Every so often, I get a chance to go outside of my comfort zone and explore something I don’t know much about, even though it’s related to my expertise. This month provides such an occasion.
Cider as a beverage extends back more than 5,000 years, with the Celts in Britain making it from crab apples. But cider as we know it really didn’t come into its own until the Roman era, with the introduction of cultivated apples and orcharding techniques. The Dark Ages, true to its name, left little record of cider, until the Norman invasion of England and the introduction of French apples. At one point, English royalty purportedly preferred cider over wine.
Since the history of cider has so much to do with England, the first ciders I thought of are those made by Samuel Smith Brewery of Tadcaster. I have featured that name many times in these pages, and I have quaffed many a beer from them. Of course, Samuel Smith makes cider, too, and their Organic Perry (the traditional name of a pear cider) has a pleasant sweetness and an earthy aroma with a touch of what I could only describe as molasses; it has a subtle pear flavor with a tinge of sweetness in the finish. The Organic Cider, made from apples, has a similar sweetness, but the aroma is, not surprisingly, of apples, as well as hay. It has almost a farmhouse quality—I love a funky cider when I can find one—but a clean finish. Both are very pleasant, and I will definitely revisit them in the future … just not before I’ve had more of their beer.
I met Bex Pezzullo, founder of Sincere Cider, a few months ago when she stopped in with a local spirits representative at my place of work. She started the company out of a garage in Oakland and now makes the cider in Napa. I mentioned up front that my go-to style of cider is dry and drier, and her apple cider delivered in spades. We now carry it in cans at the bar. I also acquired a couple of cans of two other types: ginger and agave syrup, and pomegranate/Seville orange. I gave away the latter, but tried the former and loved it. It was reminiscent of a nice ginger beer. Looking at the other two current Sincere flavors (including a spruce tip/pineapple combo and a passion fruit/hibiscus cider), I am intrigued enough to seek those out as well.
Next, I took a few chances at a large chain liquor store. One of these chances led to me grabbing a few cans from Golden State Cider. The first was called Mighty Dry, and it delivered what the name promised—dryness. Made with “100% fresh-pressed West Coast apple juice and fermented with champagne yeast,” it was slightly tart and crisp, and it drank much lighter than its 6.3% alcohol by volume. Next was the Mellow Hops, and it might seem obvious why I went for it. It’s a cider with Cashmere hops, and I was impressed with how those hops were used. They weren’t front and center, stomping all over the apple-cider flavor, but an ingredient in the overall experience. The hops added a nice citrus aroma and flavor to the dry cider underneath. The last I tried from Golden State was Radical Guava. I chose this because I’m a sucker for guava, and I was glad I did, because this had a whole bunch of it without it dominating the cider. I could still taste apple and a slight smoky note at the end from the use of cayenne pepper.
Honest Abe Cider House and Meadery’s can of Limoncello Lemonade cider called out to me as well. Honest Abe is out of Carson, and I would love to say something nice about a Southern California cider house, but this cider had an odd aroma and flavor, almost like dish soap or dish water. They have some interesting products on their site; perhaps they’re better.
Last (but not least), we come to Bivouac Ciderworks from San Diego. Bimini Twist Peach Spritz is a pear cider with sauvignon blanc, peach and nectarine; the aroma was incredibly inviting—extremely fruity and kind of floral. With all of these ingredients, it seems like it would be easy for this to be a sweet mess, but it is very well-balanced, with all of the additions present and accounted for. Marlin Spike is a “pineapple pear cider,” and somehow, those flavors combine to create something similar to passion fruit and guava on the palate. Next month, I am spending a week near their tasting room in North Park (very close to where the dearly departed Toronado used to be), and I will be sure to check it out.
Much as I was with my recent adventure with non-alcoholic craft beer, I’ve largely been pleased with the ciders I’ve tried so far. I welcome any suggestions regarding what I should try next, if you feel so inclined.
I may have been missing out by largely ignoring ciders all these years—and I look forward to seeing what cidery surprises await me in the future.
