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Let’s all imagine it’s almost spring and we’re allowed to leave our homes for a minute.. Better yet, let’s plan for when that time comes. Here are five delicious ciders from small producers who are making waves in the cider world. Check them out!
CREEK & GULLY CIDER PÉT-NAT – NARRAMATA, BRITISH COLUMBIA $23.50 / 750ML
Located a few minutes outside of Penticton, Creek & Gully makes artisan, low intervention ciders from organic apples. Headed by Annelise Simonsen and Kaleigh Jorgensen, Creek & Gully crafts cider from a family orchard has been tended for five generations and has been certified organic for over 30 years. Established in the summer of 2019, this project focuses on ciders that express Naramata’s unique sense of place. By using old-world fermentation techniques and a fresh mindset, Creek & Gully merges tradition and modernity seamlessly.
This Pet-Nat cider is composed of organic Braeburn, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Jonagod, and Gala apples that are fermented in barrel and then bottled just in time to capture a touch of effervescence. This cider uses only ambient yeasts to complete fermentation and it is left unfined and unfiltered. It is cloudy, frothy, and tart with juicy tropical notes of pineapple and citrus.
JULIEN FRÉMONT CIDRE “SILEX” – NORMANDY, FRANCE $22.00 / 750ML
The Northern French regions of Brittany and Normandy are the very heart of cider country. Julien Fremont comes from a Norman family whose apple and cattle farm dates back to 1749. Normandy is traditionally known for rustically-sweet ciders; sweetness is actually mandated by law if labelling a cider by the region’s Pays d’Auge classification. Julien, however, prefers to make dry ciders, excluding him from the AOC. By making his ciders dry, Julien is also able to make his ciders naturally while guaranteeing the stability of the product. He uses no sulphites, only natural fermentation, no fining or filtration, and no additional enzymes in the making of his ciders.
This cider is the product of ancient apple varieties and ambient yeasts that have developed over years of cider production and nothing else! Beyond producing natural ciders, Julien’s ciders are vinous in their interpretation of terroir; this cider, Silex, comes from a single plot of old trees planted on flint and quartz soils. The ciders coming from these specific trees and this specific plot of land are richer and more textural than neighbouring orchard parcels. Julien Fremont’s Silex has notes of baked apple and fresh hay, with a chalky finish.
REVEL CIDER “PERRY DE COUPAGE” – GUELPH, ONTARIO $5.75 / 355ML
Revel Cider, located in Guelph, ON, makes outside-of-the-box ciders that change the idea of what Canadian cider can be. The folks at Revel use indigenous yeast which leads to ciders that are dynamic and full of individuality. They make a vast array of ciders – some fresh, some rustic, all interesting.
The Perry de Coupage is a blend of pear ciders from two different vintages; the young 2018 vintage is fermented on Riesling skins, while the older 2017 vintage is aged in ex-Chardonnay barrels for a year. The two vintages are combine to show both the fresh, fruit-driven character of a young perry and the developed, textural body of an aged perry.
SIDRA DEL SUR “METODO ANCESTRAL” – ANDALUCÍA, SPAIN $22.00 / 750ML
When one thinks of Spanish cider, sidra, your brain usually wanders far north to the Basque Country or Asturias. This sidra, however, breaks from tradition; it is made in the opposite end of the country, way down in Andalucia. The ancient varieties found here have notable acidity. Isolated in the Sierra Nevada National Park, mules are used to harvest the apples which are grown without use of synthetic pesticides or herbicides.
This cider, however atypical the region, drinks firmly as a Spanish Sidra. There is no mistaking the classically dry, briney finish, sidra’s hallmark varnish-like acidity, nor the lack of carbonation. This is the definition of a savoury, food friendly cider that is both quaffable and complex.
SUNNYCIDER “APPLE CIDER” – CALGARY, ALBERTA $5.05 / 355ML
Sunny Cider is an artisan cidery located right here in town. From a group of neighbours experimenting with leftover urban fruit to a proper cider house with a tap room and kitchen, Sunny Cider is the definition of a community-based passion project. Their tap room is all about introducing Calgarians to quality cider; they always offer 3-4 of their own ciders, but also highlight other cideries that they love and are inspired by!
Sunny Cider operates a fruit donor program, allowing them to continue sourcing otherwise wasted urban fruit. Their apple cider is a classic, quality dry cider. It is crisp, fresh, and thirst quenching while still having all the robust apple flavour that only comes from artisanal production.
