What IS United States of Cider ?
United States of Cider is the chronicle of 2 ciderphiles explorations into the world of (hard) cider* with a focus on the American craft cider revival.
Expect Tasting Notes, Makers Profiles, Cider News, History & Lore, Cider Around the World, Pairings & Mixology.
Established Dec 31, 2012 – Our 365 Days of Cider goal is to post or tweet about cider at least once daily for all of 2013.
*It’s cider. Anything else is just juice.
2013 Seattle Wine and Food Experience
“The Seattle Wine and Food Experience is the premier showcase for wine and food in the Northwest. Experience a world tour of wine, beer, spirits and all things culinary.”
This year five cider making brands will be pouring samples.
Where: Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 300 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA 98109
Date: February 24th, 2013
Time: 12 pm – 5 pm
General admission tickets: $55.00
Visit the website for more information.
Drinks: Ciders scheduled: 2 Towns Ciderhouse The Incider Pearadise The Bad Apple Cherry Poppin’ Cider Blue Mountain Cider Company Dry CreekCider52: A Cider A Week. The plan: 52 weeks, 52 cider tastings, pairings and postings.
More January 2013 ciders:
Slyboro Cider House Hidden Star Cider
Slyboro Cider House Old Sin Cider
EM Emilio Martinez Signature Cider 2011
Harvest Moon Cidery Four Screw Cider with Maple Syrup
Tasting notes and pairings to follow.
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.
Some US cider makers are adopting the CSA model, creating a new Community Supported Cider, an apt turn of phrase coined by Whitewood Cider, (though they opted to go with the more recognizable term – CSA).
A few Cider CSAs:
In the Northwest, Whitewood Cider of Olympia, Washington has a 2012-2013 Whitewood CSA Subscription. Check their site to see if shares are still available and to see what ciders are on offer.
Charlton Orchards Farm & Winery in Charlton, Massachusetts, offers several CSA options, including a Farm Winery CSA which includes ciders.
Redbyrd Orchard Cider in Burdett, New York is offering a Spring Cider Share for 2013. Check their site to see if shares are still available. Options include bottle shares and keg shares.
Check with your local cider maker to see if they are offering a Cider CSA option this year. Support Community Cider.
If you know of other Cider CSAs please leave a comment.
Cider: DOMAINE CHRISTIAN DROUIN POIRE Pear Cider
Maker: Domaine Christian Drouin Origin: Rouen, France website: www.calvados-drouin.com
ABV: 4% Bottle: 375 ml half bottle, champagne cork
Style Notes: Traditional Normandy pear cider or poire cidre, sparkling, unfiltered, unpasteurized, and bottle conditioned.
Importer: B. United International, Inc. website: www.bunitedint.com
Fruit: Pears. Plant de Blanc, Muscadet, Tricotin, Avenelle and Poire de Grise.
Makers Fruit Notes: Pear is a fruit of patience! A pear tree needs 50 years to reach its maturity but will live for more than 200 years.”
Tasting Notes: In The Glass: Clear, pale, sparkling. Perfumed, inviting, complex. Tastes of fresh pear fruit, hints of melon and citrus, natural sediments in glass, rustic with a clean pure sweetness, balanced by refreshing acidity.
Parings Suggestions & Flavor Compliments: Shellfish, Dungeness crab, oysters, poached fish, young greens, endive, artichokes, leeks, fennel, fresh herbs, citrus, rustic tarts, zabaglione and berries, fruit ices.
Our Pairings – The Tasting Lab: We tried Poire with French pâtisserie, plum and apricot tarts, chocolate covered almonds and orange jellies. Excellent with all, especially well paired with the citrus candy- creating a delicious creamsicle flavor.
Cheesemonger’s Notes: Try Poire with young, soft, bloomy rind, double or triple cream cheeses, such as Fromager d’Affinois, St. Angel, Brillat Savarin, Cowgirl Creamery’s Mount Tam, or even a lavender and goat cheese fondue.
Overall Impressions: Extremely pleasing apéritif, perfect to pair with cheese or sweets. Well balanced, well structured. Elegant, festive, and refreshing, with an incredibly alluring pear perfume. 2013 Vermont Ice Wine Festival
Celebrate the world-class Ice Wines and Ice Ciders of Vermont.
Where: Jay, Vermont
When: February 23rd, 2013
Advanced admission $30 includes wine tasting tickets good for all participating wineries, cheese and specialty food samples, and souvenir wine glass. $35 at the door.
Visit the website for more information.
Ice Ciders and Ice Wines attending: Boyden Valley Winery Champlain Orchards East Shore Vineyard Eden Ice Cider Hall Home Place Lincoln Peak Vineyards Newhall Farm Shelburne Vineyard Snow Farm Vineyards Windfall Orchard
A Listing of North American Cider, Perry & Ice Wine Associations & Organizations.
Last updated January 24, 2013.
Visit the websites for detailed information about members, membership, products, and events.
Cidre du Québec / Les Cidriculteurs artisans du Québec CAQ “The goal of the Association of Independent Cider Producers of Québec (CAQ) is to defend the interests of cider producers and the Québec cider-producing sector. Visit our cider mills. The workers will be happy to let you in on the secret of how they bottle all that flavour.” Province/Region: Québec, Canada Members: 47 makers listedGreat Lakes Cider & Perry Association GLCPA “The Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association (GLCPA) is a nonprofit organization formed to showcase and promote fermented apple and pear beverages and to help educate consumers and producers about them. Our members include both commercial and non-commercial producers, as well as affiliate members located outside the region. Come join us at one of our events and discover some of the finest North American ciders and perries!”
State/Region: Great Lakes Region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ontario.
Members/Listings: Currently include 59 commercial cider makers listed in the GLCPA Directory
Please leave a comment if you have North American cider association resources to add.
Chicago to host Cider Conference 2013 AND first Chicago Cider Summit.
“Cider Conference 2013 offers a mix of education and networking opportunities for commercial cider producers” Where: Chicago, Illinois When: February 7 & 8, 2013 See the full schedule here, list of sponsors here, and register here. Registration open until January 30th.AND
When: Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 11am‐7pm Where: Lakeview Terrace Room at Navy Pier. “Cider Summit Expands to Chicago. Region’s Largest Cider Tasting Comes to Navy Pier. SBS Imports and the Seattle Beer Collective are pleased to announce the expansion of their successful Cider Summit festival to Chicago, IL. The inaugural Chicago event will take place on Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 11am‐7pm in the Lakeview Terrace Room at Navy Pier. The event will benefit The Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association, WBEZ Public Radio, and Heartland Alliance.” Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, ticket details here.Scheduled producers listed below:
See full list here to see complete list of ciders to be poured.
Aeppeltreow Winery – WI Angry Orchard Hard Cider – OH Aspall Cyders – England Black Star Farms – MICider52: A Cider A Week. The plan: 52 weeks, 52 cider tastings, pairings and postings.
More January 2013 ciders:
Shinn Estate Vineyards Wickham’s Pear Cider 2011
Españar Sidra De Asturias
Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché Brut de Normandie 2011
Angry Orchard Crisp Apple, draft in a growler
Valverán 20 Manzanas Frost Cider
Tasting notes and pairings to follow.
Cider: ORIGINAL SIN NEWTOWN PIPPIN CIDER
Maker: Original Sin Hard Cider Origin: New York* website: origsin.com
ABV: 6.7% Bottle: 750 ml, crown cap
Style Notes: Sparkling single varietal heirloom apple cider made with champagne yeast.
Fruit: Apple. Newtown Pippin.
Makers Fruit Notes: “The Prince of Apples. First discovered as a seedling in Queens, New York in 1730, the Newtown Pippin earned a reputation as one of the finest apples of its day and was cherished by both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who cultivated it in their personal estates. Commonly used in hard cider production, this storied apple was sold to the United Kingdom in large quantities, helping to establishing the United States fruit export industry.”
Tasting Notes: In The Glass: Pale yellow straw. Fresh apple aroma. Fast sweet start, with hints of caramel, balanced by juicy tart acidity, “green apple in a glass”.
Parings Suggestions & Flavor Compliments: Fried foods, spicy foods, think Thai, Indian, Chinese, spring rolls, pork dumplings. Good “small plate” and appetizer-pairing cider.
Our Pairings – The Tasting Lab: We tried Newtown Pippin with Dirty Bird takeout fried chicken, garlic kale, and cornbread. Perfect lunch pairing. The cider was even more enjoyable with food.
Cheesemonger’s Notes: Try pairing Newtown Pippin with Alpine-style or mountain cheeses, such as Appenzeller or other washed rind cheese. Would be great with a grilled cheese sandwich, or fancy slice.
Overall Impressions: Easily drinkable Original Sin Newtown Pippin cider is a single varietal apple cider that is enhanced by pairing. Fresh, crisp, juicy, tart, and clean. Tastes just like we imagine a Newtown Pippin in a glass would. Raise a glass and celebrate New York’s Newtown Pippin. Hurray for the return of an important heirloom apple as a New York made cider!
*Note: Listed as a New York company. This bottle of Original Sin Newtown Pippin was bottled in Milton Freewater, Oregon.
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