Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
The next cider up from Portland Cider is Lemon Drop made with not just regular lemons but the extra fancy Meyer variety.
I was really hoping to get a big ol’ punch of Meyer lemon in this one. I really like lemon flavor but I just did not find it in this cider named after a cocktail. That is not to say that this wasn’t a good tasting cider, just that the name led me to a destination that it just could not arrive at.
I went big with the first choice of Portland Cider’s appley offerings, straight to an Imperial, with peach tea.
Before I describe it, here is the website description, “A rich, golden imperial cider from crisp Northwest apples and mouthwateringly juicy Washington peaches. Steeped Assam black tea from Steven Smith Teamaker adds an extra zing that puts this cider a notch above the rest.”
To start, for this to be successful, I need to taste an apple base followed by peach tea. A spiced apple flavor is there and I am picking up some tea tannins in the background. Past that though, I am not getting much. It is tasty to drink but, to me, the imperial, the peach and the tea are well hidden. I kinda expect peach to be background but tea should be there.
Good but not firing with all cylinders.
Beer can’t have all the winter seasonal fun, so let’s crack open a fruited cider from Two Towns Cider House…
“Tart & complex, Crimson Bliss is full of berry charm. Bright cranberries and black currants make this the perfect compliment for gathering around the fire this season, so take some time to kick back and enjoy a moment of bliss.”
La Familia Cider Company is breaking cider ground. The cidery was founded in 2017 by the Gonzalez family. Jose, JJ and Jazzelle. La Familia Cider mixes hard ciders with aguas frescas.
La familia Cider donates a portion of their profits to local charities that help families stay together and work through the immigration process.
You will need to be in the NW to try now.
I am a Benny Boy fanboy and part of that is due to their cider side, if you still haven’t visited or have only tried the beer half, then maybe you check out this…
Milkfarm has partnered with Eagle Rock Brewery in the past, so they understand the ins and outs of cheese and drink pairing.
DAMN – This sold out in a day, so you folks are going to have to DIY it. Hit up your map app of choice and plot the best route between Eagle Rock and Boyle Heights to pick your cheese and cider duos.
I am working on a piece to submit to Beer Paper LA about Benny Boy that will have backstory, impressions and big words so in this post, let’s talk about the beer and cider that was pouring.
I had six of the seven opening week beers. Poured straight from the tank by the way. I saved the IPA for a follow up visit.
I was most taken by the top two on the list. Mexican styled lagers are, at times, purposefully plain. Lincoln Heights Lager is light yellow in color so I thought it might fall into that category as well. But it had a nice spice (almost rye) as well as a deep corn flavor to it. The Other Lover is a low ABV delight as well with a lemon verbena note and almost easier to find your glass empty as the lager. I also want to mention the Midnight Swim which is a nice example of a Belgian Dark Strong ale.
Cross the courtyard over to the cider (and natural wine) building where you will find higher ABVs than in the brewery. These, I tasted all of and I came away very impressed by the two dry ciders at the top of the list especially. You could instantly taste the apple, peel and all in the single apple version and the double apple, you could taste both. In my experience the actual apple is sometimes covered by carbonation or other flavors. Not so here. Even the pineapple and pomegranate versions were decidedly apple forward, to the point that I wanted less apple.
This is a strong opening. I don’t say that often. Beer fans will be found here this year.
Set those alerts on your device, Benny Boy Brewing + Cider too is moving closer to their opening date so the updates will be coming fast and furious.
In the meantime, check this short apple video out…
Unfortunately, the 2021 Cider Summit will be virtual but that means that those outside the NW can get in on the action from home.
Here are the available boxes…
Ground has been broken for Benny Boy Brewing…
…and the fingers crossed / everything goes to plan opening date is September. Knowing the City of LA and the then (hopefully) after effects of pandemic times, I would say October or November might be closer.
Either way this freeway adjacent, five lanes of traffic away from the Brewery Blocks brewery and Cidery should be an excellent outdoor spot to re-acclimate oneself to drinking at a new brewery instead of the four-pack and flee method currently in place.
Updates to follow.
I am a side cider connoisseur and when I saw Ogopogo was launching a line, I knew I would be trying them. And I decided to start with this highest price entry in their range. Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrel aged. And though, I generally prefer “clean”, plain cider. This is a really well balanced drink. It is more barrel than bourbon to me, the cider shines through and it still has enough bubbles in it to make it a bit crisp as well.