A Cider for Everyone

In a previous article, I wrote about the history of cider, my experiences in Spain, and now those in Oregon. I had the opportunity to visit the Northwest Cider Association Rite of Spring event in Portland, where I tasted ciders that would work for pretty much any palate, from those who aren’t so sure about trying cider, to the wine lovers among us, to the beginner cider drinkers.

Whether you are drinking cider simply because it is a gluten-free alternative to beer or perhaps you simply love the taste of apples, there is a cider out there for everyone. Here is my list:

For the “Not so sure about cider” people: You know who you are; you are generally a craft beer drinker, and you may sip wine from time to time, but…cider? Yes, cider…it is quite tasty, has hops, and is well worth a try.

For Saison Lovers:  Rev. Nat’s Hard Cider Hallelujah Hopricot starts with classic American apples such as a Belgian wit(white)-style cider which is then steeped with coriander, bitter orange peel, and paradise grains, and subsequently fermented with a French saison ale yeast. Lastly, it is topped off with pure apricot juice and finished with Oregon-grown Cascade and Amarillo hops. The coriander lingers with a back sweetness of ginger and a slight hoppiness at the end. It is a very interesting hopped cider that I would highly recommend finding. They also have a phenomenal Tepache which is made from pineapple and can be blended with a Lager. If you’ve been in Germany, just think Bananaweizen but with Pineapple and Lager. In fact, it is so new that they are doing their release party this Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) at their Portland Taproom.

For Beer Lovers:  McMenamin’sEdgefield Dry Hopped Hard Cider is a fermented dry cider with the addition of three different types of hops at different times. Initially they use Cascade hops after the primary fermentation, then prior to bottling finish it with Chinook and Nugget hops. This cider has a nice crisp citrus finish to it; it isn’t overly hoppy and has more aromatics than bitterness.

 For Wine Lovers: Cider is a relatively new thing to you, or perhaps you’ve had a number of sweeter hard ciders and had initially written them off. I am happy to say, there are a number of great French- and Spanish-style ciders out there for your refined palates.

If you like a little barnyard, just a subtle amount: Try 2009 Ez Orchards Cidre. This cider (or cidre in French) is among my very favorite of ciders.  It is complex and has multiple layers to it due to its extensively long, cold, and wild fermentation process. It is unfiltered, and final fermentation takes place in the bottle, giving it a natural fizziness similar to champagne. It is not for the faint of heart but for those true European wine lovers.

If you like champagne: Try Alpenfire Ember, which also uses wild yeast.  However, champagne yeast is added at the end to create a French-style cider with about 2 to 3% residual sugar to balance out the acid.

Another one worth trying: Make sure to try Finnegan Dry Cider, which is fermented completely dry and has a nice balance of acid and fruit. Finnegan’s is also doing a Spanish-style Sidra type of dinner at event on May 4th at Pix Pâtisserie in Portland.

For the Newbie Cider Drinkers: Beer isn’t quite your thing; you might not like the bloating.  You kind-of like wine, but wine is a bit dry for you? You tend to prefer the sweeter things in life. If this is you, then perhaps you’d enjoy the following great ciders.

Love Apple Pie?   I have the perfect cider for you, full of spice and all things nice.  Try Carlton Cyderworks Auld Lang Spice, which has about 14 grams of sugar and literally could be a liquid dessert. It tastes just like apple pie. If anything, I love their tongue-in-cheek labels like Carry Nation.  If you like the apple pie, you’ll also like their Duke Apple Blueberry, which not quite as sweet, and with a hint of blueberries at end.

Land of Flowers and Honey:  At Finnriver Farm and Cidery, you can literally taste the land in the ciders they make. This certified organic cidery makes two very tasty ciders, the Honey Meadow cider, which is infused with botanicals like lemon balm, chamomile and honey; and their Sparkling Black Currant cider, which reminded me of when I used to pick currants off our family bushes and eat their tart sweetness.

There you have it, a cider for all palates!  If you are in California, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Virginia, or Washington on June 20-29, make sure to join all of these great Northwest cideries to celebrate Oregon Cider Week in your area. To kick off Cider Week in Oregon, join the Northwest Cider Association for the Portland Cider Summit NW at the Fields Neighborhood Park in the Pearl District on Saturday, June 21-22, 2014.

Enjoy all these faces of cider!