Colorado apple growers and cider producer Snow Capped Cider, helmed by Kari Williams, was the very best awarded cidery in CiderCraft Journal’s sixth Annual CiderCraft Awards. Snow Capped Cider entered towards 400+ submissions and introduced dwelling 9 medals together with two platinum medals, the very best honor within the competitors. After taking dwelling probably the most awards in 2022 with 5 medals, Snow Capped Cider had an enormous comply with up this yr with 9 medals, tied for probably the most awarded cidery.
Says Proprietor and Head Cidermaker Williams, “It’s such an honor and an unbelievable feeling to be sitting on the prime amongst all the opposite wonderful cideries we competed towards. I can’t thank my workforce sufficient for all of the arduous work and persistence that went into farming, harvesting and processing our apples and cider this yr. We’re proud to characterize Colorado and present everybody that one of the best cider apples are grown on the Western Slope of the Rockies.”
Snow Capped Cider not solely confirmed they’re top-of-the-line cideries within the nation but additionally one of the various. The 9 awards Snow Capped Cider acquired have been in seven apple classes together with Double Gold within the Heritage Candy Class for his or her Gold Rush Cider, Double Gold within the Single Varietal Class for Porter’s Perfection, Silver within the Trendy Candy Class for Pinova, Silver within the Stone Fruit Class for Plum & Lemongrass and the very best honor within the competitors, two Platinum Medals for the Blanc Mollet within the Wooden-Aged Class and Winter Pear within the Perry Class. The total listing of CiderCraft Awards could be discovered right here.
The usage of historic American, English and French cider apples in addition to the persistence and care Snow Capped Cider put into their blends is what units them aside and permits them to compete in so many classes. Snow Capped Cider has participated in each main cider competitors and has established a sample because the premier apple grower and cidery in each Colorado and your entire trade.
Snow Capped Cider’s product is produced from 100% Colorado-grown fruit and stands on 5 generations and over a century of fruit-growing expertise. Their historic French, American and English cider apples grown at an elevation of 6130-7000 toes are one of many highest elevation orchards on the earth and the mountain terroir captures the crisp style of Colorado, producing hyper-expressive taste and a clear and balanced cider that may solely be created within the area the apples are grown.
Notice: GSN was despatched quite a lot of ciders for assessment. These are reviewed beneath.
Blanc Mollet
2023 Platinum Winner, CiderCraft Awards Perry Class
GSN’s Ideas: The flavours are sturdy and refreshing. Having fun with a bottle over the course of a dialog amongst associates, I discovered this cider to be one easy phrase, an “enhancer.” Its character is sturdy and powerful, in a approach that makes me really feel like I’m experiencing a pinnacle of its craft. It’s undoubtably among the many extra skilled and mature ciders I’ve ever tasted.
The alcohol proportion (8.9%) is remarkably properly hidden. I typically shrink back from fermented drinks that exceed or close to 9% ABV. One cause for that is the speed of impairment such a drink can present, however one other extra critical matter is the flavour of the alcohol itself overpowering the character of the product. We’re all acquainted, I’m positive, with drinks of low high quality that produce migraine like signs with even the tiniest of sips. This cider is fully on the other aspect of the spectrum.
The cider is woody, but not like the bitter taste of freshly minimize wooden or stripped bark. Moderately, it tastes like a dwelling tree, contemporary, and vibrant and delightful. The flavors are exemplary, actually embodying actually each season and piece of the pear’s life cycle from sapling to nice cover and flower and fruit. This cider is a straightforward drink to understand, and I extremely suggest that you simply do. GSN Score: A+
Gold Rush
2023 Double Gold Winner, CiderCraft Awards Heritage Candy Class
GSN’s Ideas: That is fairly tart and on the identical time, fairly candy. It’s an attention-grabbing combine that jogs my memory of bitter apple candies. However, there may be additionally a smooth flourish of vanilla, and a hefty and great addition of alcohol right here, which makes this an ideal cider to pair with a meal. Fairly a powerhouse of taste, and properly balanced. The carbonation too, is extremely tight and nearly within the model of a Belgian ale. We approve. GSN Score: A
Plum & Lemongrass
GSN’s Ideas: It was much less tart or fruity than I anticipated, tasting much less of plum and lemongrass than I hoped for, however it is a forgivable high quality as the bulk taste is of the cider itself—a alternative I applaud, quite than making a gimmicky all plum and lemon or ginger drink and calling it cider.
I used to be fairly happy with it. I’m undecided fully how properly the plum is meant to return by means of, because the lemongrass roughly outwrestles it for dominance, however the concord of these two ahead flavors made for a pleasing and palatable beverage. Sadly the ginger was not as ahead as I might have preferred, extra like candied ginger and centered on its hidden sweetness quite than the sharp and whispering burn that ginger is greatest identified for. GSN Score: B
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Assessment by Jan Tyler for Good Spirits Information
