Cider Summit Chicago 2014

Greetings readers! We hope the weather hasn't broken your spirit yet. We are (hopefully) almost out of the woods and on our way to spring. Also, if you were in the Chicago area, we sincerely hope you attended the Chicago Cider Summit 2014! If not, have no fear, we are going to bring you our top ciders from the festival. Overall, this was a year of bitter ciders! We talked to several of the growers in the midwest and east coast areas and were informed it was a dry growing season the previous year. Unfortunately that means a more tart and bitter crop. The cider itself was not a lower quality by any means, but it will appeal to people who enjoy bitter flavors more than sweet ones. If you are looking for ciders on the sweeter side, you should probably consider companies that are based out west.


Bailey's Top 5:

#1 McIntosh Cellars Iced Cider (Limited Production)
http://www.mcintoshorchards.com/winery.html
Keeping with tradition, Bailey picked the sweetest cider she could find for her favorite. This is more of a dessert cider and is better for sipping. It has a thicker consistency than regular cider.

Color:
Rich amber color, very clear with no carbonation. Gorgeous! 5/5 apples

Smell: 
Very powerful sweet apple smell. Really packs a punch, almost has a syrupy smell to it. 5/5 apples

Taste:
Robust apple flavors, VERY sweet, thick consistency, flavor really stays with you. 5/5 apples

Aftertaste:
The powerful apple flavor carries into the aftertaste with a little bit of sour apple. A really great finish. 5/5 apples.

Overall:
Not an everyday cider, but perfect for sipping on a chilly night. This one is definitely for people with a palette for sweetness. Bailey gives it a 20/20 apples, or a green apple.

#2 Sonoma Cider "Hatchet"
This cider is organic, which was a huge positive for Bailey.
http://sonomacider.com/ciders/

Color: 

A pale yellow cider that is very clear. This does have slight carbonation. 5/5 apples

Smell: 

A pleasant sweet smell with apple and floral notes. Very aromatic. 5/5 apples.

Taste: 

A light acidic sweet apple flavor. Almost has a floral honey taste to it that is mellow, very interesting and refreshing. 5/5 apples

Aftertaste:

Mild aftertaste of the floral honey flavor. Does last for awhile. 4/5 apples

Overall:

Bailey really enjoyed the flavor of this cider, it is something different from the norm. She thinks this would be a great summer cider. 19/20 apples, or a green apple.

#3 California Cider Company - Ace Apple Honey

Apple and Honey in the name? Bailey is so there! She also heard several people that were walking around the festival talking about this one. You should definitely check this one out!

http://www.acecider.com/

Color: 

A light golden color and very clear. This cider does have some carbonation. 5/5 apples

Smell:

This cider has a very lightly sweet smell. Not much boldness to it, very pleasant though. 3/5 apples

Taste:

The smell definitely tricks you into thinking this cider will have a mild flavor, Wrong! This cider has a very bold apple flavor which is slightly sweet. This is a very smooth and crisp cider. Fantastic! 5/5 apples

Aftertaste:

Sweet and sour aftertaste that is quickly fleeting. 3/5 apples

Overall:

This is a great cider with bold flavor. Bailey would have liked if there were more of an aftertaste, but great nonetheless. She gives it a 16/20 apples, or a yellow apple.

#4 Virtue Cider - The Mitten

Bailey has discovered that she really likes an "woodsy" flavor in her cider. This one has notes of vanilla, oak, and caramel.

http://virtuecider.com/our-ciders/

Color:

A light golden color, very clear. No carbonation in this one. 5/5 apples

Smell:

A bold smell of earthy wood aroma mixed with a slight bourbon smell. The apples take a back seat to the other powerful notes. 4/5 apples

Taste:

This cider has a lot of flavors to offer. There is a slight sour apple flavor at the beginning. Others include; mild spice, bold bourbon, and oak/woodsy flavor. There is a great smoothness to this cider. 5/5 apples

Aftertaste:

This cider offers a slightly sour apple mixed with bourbon aftertaste. 4/5 apples

Overall:

This is a great cider for fall. The flavors are great for whiskey lovers. Bailey gives this a 18/20 apples, or a green apple.

#5 Urban Farm Fermentory - Hopped Cidah

This cider comes from a unique company in Maine. They not only make hard cider, but also ferment Kombucha! They locally source as many ingredients as they can to give you an authentic taste from Maine. You can check out their products here: 

http://www.urbanfarmfermentory.com/products/

Color:

This cider presents with a strong yellow hue. It is moderately cloudy with just a few bubbles. Bailey gives it a 5/5 apples.

Smell:

It has a light sweet apple aroma with a bit of alcohol smell mixed in. The smell is not very powerful, but it is pleasant. Bailey rates it as a 3/5 apples.

Taste:

The taste is full of sour apple with a clear note of hops at the end. Overall it's a very mellow and somewhat smooth taste. Even though she is not a huge fan of beer, the hops are light enough that it's just the right amount of flavor. She gives it a 4/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

The aftertaste was a little bitter apple flavor that vanished rather quickly. Bailey gives it a 2/5 apples.

Overall:

This cider is a good middle of the road cider. It would be great for someone who likes beer and it looking to transition to cider. It has a nice mellow flavor that isn't too powerful one way or the other. Overall, Bailey gave it a 14/20 apples, or a yellow apple.

Thanks so much for reading! Hopefully you will be able to find some of these ciders to try in your local markets soon. And by all means, if you have the opportunity to attend one of the cider summits please do! It's a wonderful experience to talk to all of the producers and really find out what goes into their products.

Stay warm friends, spring is almost here!

McKenzie's Hard Cider Seasonal Reserve

Greeting readers! The fall season in Chicago has been lovely this year, but one thing has been missing: the perfect seasonal cider. Look no further, because Bailey and Hawke have found it! We were browsing our local Binny's store when we came across McKenzie's Hard Cider Seasonal Reserve and Bailey was curious, so she purchased it. She had never heard of this company before and was very excited for a chance to try  something completely new to her palate. This cider boasts a mulled spiciness for the fall season. Flavors include nutmeg, cinnamon, and apple goodness, Oh My! This cider has a 5% ABV and is sold in six pack bottles. It is bottled in Seneca, NY, but doesn't specify where the apples are grown or what variety they are. We are going to assume they are also grown in New York. On with the review!

Color:

Bailey thought this cider had a nice light gold hue and was very clear. It also had a few bubbles, but was otherwise unblemished. She rates it with a 5/5 apples. 

Hawke agreed that it was a brilliant gold and was very clear. He also gives it a 5/5 apples.

Smell:

Bailey took one whiff of this cider and summed it up in one word: Spices! This cider will make you think that your Grandmother is in the immediate area baking pumpkin pies. She easily detected the cloves at the forefront, then the nutmeg with its' somewhat sweet aroma, and the cinnamon was also present. All together it was lovely and she couldn't wait to drink it. She gives it a 5/5 apples.

Hawke was very surprised by the spiciness, but only because it was so wonderfully fragrant. He smelled mostly cinnamon with some clove, but not much apple aroma. Although the spices are very pungent, they are not overwhelming. He rates it with a 5/5 apples as well. 

Taste / Complexity:

Bailey eagerly took a sip and instantly started daydreaming about sitting in front of a fireplace with some nice fuzzy slippers on. There is some sweet apple flavor that complements the spices very well and keeps them from being too much, but definitely takes the back seat. All the spices are perfectly blended and it is deliciously smooth. She quickly rates this cider with a 5/5 apples.

Hawke thought that the cinnamon was the strongest flavor but the clove and apple were also there. He agreed that this cider was incredibly smooth and that the quality was very high. He also gives it a 5/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

Bailey found that the spices lighten up a bit in the aftertaste, but still hang around. She also tasted a bit of sour apple on the back of her tongue that went quite nicely with the spices. The aftertaste definitely left her wanting another drink. She rates it with a 5/5 apples.

Hawke tasted mostly the nutmeg with a good transition to a little apple flavor. He also commented that the aftertaste lingers for a decent amount of time before diminishing. He also gives it a 5/5 apples.

Price:

$8-10

Bailey was very please with this price as it was sold in a six pack of bottles. She thought that the quality of this cider was amazing and that is was totally worth it. She is planning on going back and getting a few more six packs to save for Christmas time. She rates it with a 5/5 apples for the price. 

Hawke also thought this was a very fair price especially because it is a seasonal limited release. This price is competitive with most other brands that are sold in six packs. He also gives it a 5/5 apples. 

Overall:

Bailey thinks that this cider will really please anyone who loves mulled cider in the fall, but it will also be perfect for whiskey drinkers. It has a "darker" smooth flavor that will quench the palate of a bourbon lover. The spices in this cider blend very well and the quality is fantastic. Overall she rates this cider with 25/25 apples, or a green apple!

Hawke thought that this is a cider that is more about tasting the season and not having the apples at the forefront, but he very much enjoyed it. This is the first variety of cider we have tried from this company and it was so good he can't wait to try more.  He also rates it with a perfect 25/25 apples, or a green apple!

And there you have it! The first perfect score of the fall season. We were very impressed with this cider and we hope you will be too. As always, thanks for reading and enjoy your cider!

Food Review: Lunchtime With Takashi Yagihashi (And Cider Pairings)

Greetings readers! Summer is winding down here in Chicago, which means trying to find more indoor activities. This week, we were invited back to Macy's on State Street to review a lunch that chef Takashi created. We were so happy with the first round of lunch that we attended, we couldn't say no. For some basic info on Chef Takashi, his restaurants, and an earlier interview with him, please refer to this post: An Interview With Takashi Yagihashi All of the following recipes are in the cookbook titled "Takashi's Noodles."

For our appetizer, Chef Takashi created his version of shrimp shumai. This dish is normally enjoyed in Japanese culture as a snack or side dish. He also informed us that you can prepare shumai ahead of time and freeze them prior to cooking for a party or family gathering. They should hold up in the freezer for about a month. There are several ways to cook shumai: by frying, steaming, or baking them. These shumai were amazing! Usually when you find shumai on the menu, they come as a "envelope" with the filling concealed inside a wonton wrapper. Takashi's version is an open packet with the filling visible, which was a nice surprise. His shumai are packed with flavors of soy, ginger, and mustard. The flavors were all distinguishable and blended very well together. These shumai were cooked using a stove-top steamer set on top of a pan with boiling water and cooked very quickly. He served them with steamed bok choy.

Next up was the Chicken Yakitori. This is a very popular Japanese comfort food. These skewers are meant to be cooked very slowly to allow the meat and the sauce coating it to caramelize. Chef Takashi recommends making this dish for parties, picnics, or for watching football. They cook well on a stove-top grill or on an outdoor grill. You can even please the vegetarians by substituting tofu for the meat.  There are few words to describe how tender this chicken was. It literally fell off the skewer as Bailey was trying to eat it. The lemon and ginger juices that go into this sauce create a perfect flavor combination for comfort food, and the shiitake mushrooms add a very good savory contrast to the sweet sauce. This is a great Asian version of the good old meat and veggie skewer.  

Chef Takashi saved his best for last, Chicken Tatsuta-Age. This is his version of fried chicken, and we had heard stories about how tasty it was the last time we attended his cooking demonstration. This fried chicken is first marinated with traditional Japanese flavors and served with a savory asian slaw. Because the meat is marinated, it keeps very well as leftovers. You can also cut up the leftovers and turn it into a sandwich, this dish is very versatile! The asian slaw was very crisp and refreshing and added a nice crunchy side for the chicken. This dish is definitely not your grandma's fried chicken. It's bursting with bright flavors and the potato starch coating offers a really light alternative to the traditional American heavy batters. This also means that the coating for the chicken is gluten free. 

Throughout the demonstration, Chef Takashi was very personable and informative. He took the time to pass around some of the ingredients being used in the dishes, so that the crowd could touch, smell, and sample them. He also made sure that in between each dish anyone who had a question could ask it. If you are ever in the Chicago area, I highly recommend going to Macy's on State Street if there is a cooking demo happening. The chefs on their culinary council are amazing and it is a great opportunity to get some great tips and tricks from the professionals. 

Whew! Ok, so Hawke and I wanted to make some suggestions for cider that would go with these lovely dishes. The shrimp shumai has great flavor that would demand a light and crisp cider. You wouldn't want anything to overpower this dish. We think that Citizen Cider's Unified Press would be a good choice. You could also go with Uncle John's Draught Cider for this one. Both of these ciders are very crisp and clean without bold flavors that would clash.

For the Chicken Yakitori, you will want a cider that complements the bold flavor of the ginger and lemon. We would suggest Tieton Cider Works: Yakima Valley Dry Hopped Cider. This cider has an earthy taste that would offer a good contrast. The fact that it is a dryer cider could help contrast the acidity. If you wanted to add to the bold flavors, you could go with Woodchuck Private Reserve Belgian White. This cider has some hoppy-ness to it with a great burst of orange flavor. This cider is also only available in summer when all those great outdoor cookouts are happening.

Finally, for the Chicken Tatsuta-Age, you could go with a great ginger cider to really complement the great Asian flavors. We suggest Angry Orchard's Apple Ginger or Fox Barrel's Ginger and Black Currant Pear Cider.


Disclosure: I am a member of Everywhere Society and Everywhere provided me with the compensation for this post about Macy's Culinary Council. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.

CiderBoys: Peach Country

Greetings readers! We hope that you have been enjoying your summer and taking advantage of all the festivals this year. Bailey and Hawke headed up to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for Summerfest this past weekend and decided to make a special stop to pick up CiderBoys hard cider. We have heard a lot of good things about this cider, but we have not been able to purchase it in the Chicago area yet. Slowly but surely it seems to be trickling down to some places in the Illinois market now.

This cider is produced locally in Wisconsin and mixes the flavors of apple with peach! It has a ABV of 5% and comes in a six pack of bottles. You can find all of their exciting varieties here: http://www.ciderboys.com/

Color:
Bailey liked the golden yellow coloration of this cider and thought it was very clear with slight carbonation. She rates it with a 5/5 apples.
Hawke also liked the light yellow hue of this cider and thought that it was very well filtered with some bubbles. He also gives it 5/5 apples.

Smell:
Bailey fell in love with the great peach smell of this cider. The aroma was a very powerful sweet peach with the slightest hint of apple. Just smelling this cider made Bailey want to buy some peaches to bite into. She easily gives this cider a 5/5 for smell.
Hawke was a little apprehensive after taking a whiff. He couldn't deny the sweet peach smell, but was afraid that the taste would be way too sweet for him. He rates the smell with a 4/5 apples.

Taste / Complexity:
Bailey thought the flavor of this cider was amazing! The powerful sweet peach flavor was not too overwhelming for her, and the overall mouth feel was very light. She also felt a slight fizzy feeling on her tongue after taking a sip. This cider was very crisp and refreshing. Usually, Bailey would have been disappointed with the lack of apple flavor, but the quality of the peach flavor was so good, she can't say anything bad about it. She rates it with a 5/5 apples.
Hawke also enjoyed the strong peach flavor and was surprised that it was not too sweet for his liking. He also commented on the lack of apple flavor, but agreed that the quality was very good. He also rates this cider with 5/5 apples for flavor.

Aftertaste:
Bailiey detected that the sweet peach flavor lingered, but not very long. It was hard to discern if there was any apple flavor in the aftertaste because it could have mixed in with the sweetness. Bailey gives this cider a 4/5 apples for aftertaste.
Hawke agreed that he tasted the sweet peach flavor but not for very long. There was also a lasting sweetness, but he couldn't detect the apple flavor either. He also rates it with a 4/5 apples.

Price:
$7-10 for a six pack of bottles. This cider is currently mostly available in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin and northern Illinois areas. With the quality of this cider, Bailey feels this price is very reasonable and hopes that CiderBoys will spread to the rest of the country. She rates this cider with a 5/5 apples for price.
Hawke was very impressed with this cider and feels that the price is very reasonable for the six pack. He would definitely buy this cider again and gives it a 5/5 apples.

Overall:
Bailey believes that even though this cider is a little lacking in apple flavor, the quality is very good and it is delicious. Peach lovers will instantly love this cider. It is not too sweet and the alcohol doesn't even play a part in the flavor. Overall, Bailey rates this cider with a 24/25 apples, or a green apple.

Hawke was very surprised at how much he liked this cider, as he is not a huge fan of peaches. He admitted that of all the fruit flavored ciders we have tried, this was probably his favorite. The quality is great, the flavor is delicious, and this cider is great for summer. Overall, Hawke rates this cider with a 23/25 apples, or a green apple. 

Keep on a lookout for our review of CiderBoys First Press hard cider. Keep enjoying your summer and thanks for reading!

Wandering Aengus Golden Russet Cider

Greetings readers! So sorry for the delay between ciders! Bailey had an unfortunate injury but has now recovered enough to continue rating ciders. This week, we tried one from Wandering Aengus. This cider company was at the Cider Summit this spring but had some issues with shipping, so we didn't get to sample any. We were very excited to finally see all of their varieties at our local beverage depot. The apples used for the golden russet cider are grown in Ashland and Salem Oregon. It is slightly dry and boasts fruit and honey aromas and flavors. It also packs a whopping 9.8% ABV per bottle. You can find all of their ciders and where to buy them here: http://www.wanderingaengus.com/wordpress/?page_id=12

On with it!

Color:

Hawke was impressed with the brilliant bronze color of this cider. He commented that it was very clear with a little carbonation present. He rated it with a 5/5 apples.

Bailey was also fond of the beautiful golden amber hue of this cider. She also thought it was very clear which means it has been filtered. There were a few bubbles to be seen, but not overly carbonated. She also ranks this cider with a 5/5 apples for color.

Smell:

Hawke took a whiff and stated that the smell was a little overwhelmingly sweet for him. He could detect apple and alcohol notes, but they were blended and neither one stood out over the other. Hawke isn't one that typically likes overly sweet things, but he did like the aroma of this cider. He gives it a 4/5 apples.

Bailey, having the sweet tooth that she does, fell in love with the smell. It promises good quality because of the sweet and slightly spicy smell of properly fermented apples. She also could smell the alcohol, but it wasn't strong enough to take away from the apples. She rates this cider with a 5/5 apples.

Taste / Complexity:

If you can imagine the face of someone who has bitten into a lemon, then you can imagine how Hawke's face looked after taking a sip. He was very surprised to find that this cider is very bitter. He could also feel the slight dryness that the cider left on his tongue. Hawke did say that the apple flavors were present, but the bitterness overtook them. He rates the taste with a 3/5 apples.

Bailey was cautious after seeing the face that was made, but knew that she had a job to do. The first sip was the most harsh because it was quite bitter. After that, she slowly swished the cider around a few times to let her taste buds get used to it. She concluded that this cider is very smooth, and the bitter apple and alcohol flavors mix well with each other. She also commented that this might be a great cider for Beer lovers because it could be considered a "manly" cider because of the bold flavor. She rates it with a 4/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

Hawke continued to be unimpressed as he could only taste bitterness in the aftertaste. The dry feeling on the tongue also lingered for him. He gives this cider a 2/5 apples. 

Bailey felt that the aftertaste was bitter and sour flavors mixed together. This cider also gave her a nice warm feeling down the throat, close to what whiskey might feel like. She rates it with a 3/5 apples. 

Price:

$8-10 for 500 ml. This cider has a 9.8% ABV.

Hawke feels that because of the ABV, this cider is not a bad value for the price. Clearly this was not his cup of tea but he feels that the price is fair for the amount you will get. He rates the price with a 4/5 apples.

Bailey feels that the price is a bit high for the amount. The ABV is high, but the flavor may only suit a select amount of people's palates. She gives this a 4/5 also.

Overall:

Hawke and Bailey agree that this might be another great cider for the Beer lovers who are also cider lovers, or who need some convincing. This may also be for cider lovers who are looking for more than a dominate apple flavor. Another thought is that this cider may work better with food than drinking it alone.

Overall, Hawke rates this cider with a 18/25 apples, or a yellow apple.

Overall, Bailey rates this cider with a 21/25 apples, or a green apple.

Thanks so much for your patience in between posts, and for being loyal readers! Hope you have a great week, we will be on the lookout for the next cider worthy of judging!

Tieton Cider Works: Yakima Valley Dry Hopped Cider

Greetings readers! Hope you are enjoying some of the spring weather this week along with your favorite cider. This week we continue with another Tieton Cider variety. This one not only contains apples grown in the Yakima Valley, but hops that are grown in the very same region. This cider is a 100 percent authentic Washington state cider. It has a 6.9% ABV and is described as having nutty and fruity citrus notes. You can find all of their varieties here: http://www.tietonciderworks.com/tieton/tieton-our-cider

Color:

Bailey noticed that this cider had a lot of carbonation in it. However, she likes bubbles and thought that they made it pretty. Otherwise, it had a very nice clear golden yellow color. She rated it with a 5/5 apples right out of the gate. 

Hawke thought that it was a very bright, clear yellow cider with lots of bubbles. He also ranked it with a 5/5 apples. 

Smell:
Bailey picked up on the aroma of the hops right away. There were hints of apple in there that added a sweet pleasant smell. Although they were a background player, they compliment the hops well. She gave this cider a 4/5 apples.
Hawke detected a strong earthy scent from the hops with apples adding a sweetness to it. He also rates this with a 4/5 apples.

Taste / Complexity:
After taking a sip, Bailey was surprised that the apples come through as very crisp and clean, but not sweet. This cider has a very nice earthy taste to it that is not affected by the carbonation (such as bubbles on the tongue.)  She enjoyed this cider very much and gave it a 5/5 apples.
Hawke felt some of the dryness after taking a drink, but said that it wasn't overly dry. He felt this cider has a very smooth earthy hops taste that is complimented very well by the crisp apple flavor. He also felt that this cider was blended extremely well. He also rated it with a 5/5 apples.

Aftertaste:
Bailey felt that the aftertaste was slightly sour. This sour flavor hit the back of her tongue for a second and then was gone. She was forced to rate the aftertaste with a 2/5.
Hawke also was disappointed with the lack of lingering flavor for the aftertaste. He felt that this cider was very smooth and crisp, but just did not have an aftertaste. He rated it with a 1/5 apples.

Price:
We are not rating this section because this cider is not currently in our market area. The hopeful release for this cider is Spring or Summer of 2013.

Overall:
Bailey felt that this cider was of really great quality. Other than the aftertaste, this cider is not lacking anything. She thought that this would make a really good late summer or fall cider. Overall, she gave it a 16/20 apples, or a green apple.

Hawke thought that this cider offers a very smooth, subtle, and unique flavor. This may be the cider to introduce your beer drinking friends to. It is blended very well, and is a quality cider. Overall, he gave it a 

15/20 apples, or a green apple! 

Tieton Cider Works: Apricot Cider

Greeting readers! This week we are reviewing a cider from Tieton Cider Works. We first caught wind of this company from the Chicago Cider Summit. Bailey has been complaining since we started this blog that there were no apricot ciders available on the market. I think it went something like: "There are several fruit infused ciders, how could they possibly overlook the apricot to be paired with hard cider?" Anyway, Bailey was over the moon to learn that Tieton Cider Works had produced that very combination. Unfortunately, Tieton had a mix up with the cider delivery, and there was no cider to be tasted at the Summit. Bailey's hopes were crushed until she went up to their table and spoke with the very friendly representatives. They offered to send us a sample to review, so here we go!

This cider is Semi-Dry and has an ABV of 6.9%
All of the ciders produced by Tieton Cider Works are made from apples grown in the beautiful Harmony Orchards located in Tieton, Washington. You can find all of their ciders here: http://www.tietonciderworks.com/tieton/tieton-our-cider

Color:
Bailey thinks this cider has a gorgeous peach-golden hue with slight carbonation. She gives it a 5/5 apples.
Hawke's take was a brassy orange color and also rates it with a 5/5 apples.

Smell:
Bailey loves that the sweet apricots packed a powerful punch in the aroma. There is also a faint sour apple smell that blends in nicely to the bouquet. She quickly rates this with another 5/5 apples.
Hawke's usually doesn't go for sweet things, unless it's a bag of pretzel M&M's. However he does very much enjoy the fresh apricot and apple smell. He gives this cider a 4/5 apples.

Taste / Complexity:
Bailey is in apricot heaven with this one (if you couldn't already tell.) The apples offer a sweetness that is a perfect compliment to the very tart apricots. It makes you want to smack your lips after taking a drink. The carbonation makes it very light and enjoyable. Bailey gives it a 5/5 apples!
Hawke thinks that the apricots were a bit too tart for his liking, but still thought it was a solid cider. He detected the semi-dryness on his tongue after drinking. Hawke gives this cider a 4/5 apples.

Aftertaste:
Bailey feels that the tartness lingers into the aftertaste, and the sweet flavors change to sour. The carbonation can still slightly be felt and the aftertaste is very pleasant. She gives another 5/5 apples.
Hawke's taste buds differed a little in that he still tasted sweetness with a slight tart flavor. The dryness continued into the aftertaste for him. He rates it with a 5/5 apples.

Price:
We will be skipping this section as we are not sure how much it is selling for. When we talked to the representatives at the Cider Summit, they were hoping for an April release into the market.

Overall:
Bailey loves this cider and wouldn't change a thing. It's a great summer cider infused with some powerful yet delicious fruit. If you are a fan of apricots, you need to get your mitts on this cider! Overall, Bailey rates this cider with a 20/20 apples, or a green apple!

Hawke thinks this cider is very good and offers a very unique taste for the hard cider lovers. This cider would be great for a seasoned veteran of the cider world, or a beginner wanted to branch out from the norm.   Overall, Hawke rates this cider with a 18/20 apples, or a green apple!

Cider Summit Chicago (Part 2)

Greetings readers! It's time to unveil some of Bailey's favorites from the Chicago Cider Summit festival.
We are still reeling from what a great time was had at the festival. It was so wonderful to see so many people enjoying (and possibly discovering) hard cider. This week we are going to be reviewing Bailey's top 4 ciders.

#1 Eden Ice Cider Company - "Heirloom Blend"
This cider is made from Macintosh, Empire, and Russet apples. It is pretty strong with an ABV of 10%. Ice ciders are used as a "desert wine" because of their sweetness. The winter cold helps to concentrate the juice before it is processed. You can read all about it and find different varieties here: http://www.edenicecider.com/index.html

Color:

This cider has a very nice golden color with a hint of orange. It is also very clear and free of carbonation. Bailey gives it a 5/5 apples.

Smell:

The aroma of this cider is very balanced. It has sour and sweet notes of fermented apple and is very pleasing indeed! Bailey rates this with another 5/5 apples. 

Taste / Complexity:

Upon sipping, Bailey noticed that this cider seems to have a thicker viscosity than normal ciders. It certainly isn't like drinking syrup, but you will notice it is thicker than a normal hard cider. The taste is very sweet with sour undertones. If you don't enjoy sweet things, this might not be for you. Bailey however, loved it and rates it with a 5/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

Surprisingly, all of the sweet and sour flavors linger in the aftertaste. Nothing seems to change, but it does leave you wanting another sip. Bailey was very impressed and gives it yet another 5/5 apples. 

Overall:

If you have a sweet tooth, this cider will satisfy the craving. There is a little sour to offset the sweetness so as not to make it overpowering. The flavors of the different apple varieties are nominally present and blend together well. The thickness makes this cider one more for sipping in Bailey's opinion, but one definitely worth trying! Overall, this cider scored a 20/20 apples, or a green apple!

#2 Orchard Gate - "J.K Scrumpy Orchard Gate Gold"
This cider is organic and boasts only two ingredients: apple juice and yeast. This cider is fermented for six months and hand bottled. Their hard work pays off in Bailey's opinion. You can find all of their varieties here: http://organicscrumpy.com/

Color:

This cider is a beautiful golden orange, which is slightly cloudy. The true color is not perfectly represented by the picture because of the lighting. Bailey gives the color a 5/5 apples.

Smell:

This is what fermented apples should smell like! Slightly spicy and a perfect combination of sweet and sour. This smell will visit you in your dreams later. She rates it with a 5/5 apples.

Taste / Complexity:

The taste is somewhat like Grandma's apple pie. It has a very slight spice to it that reminds you of nutmeg or clove. It has a very good balance between sweet and bitter flavors. Bailey also gives the taste a 5/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

The aftertaste is a bit sour, but does not linger very long. Mostly, you just want to take another drink to bring back the flavor. Bailey gives this a 4/5 apples.

Overall:

Bailey was in love with this cider. This would make a perfect cider to sip by a campfire in summer or autumn. She highly recommends trying this one! Overall, this cider scored a 19/20 apples, or a green apple!

#4 Citizen Cider - "Unified Press"

This cider is made from a staggering 10 different varieties of apples grown all in Vermont. It is described as off-dry, clean and crisp and has a ABV of 6.8%. You can find a list of their ciders here: http://new.citizencider.com/

Color:

The color of this cider is a very light lemon yellow. It has some carbonation, but is very clear. Bailey gives it a 5/5 apples. 

Smell:

The smell is somewhat faint but has a sweet aroma with some alcohol mixed in. Since the apples take a back seat to the alcohol, Bailey rates this with a 3/5 apples. 

Taste / Complexity:

It was somewhat difficult to come up with the words for a description of the taste. This cider is very crisp and clean. It gives you a refreshed feeling after drinking it and also has a hint of sweetness. It also has some acidity to it.  Bailey really enjoyed it and rates it with a 5/5 apples. 

Aftertaste:

Because the taste is so light, the aftertaste doesn't have much power. You will get a slight sour taste on the back of the tongue, but not much more. Bailey also gives this a 3/5 apples. 

Overall:

This would be a great starter cider for someone who isn't feeling adventurous quite yet. It would also be a great summer cider that will quench a thirst on a hot day. This cider's flavor doesn't pack a punch, but the crispness makes it a good one to try. Overall, Bailey rates this cider with a 16/20 apples, or a green apple. 

#3 Uncle John's - "Draught Cider"

This cider is made from Michigan grown apples and comes in a can with some carbonation. Their cider mill has quite a history to it as you can read about here: http://www.ujcidermill.com/cidermill.htm 

They have several varieties of cider which you can find here:

http://www.fruithousewinery.com/hardcider.html

Color:

This cider was surprisingly light. It almost had a clear-white color with the tiniest bit of yellow tint. It was very clear with some carbonation. Bailey gives this cider a 5/5 apples for color. 

Smell:

The smell was not as powerful as she was expecting. It was a little bit of sour mixed with bitter aromas. She rates this with a 3/5 apples. 

Taste / Complexity:

This cider was very crisp, almost like biting into a juicy apple. It has what Bailey would describe as a golden apple flavor. It was slightly acidic with bitter flavors mixed in. The flavor is not overpowering, but it will quench a thirst. Bailey gives this cider a 4/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

The bitter and sour flavors continue into the aftertaste, but they are pleasant. The acidity fades out and leaves you feeling refreshed. She gives the aftertaste a 3/5 apples.

Overall:

This is definitely a summer cider. Bailey was very surprised at how this cider left you feeling very refreshed and cooler somehow. It's hard to explain, but you will just have to try it for yourself. The flavors are not very powerful, but the crispness and overall lightness of this cider places it in Bailey's top four.  Overall, she rates this cider with a 15/20 apples, or a yellow apple. 

We finally made it! There were plenty of other ciders at the festival and we will be reviewing those from time to time. Next time, we will be rating some cider from Tieton Cider Works. If you are a fruit lover, they make an apricot cider that is going to knock your socks off! Stay tuned and have a great week!

Cider Summit Chicago (Part 1)

Greetings readers! This past weekend was slightly momentous. Hawke and Bailey were lucky enough to attend the first ever Cider Summit held in Chicago IL. This heavenly hard cider festival was held in the Lakeview Terrace room of Navy Pier (one of Bailey's favorite places in the whole city.) There had been several days of snow and freezing rain leading up to the event, however the weather decided to give us a break and even let the sun shine for a few hours. All in all, there were 26 different cider producers showcasing their artisanal ciders  for all the thirsty patrons to taste. As soon as we walked into the room, we were hit with a wave of sweet and sour apple aroma that started our taste-buds watering. At first, we were a little skeptical on how many people would actually turn up to a hard cider tasting event, as the market is just starting to get a foothold. Even in a city as big as Chicago, it is still quite hard to find hard ciders on tap (though not impossible) and there are still so many people that have never tried it. Luckily we arrived at just the right time. There were enough people already there to form small lines for each of the vendors, and more attendants were pouring in behind us. Throughout the day, we were lucky enough to chat with some of the vendors and fellow cider lovers alike and spread the word about the blog! There were so many great ciders that we decided to review all of the varieties that we sampled. This means that we will have to do several segments to fit them all in. To simplify the process and keep everything organized in a state of compromised constitution, only one of us will be reviewing each cider with the other chiming in at certain points. Also, we are not including price because many of the ciders will not be hitting the shelves for another few months. To start the first segment, we will go over Hawke's favorites.

#1 The Colorado Cider Company - "Grasshopp-ah Cider"

Bailey commented that this is the closest you can get to beer without actually having to drink the wretched stuff. You can find their website and other cider varieties here: http://www.coloradocider.com/
This cider comes from a blend of lemongrass and hops and is gluten free.

Color:
This ciders has a very pale yellow color that was very pleasing to Hawke's eyes. It also had slight carbonation to it. Hawke wasted no time in giving this cider a 5/5 apples.

Smell:
Bringing the cup to his nose brought an array of different smells. There was a slight alcohol odor present, but not too much. The robust bouquet was mostly an earthy smell of lemongrass and hops, which was very promising indeed. He also rates this category with a 5/5 apples.

Taste / Complexity:
This cider provides a strong and smooth apple flavor. It was both sweet and bitter, but it was the perfect amount of both. The hops and lemon flavors were to follow, but everything blended very well. This cider also scored a 5/5 apples for taste.

Aftertaste:
The aftertaste was slightly bitter but very smooth. It didn't linger too long, and left a pleasant tingle on the back of the tongue. Hawke also gives this a 5/5 apples.

Overall:
This cider was all that is promised and more! Beer lovers and cider lovers alike will love it! It will no doubt be a staple for a hot summer evening on the porch. This cider scored a perfect 15/15 apples, or a green apple!

#2 Julian Hard Cider - "Julian Cherry Bomb"  6.9% ABV

If you love cherries, or a hair band from the 80's called Warrant, this cider will be for you!

Made with Montmorency cherries, this cider definitely packs a flavor punch. 

You can check out their website here: http://julianhardcider.biz/

Color:

Hawke loved this gorgeous display of color. This cider is mostly red with a hint of orange when the light hits it and is very clear. He took no hesitation in giving it a 5/5 apples.

Smell:

The aroma was surprisingly mostly alcohol. There was a hint of cherry mixed in there somewhere, but it was very subtle. He gives it a 3/5 apples. 

Taste / Complexity:

At first you will find a smooth apple taste with this cider....then POW! While definitely containing that familiar tartness of cherries, it is not overpowering. The flavors were very balanced and smooth together. Hawke gives it a 4/5 apples. 

Aftertaste:

The cherries stick around for an encore, drowning out the apple flavors. It is still a very enjoyable aftertaste though. He rates this with a 4/5 apples. 

Overall:

This cider will leave you licking your lips and longing for cherry stems to tie together. It would be great on a hot summer day. This cider gets a 16/20 apples, or a green apple!

#3 Farnum Hills Cider - "F.H Xtra Dry"  7.5% ABV

This cider is made from late harvest apple varieties and boasts an acidic profile. 

You can find all of their ciders here: http://www.povertylaneorchards.com/   

Color:

Hawke commented that this cider had a very eye pleasing golden-orange color to it. It was also very clear with a few bubbles. He rates it with a 5/5 apples. 

Smell:

He was a bit contemplative when asked how this cider smelled. He finally settled on saying that it smelled bitter, with a slight alcohol tinge to it. It was pleasant, yet mild. Hawke gives this cider a 3/5 apples for smell.

Taste / Complexity:

This is where things get interesting. There is a mild bitter flavor with some acidity to it, followed by a wooden and earthy bouquet. Hawke said he had never tasted anything like it. He also explained that this cider made his tongue feel very dry. He gives this cider a 4/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

The aftertaste is a continuation and evolution of the earthy / barrel flavor. If you like savory flavors, you might enjoy this quite a bit. Hawke gives it a 4/5 apples. 

Overall:

If you are looking to get a little adventurous, this cider will take you there. The website tells us that this cider will stand up to some spicy dishes and we believe it. Also, if you don't mind the dry mouth feel, this cider might go pretty well with a cigar. Hawke's overall rating for this cider is a 16/20 apples, or a green apple!

#4 Vander Mill - "Totally Roasted Cider"

A limited edition that would be great for fall or winter drinking, this cider uses a wide array of ingredients. From cinnamon roasted pecans to whole vanilla beans, it will definitely bring something unique to the table. 

You can more information here: http://www.vandermill.com/index.html 

Color:

Hawke really liked the pale yellow color of this curious cider. It is slightly cloudy with some carbonation. This specific sample was also on tap. He gives it a 4/5 apples.

Smell:

The aroma of this cider is delicate. It hints at sweet apples and cinnamon and is very attractive, but leaves you wanting something a little more powerful because of all the ingredients. He gives this cider a 3/5 apples for smell. 

Taste / Complexity:

This cider is somewhat of a kaleidoscope of flavors. Sweet apples are present in the beginning and shifts to cinnamon, and finally pecan. The apples get somewhat muted as the other more powerful ones take over. Hawke rates this with a 4/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

The pecan flavor gets fairly strong and usurps the aftertaste experience. There is also a slightly thick texture left on the tongue. He also gives this category a 4/5 apples.

Overall:

This is a cider to drink while wrapped up in a blanket next to the fireplace. It would also make a great drink around the holiday season. Since they do soak the pecans in the cider, anyone who has a nut allergy is advised to stay away from this one. Overall, Hawke rates this cider with 15/20 apples, or a yellow apple!

Whew! That was only the first round? There are still so many to review! The next post will be a list of Bailey's top favorites (none repeated.) Have a great week and stay warm out there!