More on Franklin County Cider Days later...

Last year about this time I was contacted by a Chef Chris Haworth about a cider dinner project he had been putting together. As Chris put it he thought Ontario Cidermakers had never been brought together for an event like this. As it turned out they hadn't and as you'll read in Chris' note below the participating cidermakers formed their own cider association.

Over the past few years Ontario wine and cider have both experienced a boom and surge in both interest and consumers. Both are also taking home awards. Quite a few Ontario ciders claimed prizes at last year's Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition. While the cidermakers and winemakers are doing their jobs right, I'm sure a little thanks is due to innovative pioneering chefs like Chris who support local artisans and celebrate their craft with the class and pageantry they all deserve.

Well they are doing it all over again and I was just asked to post notice that  Ontario's 2nd Annual Cider Tasting Dinner at Spencer's at the Waterfront is happening once again on Sunday March 4th 2012.

Chef Chris Haworth's note.

Sunday 4th March 2012, I will be hosting a dinner at Spencer’s Burlington on the same lines as a ‘winemakers dinner’ but using Ontario’s finest Hard ciders. Last year we had 4 cideries participate and this year we have an astonishing 10! Coffin Ridge, Bains Road, Spirit tree, Beaver valley cider co, Carrick wines and cider, Applewood farm, Pommies dry, Twin Pines, County cider co, Sunnybrook farm. This just reflects how fast this sector has gathered pace in the last 12 months alone.  Last year’s dinner saw Ontario cider makers come together for the first time and as a direct result of this the Ontario cider makers association was born.

If you are in or near Ontario and enjoy cider or locally made goods this dinner is for you. You can find more information on my brand new OTC Cider Events & Tastings page.

Appearance
Color: Straw to Light Gold
Clarity: Clear to Brilliant
Carbonation: Petilant
Brightness: Bright+ (Above Average)

Aroma
Moderately subtle soft aromas of tart cherry, mandarin, with a slightly floral finish.

Taste
This Baldwin cider is hard to get a read on for sweetness. While it is overall fairly dry it is sweet enough to bring out some flavors and balance the show out. We got flavors of lemon, tangerine, honey-suckle, and a spicy finish.

Body & Finish
Very clean, astringent, acidic, crisp finish. Honey-like body with a moderate length finish.

Appearance
Color: Straw to Gold
Carbonation: Fizzy
Clarity: Very Brilliant
Brightness: Very Vivid

Aroma
Foggy Ridge's First Fruit Cider has moderate intenisty nose of a very high quality. We detected fresh, herbaceous, earthy almost sweet aromas of over-ripe peaches with floral rose-like overtones deep down.

Taste
First Fruit is a clean, simple - yet complex, straight foward cider that starts off sweet, moves toward the acidic and finishes off clean with soft tannins. The flavors are as clean as the aromas. Grapefruit, lots of lemon, and red underripe currant.

Body & Finish
Clean finish, astringent, acidic, crisp, tannic of moderate length. Refreshing medium body is perfect for this cider. Excellent balance.

I left my camera at work too so we'll be putting up with photos from the iPhone.

I have always found great satisfaction and pride in purchasing direct from the folks who make the products. It's nice to know that with the exception of a few taxes as much money as possible found it's way into the hands of the cidermaker. In many cases buying online from cidermakers accomplishes that, with the caveat of having to pay for shipping instead of gas.

Purchasing cider on the internet is not quite as easy as it sounds. Finding a good cidermaker who ships direct to the customer is the most difficult part.

I've compiled a quick list of those cidermakers I could find that do sell online. Each state's laws and regulations are a little different. Not every cidermaker can ship to every state. Read each of the website policies carefully and try to be understanding if they are not able to ship to you.

Purchasing Cider Online

Snowdrift Cider Co.
http://snowdriftcider.com/Order

Castle Hill Ciders
https://www.wineweb.com/scripts/secure/order.cfm/castlehillcider

Foggy Ridge Cider
http://store.foggyridgecider.com/cider-c2.aspx

Slyboro Ciderhouse
http://www.slyboro.com/ourciders.php

Alpenfire via VinoShipper
https://www.vinoshipper.com/wine/winery/493

Tieton Cider Works
http://www.tietonciderworks.com/tieton/ciders.html

Finnriver Farm & Cidery
http://www.finnriver.com/index.php?page=store

Maiden Rock Winery & Cidery
http://www.maidenrockwinerycidery.com/shop.html

Eden Ice Cider (Shipping available to some states)
http://www.edenicecider.com/Gate.html

Bellwether Hard Cider
http://www.cidery.com/index.html

Hard Row to Hoe Winery, a winemaker but you gotta try their ice cider.
http://wineshop.hardrow.com/ice-breaker-p47.aspx

Kennebec Cider via VinoShipper.com
https://www.vinoshipper.com/wine/winery/438

Black Star Farms
http://www.blackstarfarms.com/winery/order-wines-online/

Did I miss you? Does your company sell on the web and ship to residences? Let me know in the comments section of use my contact form.

The Pro-Am Event for Apple and Pear Fermentations
March 30 & 31, 2012

The Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association, a not for profit organization formed to showcase and promote the art of apple and pear fermentation beverages and provide related educational opportunities, is pleased to announce its annual “Call for Entries” for the Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition. The competition will be held on March 30 & 31, 2012.

This unique competition includes categories for both commercial producers (holding liquor licenses) and non-commercial producers (home hobbyists and non-liquor licensed commercial establishments like cider mills). Fermented products of all kinds are welcome: ciders, perrys, meads, beers, and commercial distillates, provided that they are made with apples and/or pears. A complete listing of all styles and their subcategories is attached.

All judging will be conducted using “blind” panels. Each entry will be identified by a registration number. Judges will only see that number along with important information needed to properly evaluate the entry, such as style, level of carbonation, level of sweetness, and any special ingredients or process used in production. Judges will be a combination of industry professionals, experienced Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) judges, experienced non-BJCP judges and media. Celebrity judges for this year include Ben Watson, Tom Burford, Dick Dunn, David White and more to be announced soon. For detailed information about the style guidelines, BJCP sanctioned competitions, and the evaluation forms used by judges in this competition you are encouraged to visit www.bjcp.org.

Thanks to the support of the fine folks at Siciliano’s Market in Grand Rapids. Siciliano’s Market will remain the destination for entry drop-off or shipment. Judging will take place at the downtown Courtyard by Marriott in Grand Rapids.

Official entry forms will be posted soon!

Entries will be accepted beginning Monday, March 12, 2012 through Sunday, March 25, 2012. You may ship or drop off your entries at:

GLINT Cider & Perry Competition
Siciliano's Market
2840 Lake Michigan Dr. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504 USA
(Phone: 616-453-9674 / Web: www.sicilianosmkt.com)
Mon-Sat 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, Sun 10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Judging will take place on March 31 at 10:00 am in the Kent Room (until completion at approx. 4-5 pm). Dinner and awards to follow.

Judges Training Seminar
This year we will again host a special educational opportunity focusing on cider styles, faults and flavors. The seminar will be conducted by award winning cider makers Gary Awdey and Charles McGonegal, with Dick Dunn, administrator of the Cider Digest. A special segment on Ice Cider will be presented by Eleanor Leger of Eden Ice Cider. The seminar will be made available at no charge to GLINT CAP staff including judges and stewards. Any space available will be offered first come first reserved for a nominal fee of $20.00 to anyone else wishing to participate and benefit from this rare opportunity. Seating is limited, first come first reserved. The seminar will take place in the Ottawa Room of the Courtyard by Marriot from 7 PM to 10 PM on the Friday evening prior to the judging, March 30. These sessions are well attended and seating is limited so all attendees must RSVP Rex Halfpenny at mibeerguyd@aol.com.

The Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association produces this event. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact one of the following board members for information. Gary Awdey, President (gawdey@att.net), Mike Beck, Treasurer (mjbeck@ujcidermill.com), Jeff Carlson, Secretary (carlsonj@gvsu.edu) or Competition Organizer Rex Halfpenny (mibeerguyd@aol.com).

Once you taste their cider the picture will then be complete.

Snowdrift - Artisan Hard Ciders from Charley Voorhis-Voortex Producti on Vimeo.