3 New England Cider Producers Collaborate On 4-Pack

18 Oct 2017

Farnum Hill Ciders, Stormalong Cider, and Eden Specialty Ciders have teamed up to release “Cider-Grown New England” collaboration: a 4-pack containing a different cider in each 12-oz can. Besides offering unusual and delicious ciders, these makers want to highlight the extraordinary qualities of “bittersweet” and “bittersharp” cider apple varieties. These high-tannin apples are grown exclusively for pressing and fermentation, not for eating. Four ciders of very different character show the unique aromas and flavors that true cider apples are grown for. These Cider-Grown blends range from dry to semi-dry, but all are much less sweet than more familiar US brands. Stormalong, Farnum Hill, and Eden each contributed one cider to the pack. The fourth can contains a collaboration blend of fermentations from all three cider makers.

Tasting notes:

Eden Specialty Ciders – Lush layers of stone fruit and strawberries, leading to a fruity and savory finish.
Stormalong Cider – Dark fruit flavors coupled with a rich acidity, mellowed by malolactic fermentation, finishing with dense, tea-like tannins.
Farnum Hill – Madly fruity, with sweet fruit notes balanced by keen acidity and bitterness, with a clean, appetizing finish.
Cider Grown Makers’ Combo – Batches from all 3 cider makers yield flavors of baked fruit, and citrus, with hints of ice cider richness and minerals, braced by sturdy tannins.
The cider industry’s first multi-cidery 4-pack of 12 ounce cans is available in New England and New York via distributors Ruby Wines (MA), Farrell Distributing (VT), Crush Distributors (NH), and Craft Brewers Guild (NY). “Cider-Grown New England shows different styles by different cider-makers with the same attitude toward apples,” said Steve Wood, owner and manager, Farnum Hill Ciders. “Eden, Stormalong, and Farnum Hill all take great care to make sure the essence of these ciders comes straight from the apples. It takes a lot of time and care to make cider this way. But we just believe the best ciders get their quality from orchards, not recipes.”

“We have a great respect and admiration for both Farnum Hill and Eden and have been inspired to create ciders focusing on the importance of fruit in cider making,” said Shannon Edgar, founder and cider maker, Stormalong Cider. “I feel like there is still a lot of education needed for consumers to understand these more cider-specific apples and the ciders that can be made from them. This collaboration is a great introduction to drier ciders created with apples high in tannins and acidity.”

“Collaborating with Stormalong and Farnum Hill to produce these four new ciders was a wonderful experience,” said Eleanor Leger, co-founder and co-owner, Eden Specialty Ciders. “This Cider-Grown New England pack will give people an opportunity to taste ciders of a quality that has been typically available only in large format bottles. People can grab a 4-pack to share with friends and explore the amazing flavors cider apples create, without adding any other flavoring.” To learn more about the Cider-Grown New England collaboration, visit cidergrown website.

Source: Stormalong and Eden Specialty Ciders