CIDERCRAFT Magazine, CIDERCRAFT Volume 14 2020

Vermouth and Vinegar 10 Cider Based Sips to Try Now M ove over pommeau ice cider and apple brandy a handful of cidermakers have ventured into new territory by crafting unique cider vermouths and providing creative takes on apple cider vinegar Central City Brewers Distillers Fruit forward and fragrant with just enough honey like sweetness to balance its bitter blend of herbs spices and roots Terra the dry apple cider vermouth from this brewery cidery and distillery in Surrey British Columbia is good enough to sip on its own Cidrerie Michel Jodoin In Québec this cidermaking godfather o ers a rosé cider vermouth de pomme made with the red leshed Geneva crab apple that its founder helped to popularize With its striking color zesty aromatics and spicy notes of pepper and anise this sweet vermouth is sure to please Domaine Lafrance Another Québécois producer Domaine Lafrance also makes vermouth cider Rouge Gorge in both red and white o erings The latter inspires admiration with its elegant combination of wormwood apple fennel gentian root and elder lower Sidra Castañón The lavor building blocks of Roxmut from Spains Sidra Castañón include elements of citrus supplied by Asturian apple varieties known for their acidity with oaky notes contributed by three months of aging on wood and herbs like chamomile and oregano Sidra Trabanco Another Asturian cidermaker Sidra Trabanco bottles limited quantities of Alma de Trabanco which marries un iltered cider white wine and an array of fruits and botanicals such as cherry orange rind cinnamon coriander star anise and vanilla 56 CIDERCRAFTMAG COM BY BEN KEENE Shrub Farm Shrub Farm which works with fruit farmers in Washington and Hawaii sells a variety of apple cider vinegars infused with everything from ginger and Hawaiian chiles to the fruity yet savory combination we enjoyed most pineapple and sage Vinaigrerie Gingras Since 1976 Vinaigrerie Gingras has produced apple cider vinegars on a fourth generation family farm in Québec After spending at least a year in French oak foeders Gingras XO Bourbon Reserve Apple Cider Vinegar also ages up to one year in former bourbon casks to create a lavorful vinegar unlike any other Vine Street Vinegar Pennsylvanias Vine Street Vinegar offers a plethora of options for ACV lovers the Pineapple Scorpion for heat seekers the anti in lammatory and gut healing Ginger Turmeric a classic Fyre Cyder and our favorite the bold citrus forward Citra Hops made with whole cone hops Alpenfi re Cider Washingtons Alpen ire infuses its vinegars with a wide range of culinary ingredients including horseradish garlic and turmeric but our taste buds were most impressed with Elderperry a rare perry vinegar infused with blue black berries from the namesake fruit Aspall Cyder If balsamic vinegar appeals try the Apple Balsamic from British producer Aspall which balances sharp acidity with fruity sweetness and is darkened by the must from reduced apples rather than the traditional grape must