Apples were among some of the first crops grown in colonial America. Potted seedlings and bags of apple seeds were brought over on the Mayflower. The Bible-thumping Puritans were not teetotalers. Apple orchards in colonial America usually meant one thing: hard cider. Apples flourished in the fertile soil and friendly climate, and soon apples were a key part of most colonial farms and menus. The popularity of cider in America grew as the nation’s territory expanded. Then, the Temperance movement and popularity of German lager squashed the hard apple cider movement … until 2013. Zealous connoisseurs grow dissatisfied with the mass-produced apple cider sold by far-away, massive corporations. In response, they retreat to their basements and garages and start playing with recipes, learning about fermentation and putting their own spin on the old tried-and-true. Eventually, some hit on flavors in their homemade libation that are so tasty and unique, it seems a shame to hoard it all for themselves. They start putting some in bottles and growlers to share with like-minded friends and family. People flip out. Professional cideries began to pop up. It’s an explosion of craft cideries, and a return to the drinking habits of Colonial America. Today is National Apple Cider Day. Peaks & Pints celebrates the only way we know how — a flight of American made hard cider, a special cider flight we call Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight: National Apple Cider Day.

Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight: National Apple Cider Day

Schilling Moon Berries

5.2% ABV

In 1881, Colin Schilling’s great-great-grandfather, August, founded the Schilling Spice Company in San Francisco, with a goal of bringing pure, natural spices to everyone at a fair price. Today, at Schilling Hard Cider, August’s core values are carried forward and paired with innovative cider-making techniques to produce quality and complex hard ciders that, according to media hype, is the number on selling craft cider with three taprooms — Auburn, Seattle and a 50-tap cider house in Portland — and retail in 20 states. Think about all that plus the fact that Schilling uses only 100 percent fresh pressed apples, locally sourced non-GMO ingredients, and individually hand-selected yeast strains with beer yeast rather than wine yeast (Schilling likes beer yeast rather than wine yeast for the malt flavor) as you enjoy this cider made with Juicy blackberries and bright blueberries plus a hint of sweet French lavender and tangy, fresh-pressed Pacific Northwest apples. At a sparkling 5.2-percent, its flavor profile is fruited and semi-sweet making this a crushable year-round cider.

Finnriver Black Currant

6.5% ABV

Finnriver Farm & Cider makes small batches of Black Currant cider year-round, featuring cider fermented on the farm using 100 percent organic apple juice pressed from Washington apples. They ferment the apple juice in stainless steel tanks, and then blend with black currant and unrefined organic cane sugar for additional depth, sweetness, and flavor. Expect bright apple fruit balanced by berry complexity, sweet and sour notes, with a light sparkle and purple blush.

Incline Cider Basecamp Proctor

6.9% ABV

Introducing Basecamp Proctor — the new Peaks & Pints house cider crafted by local cidery, Incline Cider. We tapped Basecamp Proctor at our 8th Anniversary Party Nov. 1, and it will remain on Tap #7 for a full year. Made with an iconic blend of their favorite Pacific Northwest-grown apples — Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, and Braeburn — Basecamp Proctor packs layers of bold, juicy apple flavor into every pint. It’s dry, bright, and refreshing.

Yonder Cashmere

6.9% ABV

Founded in August 2020 by CEO Caitlin Braam, Yonder Cider makes savory, subtly sweet and high ABV ciders in Wenatchee with a taproom in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, which is shared with Bale Breaker Brewing from the Yakima Valley. Crafted using a blend of bittersweet cider apples and juicy dessert apples, Yonder ciders are hardly simple, and never straightforward, but you can always count on them being interesting. Their autumn seasonal Cashmere is inspired by one of Braam’s favorite cocktails, the Negroni. Made with tart cranberry, ⁠dark cherry, and a hint of bitter orange, Cashmere hits the nose with orange peel and berry, pairing beautifully with notes from one of their favorite cider apples, Ashmead’s Kernel. ⁠

Seattle Cider Basil Mint

6.9% ABV

Basil and mint are part of the same botanical family, so it makes sense that they get along so well. While you may initially think of desserts, Seattle Cider incorporates them into their delicious Basil Mint cider. Fermented with fresh basil and mint, this off-dry cider starts savory and floral, complemented perfectly by a tart, clean finish.

LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory