Ciders for Wine Lovers

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Ciders for Wine Lovers

Now that Spring is here and the weather is beautiful, it is time to spend more time outside. One of the most refreshing but little understood categories of beverages is ciders. Much like the Rieslings of the wine world, most people assume that all ciders are sweet. In fact, most ciders are made in a dry style with a super complex flavor that will amaze white wine lovers of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. 

One of our favorite producers is Farnum Hill out of Vermont. These guys are not just cider makers who buy apple juice (like most of the big cider makers). These are apple farmers who use their ancient apple groves to produce ciders of exceptional quality that are well balanced and dry. If your in the mood to enjoy a Spring evening with a good drink, then pick up a bottle of Farnum Hill Farmhouse Cider.

Chad the Tie Guy's Drink of the Week: I love farmhouse ciders because this is the original style of cider simply made from fresh pressed apples and natural wild yeast (used to ferment the sweet apple juice). These ciders are not overly syrupy and sweet like the newer ciders can be but are very easy drinking with a hint of sweetness. This makes the cider taste, well like fresh apples that are juicy but not overly sweet. Think of this as a liquid apple with a little bit of a buzz as a bonus. Enjoy with the gorgeous Spring weather!

Food Pairings: This pairs well with soft cheeses (such as goat cheese) drizzles with fresh honey and topped with toasted salty almond. Try this with a slow cooker pork and sauerkraut topped with crisp apple slices for a real sweet and sour treat!

Cocktail Ideas:

Basic Recipe (aka Kick it Up a Notch): Combine 6oz of Cider with 1oz other flavor

Some Classic Examples:

     Apple Blossom= 6oz Farnum Hill Farmhouse Cider + 1oz Elderflower Liqueur

     Irish Apple= 6oz Farnum Hill Farmhouse Cider + 1 oz Irish Whiskey 

     Apple Pie= 6oz Farnum Hill Farmhouse Cider + 1oz Fireball

     Carmel Apple= 6oz Farnum Hill Farmhouse Cider + 1oz Caramel Vodka

Craft Beer Happenings

     With a new brewmaster, a new line up of brews, and a new look, Otter Creek has truly reinvented itself and is quickly becoming a well respected brewery in the Vermont craft beer scene.  Mike Gerhart became the brewmaster in 2009 and his since given the brewery a completely new vibe.  With big names like Dogfish Head and Magic Hat on his resume, he clearly knows what he is doing. This knowledge is reflected in the almost completely new line up of brews offered by Otter Creek.  The packaging features cartoon drawings of either Mike, his dog, and or his VW bus; and are very eye-catching and inviting.  As we know, packaging is certainly not everything and the real question is do the beers measure up?
     The answer is most definitely yes.  Mike knows what he is doing and this shows in his final products.  He has a small line up compared to many other craft brewers but he uses it well.  His flagship beer, Backseat Burner, is of course an IPA.  With vibrant grapefruit flavors and a pleasant, hoppy bitterness that doesn't overwhelm, this has quickly become one of my go-to IPA's.  Over Easy, which is his take on a session ale, is flavorful and easy to drink.  It's for the most part a toned down version of Backseat Burner yet retains the qualities that many session ales tend to lose.  The current seasonal is Fresh Slice, which is a White IPA brewed with Belgian yeast, clementine, and coriander.  With tons of funky fruit flavor and a refreshing finish, it's a great summer beer and a great alternative to those lemon flavored beers that dominate the market.

     The other Otter Creek seasonals worth checking out include Kind Ryed, a Rye IPA; Citra Mantra, an India Pale Lager; and Over Grown, a Pale Ale.  All are generously hopped and have tons of flavor. Also, keep an eye out for collaborations with other highly notable brewers which appear from time to time.  Mike has pretty much resurrected a dead brand and made Otter Creek new and exciting again as it was when the brewery first hit the growing craft scene back in the 80's.  All of these beers are definitely worth a try! 

Magic Hat Brewing Company, Dream Machine Indian Pale Lager

From a brewery out of Burlington Vermont, Magic Hat has released a new year round  beer for the first time in 10 years entitled Dream Machine IPL. Combining the elements of an IPA and the yeasts and brewing techniques of a lager, Magic Hat has beautifully crafted this new creation that promises to satisfy the hop-head IPA drinkers out there and spark the curiosity of the smooth drinking, lager folks.

The Dream Machine pours with an amber color and a nice fluffy head also giving off a citrusy, piney aroma due to the dry-hopping method where Amarillo & Sterling hops were used. Without a doubt, the idea behind this off-shoot style brew is to combine two great beer experiences into one, and certainly Magic Hat has easily accomplished this. The concept of providing a unique drinking experience was their tactic and indeed.

Magic Hat delivers as promised. The Dream Machine is a beer that was specifically designed for my palate. Being a lager drinker for years and years, this IPL really provides the best of both worlds into one smooth drinking, mildly bitter beer. I find the idea behind the recipe of cross-pollinating an IPA with an amber lager as intriguing as the taste of the beer itself! On the front end, a crisp grapefruit, yet mild citrusy taste gives way to a smooth, lager finish on the back end with little to no bite. The Dream Machine is highly aromatic, but not quite as bitter as one might expect from the amount of hops used to produce it.

Magic Hat has hit this one out of the park with their Dream Machine IPL! If you’re an IPA lover, give it a whirl. It may not have the ultimate bitterly hop flavor you’d expect from a standard IPA, but it certainly meshes 2 very popular styles of beer into 1 that has, in my opinion, captured the best elements of both styles. If you’re a lager drinker much like myself, this would be a great beer to help crossover into the world of craft beer drinking. The Dream Machine IPL is a great session beer and an enjoyable change-up from the standard routine. Whether you’re and IPA advocate or a lager drinker, this beer appeals to either and will not disappoint. Cheers & enjoy!

India Pale Lager

ABV 5.7%

Availability Year Round: 6 packs, 12 packs, 22oz bottles, draft

Personal Rating: 9.1/10

Style Rating: 9.6/10

Wanna try it now? Order it online at whitehorsewine.com