A Popup New York Cider Tasting at Cidercon 2022

One unexpected and memorable event at CiderCon 2022 was a popup cider tasting organized by the New York Cider Association.  This consisted of a handful of Empire State cider makers, mostly from the Hudson River Valley, pouring multiple ciders to attendees. This tasting not only showed off the array of different apple varieties favored in New York, but also a range of styles.  

I started with a familiar sight: Graft Cider and Pennings Farm Cidery pouring at the same station. Although Graft has not opened a tasting room, their Flagship ciders are widely available in the mid-Atlantic -> try their  Farm Flor Rustic Table Cider.  I've visited Pennings in the past, but until this tasting, didn't appreciate their single varietal ciders as I've always brought home their light & dry Simple Cider. I really enjoyed the English Yarlington Mill with its astringency and tart flavor. Two more English apples were the Cox's Orange Pippin -- which bursts with various flavors -- and the tart Harry Masters Jersey. Can't wait to return to Warwick, NY. 

Abandoned Hard Cider, from Woodstock, poured the most interesting ciders, some made from a single tree. They also bottle and can cider made from foraged apples. The bottled 2020 Foragers Reserve was fermented naturally and carries a fresh yet farmhouse feel, whereas the canned The Forager is finished in a barrel to promote a rounder structure. Abandoned also cans a Barrel-Aged cider that provides even more vanilla and spices to the fresh cider. 

For true farmhouse ciders, search for those produced by Elizabeth Ryan at Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider.  The apples are grown from two Hudson Valley orchards and made using "classic European cider making techniques". This includes natural fermentation, unfiltered, and sometimes naturally effervescent.  Expect plenty of complexity and a pleasant funk in these ciders. 

Clarksburg Cider is located just outside of Buffalo and releases a plethora of ciders. Their Dry Hard Cider is very solid but I had a special affinity to their Savory Citrus which is made with a twist of lemon and a touch of sea salt.  A Gose cider. In addition, their Bourbon Barrel Cider is delicious where the bourbon notes do not overwhelm the apple flavors. 

Another non-Hudon River Valley cider producer was Lindner’s Cider located just east of Binghamton in Delaware County. They poured their 2021 Highlands made from Newtown Pippin, Winesap, and Gold Rush apples. This is a refreshing cider, slightly effervescent with some oak-induced notes and roundness from barrel finishing. 

The final, yet perhaps most interesting portfolio, was presented by Angry Orchard Hard Cider. The first was the single varietal Potter's Perfection - a medium bittersharp English apple. This was far from the semi-sweet ciders which Angry Orchard is known for and provides savory, tannic, and sharp acidic elements to the cider. They also produce a "manufactured" Ice Cider ($36) where the juice is left outside to freeze. This concentrated juice is then fermented producing a delicious dessert cider. Finally, Angry Orchard created a Pommeau (Pommeau of Walden - $48) where they blended eau de vie spirit with traditional French bittersweet apples and then aged three years in French oak. Fantastic.  I need to plan a trip to their Walden tasting room to purchase each one of these.