Traditional Perry differs from pear cider, often apple cider with pear flavoring. This may be what comes to mind for most people when they hear about Perry. A true perry is made from pears alone and has a light, refreshing sweetness. Perry pears are smaller than culinary or dessert pears. As with apple cider, the fruit is picked, crushed, and pressed to extract juice, which is then fermented. However, unlike apples, all pears contain a sugar alcohol called sorbitol that yeasts cannot metabolize. A completely fermented perry, therefore, has a residual sweetness missing from a dry apple cider. For this week’s Monday cider flight, we’re pouring pear ciders in Peaks & Pints Monday Cider Flight: Pear.

Peaks & Pints Monday Cider Flight: Pear

Seattle Cider VIVID Juicy Pear

4.2% ABV

“Seattle Cider Company remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation within the beverage industry. When first crafting our flagship Light Cider, we had a few goals in mind: continue our success as the cider choice for both beer drinkers and wine drinkers, disrupt the massive light beer category with our craft offering, and create a beverage that is the perfect companion for every occasion,” says Felix Madrid, Seattle Cider general manager. “The result was our highly celebrated Light Cider. Since then, we’ve been working daily to expand our light cider offerings, developing exceptional flavors suitable for every drinker for every occasion.” VIVID Juicy Pear starts with an aroma of orchard-fresh pears and a vibrant burst of fresh apples. The taste is a fusion of tart apple and juicy pear flavors. The apple provides a crisp acidity, while the pear adds a mellow sweetness, creating a bold, balanced, and fruity profile.

Samuel Smith’s Organic Perry

5% ABV

Pear juice used to produce Samuel Smith’s Brewery‘s Perry contains a mix of varieties selected to balance fresh pear flavor with tartness, acidity, and sweetness. Samuel Smith’s uses a wine yeast strain to ferment Perry, providing a clean finish and highlighting pure pear flavor and aroma through to the finish. Expect a dry sparkling pear cider with a clear pale straw color, smooth body, crisp but rich taste of ripe pears, and the appealing aroma of a summer pear orchard.

Winsome Asian Pear

6.1% ABV

At Winsome Ciderworks, the goal is to create welcoming, easy-to-drink ciders and share them with everyone. While they take their cider-making seriously and apply over 20 years of winemaking experience to creating their ciders, they always keep their products approachable. The Woodinville cidery’s Asian Pear offers delicate pear and citrus, with an aromatic pear top note on the palate.

Alpenfire Perry Burnt Branch Reserve

6.6% ABV

Alpenfire Cider’s Perry is delicately flavored and entirely sessionable. It combines proper European perry pears, Asian pears, and heirloom pears with about 2 percent bitter, sharp apple juice added to round out the flavors. The haze is a product of pectin and tannins.

Yonder Mazama

6.9% ABV

Inspired by vermouth enjoyed at Scribe Winery, one of Yonder Cider founder Caitlin Braam’s favorite California wineries, Mazama combines bright botanicals with orange peel and a subtle pear finish for a cider. With their base apple blend, Yonder adds Winesap and Marie Menard apples to enhance the citrusy aroma and give a pop to the finish of this springtime seasonal.

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