Cider became the most widely consumed alcohol in Northern Europe and Great Britain for a very long time. When the English settled in America, they brought cider apple seeds with them. By the late 1800’s cider production began to decline due several factors including the increased consumption of beer and later, prohibition. Luckily, cider has made a massive revival and is available everywhere in excellent quality and variety … and with other fruit in addition to apples. Once considered a maligned novelty, fruit other than apples is now one of the arenas where cidermakers experiment most, uh, fruitfully. Normally condemned to rot in a mediocre ceramic bowl, the fruit cup has finally been given the respectable and stylish home it deserves — the Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight. Stop by our Proctor District craft beer and cider lodge and enjoy: Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight: Fruit Cup.
Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight: Fruit Cup
Portland Crangerine
5.1% ABV, can
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. A medium sweet, crimson cider, Crangerine highlights tart and juicy tangerines complemented by fruity Oregon-grown cranberries. The citrus zest of the tangerines interacts with the fruitiness of the rich red cranberries for a playful spin on a fall classic.
Reverend Nat’s Sacrilege Sour Cherry
6.5% ABV, draft
The generally agreed-upon cidermaking process says to add white wine yeast to apple juice, wait a couple months, then enjoy. Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider broke the rules with this cider. Starting with a tart blend of heritage dessert apples, they pressed out their juice, then add a couple hundred pounds of tart pie cherries. Then, they added Lactobacillus. When the dust settled, they added more flavor with some tart cherry juice to make it a bit off dry with flavors of cherry skin, pear, apple, oak, and nice tartness.
Incline Blood Orange
6.5% ABV, can
“If you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing a blood orange, I highly recommend it,” says Peaks and Pints bartender Nicole Allen. “As the name suggests, blood oranges are red in color, sometimes in splotches on the outside but definitely on the inside. The concentration of the red inside depends on the orange and growing conditions. Squeezing them is when you truly understand where the “blood” reference comes from: the juice resembles the ruby red of a cranberry as opposed to the yellowish tone of orange juice. I’m a fan of Incline Cider. Their Blood Orange cider tastes like juicy blood orange plus citrus notes with a touch of tart.”
Seattle Cider Marionberry
6.9% ABV, can
Joel VandenBrink, the founder of Two Beers Brewing Co., launched the Seattle Cider Company in August 2013, with the help from his Two Beers sales rep and a former farm hand Eric Willard. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which makes beer difficult to digest, VandenBrink launched the cider company with only two products: Semi Sweet and Dry. Today, Seattle Cider has many options, including their Marionberry, The most popular varietal of blackberries in the Pacific Northwest, marionberries share their pleasant tartness and complex flavor in this cider.
Avid Royal Apricot Imperial
8.5% ABV
In 2013, Avid Cider Co. invaded the Bend, Oregon craft beer-crazed town with something different. Back then, they went by ATLAS and quickly gained recognition locally and regionally depicted by their major award display case. AVID became known as a semi-sweet cider company placing their craft between the dry and sweet market. They live and die by their “NW to the Core” slogan sourcing regional fruit pressed in Bend to create “core” ciders and seasonally inspired hits. Their Royal Apricot Imperial is packed with refreshing flavors of pressed golden apricots to create a uniquely tart flavor and smooth finish. “
LINK: Peaks & Pints cooler inventory
