1) Not sure what to gift this holiday season? How about an Heirloom Apple Photograph or Heirloom Apple Poster by Eric Lewandowski, a print subscription to CIDERCRAFT Magazine, the Cider Tasting Mug and Cider Tasting Journal from 33 Books Co., the Holiday Gift Box from DoubleCider, and orchard-based cider shipped directly from the cidermakers themselves.
2) Though Thanksgiving is now behind us, pairing cider with food is a year-round pleasure. Try How to Pair Your Thanksgiving with Cider at Cidercraft, Hosting Thanksgiving and Serving Cider to My Family and How to Pair Ciders with Thanksgiving Dinner at Cider Culture, the Cider and Cheese Pairing Guide from Virtue Cider, Cider Is a Better Thanksgiving Beer (Even If It Isn’t Technically a Beer) at GQ, and Cider/Food and CiderPairings on Instagram for inspiration.
3) “There has been a lot of chatter within the media about a slowing down of the cider category, but it’s misleading.” The US Association of Cider Makers shares a range of industry statistics in The Year of Regional Cider.
4) Brooklyn Cider House is raising funds via Kickstarter for the final buildout of its soon-to-open cidery, restaurant, and bar in Bushwick. (Also in Brooklyn: The Life-Enhancing Qualities of Cemetery Cider from Atlas Obscura.)
5) Two noteworthy profiles: Small town, big cider featuring Big Fish Cider of Monterey, Virginia and Cider Emerges as Craft Brewing’s Newest Star featuring Schilling Cider of Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon.
6) James Beard Award-winning podcast The Four Top discusses The New Face of Cider with Jeff Alworth (Cider Made Simple), Erin James (Tasting Cider), and Jeff Smith (Bushwhacker Cider). And Cider Chat interviews Chadd Cook of Cider Hill Cellars in Amesbury, Massachusetts.
7) Ciderboys is named Grand National Champion at the 3rd Annual U.S. Open Cider Championship.
8) Learn more about the white cider debate in White cider tax slammed by industry experts from The Morning Advertiser, Traditional cider makers say tax on strong brands will hurt their business from The Guardian, The threat to Craft Cider from White Cider from Worley’s Cider, and Will it be all White on the Night? from The Ciderologist. (Also in the UK: Imbibe.com lists The four cider superstars you have to watch.)
9) Air Canada enRoute takes us on A Cider House Tour Through Spain’s Basque Country. (The 2nd Annual Sagardo Forum near San Sebastián concludes today.)
10) Along Came a Cider reviews Vermont Cider Co. Ingrained. Cider Says reviews Reverend Nat’s Viva La Pineapple and Eden Specialty Ciders The Falstaff 2008. CiderScene lists 7 Ciders with High ABV. The Milled Apple reviews Colorado Cider Company Block One, Strongbow Artisanal Blend, and Mayador Sidra Natural. Cider Society reviews Sonoma Cider The Pulley and Graft Cider Wild Woods. The Cider Drinker reviews Clive’s Fruit Farm Wobblejuice Cider. Cider Sense recaps a CAMRA Cider and Perry Trip in Sussex. Cider Explorer reviews De Sas Japko, Worley’s Beatnik Billy, and Ramborn Erbachhoffer 2016. And Real Cider Reviews tries Sparkke Apple Cider and Willie Smith’s Traditional 2017.
Have a great weekend!
Eric