In 1982, Pres. Ronald Reagan proclaimed August “Peach Month” and called upon the people of the United States to incorporate this nutritious fruit into their diets, and call upon interested groups to celebrate this month with appropriate programs and activities. Therefore, Peaks & Pints will incorporate peaches into our weekly Monday cider flight; stop by for Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight: Peaches. The peach (Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach; today they are grown in numerous countries. Whatever. The queen of all stone fruits makes for delicious cider. Let’s get to drinking!
Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight: Peaches
Winsome Peach Ginger
6.1% ABV
Leroy Radford earned his winemaking chops at Mark Ryan and Baer wineries before launching Flying Dreams Winery in 2008. The winemaker began experimenting with cider, and in 2014, he opened Woodinville Ciderworks, which recently became Winsome Ciderworks. Using only Washington apples, he now produces seven different cider flavor profiles, from Asian Pear and Oaked Chipotle to Pomegranate Cherry and Peach Ginger, which leads off today’s cider flight. Winsome Peach Ginger strikes a good balance of apple, pear, ginger, peach, and tea. Refreshing throughout, the cider has a definite peach linger that stays longer than the other flavors.
Incline White Peach
6.9% ABV
From the outside, yellow and white peaches are distinguished by their skin color — deep yellow with a red or pink blush for the former versus pale and pink for the latter. Inside, the golden flesh of the yellow peach is more acidic, with a tartness that mellows as the peach ripens and softens. White-fleshed peaches are lower in acid and taste sweet whether firm or soft. White peaches also more delicate and easily bruised, which kept them from being sold in most stores until the 1980s, when hardier varieties were developed. According to Russ Parsons in How to Pick a Peach, older varieties of white peaches (and nectarines) had a bit of tang to balance the sugar, but the ones sold today are more uniformly sweet. Incline Cider Company’s white Peach is sweet, indeed, but not too sweet. Peach flavor does shines, though.
Tieton Bourbon Barrel Peach
6.9% ABV
Tieton Cider Works blend American heritage, English and French cider varietals with dessert apples to capture the best of what each variety brings to the bottle: sweetness, acidity, tannin and aroma. Their popular Bourbon Barrel Peach cider was aged in previously used Dry Fly bourbon barrels. Aging in bourbon barrels gives the cider deep, rich notes of vanilla and spice.
