What we eat and drink this time of year evokes memories more easily than what we consume in other seasons. This is the time of year we dust off crock pots and Dutch ovens for soups and stews, filled — at least right now — with the remaining harvests of our local farms. This is when we flock to orchards for fresh-picked apples, and when we scoop out globs of pumpkin seeds for roasting. We drop cinnamon sticks in hot cider, and warm up chocolate with piquant spices. We’re heartened that in these divided times, it seems like we can all at least agree on fall. The cool weather, the smell of crabapples on wet leaves redolent of schooldays past, warm spices baking in the oven, and delicious cider … who could argue with any of that? Peaks and Pints has rounded up five delicious hard ciders for this rainy September day that we call Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight: September.
Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight: September
Portland Cider Pumpkin Spice
6% ABV
Oregonian Jeff and British Lydia launched Portland Cider Company in 2012 with the intent of marrying English cider traditions with the innovative Northwest micro-brewing culture. It all started from a desire to make the clean, dry cider Lynda grew to love in England, and Jeff yearned to find in Oregon. With their Pumpkin Spice, they take the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger and blend them for pumpkin pie flavor.
2 Towns Hollow Jack’d
8.4% ABV
In late 2010, Corvallis homebrewers Aaron Sarnoff-Wood and Lee Larsen filled a gap in the college town’s drinking scene — cider. The duo opened 2 Towns Ciderhouse crafting unique ciders brewed with the traditional English and French-style’s tannic apples, Oregon grown, of course. Their Hollow Jack’d imperial pumpkin cider kicks pumpkin-spiced lattes back into the patch. Made from A brew of fresh-pressed apples, caramelized pumpkins, sweet potatoes and finished with a dash of honey and spices, it’s basically fall in a glass. The pumpkin flavor isn’t overwhelming, which is enjoyable and not too sweet.
Whitewood Throwing Heat Hot Honey Peach
6.5% ABV
David White started his production-only Olympia cidery in 2011 with business partner Heather Wingwood, with their first cider release in 2012. In May 2013, Whitewood Cider Company opened for business in Olympia, the then only craft cidery between Seattle and Portland. Their Throwing Heat Hot Honey Peach cider features Washington grown apples blended with luscious ripe peach flavors and Splat Hot Sauce’s Hot Honey for a rich robust sweetness and a touch of heat from habanero peppers.
Seattle Cider Pumpkin Spice
6.9% ABV
We’ll tell you what we want, what we really really want: a cider spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, and a touch of pumpkin. Apple and pumpkin pair well, probably because both are complemented by these same spices and flavors. Seattle Cider’s Pumpkin Spice embodies fall in Washington state. This cider has a mild sweetness and is far less dry than most of Seattle Cider’s other offerings. Pouring it into a glass accentuates the subtle pumpkin aromas and coaxes earthiness out of the apple flavor.
Yonder Velvet Cashmere
8.9% ABV
Yonder Cider grabbed their Negroni-inspired winter seasonal — Cashmere — and blended it with Fast Penny Spirits’ Amaricano amaro to create the warming Velvet Cashmere. Tart with notes of cranberry, dark cherry and bitter orange, the addition of amaro brings a beautiful richness to this cocktail-like creation. Aromas of toasted sugar and dark fruit shine through while hints of truffle, vanilla bean and Mexican chocolate mingle with a savory bitterness.
LINK: Peaks & Pints cooler inventory
