It’s been a long time….
Just have to say: Tieton Maker Reserve. Get it while it lasts.
July 5, 2012
Happy day after Independence Day!
So, it looks like there’s a problem with the taps today, so I went bottle. Gave me a great chance to try something I hadn’t before: Fox Barrel Pacific Pear. As expected, it’s pretty sweet. Still nice and crisp, and not as sweet as Ace Pear for example. According to the bottle, they don’t add any sugar and they only use pear juice (not concentrate!) in the fermentation process. According to the ingredients, they do use concentrate, so I’m guessing that’s after in order to sweeten it. All and all, not a bad drink, but I couldn’t handle more than two, max, if I was going to have another. Really what people typically think of when they think “Cider.”
It’s been a long time
Blue Mountain Peach
Sweeter than I like, but a lot of peachy flavor without getting too sweet. I prefer the cherry.
Sea Cider, Kings and Spies
Nice crisp, dry to semi-dry.
Interesting bite in the finish, not exciting, but solid.
December 7, 2011
I have been in a few times and not posted, so I’ll do my best to catch up.
Bushwhacker Cxa Cxa Cxa, v1
This is Bushwhacker’s attempt at a Basque style cider. The base is clearly what I’m starting to think of as the Bushwhacker style: a thinner, lighter cider. I hesitate to use the word “weak”, but the flavor is not very bold. I don’t think of it as a negative as much as a style choice. This cider has a distinct Basque flavor, but I would call it underdeveloped. Looking forward to v2, available any day now.
Blue Dog Mead, OR
I’ve tried to like mead. Really tried, but it just doesn’t do it for me. Therefore, I’m not a very good judge of mead quality. This was interesting to taste, great honey finish, but a little harsh up front with a heavy hit of alcohol. Would love to know what other people think of it.
Weston’s Stowford Press
Typical English style. Solid. Not much to note.
Ace Apple
Meh. Not bad, not great. I really associate this with what I used to get at bars on occasion, though they usually had pear, which is very sweet.
Today:
Carlton Cyderworks Trapper
This is a whiskey barrel aged cider. It was very different to taste on tap and from the bottle, mainly because the bottles were room temperature. Sadly, not very impressed. I LOVE Carlton’s Asian Pear cider, and the rest of their line is quite tasty. Although the flavor of the warmer bottle pour stood out more, I really liked the Bushwhacker version much more. This is their first attempt and the maker (on hand for tasting) is already talking adjustments for next year.
Original Sin
I got this because I remembered it being drier. Sweet.
November 9, 2011
Well, I was here a couple weeks ago for the Two Towns Tap Takeover, which was totally amazing. Sorry, distracted by a hot date (the notorious Honey Badger), so that will simply have to be lost to time.
I can say that they all rocked.
Today on tap:
Bushwhacker Red Headed Stranger
Apple cider plus ginger. I have a very narrow band of ginger tolerance, and this is a very mild concoction. Light on the carbination (seeming to be a trait of Bushwhacker house ciders), crisp, medium dry and mild flavor. The ginger really comes across as a tingle in the back of my throat than a distinct ginger flavor. Delicious.
Forest Edge Pear Apple – OR
Forest Edge is a winery. This comes in a wine bottle. It tastes like wine! I’m impressed. Dry, mildly fruity with a distinct mustiness I associate with wine. Amber said Savingon Blanc and I honestly don’t know enough about wine to disagree. Thumbs up, but distinctly wine-like.
Weston’s Stowford Press – England
English cider. I could tell with my eyes closed. Heavier and fruitier than Crispin, almost a chewy texture and a distinctly cider golden color. Simple, straight forward, English cider.
October 12, 2011
New on Tap: Ovino from Oregon
Sour. Very sour. In a good way. Pretty dry. Not getting much depth from it, but it is tasty.
Faint Apple aroma. Not much else to say. It’s possible that my allergies are acting up and getting in the way, but it doesn’t feel like it.
Wandering Aengus, “Anthem Hops”
First impression, smells slightly beery. Light, not very sweet, certainly more going on than the Ovino. Sour finish with Apple in the aftertaste. This is a cider that makes me want to know more about tasting cider. There’s a lot going on in the middle that I don’t have the vocabulary for. Highly recommend.
Wandering Aengus “Wanderlust”
I’m biased. This totally hits my sweet spot. More than slightly sour, kind of dry and all delicious. A bit of yeast mixed with Apple in the finish. Sooooo good. This is what I would drink all day if I wasn’t so curious about everything else.
Bushwhacker “Cold Brooklyn Nights”
Just went for a taste, just too sweet, obvious honey/cyser component. Maybe when the weather is colder, maybe even warmer than room temp. On cask.
Sarasola (Basque style)
One of my absolute favorites. Sour, complex, yeasty, almost reminds me of some kind of off-brand cola when it first hits the tongue. The only thing I get from the nose is very distant vinegar, maybe a little “farm”, but the flavor kicks you in the teeth. It has a greasy or oily texture that I can only assume comes from the sediment. There is so much going on in these, I just don’t have the words. It’s raw and incredible. The French ciders may be very complex, but the Basques are the masters, for now.
Side note: Amber is the bartender/chef with mad skills. Her cheese plate was generous and balanced, but her chili is from another planet. Habenero and Goat Cheese. Wow.
Appeltreow “Sparrow Spiced Cider”
I usually avoid the spiced ciders, but Amber gave me a taste and I decided to go for it. The nose is certainly clove. The flavor is light and crisp, not too dry. Excellent balance with the clove and nutmeg, really.
October 6, 2011
Tonight’s Bushwhacker Board.
Blue Mountain “Estate Winesap”
Drier than the Dry Creek (a regular on tap here), but still has that crisp, refreshing taste, but less “wine-like”. More to my liking. Apparently “Winesap” is an apple varietal. The single varietals are always curious because they really bring out the flavor of the individual apple that can get lost in blends. You cannot go wrong with anything by Blue Mountain as far as I’m concerned.
Two Rivers “Bourbon”
Not for the novice cider drinker, almost non-cidery. Crisp, dry and smoky. I love it and will be sad when it’s off tap. My favorite by Two Rivers by far.
Bushwhacker “The Gin Barrel One”
This is the bar’s home brew. They have several, all worth trying.
Someone at my birthday described it as “almost like water.” It does not have a very strong flavor, and I would say it does taste more like an essence flavored water than typical cider. Also almost totally flat. Still, I really enjoyed it. Very refreshing and surprisingly complex for the weak flavor. I don’t mean to dis it by calling it “weak” but I can’t think of another good word. Also, I don’t pick up the Gin flavor as much as I do the Bourbon in the one above or Bushwhacker’s “Whisky Barrel.”
I should also add that Jeff (the owner) is working with local fruit, none of which is from cider apples: the varietals traditionally grown for making cider. If you get a chance, the Cyser is my current favorite. That’s a cider with a little honey added for sweetness, and he uses Meadowfoam honey, which I guess is from the Meadofoam flower. It’s delightful.
Bushwhacker “The Gin Barrel One’s Bastard Son”
This is served room temperature straight from the cask. I actually prefer it to “The Gin Barrel One.” It has a slightly viscous texture (that I’m not sure the other wouldn’t have if served at room temp), a bit more flavor and complexity to my taste. I could drink this all day long.
Original Sin
I think this would be what most people would think of when they think of cider. A good balance, but a bit sweet to my taste. Very “American” tasting, if that means anything to anyone else. If you’ve had cider and liked it, you will probably like this, but I would put it under the category of “good but not exciting.”
Finnriver “Black Currant”
Someone at my birthday described this as “cough-syrupy.” It’s not just sweet, it also has a bit of a funky aftertaste. Not thrilled with it. For the record, I’m often down with the fruit flavored ciders, but this had a distinct “desserty” taste to it. I really enjoy the Tieton “Apricot” and “Cherry” way more for complexity and tartness.
Two Rivers “Pomegranate”
I’m a huge fan of pomegranate as a fruit, but once again this is a miss for me. Just too sweet and I didn’t even really get pomegranate as a flavor as much as just fruity and sweet.
Snowdrift “Semidry” and “Cliffbreaks”
I enjoyed the “Semidry” as a good, straight ahead, crisp, dry and slightly sweet cider. It is well named. If you want something a little drier than the Original Sin, this is a great glass. I thought the “Cliffbreaks” was pretty similar in flavor profile to the Original Sin: tasty and a little sweet. Maybe a little more complex. I’d have to try them right next to each other to be sure.
EZ Orchards “2010 Cidre”
Again, a very nice, straight ahead cider. A bit more complex and subtle than the Original Sin or “Cliffbreaks” (and probably a little drier, though I’m having a little trouble remembering right now). Excellent, well balanced, easy to drink cider.
Trabanco
Now, this is a Basque cider. They have a totally different concept of cider from the rest of the board. Basque ciders are unfiltered (at least all the ones I’ve had are), are much more sour and, to the back of my throat at least, have almost a light tingling burn. Someone else said “olives” which I can taste now. I’ve described them as “cheese-like.” Think Blue. They can be almost bracing. I REALLY love these suckers, which is funny to me since I hate olives. I thought the Trabanco was almost an “entry level” Basque. It had the whole flavor profile, but was milder than some of the others I’ve had at Buswhacker. This is not to speak ill of it at all. It had great balance and wonderful flavor and I can’t recommend it enough.
Crispin Imported Dry English Cider
Crispin Imported Dry English Cider is my go-to cider at home. Reasonably priced, in a can (which I pour into my favorite glass), it is crisp, light, dry and slightly sweet. Great balance, a total classic and what I think of when I think of “cider.” Less sweet than the typically available ciders like Newton’s Folly, Ace or Woodchuck.
Birthday at Bushwhacker’s
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Yesterday was my birthday, so I decided to simply invite everyone to join me in what I’d be doing anyway: drinking cider. Too many conversations about how I need to keep track of what I’ve had and what I liked, so here it starts…
Except that I need to go back today to see what I had last night. I don’t remember the exact names! I’ll fix this later, and I’m assuming I’m the only person on the planet who even knows this exists right now, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
For example:
The second cider I had was a Bourbon Barrel one, but I don’t remember who by. Not for a beginner unless you like dry, bitter, and distinctly flavored with Bourbon. I loved it!
I also had one of the Basque ciders. Which one? Don’t remember. I do remember it was funky tasting and very sour, but not so much as the other one I had last week, which I also don’t remember the name of.
See the problem here?
The Blue Mountain on tap was not the usual Dry Creek. It was dryer and less sweet. I’m a huge fan of the Dry Creek, which I often describe as very wine or Champagne, though more recently someone said a Pinot Grigio. This one was drier, but the same, wonderful, crisp taste.