Chicago: Hard Cider Day
September 27, 2018
Eden Ciders: Boutique Taproom & Cheese Bar
October 4, 2018
Nashville to Asheville. Not much of a name change, but the culture is much more…homegrown. Asheville, NC is currently going through its own renaissance for beer, cider, and local eats. The city was very welcoming, beautiful, and surrounded by those gorgeous mountains. It is every Midwesterner’s dream. Just because we are born in flatness doesn’t mean we thrive in it! But, I had to make the trip to this gem to get my hands on some of those ciders coming from the region.
Noble Cider
Our first stop was to Noble Cider. I met with Trevor Baker, GM & co-founder of Noble, who was not a seasoned cidermaker when they got started, but he delved deeply into the industry with both feet and found success. As time has passed, they are now in their second physical location making one of the most comprehensive cider menus I have seen to date.
They had their usual offenders, Standard Bearer, Village Tart, Golden Arrow, and Spice Merchant, ranging from their traditional dry to their chai semi-sweet. These are the ciders you can find in a large geographical area, including Nashville. They were offering their Royal Peach cider, too, which we reviewed. My personal favorite was their coffee and cream cider. Aside from being the most balanced coffee cider I’ve experienced, this one was on nitro! It had a delightful head that gave it the full coffee experience with a blend of sweetness and bitterness while being highly aromatic throughout.
What should be their newest claim to fame is their series of teas ciders. These included their black tea & honey, earl grey, and honey mint chamomile ciders. I was really taken aback by these tea ciders as I am not the biggest fan of tea. These were all very solid, herbal, botanical, and, most importantly, balanced. Each offering was true to the elements one would expect from the given tea flavor profile, but they were met with a light, bubbly effervescence that accentuated the experience, mellowing into a light sweetness. These are what will make convert new people into cider fans!
Something that Noble is paying attention to is drinkability. They have now opened their eyes to the spritzer market and offering grapefruit hops and lime hibiscus spritzers on tap. New Day Craft is taking a similar approach to get people into the realm of cider drinking or finding a very approachable, easy-to-sip, option. On the flip side, we tried some of their wild ferments and those were as expected, funky and fun. These are not for everyone but always leave me appreciated the nature of fermentation and what can happen when you let it go.
Noble also have one very interesting cider spaces I’ve experienced. It has three smaller “hangout” sections that look like model rooms at Ikea, allowing for intimate conversations and space to play board games. Christine and I took some time with our cider samples to play the ring game and checkers. We sat in the middle room for twenty minutes looking over their cidermaking tanks and operations space. They have some of the largest tanks I have seen for a craft cidery. Trevor was kind enough to give us a tour of the space, too. As we had a short trip and other locations to visit, we said our goodbyes and hit the road.
Bold Rock Cidery
We ventured to Mill River, NC to hit up Bold Rock. As we pulled up, there was a live band on their expansive patio and outdoor hangout space. This space was perfect with plenty of seating built around an open field and stage. As we walked into the building, we noticed how packed this place could get, pulling in visitors and locals alike just to get their hands on some cider. We stepped up to the plate to get some cider to try ourselves. Being in Nashville, we often get our hands on their product and we saw much of their usual lineup. We got ourselves a flight of their Blackberry, Rose, Vintage Dry, and Virginia Draft offerings. What I discovered tasting their products on draft, and normally tasting it from bottles, is the consistency. All of their ciders taste the same regardless of how you consume them, which is a big plus. Bold Rock offers many sweeter ciders, so I turned my attention to their Vintage Dry and Virginia Draft. While still on the sweeter side, I found these to be the most balanced. Christine enjoyed their rose while we both were fond of the blackberry cider.
After out sampling, we took a tour to see the entire operation. In doing so, we discovered exactly why their ciders are so consistent. It has to do with their filtration system. Their juice goes through several filtration processes to create a very solid, very consistent base product. I was most impressed by the attention to detail they provide to make every batch like the previous. And I was very jealous of the equipment they had on hand for filtration!
We made our way back to the bar and took a bartenders suggestion to mix a couple of the ciders that were of interest. This allowed me to blend their blackberry with their dry cider, giving me a very favorable blend. We took our blended ciders and sat down on the patio. We sat with a couple from England and talked cidermaking both in the US and overseas. It was a great conversation to have over a cider while enjoying a local band in the background. It really put into perspective what cider can and should be doing, bringing everyone together. Dogs, adults, kids, everyone was enjoying the space and the weather couldn’t be more perfect. We finished our ciders, said our goodbyes, and left for more cider adventures.
Daidala Cider
On our way out, I received an Instagram message from Chris Heagney, owner of Daidala Cider, with an invitation to visit his space. We were ecstatic and punched the address into the GPS. Upon arrival, we were a bit perplexed. We found ourselves in an underpass in an art district. The building had an art crawl going on and several shops with their storefront open. Upon investigation, we found Chris on the second floor, sharing a space with talented artist Andy Herod. We stepped in, greeted Chris, and saw his multi-tap operation within the art studio.
Chris told us his story and the story behind the business’ name. It is stated so well on his website that I will just pull the quotes!
“Our company is nomadic, which means we collaborate with producers all over the country to create rare and unconventional ciders. We design (and indulge in!) experimental and traditional styles of cider while constantly seeking influence from other industries and cultures.
Our name stems from Daedalus, a craftsman, and artist from Greek mythology. In ancient Greece, the word “daidala” referred to an object of fine design. With every batch of our cider, we strive to meet this standard of quality and creativity.”
Understanding the story and culture is one thing, tasting is another. Chris offered us a handful of options including his Watermelon Rose cider. It was smooth, fluffy, sweet, and had a mellowed watermelon flavor. It was very unassuming and crushable. However, it was a 6.3% cider, so maybe too unassuming! Their kiwi cider was very sessionable. It was, again, not too potent, but had a distinct funky element to it. What I find to be very “American craft” for cider. Small batch and experimental.
Chris really goes all in on his hopped cider. It was definitely the most potent offering I have had in this space. He calls it Green Glory, a 6.9% Citra and Centennial hopped cider. He boils the hops and the potency is truly there. Anyone that is an IPA or double IPA fan will gravitate towards this one.
He also let us try a run barrel cider on tap. This has been aged for 9 months and the cider picked up every oaky inch. This cider fills the mouth, dries, and elevates into a taste that is somehow aromatic. He cracked open a special bottle for us, too. It was a 7.5% bourbon beast. Daidala knows how to blend cider flavors with deep, rich boozy elements. This was Christine’s favorite cider, by far, falling into the range of a sophisticated old fashion. This brings us back to our Midwest roots.
As we had our personal tasting, art-goers were coming in and out of the studio to look at the artwork and sample cider. As the day was drawing towards a much-needed hot meal, we asked Chris for advice, purchased 3 stickers, and headed to his suggested location.
Smoky Park Supper Club
We ending up eating right down the road at Smoky Park Supper Club. The building was designed around shipping containers and had a modern, but classy, appeal. We started with Spicy Crackerjack, a mixture of heirloom popcorn, Tennessee bacon, and peanuts. For our main entrees, Christine had half of a chicken and corn. I had the wood-fired Vegetarian Special, a very balanced gnocchi dish. There was a live band playing on the property that backs right up to the river. We sampled some local brews. Service was excellent. Being stuffed to the brim, we decided to take in one of Asheville’s many local breweries.
Downtown Adventures
We headed downtown to Hiwire Brewery, a beer company in which I was familiar. We played on their pinball machines while enjoying their Strongman coffee milk stout. This beer was rich with flavor, full-bodied to say the least. The environment was quaint with a very large menu for IPA, porter, stout, and ale fans alike. We finished our beer and walked outside to see what was on the block.
Next door was a small entrance for a sake bar. We don’t often sake, so we got on to try. Christine & I had their spicy pineapple sake, and it was potent. Excellent, but strong. It woke me right up! We discovered that this sake bar was such one piece of Ben’s Tuneup, a large, spawning bar with plenty of space. It has 3-4 different spaces that give you different vibes. We walked to the back to what looked like a permanently parked truck. We ordered frozen alcoholic slushies and sat in their open-air seating space with lights to boot.
After an action-packed day, We made our way back to the campgrounds we were staying at. No surprise here, but this also backs up to the French Broad River.
Breakfast of Champions
When we woke up, we decided to head back downtown for breakfast. We went to Isis Music Hall. While the name doesn’t age well, it is a historic music space within the area. As it evolved, it has become a music spot and a quality brunch locale. Christine had their
Fried Chicken Sammy. This is a pickle-brined fried chicken breast on griddled house-made bread with house pickles, red onion, mayonnaise, and served with hand-cut fries.
I had the Huevos Rancheros Chimichanga. This was a sweet potato tortilla stuffed with slow roasted Vidalia onions, pork shoulder, and aged cheddar then topped with fried Dancing Duck Farms sunny side up duck egg and a toasted cumin, avocado, and heirloom tomato salsa finished with sour cream and fresh cilantro. Now, that was a mouthful, and so was the food! Everything in Asheville is local and Isis was no different. Most of the ingredients, brew, and cider across the city are all locally-sourced. Truly a thing to admire.
After eating, we were looking to take a hike in the breathtaking hills. We drove about an hour to find a spot we wanted to hit. Unfortunately, and fortunately, we saw a stray dog and were able to coax it into our vehicle. We never made it to our hiking spot, probably 95% up the mountain to our destination, but we were able to help an animal in need. After giving the dog some tender love and care, and dropping it to be claimed/adopted, we stopped at Urban Orchard for cider & dinner before we headed home.
Urban Orchard Cidery
The team at Urban Orchard Cidery was very gracious and greeted us warmly. Their space is quaint, quiet and classy. I felt very much so at home. We sampled all they had to offer. Their base ciders, Arid Apple, Dry Ridge, and Sweet English, were lightly sweet but had a depth of sweetness. Of those three, they got progressively less dry and lower alcoholic content. Of those three, I liked the Dry Ridge, it was slightly tropical, balanced in dryness and sweetness, and sophisticated like a wine.
The Ginger Campaign cider was spectacular. Sitting at 6.5% ABV, this was the most refreshing ginger cider. it was not overly done, never too gingery, but packed a pleasant ginger smell. Turnpike Tangerine was also interesting. This cider made with local honey, lavender, and tangerine juice. It was not overly tangerine. The honey & local ingredients mellowed the experience favorably. All ingredients melted into a single experience. Tasted to me like the fanciest Mimosa on the planet, but it was much more responsibility crafted.
Sunglasses @ Night is a strawberry cider on tap. This cider is made with basil and strawberries and champagne yeast. The flavor sits within the mouth, roof, and tongue to showcase the featured ingredients. The basil dances with the strawberry, making a very fresh experience.
Their Mango Habanero was also very good. The entire experience was mellow in spice but juicy and flavorful. Very balanced for a spicy cider. My biggest surprise was their Sidra Del Diablo, a vanilla and habanero semi-sweet cider. This was a 6% journey that gave you a good amount of heat that mellows right into the vanilla flavor, very seamless experience. This really got the gold star for me. Ever Christine, not a spicy fan, loved this one to pieces!
As we worked on the flight of ciders, we ate their Smoked Salmon Crostini, which is an Atlantic salmon on crostini with capers, jalapeño basil cream cheese, and roasted red pepper aioli, and their Turkey Sandwich, made with Applegate Farms turkey on toasted rye bread with lettuce, tomato, pickled onions, sprouts, Swiss cheese, basil aioli, roasted red pepper aioli, and mustard. The food was absolutely top notch, a perfect experience. As the day was getting away from us, we headed out. We took home their vanilla jalapeño ciders. It was so very unique and balanced, I just needed to bring this spicy beast home!
Wicked Weed Brewing
Thought we were headed home? I had one more flash in the pan, as I forgot to make a trip to Wicked Weed. I heard about their Funkatorium and had to see if a cider was on the menu. They had one! It was boozy, bold and full of funk. Christine had their Old Fashion beer. It tastes 100%, absolutely, undeniably like an old fashion! After getting enjoying those, and taking some home with us, we finally, yes finally, decided to head back to Nashville.
Final Thoughts
All in all, Asheville feels like it embraces its local culture. Local flavors, local ingredients, and warmhearted local cidermakers made for an amazing trip. Noble, Bold Rock, Daidela, Urban Orchard, they all have such variation. Some are more quaint than others, some are a behemoth in the industry. But, what is undeniable is the kindness, the focus, and the drive to make Asheville and its surrounding neighborhoods as welcoming to complete strangers as it is for folks living there for decades. This is as much of a cider region as any in the country and I can’t wait to plan my next visit!