Ciders!

Just got back from having dinner at American Flatbread in Burlington. Great food, and really awesome service. Jeff, their bar manager, had tipped me that they're pulling Farnum Hill's Kingston Black 2005 cider on cask, so I had to swing through to see what was what. A single apple varietal vintage cider - how could I resist? I've never had a single varietal cider, and it was an interesting and enjoyable experience. A pale golden straw color, almost no carbonation, damn near bone-dry, and nice and tart! I now know what Kingston Black cider tastes like, and feel like a better person for it. Swing through and check it out. It's on cask, so don't miss it at the bottom of the draft chalk board.

On a quick sidenote, I'd like to put it out there that Paul, the brewer at Flatbread Burlington Hearth, is perhaps one of the best brewers that I've had the pleasure of meeting. He plays with so many very different brewing styles that it's mind-boggling, but somehow manages to make them all true to form. Munich Helles, Rauchbier, and Kolsch, all distinct and show the telltale signs of the German brewing tradition. Tripel, Saison, Black Saison (yeh!), Belgian-style through and through. London Calling, Black Cat Porter - Oh, it's U.K. alright. Not many brewers can brew so many very different styles and make them all come out right, but Paul is one for the books.

Ok, back to ciders: Woodchuck released a limited-edition oak aged cider recently. I got into a bottle and was quite surprised. It's a little clunky, and very heavily influenced by oak. I thought for sure that it was aged in bourbon barrels (vanilla bean all over this one), but I checked their press release and it sees American and French oak. Not sure if it's barrel's, chips, staves or what, but it's interesting and one of their better releases.

And for the coup de grace, J. K. Scrumpy's Organic Farmhouse Cider. If you haven't tried this one, you really should. Fairly sweet (to most people), but with a beautifully textured body, almost unfiltered-feel of freshly pressed cider, this one is a crowd pleaser. Owned by John Koan, family-run farm since the mid-1800's, and Bruce Wright of Wetten Imports, this is one of the best ciders I've had. It's drinkable, fresh-tasting and produced in a manner respectful of the land and the farm. (I often compare it to Cold Hollow's Fall Blend cider that you can buy in the grocery stores around here.)

And two more ciders will be joining our store tomorrow: Babycham Pear cider from the U.K., and Sam Smith's Organic cider, U.K. as well.