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Malus domestica: Red Gravenstein, 1929. Rosslyn, Arlington County, Virginia, United States

May 24, 2013May 30, 2013UnitedStatesofCiderLeave a comment

Malus domestica: Red Gravenstein

Artist:: Steadman, Royal Charles, b. 1875
Scientific name:: Malus domestica
Common name:: apples
Variety:: Red Gravenstein
Geographic origin:: Rosslyn, Arlington County, Virginia, United States
Physical description:: 1 art original : col. ; 17 x 25 cm.
Specimen:: 111014
Year:: 1929
Notes on original:: Section J, Row 25, Tree 3; Picked 07/23/1929
Date created:: 1929-08-07
Rights:: Use of the images in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection is not restricted, but a statement of attribution is required. Please use the following attribution statement: “U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705”

5Ws of Cider: Scott Heath and Ellen Cavalli. Tilted Shed Ciderworks 2012 Graviva! Semidry Cider

May 23, 2013May 23, 2013UnitedStatesofCider2 Comments

5Ws of Cider: Scott Heath and Ellen Cavalli & Tilted Shed Ciderworks 2012 Graviva! Cider.

Ellen Cavalli of Tilted Shed Ciderworks in Sonoma County, California answers our 5Ws of Cider pairing questions:

WHO: Scott Heath, co-owner & cidermaker, and Ellen Cavalli, co-owner & sales and marketing director.

WHAT: Tilted Shed Ciderworks 2012 Graviva! Semidry Cider

Graviva! is our homage to the beleaguered, beautiful Gravenstein, which was Sonoma County’s main agricultural crop until post-WWII, when imported apples and eventually the wine industry put the squeeze on growers. Now there are around 600 acres left in cultivation, down from a few thousand just a couple of decades ago. It’s a blend of 50% Gravs with 50% heirloom and cider apples, including Hubbardston Nonesuch (a low-tannin, low-acid sweet from 1830s Massachusetts) and Nehou (a high-tannin, low-acid bittersweet from 1920s France), all organically grown on Sonoma County farms. It’s a lightly effervescent, bright, crisp cider with refreshing acidity, slight floral aroma, and a touch of sweetness and tannin.

We hand-washed, sorted, ground, and pressed the apples from August to October 2012 at our small cidery in west Sonoma County. Then Scott sent the juice onto a cool, slow fermentation in small batches until late March 2012. Our process is more akin to white wine production; the long fermentation allows the cider to develop more nuance and aromatics, which may be lost in a fast, hot ferment. Then Scott blended it, aged it for a month, then began bottling by hand. We released Graviva! in early May, for a total of 400 gallons.

WHAT TO PAIR WITH : Graviva! is fantastic as an aperitif, with cheeses (especially the sheep and cow dairy cheeses by our friends at Weirauch Farm & Creamery) and charcuterie. Its balance of acidity, sweetness, and tannin also makes it a great accompaniment to pork tenderloin, salmon, oysters, and spicy foods (especially curry dishes). I most like to pair it with is a hammock on a sunny day, but our most memorable pairing was with local salmon.

We serve it lightly chilled; 50 to 55 degrees is the sweet spot for releasing the aromatics.

WHEN & WHERE: The most memorable pairing we had with Graviva! was in late July 2012 at our house. Scott had just turned the Big 40, and we were three weeks away from launching our very first batches of ciders at Sebastopol’s Gravenstein Apple Fair. Early in the morning, Scott drove out to nearby Bodega Bay, where he bought a whole salmon straight off the fisherman’s boat. He smoked it in our wood smoker, and also made focaccia from scratch. Meanwhile, I picked and prepared a bunch of vegetables from our garden: cucumbers, carrots, green beans, and Sungold tomatoes. Our good friends and their kids came over, one friend brought the yummiest carrot cupcakes, we busted out a few as-yet-unlabeled bottles of Graviva! (we were still waiting to get the labels from the printer!), feasted on the best salmon we’ve ever had, and had a fun, noisy dinner party on our deck.

WHY: There is something inherently celebratory about Graviva! Not only did it make for a convivial dinner, it’s been poured instead of Champagne at weddings, and we recently served it on Mother’s Day as a toast to my mom.

To find out more:

Tilted Shed Ciderworks

www.tiltedshed.com

Gravenstein Apple Fair

Weirauch Farm & Creamery

Note: The lovely chicken pictured is a Rhode Island Red, and her name is Big Red.

5Ws of Cider: Tilted Shed Ciderworks 2012 Graviva! Semidry Cider

May 23, 2013May 23, 2013UnitedStatesofCiderLeave a comment

The Second installment of The 5Ws of Cider:

The Featured Cider:

Tilted Shed Ciderworks 2012 Graviva! Semidry Cider

The Gravenstein sparkles in this bright, crisp cider. The refreshing acidity is balanced with a touch of sweetness. We sourced the Gravs and other heirloom cider apples for this blend from organic growers in the Sebastopol area. The Grav lends its lovely aromatics, while a mix of “bittersweet” apples—which were specially developed over the centuries for fermented cider—imparts lively tannins. This is Sonoma County heritage in a bottle. Viva la Grav!Great as an aperitif or celebratory bubbly, or pair with aged cheeses, spicy foods, and a hammock. Silver medal winner at the 2013 Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition.

2012 harvest

7% ABV

375 & 750 ml

The 5Ws of Cider Pairing: Next Up: Tilted Shed Ciderworks of Sonoma County, California

May 23, 2013UnitedStatesofCiderLeave a comment

The 5Ws of Cider Pairing.

The 5Ws is a recently launched feature where we ask cider makers to share their favorite cider & pairing.

We give you the brand, the cider, and pairing from some of Americas most interesting craft cider makers.

We think makers who take the time to craft a well made cider, probably have some pretty interesting pairing suggestions.

Next up: Scott Heath & Ellen Cavalli and Tilted Shed Ciderworks 2012 Graviva! Semidry Cider

International Day for Biological Diversity: We Celebrate Heritage Apples: The Gravenstein

May 22, 2013May 22, 2013UnitedStatesofCiderLeave a comment

22 May is International Day for Biological Diversity.

This Year’s Theme Is: Water & Biological Diversity.

We Celebrate Heritage Apples.

And continue our Pomme Fruit of the Month focus on The Gravenstein.

Resources:

Slow Food USA: Ark of Taste: Sebastopol Gravenstein Apple

Slow Food USA: Sebastopol Gravenstein Apple Presidium

Slow Food Canada: Ark of Taste: Nova Scotia Gravenstein Apple

(Pomme Gravenstein de la Nouvelle Écosse)

The juice of the apple is naturally affected by the condition of the fruit itself. Sound words from the Encyclopedia Britannica 1911

May 17, 2013UnitedStatesofCiderLeave a comment

Fruit-growers who look to cider-making “as a means of utilizing windfalls and small and inferior apples of cooking and dessert varieties not worth sending to market” should be warned that it is as important to the cider industry that good cider only should be on sale as it is to the fruit-growing industry that good fruit only should be sent to market. The juice of the apple is naturally affected by the condition of the fruit itself, and if this be unripe, unsound or worm-eaten the cider made from it will be inferior to that made from full-grown, ripe and sound fruit. If such fruit be not good enough to send to market, neither will the cider made from it be good enough to place before the public. Nevertheless, it may furnish a sufficiently palatable drink for home consumption, and may therefore be so utilized. But when, as happens from time to time in fruit-growing districts, there is a glut, and even the best table fruit is not saleable at a profit, then, indeed, cider-making is a means of storing in a liquid form what would otherwise be left to rot on the ground; whilst if a proportion of vintage fruit were mixed therewith, a drink would be produced which would not discredit the cider trade, and would bring a fair return to the maker. (C. W. R. C.)

source: http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Cider

Cider Review: ANTHEM CIDER: Cider52

May 14, 2013June 12, 2013UnitedStatesofCider2 Comments

Cider: ANTHEM ORGANIC TRADITIONALLY FERMENTED CIDER

Maker: Anthem Cider

(Anthem is crafted by the makers of Wandering Aengus)

Origin: Salem, Oregon

website: anthemcider.com

ABV: 5.5 % Bottle: 22 oz., crown cap

Makers Style Notes: Anthem Cider – offers the tart acidity of the apple’s natural malic acid with a clean fruit forward finish. Anthem Cider is the foundation for all the Anthems. Semi-Dry. Medium Tart. 5.0% to 6.5% ABV.

Fruit: Apple. Washington and Oregon.

Makers Fruit Notes: Anthem Traditionally Fermented Cider, is brewed with Honey Crisp, Gala, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples. 90% Organic. Anthem uses only whole apples, pressed and fermented.

A Few Cider Makers Notes:

The first batch of Anthem Cider was kegged March 10, 2010 on the belief that we at Wandering Aengus Ciderworks can make a great draft cider without compromise.

So what is a great draft cider without compromise? Basically, it is a cider made the way people expect a cider to be made; starting with actual apples, pressing them, and fermenting the fresh juice only days after.

Since the character of apples vary widely between varieties, harvests, terroir, and keeping, our cidermaking is geared to accent those differences, not hide them. We hope you and your palate learn to appreciate and savor the diversity

Malus domestica: Apple Blossom: Subject Apple Frost Injury

May 14, 2013May 13, 2013UnitedStatesofCider1 Comment

Malus domestica

Artist:: Newton, Amanda Almira, ca. 1860-1943
Scientific name:: Malus domestica
Common name:: apples
Geographic origin:: Woodwardville, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Physical description:: 1 art original : col. ; 17 x 24 cm.
NAL note:: Painting is of an apple blossom; Assigned specimen number
Specimen:: [00010]
Year:: 1905
Notes on original:: Subject Apple Frost Injury. Apple blossoms from Woodwardville, Maryland. This shows the characteristic injury by frost which occurs when the apples are in bloom or in bud. The pistils and ovules being partly killed and the floral envelopes wholly uninjured. The stamens are mostly uninjured, some of the inner ones having gone down with the ovary. The youngest blossoms in bud at the time were not injured. The most advanced flowers were hurt the most.
Date created:: 1905-04-24
Rights:: Use of the images in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection is not restricted, but a statement of attribution is required. Please use the following attribution statement: “U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705”

Cider Review: Breezy Hill Orchard Barrel Tasting. Cider Salon: Six Samples and Ciders. Cider 52

May 13, 2013June 12, 2013UnitedStatesofCider2 Comments

Cider: (6) Various ciders and barrel samples.

Maker: Breezy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill

Origin: Staatsburg, New York

website: www.hudsonvalleycider.com

Fruit: Apple. Various orchards.

Cider Maker: Elizabeth Ryan

Cider: Hudson Valley Farmhouse Stone Ridge Scrumpy

Maker’s Style Notes: It’s alive! Fresh apple flavors and the aromas of yeast, some residual sugar, and natural carbonation in the bottle bring you a drink for all seasons. No sulfur, very unfiltered.

Our Impressions: A full round mouthfeel, yeast and honey aromas, apple syrup sweetness, effervescent.

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Cider: Hudson Valley Farmhouse Farmhouse Cider

Maker’s Style Notes: American apple varieties grown in the Hudson Valley and a bit of sweetness make a refreshing beverage that can be sipped by itself or with a meal. No sulfur, not filtered.

Our Impressions: A favorite old friend that we always enjoy visiting. Zesty and alive, a refreshing anytime cider. Provokes rustic 18th century thoughts.

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Cider: Hudson Valley Farmhouse Apple Seed Cider

Maker’s Style Notes: A blend of American and European cider apples creates rich, more complex aromas. Strong acidly like crisp white wine means you can pair this cider with any meal. Barrel samples, unfiltered.

Our Impressions: Winey. Reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and silky.

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Cider: Hudson Valley Farmhouse Lady Apple Cider

Maker’s Style Notes: A single varietal. Unfiltered. Made by the ancient Pomme d’api. Brought by the Romans to England.

Our Impressions: Easy drinking. Mellow apple flavor. More sweet than tart but balanced. A fine lady indeed.

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Cider: Dabinett Blend -Barrel Samples

Maker’s Style Notes: A beloved French variety. Complex flavors and more tannins. Unfiltered.

Our Impressions: Pleasing subtle structure with soft tannins and a smooth light sweetness.

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Cider: Ellis Bitter Blend – Barrel Samples

Maker’s Style Notes: A unique blend of bitter and acidic apples. Unfiltered.

Our Impressions: Complex and intense. A diverse array of bitter flavor elements are present more so than we have ever experienced as most commercially available ciders tend to have one or two bitter notes if any at all. Symphonic with lots of tannins and acid that support and supply structure. Delectably illustrates the concept of blending for structure and balance and unique fruit expression. Makes us curious to find out more about the old English cider apple, Ellis Bitter, used in this blend.

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Note: All of these ciders and barrel samples were tasted May 10, 2013 at the Cider Salon hosted by Jimmy’s No. 43 to benefit Breezy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill and their campaign to raise funds to Rebuild Historic Cider House at Greenmarket Farm Breezy Hill. Find more about funding and rewards via Kickstarter.

Cider Knowledge: This type of tasting is a terrific way to get a glimpse into the growers and cidermakers process and learn a bit about how they approach fruit choices and utilize blending in the development of their fruit and cider portfolio.

Note on fruit sources: Elizabeth Ryan is the primary grower and principle cidermaker. Multiple orchards supply the fruit for these ciders.