Spring has burst into fullness with an unseasonable run of scorching days. It’s disturbing to see temperatures within the excessive 80s in April, but it surely’s additionally wonderful to see bushes go from twiggy to budding after which blooming in so few days. It lastly feels just like the season has arrived to drink cider outdoors, and I couldn’t be happier about that.Right now, I selected a cider that I picked out with some assist from the cidermaker on the opening day of Ithaca’s Farmers’ Market.
That is Redbyrd Orchard Cyder’s 2020 Biodynamic Cloudsplitter Additional Brut. This cidery is a pleasant one in my area. I’ve a number of earlier opinions for Redbyrd Orchard Cyders. Many embrace extra background on this superior cidery. Right here’s the record.
Tompkins King/Stoke Crimson (my #6 favourite cider of 2022): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/07/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html
Black is Gold (a collaboration with Black Diamond Cider and my #1 cider of 2021): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/11/cider-review-black-diamond-farm-and.html
Celeste Sur Lie 2015: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/redbyrd-orchard-ciders-celeste-sur-lie.html
The Andromeda Crab: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/01/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html
Their presence at an all FLX pairing dinner: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/09/finger-lakes-cider-week-and-birthday.html
The North Star: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2015/01/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html
The Starblossom: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/10/finger-lakes-cider-week-special-review.html
The Dry Harvest Cider 2013: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2013/12/cider-review-reddbyrd-2013-harvest-cider.html
The Wild Pippin (my #1 cider of 2014, the Wild Pippin): http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-redbyrd-orchard-ciders.html
You’ll be able to go to Redbyrd on-line to find out about all the ciders and what’s occurring on the cidery: https://redbyrdorchardcider.com/
Right here’s info on the 2020 Biodynamic Cloudsplitter Additional Brut.
~notes of~
cherry, birch, vanilla, clementine
0.0% residual sugar
champagne type, disgorged in batches of 10 circumstances
2020 harvest disgorged 9/2022
Licensed Biodynamic® by Demeter
porter’s perfection, kingston black, liberty, golden russet, ashmead’s kernel, tompkins king, memento, nehou,
roxbury russet, dabinett, brown snout, wickson crab,
honeycrisp, goldrush, geneva crab, harry masters jersey,
somerset redstreak, zabergau, baldwin, golden hornet,
redfield, rubinette, zestar, browns’ apple, texas king crab,
NY75, redbyrd bitter, barn hill sharp, gnarled chapman
Grown, Fermented, and Bottled at Redbyrd Orchard.
19 circumstances produced
The cider has an ABV of 9.3%
Let me simply observe two issues right here. First, that’s a wonderful record of apples. Secondly, 19 circumstances just isn’t numerous cider! I really feel fortunate to have only one bottle!
Look: lively bubbles, heat sandstone colour, sensible
The Cloudsplitter Additional Brut seems to be so inviting. The colour is a heat and intense shade of orange that jogs my memory of sandstone. The bubbles are multitudinous and lively. I can simply see by way of the cider, even with the bubbles, main me to calling it sensible by way of readability.
Aromas: applesauce, pears, straw, mellow overripe apple
I really like how the Cloudsplitter smells instantly and vividly of applesauce. Ciders with this homey aroma begin to win me over instantly. Secondarily, I get notes of pears and straw; it’s a mellow and welcome set of scents.
Dryness/sweetness: Dry, however fruity
This cider is dry, and it needs to be dry due to how it’s made. Nonetheless, it’s much more fruity than many ciders with the same stage of dryness. The fruit makes it tremendously engaging and pleasant.
Flavors and ingesting expertise: overripe apple, apricot, excessive acid, excessive tannins, many bubbles, fruity and concentrated
The Cloudsplitter makes an enormous first impression with excessive acidity and likewise excessive tannins. The cider dances throughout my palate with energetic miniscule bubbles. Once more, I really like the way it manages to style so fruity however fully dry. I’m reminded of do-it-yourself fruit leather-based in that all the Cloudsplitter’s flavors are so concentrated. This cider is a dynamo of apple taste. My co-taster actually captured it once they mentioned that this cider tastes particularly like many sorts of apple without delay. Wow, sure. And on the end, it’s tremendously elegant: apricots and a touch of honey.
We loved this cider with a veggie fried rice after which stunning domestically created macarons. What a divine style expertise.
