amber brewing candy and all sorts of yeast types. The party we are going to have when everyone shows up with cider is going to be epic!

Cheers!

Jason

Finishing the Crispin Ciders

When I first received samples from Crispin Ciders I was very excited. There were 8 styles and breaking it down into a series would give me tasting enjoyment for some time. That time has come, and the end of the road has been reached. And this is made sadder because Crispin doesn’t yet have distribution in New England so I will have to travel to get more when I want it.

Honey Crisp with Organic Cider

This is the last of the large format bottles from their Artisanal Reserve line. I enjoyed these styles the most because they really broadened my understanding of the range for cider. This particular version is made from Honey Crisp apples, a variety we know well from several of the orchards we frequent both in VT and at home in NH.

The nose on this one really grabbed my attention. I picked up pear and watermelon. It pours cloudy (says so on the label for those not paying attention) with a light straw color. It is tart with a healthy bite of acidity and considerable carbonation. I did pick up sweet apple and honey flavors in the finish. I would definitely get this again and could see throwing it at some BBQ chicken & potato salad in the backyard on a hot summer day.

Extra Dry

Almost no aroma was found after the pour. It is almost clear, almost like green tea (thanks Mom!) It is dry and very carbonated. This is definitely more English in style than some of the others with a much drier mouthfeel and some sour in the finish. Flavors of under-ripe pear were most noticeable in the finish.

Light – Bright Over Ice

Light straw in color, dry, tart and heavily carbonated. It is indeed light, very light in fact, but crisp and refreshing with citrus in the finish.

The last two are too light and dry for my tastes, but knowing how my friends have preferences within the range of ciders (dry-sweet-flavored) I make at home I am sure these would be a real pleasers for many others.

Ancient Fire 2009 Dry Cider

I had a bottle of my own dry style cider from 2009 on hand and opened it to contrast the taste and texture to that of the other two reviewed above. The aromas are light and solidly of apple juice. As I have mentioned in the past I make mine still most of the time and that is true for this selection as well. It is dry and tart with savory apple and spice flavors. The finish is pretty short with tart citrus cleaning up during the quick exit. This is not my very best cider from 2009, but it is the simple dry style I was shooting for when I made it. After one full year in the bottle I have not experienced any re-fermentation or any drying which I have seen in the past. I can’t wait to make cider in again this fall and try some of the twists Crispin offers in my homemade product.

Cheers!

Jason


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I’m Back with Crispin

In my first post reviewing Crispin Ciders from early February I shared my thoughts on two of the free samples that were sent to me take for a test drive. For this installment I offer tasting notes on three more.

First up is the Browns Lane Classic English Dry Cider which is produced entirely in England and imported into the US for distribution.

Browns Lane

Made from English bittersweet cider apples and comes in at 5.8 % ABV.
Gold color, with columns of small bubbles from the bottom of the glass.
Unripe apple aromas.
Very fine carbonation, but lots of it.
Super tart and dry.
Savory apple flavors, liked with baked ham.

I really liked this, but dry ciders are more my thing than Margot. This is the style I know from Quebec and the UK imports we can get in US. I would never tire of having this around!

For the second review we return to the Artisanal Reserve line and The Saint, a cider brewed with Belgian Trappist Yeast & organic maple syrup.

The Saint Artisanal Reserve

Pale, almost cream colored & unfiltered.
Smells like sweet cider & spices.
6.9% ABV
Tartness in the finish.
Yeasty, with spicy sweet bread flavors.
The flavor combination reminded me of the warm apple gallete w/ caramel sauce and bourbon cream glaze I had over Christmas.

This is one that I would stock at home and could have a good deal of fun with in different pairing scenarios. Dessert pairings are the first to spring to mind, but I also think a roast pork tenderloin would make for a good match as well.

The last review is of a pear flavored hard cider from the Fox Barrel line, which is the brand of a company Crispin acquired in 2010 located on the west coast.

Fox Barrel Pear Cider

Flavor reminds me of the pear wine we made in 2008.
Subtle aromas, I couldn’t pick out the fruits.
Gold color with moderate carbonation.
It had a good bite of acidity and a clean finish.

I can’t say I either enjoyed or didn’t enjoy this cider, it just was. It would be immensely refreshing on a hot day and since it presents itself quite simply, it should appeal to a wide audience.


Cheers!

Jason




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Crispin Ultra-Premium Ciders

At some point in 2010 I saw tweets go by from and about Crispin Cider. Being a cider lover I quickly looked them up and attempted to find out where I could get some. No luck. I contacted the rep through Twitter and was at first hopeful from the news that distribution in New England was being coordinated for 2011. It turns out that that arrangement will apparently take a bit longer and I’d have to travel to New York State to try to find some on my own. With much thanks and appreciation to Crispin Cider and their marketing staff I am able to bring you reviews using the selection of free samples that I was provided with.

We received eight different varieties to sample and review. With such a selection to work with we will be breaking it up into several outings, attempting some food pairings and we might even side by side some with our own ciders. So many options should lead to much fun!

This weekend we cracked open the Crispin Original and the Landsdowne Artisanal Reserve.

The basic serving suggestion for Crispin Ciders is over ice. This is peculiar to me as I don’t believe I have ever consumed a cider over ice. My only theory is that the ice interaction with the cider is similar to that found when serving a fine scotch on the rocks. The idea is that the water and the reduction in temperature bring out subtle flavors in the beverage. Without concern for past experience this is how we will serve them for our reviews.

The Crispin Original has a straw color and aromas reminiscent of dry white wine and hints of bottled apple juice. The flavors are restrained and the dryness is not so much that you pucker from it. Margot remarked that the familiar sour flavor from many other ciders she has had was noticeably absent. I concurred. The apple flavor is most prevalent in the finish. Margot’s quote while drinking it was “They know their shit!” You heard it here first folks.

The second selection we tasted was the Landsdowne Artisanal Reserve. This cider is made with Irish Stout yeast, organic molassesand is bottled unfiltered. This was definitely a new combination for me, but new experiences are always exciting.

The cider is brown in color and sets up with a light brown head that dissipates quickly. Aromas of spice and molasses meet you immediately. It is dry with flavors of baked apples. Margot felt the comparison to the aromas and flavors of pumpernickel bread was fitting. I couldn’t disagree with that.

This is definitely one of the most unusual ciders I have ever tasted, and one I would recommend others try. The confluence of aromas, flavors and brewing tradition is truly notable and something I am sure I will share far and wide.

Cheers!

Jason

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”