Oliver’s Gold Rush
Herefordshire, England
Have you noticed similarities between Tom Oliver’s wild yeast- fermented ciders and traditional lambics? You aren’t the only one. During a visit to Oliver’s farm in 2011, Greg Hall – former brewmaster at Goose Island, and current cidermaker at Virtue Cider in Chicago – proposed a collaborative cider made in the traditional way, but with a lambic yeast thrown in for further complexity. The result is the Gold Rush: a 6.8% sparkling, medium dry cider with a deep, burnished color made from 100% bittersweet and sharp vintage cider apples from traditional Herefordshire farms. The juice was slow fermented by wild yeasts in old oak barrels through a cold winter and underwent malolactic fermentation in the warm spring. Oliver then added fruit sugar and lambic yeasts for a second alcoholic fermentation, adding a touch more alcohol and complexity. It was finished in oak, for maturity, before final blending and bottling. The first transatlantic cider that is everything a bittersweet cider should be. |
Hogan’s Vintage Perry 2010
Warwickshire, England
The most recent vintage of Hogan’s Perry arrived just in time for The Festival, where Allen Hogan himself poured sips for festival-goers, who learned first hand how wonderful English perry can be. If you missed out, we have bottles in stock now, but when they are gone that’s the last of it for another year. A classic perry in every sense of the word, Hogan’s use only 100% English perry pears, every one harvested by hand and gently washed to ensure the best quality. Perry pears are unpalatable to eat due to their high tannin level but create a delicious, delicate drink. A medium, lightly sparkling perry, champagne like in color, well balanced on the palate with subtle fruit tannin qualities and delicate fruit aromas.
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Burrow Hill Somerset Cider
Somerset, England
Best known for their world famous cider brandy, which was recently awarded a Protected Geographical Indicator from the EU, Burrow Hill also makes fantastic cider. We are excited to introduce their Somerset Cider – a refreshing blend of at least 11 varieties of vintage apples – to the US. At Burrow Hill, apples have been grown and cider has been pressed for at least 150 years – it is the soil climate and the apple varieties which give the cider and cider brandy their unique quality. Somerset is known for being home to three English cider apple ‘vintage’ areas and Burrow Hill, in Kingsbury Episcopi, is right in the middle of one of them (the other two are Wedmore and Baltonsborough). They grow more than 40 varieties of vintage cider apples, and their cider, for both drinking and distilling, is made by blending these apples. The blending is the key to the craft of cider making. At Burrow Hill this is the responsibility of Tim Stoddart and Julian Temperley, who together have more than 50 years of experience of making cider.
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Ross-on-Wye Carbonated Cider and Perry
Ross-on-Wye, England
If you are looking for something with a touch more sweetness than the Ross-on-Wye Bottle-Conditioned Dry cider but with the same sparkle, we’re pleased to offer a traditional carbonated medium cider and perry from the talented cidermakers at Broome Farm. While bottle-conditioning makes for elegant bubbles, it also means that a healthy batch of yeast cells gobble up all fermentable sugars. In order to craft a cider that retains a hint of sweetness, without going through the difficult keeving process, Ross-on-Wye took a blend similar to their Medium Dry Still and pushed some bubbles in for us. The result is well balanced cider and perry, refreshing and light, perfect for summer picnics. |
AEppelTreow Barn Swallow Cider
Burlington, Wisconsin
Crisp, floral, and ridiculously refreshing, the Barn Swallow is available in both bottles and kegs. This one is for everyday drinking. Cider maker Charles McGonegal is one of the most knowledgeable cidermakers in the US, and it shows in his ciders. AEppelTreow is located on the picturesque Brightonwood Orchards, with whom Charles and his wife Milissa have partnered to grow uncommon heirloom apples especially for their ciders. French and English varietals bring a touch of the old world to the midwest. |
Zeffer Cider and Perry
Matakana, New Zealand
At long last, we have a cider and a perry coming to us from across the equator. Zeffer Cider sits just north of Auckland, on the bustling North Island of New Zealand, in the Matakana valley. Fruit is sourced directly from NZ growers, and freshly crushed on site at the Zeffer cidery. Produced in small batches, there is minimal intervention through
the cider making process, allowing natural flavors and aromas to develop. Zeffer dry apple cider is light and refreshing, with a green apple tang and
earthy undertones that come through on both the nose and palate. Zeffer dry perry has lovely honey, guava and tropical fruit aromas. Honey also comes through on the palate along with a slight hint of ginger. It is low in acid giving it a soft, full-bodied mouth feel. Unfermentable sugars in the pear juice give this perry a slight sweetness, while still having a deliciously dry finish. Both are unfiltered and made with no added cane sugar, artificial colors, or flavorings. Sweet as! |
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