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Bless The Mood

Brutes
Alright Alright Alright
Fruit Pét-Nat 2021
Swedish apples, pears, plums
Organic, biodynamic
Stockholm, Sweden
Tobias Eriksson, Nick Ivarsson, Joakim Kviberg, Brad Sawicki, Fredrik Winberg

Pink tinted golden haze with active bubbles on the pour. Hovering over the glass and smelling a little bit like a good sour or sharp cider on tap, and just like the label says on content there’s round & tart and baked apples (also crab apples), pears & plums, also all sorts of blossoms, oddly a bag of mixed jelly beans, a touch of holiday spice like cinnamon & clove, and all of it brings on memories of mom’s homemade tart apple pie. Sipping and it’s totally a cider of apples, pears & plums, again the cinnaclove, touch of smoke & sizzle and fruit peels, and a bit again like a sour or at least sour lovers would dig this juicy tangy twang that’s so very lively and awake.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just lovely

If an apple falls in an orchard…well how about if a bunch of them get shaken from old orchard trees…if you’re like this group, you make some darn good natural sparkling cider or as they call it fruit pét-nat. I know, yeah, yeah, technicalities & purists of the naming convention be darned. This is a bottle of tingly sparky bubbly goodness that surpasses the rules…kinda like its namesake Mr. “Alright, Alright Alright” McConaughey. So pour another glass, revel in the rebel…“look to your left baby, look to your right, who knows you might meet a friend and end up partyin’ all night” and “Bless The Mood”!

#cider#petnat #wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #worldbyglass #Stockholm #Sweden #matthewmcconaughey #alrightalrightalright #cheezit #pairswithcheezits @cheezit @super_glou @brutescider

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Sipping Cider Through A Straw

Eden Ciders
Harvest Cider Cans
Brut Rosé
15 Heirloom apple varieties infused with red currant juice (from Eden Orchards, Scott Farm, Sunrise Orchards, Windfall Orchard)
Focused on supporting local orchards, sustainably grown
Newport, Vermont
Founders & Co-owners: Eleanor & Albert Leger

Crack the can and it’s a rosy orange sunset blend with teeny bubbles. Breathing in all sorts of smooth & crisp apples smashed with red currants , and as it opens apple blossoms breeze in. Sip and whoo! It’s a mix of those apples again but with a tart and sweet fun pucker up, red currants, a splash of cranberry, and a sizzle on the back of my tongue. This is like a fast tingly stolen kiss saying farewell to summer.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh yeah, makes it sweeter and a little spicy

This bright little can has given me a little gift of an old tune stuck in my head. It’s really catchy so play at your own risk. Also be forewarned and be careful who you find yourself with sipping through a straw. You might end up with a lot more than just that smooch. 🍏💋🍎

#cider #wine #vin #vino #vinho #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #apples #naturalwine @worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #ellajenkins #folkmusic #locallygrown @smithsonianfolkways @edenciders @vinewinenyc @cheezit

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Golden Goodness

Isastegi
Sagardo Naturala
Dry Natural Cider
Blend of over a dozen Basque apples
Basque Country
Euskal Sagardoa PDO
6% ABV
Organic, no added sulfites
Tolosa, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Cidermaker: Migel Mari Lasa

Warm gold with tiny bubbles. Breathing in a multitude of apples bright and tart, stripped apple branches, yeasty, and a bit of dark funk and spice. Wow, this tastes really delightful! Again bright and tart apples joined with green tree buds, cinnamon & funk, and a touch of white pepper. Now that’s a fab mix.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: good like ol’ apple pie

While sniffing around online about the origins of txotx, I found a tale of Adam and Eve. They had already been booted from the garden and wandered upon an apple tree which immediately pissed Adam off. His boiling anger had him giving the tree a full shakedown and the apples rolled into a well, where he then kept on venting by throwing in large stones to smash the fruit. Days later the pair were in serious need of a drink, and of course it’s Eve that realizes, “hey, check out that golden goodness left in the well” and there you have the first cider. Back to txotx, it simply means a small stick used to plug the cider barrels (nowadays you may find a spigot in its place) and when the time is right (Isastegi’s txotx runs from Jan-April), gather your friends to celebrate, pull that plug, and here comes the cider; and you better have your glass ready before it all ends up on your shoes. Cheers!

#cider #wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #apples #spain #organic @dmselections @vinewinenyc @Isastegi @cheezit

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Ciderlicious Moment of Zen

Phonograph Cider
Harvest Cider
Un-Sweet
Apples (grown in NYS): including Golden Russet, Northern Spy, Dabinett, Geneva Tremlett’s Bitter, and Harry Master’s Jersey
5.6% ABV
Sustainable, unfiltered, no added sulfites, organic fertilizer
Produced in Lafayette, NY (under authority of South Hill Cider)

Bright golden with glimmers of green and tiny bubbles. Lifting the glass closer to my nose and it’s a fragrant basketful of fresh apples and then also apple pie. As I’ve said before…I ❤️ PIE! On to the much anticipated sip and oh tingle! It’s like biting into a just picked fresh firm apple. You know that tart wake up your mouth gets that leads to a smooth rounded mmmm. It’s not exactly sweet, but there is that pleasant natural apple goodness with a nice dry finish. Damn it’s a perfect unique crisp blend that’s very fab for a hot day, and perfect to sip while grilling. Oh yeah, would be great with brats and some nice stinky cheese!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh delicious but you had to expect it to be. Cheese and apples are best friends.

Phonograph Cider’s site sums up their beautiful gift to us, “Like phonograph records, cider is regaining its rightful place in our culture analog, real, and authentic.” These apples are super authentic. Some are old varieties that take a bit of love and understanding since they might not produce as much as others, but the outcome is worth it. They also use a really old (around 100 years) rack and cloth press, and if you want a minute of zen then check out this video.

@docwineshop @docwinebar @phonographcider @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #applecider #cider #ciderlover #wine #vino #vin #whitewine #葡萄酒 #ワイン #beer #cheezit #organic @worldbyglass #winestagram #instawine #apples #lafayette #NY

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Enchanted Forgotten Orchard

New York Cider Company
FIREFLY #2
NY State foraged wild and heirloom apples: Rhode Island Greening, Newtown Pippin, Golden Delicious, Liberty, Cortland
Finger Lakes, Ithaca, NY
Wild fermentation, sustainable farming methods , traditional cider-making techniques, and bottle conditioned
7.7% ABV
Cider Makers: Joseph Steuer and Steve Daughhetee

Hazy yellow/light gold with teeny tiny pretty bubbles. Aromas of apples from sweet to tart, apple blossoms, fresh stripped young, tiny apple branches; and a little natural funk but not overly powerful since it kind of hides in the back. Transports me to childhood when I’d climb the trees, whittle the tiny branches, and pretend I was riding a dragon from one of Anne McCaffrey’s books. Delicious dry, tangy wake up call. Yeah, I’m tasting this on a Saturday morning to make sure I get the full experience. Crisp fresh apples, lemony tart, a drop of that funk and hay, and as it opens a sweet middle (but not overly). This is so wonderfully natural. I’ve had a lot ciders homemade and store bought, and have often found the homemade ones stand out. I have no idea why except for love, care, and nature. FIREFLY #2 is a winner for me. If I didn’t know better, I would think it was made by a friend, the good ol’ fashioned way.

Pairs with Cheez-it’s: Cheese, salt and apples…what a perfect pairing. Delicious! Please don’t tell me you haven’t tried a piece of sharp cheddar cheese on a slice of hot apple pie?

New York Cider Company started from Steuer and Daughhetee meeting while apple picking. With a mutual love of making cider it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship and partnership. Moving from a home-brew to a whole full on cidery in 2017, was quite an accomplishment. They had rough patches from health issues to an oops moment of their cider being the wrong abv which also meant labels needed to be remade; but there were also blessings such as Steuer being featured on Humans of New York. Now that’s a huge! They also have been fortunate with their 125 year old apple trees and the forgotten foraged abandoned ones, and both are as super natural as you can come. This is again a place where less is more. Just let nature take its course. Speaking of nature, this past year they say was a great one for fireflies at their farm. As a child, one of my favorite things when the evening was warm and we could sit by the pond, listen to the frogs, and watch the fireflies appear in the orchard doing their magical dance. Oh, how I miss the simple things like such an evening.

@vinewinenyc @nyciderco @cheezits #cider #apples #applecider #wine #winestagram #instawine #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #sustainable #FingerLakes #Ithaca #NY #natural #firefly #fireflies

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Snappy Wake Up Call

Liten Buffel
Mother Makes Glucose
Dry Sparkling Red 2018
Col Fondo
Bookwood homestead blend
11 varietals of grapes, 2 cultivars of pears, Bookwood Homestead Honey
Organic, biodynamic, foot crushed whole cluster, unfined and unfiltered
Niagara, NY
Winemakers: Patrick Vaughn and Zack Klug

Fine pour of bubbly crushed raspberries. Those raspberries are still there on the nose along with strawberries, lemon zest, and a growing floral like a room full of roses. Again raspberries hit you first in the sip then tart like licking a lemon. Firm pears like the type my granny used to make pear hot pepper relish. That stuff was so delicious and I need to get my hand on that old recipe. Oh, back to the wine, there’s also smoke and sour patch kids. This is like a cider and a sour had a baby.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: blunts some of the tart and sour

Going out of my comfort zone and trying a NY wine. Many, many years ago NY State wines were just not known as the wine to go searching out. Yes, many of us went on wine trails and hit the tasting rooms, but except for some late harvest and ice wines, I just took the rest of it for granted and dismissed them. Well, things have really changed, and I’m late to coming on board so feel free to call me an idiot. Whether it’s climate change, expansion in grapes, or the fact that there are so many more natural wines out there now; I am now fully chastised. Liten Buffel, blew me out of the water with this crazy dry sparkling red. Your whole mouth just erupts in all sorts of flavors and wakes you up. Hats off to y’all! Looking forward to discovering more of your creations.

@vinewinenyc @litenbuffel @zevrovineselections @red_wizard_collage @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #sparklingwine #cider #beer #sour @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #naturalwine #Niagara #NY #NewYork

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One More Beautiful Sunset

Coyote Hole Ciderworks
Sunset Sangria
Cider Sangria
5.6% ABV
Mineral, VA
Naturally Gluten Free, keep refrigerated, not from concentrate

Pale faint yellow reminding me of a sparkling wine with delicate bubbles. Pouring and definitely green apples hit you first, next are strawberries, and as it breathes more here come the peaches, and a touch of some holiday spice. Ooh tingly on the tongue, sweet green apple pie mixed with this before mentioned strawberries and peaches, and a touch of cranberry. This is a holiday sangria cider, but Coyote Hole says it is year round. I can get on board with that too. Very fresh and crisp.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: oh this is good! You know how sometimes you take a lovely slice of cheddar and warm it on top of a slice of apple pie. It’s a lot like that.

Coyote Hole Ciderworks only works with fruit from Virginia and to be more specific the Blue Ridge Mountains. All fruit is fresh too. Absolutely no concentrate, and absolutely from local farms, so you know you are supporting the small farmers. And as we all know, right now and honestly always, that is a very good thing!

@BeerBoutiqueNYC @BeerBoutiqueInc @CoyoteHole @cheezits #beer #cider #sangria #whitesangria #wine #glutenfree #cheezit #supportlocal #supportsmallfarms #supportsmallfarmers @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #coyotehole #Mineral #VA #virginia

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Fresh Apple Breeze

Arratzain
Sagardo Naturala 2018
Usurbil, Gipuzkoa, Spain
20 to 30 different native Basque apples
Organic, wild yeasts, unfiltered
Growers: Aitor & José Ignacio Lizaso

This is a super orange pour. First scents are the apples, then cinnamon, sea breeze (don’t laugh, it really does have that), and an unexpected orangieness. Oh wow, this is tart, fresh, and tangy tasting. There’s all sorts of apples, lemon, smoke, dry, and a little bit of super dainty bubbles. Making me crave South Carolina style BBQ.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: evens out the tart

From what I’m reading about Arratzain, it’s not just a cidery, it’s also an inn. If you’re a lucky visitor during harvest, you can also help out. As stated above, the cider is made from 20 to 30 different apples: 60% for acid, 30% for bitterness, and 10% for sweetness. It never ceases to amaze me how many different varieties of apples exist all over the world. I grew up with only 5 different types of apples in our orchard. How I miss being there when all the trees were in full bloom…so beautiful and so fragrant. Another fond memory I have is when apples fell off a tree and started to rot and ferment on the ground, you would see drunk wobbly bees buzzing slowly up and down throughout the trees. BTW don’t google drunk bees. I had no idea what happened if a bee made its way back to the hive drunk. Worse than if I came home toasted to my parents’ house, back in the day.

@vinewinenyc @Arratzain @jpselections @cheezits #cider #wine @worldbyglass #needmorewine #cheezit #vinewinenyc #organic #apple #Usurbil #Gipuzkoa #Spain #Basque #Arratzain #bees

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Solid Beer with a Purpose

Non Sequitur Beer Project
The Little Dipster
NEIPA
ABV 7%
Hops: Galaxy and XJA 46
Brewed by Keg & Lantern for Non Sequitur Beer Project
Brooklyn, NY
Acquired at Sugarburg

Cloudy straw color with a thick foamy head. After the foam has settled there’s tangerine, grapefruit, peach, and mmmmmm pineapple, and they say candied papaya on the label, but I’m not sure. Also a little funky armpit, but then my S.O. is an IPA drinker so that may be my point of reference. Taking a swig and it’s bitter piney, pineapples, grapefruit and a splash of some other citrus. To me this is more of a solid IPA and not a NEIPA in taste. No matter what, I know my S.O. and his IPA buddies in Cambridge would love this, so crack a can and celebrate summer! Would have also fit in well back in the day at Mugs Alehouse, and their Mystery IPA contest. Man, those were the days.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: does not change it one iota

Non Sequitur Beer Project has been donating to a lot of great causes from New York Immigration Coalition, Planned Parenthood, to the Restaurant Workers Community Foundation and more. Check out the rest on their site and help them continue doing the good work!

@SugarburgNY @NonSequiturBeerProject @cheezits #beer #cheezit @worldbyglass #needmorebeer #pairswithcheezits #brooklyn #newyork #neipa #ipa

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A January Tale

Graft Cidery
Book of Nomad: Crystal Temple
January 2020
Cabernet Franc Black Currant Cider (Sour)
NY apples, Cabernet Franc Grape Skins, Black Currant
Newburgh, New York
ABV 6.9%
Wild yeast
Acquired at Sugarburg

After popping the can, I have a pretty glass of ras-cranberry. First thing that hits my nose are super fragrant flowers, then some orange peel, and here comes the hay. Next are strawberries, tart apple, more berries, and seltzer. Ok enough of sniffing, going in for a sip. Mmmmm tart strawberries. Wait maybe not that tart after all. Some cranberry, and currants from my past CSA boxes, raspberry, soda, a splash of lemon/citrus or unripe gooseberries, and some very fresh apples. Reminds me of a light frambroise, and it is a waaaaaay easy drinker.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: celery and strawberries oh my!

It says sour cider, and it is tart but a comfortable tart. It’s begging to be made into a cocktail, or just drink as is. This is one of the best ciders I’ve had. Well done Graft…well done!

Also well done to Caleb Luke Lin, the illustrator who designs all of their really cool labels and brings their Book of Nomad “fruited story series” to life. Check out his website, and if you want to make some of his work your own (prints, phone cases, bags, and more) go here.

@SugarburgNY @sugarburgbk @graftcider @caleblukelin @cheezits #cider #beer #cheezit @worldbyglass #needmorebeer #pairswithcheezits #newburgh #newyork #cabernetfranc #wine #apple