Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
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.”
Portland’s Moonstruck Chocolate Company, have done wine and beer and now have cider to add to their truffle collection now that they have collaborated with 2 Towns Ciderhouse on the Craft Cider Collection.
You get nine chocolate truffles made with 2 Towns flavors like The Bad Apple Imperial Cider, Made Marion Blackberry Cider and Easy Squeezy Raspberry Lemonade Cider.
I might break my record for cider talk in a month. Due to Two Towns Cider House sending me a care package of two of their new ciders on the market…
I started with the Hop & Stalk which is cider that has Citra hops and rhubarb added to the mix.
H&S pours a hazy dark yellow with a green apple aroma to it. Flavorwise this is a three way battle between rhubarb, green apple and the imperialized 8.2% ABV.
It is initially sharp and carbonated on the tongue. The rhubarb lurks between the brighter notes of the apple and also adds that extra oomph to take this from just boozy to complex. On the negative side, I did not detect any Citra hop aroma or bitterness.
Prickle Me Pink is more red when poured into the glass. This cider tastes like a cocktail made with a watermelon wheat beer. It isn’t syrupy sweet but it has a candy flavor for sure. It is a pretty red Kool-aid color but that is about it for the plus column. The Nopal is a distant taste and the cider aspect is bludgeoned by the watermelon which leaves the balance out of whack.
Continuing with the L.A. needs this theme, 2 Towns Ciderhouse in Portland has teamed with the Portland Thorns FC for a special Thorns collaboration cider.
The National Women’s Soccer League team’s cider is a portmanteau of sorts, “Two Thorns”, which the cidery explains is “a specialty cider made with whole Northwest raspberries and rose petals.”
Two Thorns will be on tap at the home pitch, Providence Park, “will also be available in the 2 Towns Tap Room, which is an official pub partner, and will be showing all Thorns matches.”
Now the City of Angels does not yet have a NWSL team but there is a brewery in Carson which is the same city where the Galaxy play. Hint. Hint.